The place of literature in education
Why read literature? To many of us, such a question seems as strange as asking “why breathe?” as literature has been part of our life, family, school, and community for as long as we can remember. Of course, there are those who argue that what today’s students need is preparation for the “real world,” but in the push for practical preparedness we sometimes overlook the importance of educating students’ imaginations. Literature offers windows to worlds outside students’ experience as well as mirrors onto the world they already know. Literature also prepares students for the personal challenges and moral dilemmas they are likely to face. We interpret the world constantly in all our experiences every day, so interpreting literature provides a general model for interpretation. Exploring a literary text gives the opportunity to think about various reasons for actions, for how people act and think and react to others. Reading offers us the possibility to do this independently of our personal experiences. It concerns somebody else: fictive persons in a fictive world.
“The study of literature and language could be an opportunity to understand and encourage an even more open and multicultural society”. (Eaglestone 2000: 110) Indeed, linguistic and literate competences are regarded by most as crucial for full participation in a given society. Moreover, claims are made for better cultural understanding of others, benefits for the ethical development of the individual and wider general educational benefits in terms of the development of worthier and more critical citizens. Literature broadens our notions of what it means to be human, and how we could live better as human beings.
In spite of all its perc...
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In “Why Literature Matters” the author, Dana Gioia, argues that literature is very important in today’s society. He talks about the decline of reading over the years and the effects it has on different companies and communities. Gioia uses many persuasive techniques, such as evidence, jingoism, and diction, to try and persuade the reader that literature is important.
Literature is such a beautiful thing because it does not give us an answer to it's questions. There are so many iffy spots that leave us to develop our own thoughts and feelings toward the piece of work. This is an interesting factor because at many times it affects us in a different way and can develop us as an individual. When reading a piece of literature, one person can interpret it in different ways than another person reading the same piece of work. I remember analyzing poems with my English class in the previous years and when we were asked to interpret it, we all had different answers. Sometimes what I got out of the poem didnt even go close to the direction that my classmate was going in. However, when I saw it from her view I saw more of where they were coming from I learned more about them.
The idea of literature being an important aspect of life has always been greatly prevalent in my upbringing. This notion that I supported was spurred on at the cause of my obstinate parents insisting upon my reading of two books a week to benefit my vocabulary and to develop the articulate thought process of a skilled reader. As a young child, my biggest influences were my parents’ passionate and persuasive ideas regarding the correlation between
Toni Cade Bambara, DiYanni, R. (Ch 10.) The Lesson (p. 427-432) & Literature Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. (2007). New York:NY McGraw-Hill
“Literature is a comprehensive essence of the intellectual life of a nation” Stated by William Shakespeare, he is relating literature to life in a way that will make us understand it by reading Shakespeare. Why read Shakespeare? A real question and the search for a good answer, literature is a prime example of life and the way we live in our society. Mack constructs an effective argument that reading and understanding Shakespeare is a lesson in life itself through the use of rhetorical devices and real world examples.
Literature serves a significant purpose in learning about what we could generally call citizenship, when educators are determined to communicate a sense of value and values to children. This refers to being a citizen of a sustainable world and not just being a citizen of a particular country. The idea of world citizenship is an important and essential factor of a global society. A global society must suggest having not only a physical connection between cultures but also a philosophical connection that surpasses ideas and politics. The classroom and stories read in the classroom can help provide opportunity for connection in this way, this is because story is a connector. All cultures have stories and these stories can fill schools and lives with opulent diversity. Opportunities for experiencing difference and engaging creatively in one’s own differences are what these stories can offer. Books read in class are able to incite, discuss and challenge about self and others, about unfami...
Literature is an essential part of society in the present day and enables the communication between multiple parties in a written form. Texts can provide a vast knowledge on subjects dependent on content whereas novels are often seen as being purely for leisure and enjoyment. However it can often be seen that prose
Studying literature is important it has the potential to open a window to wisdom, and give insight into the basic aspects of the human condition. Initially, students will gain knowledge in concrete parts of literature such as vocabulary, developed literacy skills, and an overall understanding of written language. These concrete pieces provide a basis for the true reason to study literature.
The study of Literature lends to an understanding of our history, our society and sometimes ourselves. With Literature, we see the Countries and People as they were. We experience the different climates,language and tone.
Literature has had a major impact on society, and, also our history. Literature has reformed and shaped civilizations, changed political systems, and has exposed injustices (3). Our literature has changed and developed as we have, keeping up with our society. “...literature is crucial for the advancement of society (3).” With literary works, we can convince others to view things a certain way, share our opinions, and more. Literature is greatly intertwined with our society and everyday lives, and they would not be the same without it. Literature plays an irreplaceable role in our
“Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest places in human society and in the human spirit, where I hope to find not absolute truth, but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and of the heart.” This quote expresses the power of literature to give an unde...
Reading a material that is relatable to the reader may teach them morals and encourage them to practice good judgment. Literature talks about human life and experience while other areas of the educational system will never teach you. It presents human daily life in a reflective way. When studying science and history, we always get the basic facts and rules of a circumstance only. However, “only literary study persists in posing those questions we all asked before our schooling taught us to give up on them. Only literature gives credibility to personal perceptions, feelings, dreams, and the "stream of consciousness" that is our inner voice.” (Barden 1) In history class, we learn about how it records or reconstructs human life, whereas the literature class clarifies, focuses and interprets human life. An example would be Amy Tan’s stories, where “Two Kinds” is meant to be reflective of the life of Immigrants. While reading and discussing “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, I could relate myself to Jing-Mei’s struggles. Although Jing-Mei was born in the United States, being an Asian American still gives her struggles with her different cultural background. From the story, we can learn about her real experience and true feelings to it. As an Asian American, I can never learn about the truth until I experience it. I can never feel like the same as other Americans until I read
Understanding the importance of literature has always been a challenging and pinning task. Literature is a term used to describe written or spoken material. It mostly refers to creative work ranging from imagination to even non fiction. I believe that literature extends beyond its definition, it is way more than what I can see and perceive. Life is portrayed in the form of literature, it is the foundation of humanity’s beliefs, festivals, custom and traditions. Fiction, comedy, drama, poetry, prose and nonfiction are all forms of literature. Literature has inspired me as a student to broaden my knowledge, observe my reflection and expand my vocabulary. Therefore, literature should be given the importance it deserves.
Literature has an enormous impact on a child’s development during the early years of his or her life. It is important for parents and teachers to instill a love of reading in children while they are still young and impressionable. They are very naive and trusting because they are just beginning to develop their own thoughts, so they will believe anything they read (Lesnik, 1998). This is why it is so important to give them literature that will have a positive impact. Literature can make children more loving, intelligent and open minded because reading books gives them a much wider perspective on the world. Through reading, children’s behavior can be changed, modified or extended, which is why books are so influential in children’s lives while they are young (Hunt, 1998). Literature has the power to affect many aspects of a child’s life and shapes their future adult life.
Until the late 60’s and early 70’s the teaching of literature in foreign and second language classes was an activity whose justification was assumed to be obvious. Poetry and literature in general became the “forgotten” man since then, and this can be ascribed to the advent of communicative language teaching. With the shifting emphasis of the study of English for practical purposes, technical or otherwise, as well as an emphasis on the spoken language more than on written language, the role of literary texts in the language classroom and the relationship between language teaching and literature teaching in the EFL context seemed to be totally neglected. Looking through TEFL/ TESL writings in the 70’s and 80’s, one can find little about the teaching of literary texts and hardly anything controversial.