Friday, February 11, 2005
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What is literature to you? Or, is the notion of literature misconceived?
This is without a doubt an interesting question. Let me start by first defining the parameters of the definition of literature, or at least, the parameters as I see it. A lot of people will think about poetry, prose, plays and sonnets when one mentions the word "literature". That is the definition of literature, but not necessarily what literature
is. So, when I further ask them what they think literature is, beyond the physical definition of what literature is, most of them do not understand me and become confused. Some say "Oh, that subject you need to study for? It is English at a higher level, that's all." Some, however, have mentioned that literature is an outlet, an art to be appreciated. I tend to agree with these people. Firstly to me, in terms of physical definition, literature is a piece of literary work that engages one's heart and soul. This would apply to poetry, prose, plays, etc, but most definitely not to telephone directories. That said I see such pieces of literary work as a form of escape.
The author when he writes, he pens down his feelings or thoughts. He makes us, the readers, see what he wants us to see which usually is influenced by his own opinions and feelings. Bearing that in mind, to him writing is a form of an outlet, a form of escape, if you will, for his opinions, feelings and creativity. When we read literature, we see the events unfold or opinions expressed as the author wills it because through writing, the author has expressed himself. That outlet is what allows us readers to see past the writing into the writer and what he is thinking about. For example, when I write poetry, I let my inner feelings escape and they come out through the verses I pen down. Literature releases me and my pent-up feelings, all of which are penned down for others to read and experience. This brings me to my next point about how literature affects readers.
This "escape" is not just one-way though. It also applies to us readers. When we pick up a literary work, whether it is a verse from the epic poem
Beowulf, an Act from
Julius Caesar or a paragraph from
The Three Musketeers, we can escape from our current reality into that of the author's. Through literary works, we can journey to places near and far, times ancient and advanced and experience cultures and read the minds of different people everywhere. Literature gives us the freedom to escape from our reality and if only for just the period we read, into fantastic places we might never get to visit or relive. When we read, we are not bound to whom we are. We get to become a villain, or a swashbuckling hero. We get to play the protagonist, or we become helpless spectators in a tragedy. Literature, by releasing us from our surroundings into a fantastic world, lets us escape our rigidity of everyday life and experience horror, fear, helpless anxiety, happiness, relief, elation and so much more in just the span of a few pages with words printed on them.
To me, literature is wondrous. The magical construction of sentence structures, with words laced inside to induce feelings and new experiences for writer and reader brings to both escape and enlightenment. To me, literature is, and forever will be, freedom for the heart, soul and the mind. And that freedom granted to us through the mere power of words in literature is in itself, a work of art that science can never achieve.
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lit s paper at 1.45am in the morning the night before a long school day with cca. =| haha.
`donovan. |1:39 AM|
