Topic: Literature

10-second review: Why study literature? "Our focus should be on helping children learn from literature about themselves, about their lives, about the lives of others."

Source: H Mills, et al. Language Arts (September. 2004), 51. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Comment: There are a number of reasons for reading literature. One reason for reading novels is information. Many contemporary novels tell about hospitals, law, and other professions in addition to telling a story. James Michener is one example of writers who provide a great deal of information in telling stories. Reading for the story itself is another reason. People love to read stories. Reading to relate the story to one’s life is a reason for reading literature. Reading to understand experience emotionally is a reason for reading poetry. Reading to understand the use of language in literature is the reason for explicating (New Critics). But I think that the reason most students who are not English majors will give for reading literature is to add vicarious experience to their own lives.

Reading literature to relate to the readers’ own lives and to learn about the lives of others are really the only reasons for most students to read literature. The trouble is that most English teachers teach their students as if they are going to be English majors. That means they concentrate on explicating the literary work without regard for personal experience. RayS.