Importance of Literature

          When literature is discussed in school, it is often about the classic writers, Poe, Hawthorne, and Thoreau. These writers wrote classic tales and poetry that have been copied for decades. Through the study of these and other classic writers, people have come to the understanding that literature is more than just mere words on paper; it is the written understanding of mankind and the history of the world. Not only is the reading of literature important, the diversity of literature read is also important, regardless of major. A diverse study of literature can aid in the understanding of gender differences, cultural differences.

          A diverse study of literature can aid in the understanding of gender differences. Literature has a way of pulling readers into a story, not only does a story bring to life the differences between the sexes, but it also helps readers experience those differences. This type of literature can teach a reader, whether male or female, to be more sensitive to their environment, and teach a reader how to deal with and understand the inner workings of the opposite sex. There are many differences between boys and girls, and men and women. The focus of the story, the wording of the story, and the moral of the story are different in accordance with gender. Literature throughout history demonstrates these differences clearly.

         If a book is written by a woman, it is written with a focus on matters of the heart and emotions. An example of this is seen in books such as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, both written by Jane Austin. Both stories exhibit many references to matters of the heart, as well as love, kindness, sadness, etc. Another example of this is seen in the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The names of her poems, My Heart and I is an example, prove the importance of emotion in literature for women.

          Just as with emotion is a major focus in female literature, strength, power, and gore are the focus in literature written by a man. Seth Grahame-Smith illustrates this point well with his rewrite of Pride and Prejudice called Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a famous poet, continues the theme of power and strength in his famous poem Paul Revere’s Ride. Not only has male writers proven that strength and power are important in their own writing, but also they have proved the need to incorporate their need for strength and power by rewriting an emotion filled story and turning it into a zombie filled story. A diverse study of literature can aid in the understanding of these gender differences.

          A diverse study of literature can aid in the understanding of cultural differences. Whether read in poetry or prose form, the wording, actions, and subject matter can all contribute to the different point of view due to cultural upbringing. Growing up in a small town, I only knew about other cultures what I saw on television. I thought all black men were always swearing and shooting at each other, because I had no other experience. I thought that America was the only country on earth with electricity. It was not until I was in high school that I challenged my limited point of view.

         I went with my creative writing class to the local community college to hear an author from the University of Michigan speak. She was a black woman from Trinidad. She read a short story that she had written about her childhood growing up in Trinidad. What may have seemed as such a simple story about her learning to read from a mobile library was, for me, a learning experience. The fact that other countries had libraries was a foreign idea to me. It was through speaking with her and listening to her story that I gained new understanding of different cultures broadening my world from the small town I had grown up in to the bigger one.
Reading literature written by other cultures has since broadened my perspective even further. The words used to describe traditions of other cultures, their types of food, and their everyday language can dictate how a character will behave in a piece of literature. An example of this can be seen in the translation from American English to British. Though English is the main language for both cultures, the actual language is not the same. Some differences in words are diapers (American), nappies (British); french fries (American), chips (British); butt (American), bum (British); apartment (American), flat (British). The value of literature is increased when these differences are studied, and a reader can gain greater understanding of the world when studying a variety of literature.

          Literature is the written understand of mankind and the history of the world. The study of literature can aid in the understanding of gender and cultural differences. Therefore, not only is the reading of literature important, but also the diversity of literature read is important regardless of major. The value of literature goes beyond these two aspects giving even more reason to study a variety of types, styles, authors, and time periods. For a reader to truly understand history, people, and themselves, literature must be studied.