what is the role of literature in society essay

The Incredible Impact of Literature on Society

Disha Dahiya

Stories and literature wield an unparalleled influence on society, shaping our perceptions, values, and understanding of the world. From ancient myths passed down through oral traditions to contemporary novels that reflect our modern complexities, the power of storytelling transcends time and culture. This critical literary introduction seeks to explore the multifaceted impact of literature on society, digging into its ability to provoke introspection, challenge societal norms, and foster empathy.

At the heart of this discussion lies the fundamental role of stories as a medium for human connection. Through narratives, individuals find a common ground to share their experiences, fears, and aspirations, forging a collective understanding of the human condition. Literature, as the written form of storytelling, amplifies this connection by immortalizing narratives that resonate across generations. Moreover, stories and literature serve as mirrors that reflect and refract societal values and beliefs. They not only capture the zeitgeist of their time but also have the power to shape it. By presenting alternative perspectives and challenging established norms, literature becomes a catalyst for societal change, prompting readers to question the status quo and envision new possibilities.

Furthermore, stories have a profound impact on the moral and ethical fabric of society. Through compelling characters and intricate plots, literature explores the complexities of human nature, posing timeless questions about morality and the human condition. This exploration often leads to a deeper understanding of oneself and others, fostering empathy and compassion within society . We can also say that stories and literature are not merely forms of entertainment or escapism; they are powerful tools that shape our understanding of the world and our place in it. Through their ability to provoke thought, challenge norms, and foster empathy, stories and literature continue to be indispensable elements of the human experience.

The influence of stories and literature on society has been a subject of contemplation for philosophers and thinkers throughout history. According to Plato, “Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” Here Plato emphasizes the transformative power of literature in enriching human experience and expanding the boundaries of thought. Aristotle believed that literature, particularly tragedy, had a profound effect on the audience by evoking emotions such as pity and fear. He saw storytelling as a means to achieve catharsis, a purification of these emotions, which he considered essential for the well-being of individuals and society. Thomas Hobbes, in his political philosophy, highlighted the importance of storytelling in the formation of societal structures. He argued that stories and myths played a crucial role in creating a shared understanding of authority and governance, which are essential for maintaining social order. Modern literary criticism, influenced by various literary theories, emphasizes the role of literature in shaping cultural narratives and challenging established norms. Literary critics analyze how storytelling techniques and narrative structures influence the way we perceive the world and ourselves. Many writers and authors have expressed the transformative power of literature through their works. For example, Maya Angelou said, “Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him”. These ideas illustrate the profound impact of stories and literature on society, from shaping individual minds to influencing cultural and political structures.

Literature as a Means of Fostering Human Connection

Literature, with its ability to transcend time and space, serves as a powerful medium for fostering human connection. Through the art of storytelling, literature brings people together, creating a shared space where diverse perspectives, emotions, and experiences converge. Stories are a fundamental way in which humans connect with each other. They provide a medium for sharing experiences, emotions, and ideas across time and space. Plato noted that “Those who tell the stories rule society” highlighting the influential role of storytellers in shaping societal narratives and norms.

At the heart of this discussion lies the concept of empathy, which plays a pivotal role in fostering human connection through literature. As philosopher Martha Nussbaum argues, literature has the unique ability to cultivate empathy by allowing readers to step into the shoes of characters from different backgrounds and cultures. By immersing themselves in the lives of fictional or historical figures, readers develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of human existence, leading to greater compassion and connection with others.

Furthermore, literature serves as a bridge that transcends barriers of time, space, and culture, uniting individuals across generations and geographical boundaries. The works of classic writers like Shakespeare or contemporary authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie provide readers with a window into the human experience, highlighting universal themes of love, loss, and resilience that resonate across diverse contexts. Through literature, individuals can find common ground, share their stories, and recognize the shared humanity that binds them together. Literature’s capacity to evoke empathy and transcend cultural divides makes it a potent force in fostering human connection. By engaging with literary works that challenge their perspectives and broaden their horizons, individuals can forge meaningful connections with others, enriching their lives and deepening their understanding of the world.

Literature as a Medium of Shaping Cultural Identity and Preserving Collective Memory

Literature has long been recognized as a powerful medium for shaping cultural identity and preserving collective memory. Through storytelling, writers capture the essence of a society’s values, beliefs, and traditions, thereby contributing to the formation of its cultural identity. This critical literary introduction aims to explore how literature serves as a mirror that reflects the cultural ethos of a society, drawing insights from the perspectives of philosophers, theorists, and writers.

Philosopher Martha Nussbaum highlights the role of literature in shaping cultural identity by emphasizing its ability to cultivate empathy. According to Nussbaum, literature allows readers to understand and empathize with the experiences of others, thereby fostering a sense of shared humanity and cultural belonging. Similarly, literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of the “ chronotope ” underscores the interconnectedness of literature and culture, suggesting that literary works are deeply rooted in their cultural context and contribute to the construction of cultural identity. Moreover, writers themselves have often reflected on the role of literature in preserving collective memory. Nobel laureate Toni Morrison once remarked that literature enables societies to remember and confront their past, thereby contributing to the preservation of collective memory. By portraying historical events and cultural traditions, literature serves as a repository of a society’s collective memory, ensuring that important aspects of its history are not forgotten but rather celebrated and learned from.

Hence, literature plays a crucial role in shaping cultural identity and preserving collective memory by reflecting the values and experiences of a society. Through the insights of philosophers, theorists, and writers, we can appreciate the profound impact of literature on the formation and preservation of cultural identity and collective memory.

Literature as a Promoter of Empathy, Understanding, and Moral Reflection

Literature has long been celebrated as a powerful tool for promoting empathy and understanding among individuals. Through the art of storytelling, literature allows readers to immerse themselves in the lives and experiences of others, fostering a sense of empathy by enabling them to see the world from different perspectives. This critical literary introduction aims to explore how literature serves as a catalyst for empathy and understanding, drawing insights from the perspectives of philosophers, theorists, and writers.

Literary theorist Wayne C. Booth argues that literature provides a safe space for readers to explore complex ethical and moral dilemmas through the experiences of fictional characters, allowing them to reflect on their own values and beliefs. Moreover, writers themselves have often reflected on the role of literature in promoting empathy and moral reflection. Nobel laureate Toni Morrison once remarked that literature enables individuals to confront difficult truths about themselves and society, fostering a deeper understanding of human nature and the complexities of the human condition. By engaging with literary works that challenge their perspectives and ethical frameworks, readers are encouraged to reflect on their own moral compass and empathetic capacities, ultimately contributing to a more compassionate and understanding society. Literature’s ability to evoke empathy, stimulate understanding, and provoke moral reflection makes it a potent force for positive social change. Through the insights of philosophers, theorists, and writers, we can appreciate the profound impact of literature on promoting empathy and moral understanding, thus enriching the human experience.

The influence of stories and literature on society is profound and multifaceted. Throughout history, literature has played a pivotal role in shaping societal narratives, influencing cultural identities, and fostering human connections. By digging into the human experience and exploring universal themes, literature transcends time and culture, leaving an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of humanity. Through storytelling, writers capture the essence of their societies, preserving collective memory and shaping cultural identities. Moreover, literature acts as a catalyst for societal change, challenging established norms and prompting introspection. Furthermore, literature’s impact extends beyond societal structures, influencing individual minds and hearts.

As we navigate the complexities of the modern age, literature remains an indispensable companion, guiding us through the human experience and illuminating the path forward. Through its ability to provoke thought, challenge norms, and foster empathy, literature stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling. As we continue to write and read, we carry forward the legacy of literature, ensuring that its influence on society remains as potent as ever. Hence, the impact of literature on society is profound and far-reaching, shaping our perceptions, values, and understanding of the world. From fostering human connections to challenging societal norms, literature continues to wield its influence across time and culture, enriching the human experience and shaping the course of history.

The views and opinions expressed by the author/s in this article are their personal opinions and do not represent the views of PureSociology . You can contact the author/s at [email protected] . The details of the authors are:

Ms. Disha Dahiya is an Assistant Professor, Department of English, Guru Kashi University, Bathinda

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Importance of Literature in Modern Society

by Academia Mag
December 23, 2023
9 months ago

Have you ever wondered about the importance of Literature in modern society? In the digital age, where information zips across screens and attention spans dwindle, the timeless relevance of literature often stands as an unsung hero. Amidst the fast-paced evolution of technology and the surge of diverse media, the importance of literature in modern society remains undeniably crucial. It serves not merely as an archival relic of the past but as a vibrant cornerstone shaping our present and future.

From fostering empathy to preserving cultural heritage, literature’s multifaceted role reverberates through society in profound ways. In this article, we have discussed all the factors of the importance of literature in modern society. So, scroll down and explore all the details of the importance of literature in modern society.

What is the importance of literature in modern society?

Fostering empathy and understanding.

One of literature’s remarkable capacities lies in its capacity to connect holes between individuals. Novels, poems, and stories give readers a glimpse into the characters’ lives, feelings, and struggles, allowing them to experience worlds other than their own. Through this immersive journey, empathy blossoms. Readers walk in the shoes of protagonists from different cultures, eras, or circumstances, broadening their perspectives and nurturing a deeper understanding of diverse human experiences.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage

Literature acts as a custodian of cultural heritage, preserving languages, traditions, and societal norms. It holds within its pages the collective wisdom, folklore, and history of civilizations, safeguarding them against the erosion of time. Works like Homer’s “ The Odyssey ,” Shakespeare’s plays, or the epic tales of ancient India serve as invaluable repositories of cultural knowledge, offering insights into the values and beliefs that have shaped humanity.

Catalyst for Critical Thinking and Creativity

The beauty of literature lies not just in its narratives but in the layers of meanings, symbolism, and themes it encapsulates. It challenges readers to analyze, interpret, and think critically, honing their cognitive faculties. Literary works often prompt discussions, debates, and interpretations, fostering a culture of analytical thinking and intellectual discourse. Moreover, literature fuels creativity, inspiring individuals to create their own narratives, poetry, and art.

Reflection of Societal Realities

Literature is a mirror reflecting the joys, struggles, triumphs, and complexities of society. Authors weave stories that embody the overall outlook, revealing insight into cultural issues, social problems, and human difficulties. Dickens’ depiction of Victorian England’s social injustices to contemporary writers addressing pressing worldwide issues, and concerns, writing fills in as a material for cultural thoughtfulness, provoking discussions that can catalyze change.

Fostering Emotional Capacity

Through the emotional depth and complexity of characters and situations, literature becomes a potent tool for developing emotional intelligence. Readers empathize with the characters’ feelings of love, loss, hope, and despair, enhancing their capacity to understand and manage their emotions. This emotional resonance instills a sense of empathy, resilience, and compassion—essential qualities for navigating the complexities of modern society.

Escapism and Mental Well-being

In a world characterized by perpetual connectivity and information overload, literature offers a sanctuary for the mind. It provides an avenue for escapism, allowing individuals to disconnect from the noise and immerse themselves in narratives that transport them to different realms. This escape not only offers relaxation but also contributes significantly to mental well-being by reducing stress and anxiety.

What is the main purpose of Literature in this modern society?

The main motivation behind writing in present-day culture is multi-layered, however, at its center, it fills in as a main connection that interfaces people across time, societies, etc. Writing goes about as a mirror reflecting the human condition, protecting social legacy, and cultural heritage, encouraging sympathy, supporting decisive reasoning, and offering a space for thoughtfulness and emotional exploration. Its primary role lies in shaping perspectives, nurturing understanding, and enriching the human experience. Through its narratives, literature inspires, educates, and challenges individuals, thereby playing a pivotal role in shaping societal values, fostering empathy, and contributing to the collective wisdom of humanity.

In essence, literature remains an indispensable pillar of modern society. Its impact transcends generations, cultures, and technological advancements. From shaping minds and fostering empathy to preserving cultural heritage and fostering critical thinking, literature’s significance persists as a guiding light in an ever-evolving world. Embracing its power enables us to navigate the complexities of contemporary life with wisdom, empathy, and an enduring connection to our collective humanity.

Well, we hope this article helped you learn and understand the importance of literature in modern society. What are your thoughts and views on the importance of literature in modern society? Share your thoughts and views with us in the comments section!

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The Impacts of Literature on Society

Delve into the multifaceted ways in which literature continues to shape and transform our society.

Recently, few fields have had as significant an impact on our world as literature. Many see it as the basis for all the arts, affecting every part of society. Its elements are found in music, films, fashion, religion, education, science, and even the gambling industry. In some ways, literary texts influence players on how to choose online slots AUS as well as other games and platforms in other climes. In short, literature is at the centre of the global popular culture.

Understanding the Concept of Literature

The term “literature” originated from Latin, where it meant “the use of letters” or “writing.” Over time, as Latin evolved into the Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian), literature came to be understood as “knowledge acquired through reading or studying books.”

This definition raises concerns about what books qualify for reading or studying. This is where issues of canonicity come in. Something becomes canonical if cultural institutions like universities, schools and prize communities accept it. That raises another debate: what standards are these institutions using to access books worthy of study?

In a broad sense, any collection of work written by scholars or domain experts in any language about a period or culture is defined as literature. This includes but is not limited to prose, poetry, essays, dramas, fiction, literary works based on art, history, philosophy, religion and culture, legal and scientific writing.

Importance of Literature

Literature serves as a mirror of society, reflecting good and bad values of humanity and educating people on why those are good or bad. In mirroring society, literature educates about what happened in the past, informs behaviour in the present and predicts patterns for the future.

Factors That Influence the Impacts of Literature on Society

As literature aims to educate, it is crucial to provide a comprehensive understanding of its historical and societal influence, taking into consideration the following factors that shape its impact on our world:

The Society . Since society is made up of people, every one of its subsets has preconceived notions of what an idea, a concept, or a phenomenon should be.
The Text Under Consideration . The presentation style, the language used, and the cultural context or historical period in which a text is situated all significantly shape the extent of its impact.
The Reader Interacting with the Text . The reader has biases, opinions, unique experiences, exposure, and education that influence how they interpret and understand a text.

The Overall Effect of Literature on Society

As stated, literature has influenced our world significantly on many levels and in many areas. In the following paragraphs, you will discover some of these areas of massive impact.

Exposure to literature is the earliest way society teaches children and adults analytical skills by reading text to pick reoccurring themes, ideas and underlying concepts. People learn to see the world from different perspectives while engaging with literature, thereby learning about empathy.

This helps the people in the society understand one another as they see different facets and perspectives to existing problems. People express themselves through literature by writing their opinions on matters arising from their interactions with society.

Shaping of the Global Popular Culture

Some literary texts are so relevant today that they have become a part of widespread or mass culture. For example, the works of William Shakespeare and Homer have become a part of popular culture.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is now synonymous with a love story with an impending tragic end, much like a Sakura stand in full bloom awaiting its inevitable fall. Homer’s Odyssey is now used to define adventurous projects that will take extended periods to complete. More recently, following the popular television adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice, Games of Thrones, girls born around the world at the time of the production were named after several characters from the book, such as Khaleesi, Arya, and more.

Books have become sensations, ideas from literature have become a part of popular culture, and literary characters have become “real-life” celebrities.

Providing Information

The significant impact of literature on society lies in its ability to facilitate research aimed at identifying patterns, mapping thought processes, and elucidating prevailing social norms. Researchers and thought leaders conduct extensive investigations and meticulously document their findings, contributing to society’s understanding of various intricate phenomena, advancing scientific and technological progress, and demystifying complex processes and procedures.

As a result, modern research builds upon the foundation of previous literature. It follows the established guidelines and continually enhances existing methodologies, thereby learning from past mistakes. A prime illustration of this process is the field of genetics, where biologist and meteorologist Gregor Mendel, regarded as the father of modern genetics, introduced the principles of inheritance. Subsequently, after the discovery of Mendel’s work in 1905, scientists like William Bateson expanded and improved upon these principles, further advancing the field of genetics.

Elimination of Cultural Barriers

Literature has enabled learning about other cultures before interacting with them. This helps to break cultural barriers, remove preconceived notions about people and bring context to conversations. People went to war because they had differing opinions and beliefs on culture. An example is the American Civil War . One of the reasons for the American Civil War was the differing views on slavery.

Literature has eliminated misunderstandings like this because people can read about their differing cultures and understand one another before interacting. Opinions about cultures have context courtesy of literature. Society can now empathise when a certain demographic of people behave how they do because there is literature to back that behaviour.

The impact of literature on society is an ongoing conversation. The degree of influence cannot be measured in a few sentences because there are more subtle ways and even more obvious ways literature has shaped society. Even to the watchful eyes of experts, the sheer breadth of these impacts is overwhelming.

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The Role of Literature in Society: 3 Insightful Essay Examples

Literature has a profound impact on society, shaping the way we think, feel, and interpret the world around us. Writing an essay on the role of literature in society can be a rewarding experience that helps illuminate these influences. In this guide, you'll learn how to write such an essay, featuring three comprehensive examples to get you started.

What is the Role of Literature in Society?

Literature serves as a mirror to society, reflecting its values, struggles, and transformations. It has the power to inform, entertain, and provoke thought. By delving into literature, we gain insights into cultures, historical periods, and human psychology. Let's break down its primary roles:

Educational Value: Literature educates readers about different cultures, philosophies, and historical contexts.
Moral and Ethical Influence: Through stories and narratives, literature fosters a deeper understanding of moral and ethical dilemmas.
Cultural Preservation: Literature preserves the cultural heritage and stories of a society.
Social Critique: It challenges societal norms and encourages critical thinking and social reform.
Emotional Connection: Literature helps readers empathize with characters and situations, fostering emotional intelligence.
What Makes a Good Essay on the Role of Literature?

A well-crafted essay should provide a nuanced understanding of literature's multifaceted role in society. Here's what you should aim for:

Clear Thesis Statement: Your thesis should succinctly state the main argument or purpose of your essay.
Strong Supporting Arguments: Use examples from literary works, historical contexts, and societal impacts to support your thesis.
Logical Structure: Organize your essay with clear sections, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Engaging Writing Style: Use a mix of formal and engaging writing to keep readers interested.
Citations and References: Always cite literary works and critical sources properly to add credibility to your essay.
Example 1: The Educational Significance of Literature

Introduction

Literature has always played a critical role in education, offering insights into different cultures, histories, and human experiences. This essay explores how literature serves as an educational tool, broadening the horizons of readers and fostering critical thinking.

Body Paragraphs

Cultural Awareness : Literature introduces readers to diverse cultures and perspectives, promoting cultural awareness. For instance, Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" offers a profound insight into African culture prior to European colonization.
Historical Understanding : Historical novels provide a glimpse into the past, helping readers understand different eras and events. Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" offers an intricate look into Tudor England.
Language Skills : Reading literature enhances vocabulary and language comprehension. Classic works like Shakespeare's plays enrich readers' understanding of the English language.

In conclusion, literature is an invaluable educational tool that broadens cultural awareness, deepens historical understanding, and enhances language skills.

Example 2: Literature as a Social Critique

One of literature's most compelling roles is its ability to critique society, challenging norms and spurring social change. This essay examines how literature critiques societal issues, using satirical and dystopian works as primary examples.

Satirical Works : Satire exposes societal flaws through humor and irony. George Orwell's "Animal Farm" critiques totalitarian regimes and highlights the dangers of political corruption.
Dystopian Literature : Dystopian books imagine societies plagued by oppression and inequity. Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" serves as a powerful critique of gender inequality and authoritarianism.
Impact on Social Reform : Literature has historically influenced social reform. Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" played a crucial role in highlighting the horrors of slavery and swaying public opinion during the American Civil War.

Literature's role as a social critique is unparalleled, using sharp wit and potent storytelling to challenge norms and inspire change.

Example 3: The Emotional and Psychological Influence of Literature

Literature's ability to evoke emotions and explore psychological depths is profound. This essay will discuss how literature influences readers emotionally and psychologically, fostering empathy and introspection.

Emotional Connection : Literary works allow readers to connect emotionally with characters, fostering empathy. Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner" elicits deep emotional responses through its exploration of guilt and redemption.
Psychological Exploration : Literature delves into the complexities of the human mind. Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" offers an intimate look at mental illness and personal struggle.
Healing and Catharsis : Reading can be a therapeutic experience, providing solace and catharsis. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak offers a poignant exploration of loss and resilience, leaving readers both heartbroken and hopeful.

Through emotional and psychological exploration, literature deepens our empathy and offers a therapeutic outlet for readers, highlighting its indispensable role in human life.

The role of literature in society is rich and multifaceted, encompassing educational value, social critique, and emotional influence. When writing an essay on this topic, remember to structure your arguments clearly, provide strong supporting examples, and engage your readers with compelling writing. Literature's impact on society is enduring and intricate, making it a captivating subject for exploration through essays.

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Importance of Literature in People Life Essay

To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
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Introduction

Literature is still important, especially the radical one that tends to be challenging in many respects. It is good for people who have critical thinking and step out of the ideational comfort zone that conformity offers. Through such works as Don Quixote and Madame Bovary, one has the opportunity to live other lives through the novels’ characters. Literature can move beyond the confines of time and space. It helps reconcile, momentarily, with whatever unhappiness we have about our lives.

However, in the long run, the fantasy part of fiction paradoxically helps keep a reality check. If a novel helps us to travel momentarily outside our current times and beyond our geographic locations, in the long run, it makes us more aware of the limitations of our reality. Because some literature depicts a perfect world, after we read it we become aware of what is wrong in our reality and what should be changed for the better.

Regarding this power to incite challenging the status quo, some social institutions like the Government and the Church may be keen on censoring given works. However, it is difficult to say which work may create an upheaval because different people react differently. Moreover, the aesthetic of a book is not a criterion, as Uncle Tom’s cabin shows, for despite being aesthetically a flat novel, the significance of its theme –slavery- had influenced the then-American society.

In the end, challenging the status quo is what has made humanity progress. All the scientific and technological progress and the evolvement of such issues as human rights has been achieved because the status quo was being questioned. Therefore, the seditious quality of literature has a positive aspect to it.

Another important aspect of literature resides in language. The development of language goes on par with the development of communication within society. We have access to a wide range of words that help us express ourselves. Because society is made of individuals, many society members developing their language skills and by extension, their expressiveness will help develop communication in the society as a whole. As language develops through literature, the society to which it belongs becomes grows richer and people express themselves better.

Society becomes also richer from an ideational point of view. Indeed, thought develops and is expressed through language. Ideas without words are abstract concepts. Language is what gives them shape and makes them somehow more concrete. It is through words that we can formulate and grasp ideas. So the scope of influence of language is both verbal and intellectual.

Finally, it should be noted that media can never fill the shoes of literature. At the level of language, audiovisual media does not use language that measures up to literary language. Media language is prosaic and relegated to a secondary position. It seeks the minimum of oral expression. Therefore, the progress and continuity of language are linked to the continuity of literature. This primary role of the literature shows that the claim that books are obsolete is wrong.

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‘I Heard the Owl Call My Name’ by Margaret Craven
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Sanity vs. Madness (Don Quixote vs. Orgon)
Analysis of Don Quixote’s Over-Romanticised Chivalric Acts and Beliefs
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Jonathan Kozol’s “Amazing Grace”
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Gabriel Conroy’s Epiphany in “The Dead” by James Joyce
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The Role of Literature in Promoting Social Change

March 10, 2024

Literature has served a purpose that goes far beyond offering itself as an enjoyable pastime for centuries. It has become a powerful vehicle for social change and a conduit for our collective grievances to be aired.

Throughout history and across the kaleidoscope of cultures that call this Earth home, books have served as tools for challenging the status quo.

In the process, these written works have ignited social awareness and fostered change. Ultimately, works like Candide, Uncle Tom’s Cabin , and Cry the Beloved Country have shaped history.

Taking on the Catholic Church

One of the many ways that literature has helped us progress is by taking on oppressive institutions. The Enlightenment era was no stranger to literary works of this nature, but it was Voltaire’s Candide (1759) that truly sparked the idea of a democratic society. This satirical novella critiqued the prevailing societal norms and institutions, including religion, government, and the aristocracy.

For those of you who aren’t entirely aware of who Voltaire was or what he stood for, he criticized the Roman Catholic Church at a time when the institution killed people for less. The book’s biting critique of the injustices and irrationality of the time sparked debate and contributed to the eventual overthrowing of monarchies.

From there, this feverish desire to turn the tide would cross the Atlantic and find itself in the mind of Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Becoming a Catalyst for Abolitionism

Freedom of speech wasn’t the only issue that society once had to deal with. In fact, it was in the abolition of racial oppression that literature truly played its part. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) played a fundamental role in the fight against slavery in the United States. The novel’s vivid portrayal of the brutal realities of slavery stirred the collective conscience of the nation. Readers were confronted with the inhumanity of the institution, leading many to join the abolitionist cause.

Not too far off from slavery, South Africa’s apartheid regime was characterized by systemic racism and segregation of a similar kind and they, too, had their own literary works.

Dismantling Apartheid

Literature of all kinds proved to be the way to the public’s heart during the apartheid regime. From letters written by exiled members of the military wing of the movement, uMkhonto we Sizwe, to books like Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country (1948), words weren’t just mightier than the sword. They drove the sword to take action.

Paton’s book painted an emotional picture of the nation’s racial divisions. Through the story of two fathers – one black and one white – the novel explored the devastating impact of apartheid on families and communities.

Through heart-wrenching plot twists and many character deaths, Paton’s work contributed to awareness of apartheid’s injustices on an international scale. It influenced global anti-apartheid movements and is still read in South African schools as part of standard literature curricula today. However, it was the power of both spoken and written word that had an impact – and this wasn’t lost on the rest of the African continent.

Post-colonial narratives have always unpacked heavy subject matter around equality and decolonization…

Erupting Narratives in Post-Colonial Africa

Post-colonial literature in Africa has played an undeniable role in addressing the legacies of colonialism and shaping national identities. One of the most important books – and one that is also still on the literature agenda in a number of African schools – is Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958).

The book is iconic for its exploration of the impact of British colonialism on Igbo society in Nigeria. Achebe’s novel challenged Western narratives and gave African perspectives a voice that they had long gone without. But we can’t ignore the impact of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s Decolonising the Mind (1986) in this arena.

The book argued for the importance of African languages and storytelling in resisting colonialism and fostering cultural pride. The importance of this was (and still is) mammoth as even local schools continue to teach in English instead of their respective mother tongues.

Literature and Feminism

But in all of history, it isn’t just the racial divides that literature has fought so hard against. Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own (1929) addressed the systemic obstacles facing women writers and the broader issues of women’s autonomy and independence. Books like this as well as Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex (1949) have critically examined the social constructs that perpetuate gender inequalities.

These works, among others, laid the foundation for the feminist movements of the 20th century. These iconic books began the push for equal rights, reproductive autonomy, and gender equity.

The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement and Literature

As women took on the status quo via literature, the LGBTQ+ community followed soon thereafter. Works like James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room (1956) and Audre Lorde’s Zami: A New Spelling of My Name (1982) explored themes of identity, love, and discrimination. Essentially, written word has also done a great deal to advance LGBTQ+ rights and foster acceptance and these prolific literary voices contributed to the broader LGBTQ+ rights movement. This led to advancements in legal rights, marriage equality, and increased societal acceptance.

In recent times, LGBTQ+ activists have taken to other pages – social media pages to be more precise. The reach that social media has provided for modern-day movements would have been unbelievable to writers like Voltaire. And, yet, tech continues to take social change (and literature) further than ever imagined.

The Arab Spring and Social Media

We don’t have to go too far back into the history books to see how social media has had an impact in terms of social change. During the Arab Spring, bloggers, writers, and activists used platforms like Twitter and Facebook to document protests and share their stories.

But just a decade earlier, Egyptian author Alaa Al Aswany’s novel, The Yacoubian Building (2002), provided a snapshot of Egyptian society. It dove deep into the disillusionment and discontent that eventually fueled the Arab Spring in the 2010s.

Clearly, social media and literature – when put together – became a powerful tool for mobilizing and organizing protests across the Arabic regions. And there is no end in sight to what literature can (and will) achieve where social change is concerned.

Ultimately, literature has consistently acted as a catalyst for social change. Whether challenging oppressive regimes, advocating for human rights, or promoting gender and racial equality, books have had the power to inspire. They have the ability to educate people and mobilize them behind a common cause.

From the Enlightenment era to the digital age, literature continues to serve as a vital tool for shaping the world we live in. As long as authors continue to write with passion and purpose, literature will remain an indomitable force for social progress.

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Importance of Literature: Essay

What is Literature Essay

What is the Importance of Literature?

Literature is the foundation of life. It places an emphasis on many topics from human tragedies to tales of the ever-popular search for love. While it is physically written in words, these words come alive in the imagination of the mind, and its ability to comprehend the complexity or simplicity of the text. An essay about literature often explores these themes in depth, offering insight into how they resonate with readers.

The Importance of Literature in Our Life Essay

Literature enables people to see through the lenses of others, and sometimes even inanimate objects; therefore, it becomes a looking glass into the world as others view it. It is a journey that is inscribed in pages and powered by the imagination of the reader. Ultimately, literature has provided a gateway to teach the reader about life experiences from even the saddest stories to the most joyful ones that will touch their hearts. This is why understanding the importance of literature is crucial in any essay about literature.

The Journey into Literature

From a very young age, many are exposed to literature in the most stripped-down form: picture books and simple texts that are mainly for the sole purpose of teaching the alphabet etc. Although these are not nearly as complex as an 800-page sci-fi novel, it is the first step that many take towards the literary world. Progressively, as people grow older, they explore other genres of books, ones that propel them towards curiosity of the subject, and the overall book. These early encounters with books emphasize the importance of literature in our life, preparing individuals to appreciate and understand more complex works.

Literature and Empathy

Physically speaking, it is impossible to be someone else. It is impossible to switch bodies with another human being, and it is impossible to completely understand the complexity of their world. Literature, as an alternative, is the closest thing the world has to being able to understand another person whole-heartedly. For instance, a novel about a treacherous war, written from the perspective of a soldier, allows the reader to envision their memories, their pain, and their emotions without actually being that person. Consequently, literature can act as a time machine, enabling individuals to go into a specific time period of the story, into the mind and soul of the protagonist. This ability to foster empathy is a key point in any essay about literature.

Moral Lessons in Literature

With the ability to see the world with a pair of fresh eyes, it triggers the reader to reflect upon their own lives. Reading material that is relatable to the reader may teach them morals and encourage them to practice good judgment. This can be proven through public school systems, where the books that are emphasized the most tend to have a moral-teaching purpose behind the story. An example would be William Shakespeare’s stories, where each one is meant to be reflective of human nature – both the good and bad. Consequently, this can promote better judgment of situations, so the reader does not find themselves in the same circumstances as perhaps those in the fiction world. Henceforth, literature is proven to not only be reflective of life but it can also be used as a guide for the reader to follow and practice good judgment.

Literature in the Modern World

The world today is ever-changing. Never before has life been so chaotic and challenging for all. Life before literature was practical and predictable, but in the present day, literature has expanded into countless libraries and into the minds of many as the gateway for comprehension and curiosity of the human mind and the world around them. Literature is of great importance and is studied upon as it provides the ability to connect human relationships and define what is right and what is wrong. Therefore, words are alive more than ever before. Understanding what is the importance of literature can significantly enhance our appreciation of the world and the human condition.

In conclusion, literature is a powerful tool that shapes our understanding of life, morality, and human relationships. “A what is literature” essay can highlight the profound impact that written works have on individuals and societies. By exploring the importance of literature in our life essay components, we can appreciate its role in teaching empathy, moral lessons, and providing a deeper connection to the human experience.

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17 Comments

Indeed literature is the foundation of life, people should know and appreciate these kind of things

its very useful info thanks

very helpful…..tnx

Hi, thanks!

First year student who wants to know about literature and how I can develop interest in reading novels.

Fantastic piece!

wonderful work

Literature is anything that is artistically presented through writtings or orally.

you may have tangible wealth untold, caskets of jewels and coffers of gold, richer than i you could never be, i know someone who told stories to me.

there’s a great saying that “the universe isn’t made up of at atoms, its made of stories” i hope none will argue this point, because this is the truest thing i have ever heard and its beautiful…….

I have learnt alot thanks to the topic literature.Literature is everything.It answers the questions why?,how? and what?.To me its my best and I will always treasure and embress literature to death.

I agree with the writer when says that Literature is the foundation of life. For me, reading is the most wonderful experience in life. It allows me to travel to other places and other times. I think that also has learnt me to emphathize with others, and see the world with other´s eyes and from their perspectives. I really like to read.

This is the first time i am presenting on a literature and i am surprised by the amount of people who are interested on the same subject. I regret my absence because i have missed much marvelous thing in that field.In fact literature is what is needed by the whole world,it brings the people of different culture together and by doing so it breaks the imposed barriers that divided people.My address now goes to the people of nowadays who prefer other source of entertainment like TV,i am not saying that TV is bad but reading is better of.COME BACK TO IT THEN.

literature is a mirror; a true reflection of our nature. it helps us see ourselves in a third persons point of view of first persons point of view. it instills virtues and condones vices. literature forms a great portion of fun and entertainment through plays, comedies and novels. it also educates individuals on life’s basic but delicate and sacred issues like love and death. it informs us of the many happenings and events that we would never have otherwise known about. literature also forms a source of livelihood to thousands of people, starting from writers,characters in plays, editors, printers,distributors and business people who deal with printed materials. literature is us and without it, we are void.

I believe that life without Literature would be unacceptable , with it i respect myself and loved human life . Next week i am going to make presentation about Literature, so i benefited from this essay.

Thanks a lot

The Influence of Literature on Society

Categories: Reading Books

About this sample

Words: 610 |

Published: Aug 16, 2019

Words: 610 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Works Cited:

Brontë, C. (2016). Jane Eyre. Penguin.
Gilbert, S. M., & Gubar, S. (2000). The madwoman in the attic: The woman writer and the nineteenth-century literary imagination. Yale University Press.
Grosz, E. (2017). The autonomy of the female subject in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Bronte Studies, 42(2), 117-127.
Harrison, G. B. (1999). The interiority of Jane Eyre. Narrative, 7(1), 1-18.
Jung, S. (2019). Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre: A casebook. Oxford University Press.
Levine, C. P. (2003). Introduction. In The cambridge companion to Jane Eyre (pp. 1-18). Cambridge University Press.
McMaster, J. (2004). Jane Eyre: Case studies in contemporary criticism. Bedford/St. Martin's.
Miller, J. (2008). Why Charlotte Bronte opposed slavery in Jane Eyre. The Victorian, 5(1), 1-17.
Oates, J. C. (2016). Introduction. In Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre (pp. ix-xxix). Barnes & Noble.
Schneider, R. L. (2009). Beyond the window: New readings of Jane Eyre. University of Missouri Press.

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Role of Literature in Society

Literature, derived from the Latin word littera which means letter or handwriting, encompasses of various types from poetry to drama. Although nowadays literature seems to gradually lose its value within the modern society, literature remains an essential portion to it. The contributions literature continues to make, even when it is neglected, could not be set aside. Literature is a leading role in the development of our society by shaping our civilization, developing each individual tolerance, and catalyzing the procurement of our social actions.

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Humour, irony and satire are technically distinct elements of literature. They have different origins. They are used in different ways with different purposes. The literary works have different modes. Each of them evokes different kind of fun and sense of pleasure. Each of them has generated new kinds of genres. However, they have some interrelations and people often mention them as synonyms. The present article researches these differences and similarities and make inferences to bring up some conclusions.

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This article uses Jane Austen’s 19 th century novel Pride and Prejudice to illustrate the power of literature as a source of knowledge that transcends the insights of history, sociology, psychology, philosophy and conventional literary criticism. Pride and Prejudice shows how England avoided a French Revolution of its own. The story depicts the process of social integration that resulted in the harmonious integration of different classes in the country. Through every character and incident in the story, Austen depicts the rising aspiration among the lower classes, and the reluctant willingness of those above to accommodate this aspiration. The English aristocrats sacrificed their egoistic pride and prestige to save their heads. In the marriage of Mrs. and Mr. Bennet, in the friendship between Darcy and Bingley, in the rise of Collins, the fall of Lady Catherine and the exploits of Wickham, Austen portrays a society that is giving up the old world order and embracing change. Pride and Prejudice is also a profound study of human psychology. Austen portrays five very different characters in the five Bennet girls, all from the same stock, but at the same time shows us with mathematical precision how each of the girls is a unique combination of the various characteristics of Mrs. and Mr. Bennet. The story is full of profound insights into human nature that cannot be obtained from studies of psychology or biography. It shows how the constant altercations between Mrs. and Mr. Bennet are more than an expression of the underlying rivalry between the couple. They are also an outcome of a marriage between two different classes. The role of a well developed individual in spearheading a revolution or social movement is seen in the changes Darcy and Elizabeth are able to bring about with their strong individuality. Austen’s in-depth knowledge of human nature creates men and women with characteristics that are perfectly true to life. Pride and Prejudice goes beyond a study of the individual and the society. It is pervaded with a deeper knowledge of the character of life itself. Some or perhaps all of these great truths were known to the ancients but forgotten or rejected by the modern mind so preoccupied with the external appearances of things. But Austen has consciously or subconsciously exquisitely captured many of these truths of life with the apparent effortlessness of a true master. Do our words come true? Can our thoughts and attitudes determine the events in our lives? What is the science behind coincidence? Is there such a thing as chance? Through Pride and Prejudice, Austen gives us the answers and illustrates the precise laws according to which life works. She even possesses insights into life missed by the renowned Shakespearean critic A.C. Bradley. Literature entertains and educates us. It can teach us about the past, help us understand the present and empower us to create the future. Read with this insight, Pride and Prejudice, as all great works of literature, offers us all the knowledge required to promote individual accomplishment and human welfare. New canons of literary criticism need to be evolved that discover the knowledge of life in literature.

“ Life is the raw material from which the creative imagination of great writers generates works of fiction that are truer than life—truer because they probe and reveal more deeply its real character. ”

1. Understanding the Character of Life

Entertaining literature enthralls us with suspense, humor and the intense action of an engaging plot. Superior literature transcends mere action. It presents to the reader the author’s insights into human character and reveals the complex ways in which human character, action and circumstance interrelate to generate chains of consequences and results. Still finer literature reveals the complex interactions between action, individual character and the evolving character of the society in which the action takes place. The greatest literature goes still further. It reveals not only insights of individual and social character but of the character of Life itself. A new genre of literary criticism that studies literature as a mirror of life and draws from it deeper insights into the character of Life will open up a window to the profound wisdom that resides in our vast repository of world literature. Even personal experience cannot match its value, for in our own lives we are but half-conscious and too involved in the action to truly decipher its significance. Only the knowledge that comes from direct spiritual experience can exceed the intuitive perceptions of great literature. And like the scientist who in recent centuries has acquired more and more powerful instruments to delve more deeply into the mysteries of the infinitesimal and the infinite, we shall find that great literature offers an unending revelation both of the minute details revealed by critical analysis and the integral knowledge offered by a synthesis that exceeds the limitations of mental logic to reveal the logic of the infinite.

2. The True Purpose of Literary Criticism

“ The more subtle the message, the more powerful it comes across. ”

‘Three or four families in a country village is the very thing to work on’, Austen advised her niece in a letter, and her novel Pride and Prejudice seems to be just such a story. It is about the Bennets and their neighbours the Lucases in the village of Longbourn. The story follows the lives of the members of the two families, their relatives and friends over a period of a year. In the little bit of ivory on which she worked with a fine brush, as she described her own work, there are plenty of dances and dinners, disappointments and heartaches, engagements and weddings. Many have criticized Austen for her commonplace stories with fairy tale endings. Raymond Williams, author and critic, uses her own classic opening line to summarize his criticism of her work: ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that Austen chose to ignore the decisive historical events of her time.’ But Austen did not ignore anything. It was her critics who have missed the point for over two centuries. In her works, Austen writes about the condition of the church, the decline of aristocracy, the treatment of the poor, greater rights for women, the rising aspirations of people and the French Revolution. She shows us how England managed to avoid a similar revolution. Her books, as all great literature, offer insights into human psychology. They go further and reveal the great truths by which society and life function. They analyze the science behind chance happenings and lucky coincidences. They offer us all the knowledge required to promote individual accomplishment and human welfare.

Austen ignores neither the historical events of her time, nor the social conditions of her land. She was born during the American Revolution, and England was at war throughout her life. She wrote her six novels during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. She had two brothers in the navy, and one in the army. Her cousin married a French nobleman who was later sent to the guillotine. Unlike other European countries, England had not imposed a ban on newspaper reports about the Revolution initially. Groups that were loyal to varying degrees to the principle of the Revolution found support in England. Their meetings and pamphlets received wide attention. As a result of all this, Austen was clearly aware of and touched by the socio-political movements of the period. So when a fierce war was raging in a neighbouring country, and aristocrats were being beheaded, how could she be engrossed in a tale of country girls, their dresses and dances, their affairs of love and marriage?

To this, there is a simple, incontrovertible response, that contrary to the generally held belief, and in spite of her own advice to her niece, Austen was not writing simply about three or four families in a country village. It is not possible for any writer, especially one of Austen’s stature, to create something that is not true to life. Great writers consciously or subconsciously reflect truths of life and the happenings in society in their writing. No creativity, not even in a tale of fantasy or science fiction, can describe something that is untouched by the trends and values of society, either current or pertaining to some period in history. Life is the raw material from which the creative imagination of great writers generates works of fiction that are truer than life—truer because they probe and reveal more deeply its real character. Life, no matter how disguised as fiction, is the reality they portray in people and events. Some writers describe them explicitly. They weave historical events into their story, the very plot is based on these events. In Les Misérables , Victor Hugo devotes entire chapters to the Napoleonic Wars and the 1832 June Rebellion. Other writers describe historical movements more implicitly. In Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield , the Industrial Revolution and its impact on Britain form the backdrop of the protagonist David’s life. There are yet other writers whose works capture social changes more subtly. This is where Austen fits. The more subtle the message, the more powerful it comes across. Moreover, she had a compulsion to be subtle.

Mindless violence rapidly replaced the ideals of the Revolution across the English Channel. Then England became engaged in prolonged wars with Napoleonic France. The English government that had not gagged the press initially became stringent. Any pro-Revolution sentiment became treasonous. Not only the views challenging the monarchy, but any view that seemed to question the status quo in society, be it the social structure, law, government policy, or the power of the church was considered treasonous. The climate of fear, insecurity and uncertainty that prevailed in the country induced as well as provided an opportunity for the government to crush any revolutionary and reformist ideas. In order to limit the spread of ideas and information, the government imposed a substantial stamp duty on newspapers, which the working class press was unable to afford. This restricted the spread of ideas among people of the working class. Authors, printers and publishers could be prosecuted for seditious libel, a tactic used by the government to silence criticism and quell any demand for reform. In 1789, discussion and comment on the Revolution were prohibited on theater stages. Even fiction could not broach on a radical idea. At such a time, Austen could not but be subtle in her critical social commentary.

Pride and Prejudice , to which we limit our focus here, is about the French Revolution, and the peaceful social evolution in England as a response to it. Through the characters and events in the story, Austen makes a critical social statement in an atmosphere that does not permit her to state her case more explicitly. She portrays what is happening around her in so subtle a manner that we almost miss it. But in every dialogue and description, Austen captures truths of society. All the characters’ aspirations, attitudes and acts reveal them. Their friendships and relationships are determined by them. The success and failure of their initiatives echo universal truths. There is no mention of war or revolution in Pride and Prejudice . However, when we look beneath the surface of the story, we find the clear impact of the movement across the Channel on British society.

Helena Kelly, in her book Jane Austen, The Secret Radical, 1 analyzes in great detail every line of Austen, and shows how the author reveals views on political and social issues of the day when one reads between the lines. Living and writing at a time when any criticism of the status quo was seen as disloyal to the country, Austen had to write warily. Kelly argues that Austen’s conscious or subconscious attitudes are depicted through her characterizations—such as in a comic clergyman and a boorish aristocrat. But Kelly has stopped short of taking the analysis to its logical conclusion. For the artist’s intention is only of relative importance. What is more important is the nature of reality revealed in and through her works. That is the true purpose of literary criticism and of all art.

England had seen its own revolution a century earlier. It did not need such a violent uprooting of its social values. It had subconsciously imbibed the principles that formed the basis of the French Revolution. In fact, this was the reason its own version of the revolution, the Glorious Revolution of 1688, had been of a very different nature from the French. It had been bloodless and paved the way for the modern English parliamentary democracy. England was thus spared a revolution because it adopted a peaceful evolution.

The British society was stratified and class distinctions were present. But unlike in France, the distinctions were not rigid. With every century and then every decade, it became more and more easy to cross these boundaries. Birth was not the sole determinant of a person’s destiny. One could be born in the working class, and find a way up the social hierarchy, to the trading, middle, landed, and even the aristocratic classes. Work, income, fortune, marriage, valour, ambition, enterprise and talent were different paths that could take one into the highest circles of British society. Whereas in France, birth quite determined everything in life from the beginning till the end. This absolute rigidity resulted in the French aristocrats losing their heads to the guillotine. The contrasting flexibility in British society, giving a thought to others below, lending a hand to those in the lower rungs, and accepting new entrants into their circles saved the aristocrats their heads. They were not always done voluntarily or willingly, but the social progression followed that general direction.

The English historian G. M. Trevelyan said that if the French nobility had been capable of playing cricket with their peasants, their chateaux would never have been burnt. It is on the record that on that July day in 1789 when the Bastille was stormed, some 300 miles away in Hampshire, the Earl of Winchilsea was playing cricket, and was bowled out before he could score a single run, by an untitled man named William Bullen. Whether it was playing cricket with a commoner that saved the Earl’s castle or not, it was definitely embracing other classes that saved the English nobleman his future. Cricket, football, or any other sport would have served the purpose, it was the underlying principle. The British played without segregation, aristocracy, gentry, traders, workers and all. This interplay across classes allowed integration in society. This silent evolution that saved England its revolution is captured in Austen’s romance of Elizabeth and Darcy, who hail from different echelons of society. Every page of Austen’s writing is an alternative social treatise.

3. The Process of Social Development

Pride and Prejudice begins with news of the arrival of a wealthy bachelor, Charles Bingley, at Netherfield Hall in Hertfordshire. But actually, the story begins much earlier. Twenty-five years ago, Mr. Bennet had been a young gentleman with an estate that provided him a comfortable 2000 pounds a year. Mrs. Bennet’s father had been an attorney in the nearby town of Meryton. He had been fairly successful and left his daughter with 4000 pounds. Her sister had married their father’s clerk who had succeeded him in business. Her brother was employed in trade in London. Mrs. Bennet had however set her sights higher. She was silly and foolish, but also very beautiful and vivacious. She wished to rise in society. Work and the trading class were not for her. Neighborhood dances and parties brought her and Mr. Bennet, the landlord of Longbourn estate, together. The charm of her youth and beauty, combined with the indiscretion of his own youth, led to their marriage. The first seed of social evolution that harmoniously wedded the landed upper class and the rising middle class was sown. Mrs. Bennet is now the mistress of Longbourn, and of the most prominent family in the neighborhood. Her sister, brother and their families are welcome at Longbourn, and her own daughters visit them in Meryton and London regularly. The girls have among their friends daughters of tradesmen and wives of soldiers. They are particularly close to the family of a neighboring knight. This union of one man and one woman symbolizes the larger union of two classes. It results at a macro level, in a gradual merging of various diverse sections of people and social groups.

Mrs. Bennet’s aspiration for social rise continues and intensifies. Having become the mistress of Longbourn and found a foothold in the upper class, she sets about the task of having her daughters elevated further. When Bingley, with an income of four or five thousand pounds a year, occupies the neighboring estate of Netherfield, she exclaims, ‘ If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield... and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for .’ This young man has recently inherited the fortune his father made in trade. Colonization and expanding trade were beginning to change the economic climate of the country. People were no longer dependent on the farmland for sustenance. Colonies supplied raw materials and served as vast new markets; railroad and shipping industries were developing; factories were coming up; and towns and cities were developing and expanding. Anyone with enterprise and diligence could improve his fortune. A new middle class was formed, that constantly sought to imitate and eventually join the wealthy classes. The social climate sanctioned this aspiration. Thus, Bingley, with his father’s money that had been earned in trade, is trying to join the higher ranks. He has given up trade since the wealthy did not work or need to earn a living. He spends all his time hunting, riding and in such leisure activities. He keeps a house in London and an estate in the country. His friends are from circles that are more suited to his new life style. His closest friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, belongs to an old, landed family. Bingley looks up to Darcy, is almost subservient to him, and brings him along to his new country home near the Bennet family. Darcy accepts Bingley’s friendship and his invitation, and almost takes responsibility for the new entrant to his class. Just like the marriage between Mrs. and Mr. Bennet, the friendship between Bingley and Darcy is another facet of the social evolution that Austen captures in her story. Britain provided the opportunity for people to work their way up from the lower classes in one generation. The next generation found acceptance, sometimes readily, sometimes reluctantly, in the social circles above.

Darcy follows Bingley readily enough to his new estate, Netherfield Hall. However, he is more reluctant to accompany Bingley to the dances and dinners in the country. Bingley’s rise is recent, and unlike some nouveau riche who are impatient to disown their humble roots, he is just as comfortable with the unsophisticated villagers as he is with the aristocrats. However, Darcy refuses to mix with the people of Hertfordshire. They are not exclusive enough for his taste. He is affronted when they speak to him. He finds their manners and values vulgar. He is eager to maintain his distance and distinction socially, if not physically. He comes to the first ball and is haughty and aloof. He does not find any girl good enough to dance with. To do so would be a punishment, he says, within earshot of the second Bennet girl, Elizabeth. Finally, it is this same girl to whom he proposes marriage, not once but twice. When his second attempt is successful, and his ‘dearest, loveliest Elizabeth’ accepts him, he feels a happiness that he has never felt before. His friend Bingley becomes engaged to the eldest Bennet girl, Jane, and the story concludes with the double weddings of the two friends with the two sisters. This ‘fairy tale’ ending for which Austen has been criticized is yet another symbolic step in the direction British society was taking. The highest levels of the landed gentry forged lasting relationships with the lower levels, erasing social boundaries. Darcy who was among the first circles in the land marries a girl without a fortune, the daughter of a modest landowner, with ties to the working class in the country and tradespeople in London. Bingley and Jane’s wedding too bridges a similar but narrower gap.

Austen captures this same movement in numerous events in the story. Collins, the Bennet girls’ cousin, has very humble beginnings. He finds employment in the church in Rosings Park, Lady Catherine’s estate. The Lady is Darcy’s aunt, and belongs to one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the country. Collins’ family is of the most modest means. But the new social atmosphere sees Collins invited frequently to tea and dinner at the Lady’s estate. He enjoys his social elevation; she needs his sycophancy for her own self-aggrandizement. In this symbiotic relationship between two classes, Austen deftly paints many pictures. The merging of two ends of the classes is reflected again here. The Lady’s foolish and boorish ways show the decadence that is set in the upper classes. The parson’s servility shows the lack of divinity and values in the Church.

Collins’ father-in-law, Sir William Lucas, had been a trader in Meryton, the town neighboring Longbourn. He had happened to receive a knighthood, and promptly closed shop to retire in the country and enjoy his knighthood. A trader could find entry into the king’s court, and become a knight! His daughter, Charlotte, is an unmarried twenty seven year old girl without beauty or fortune. Austen takes this girl who has been visiting Longbourn estate for many years to meet her friends the Bennets, and makes her its mistress. After her marriage to Collins, who is the heir to the Longbourn estate, Charlotte is set to succeed Mrs. Bennet in the position of prominence in the locality. Sir Lucas’ knighthood and Charlotte’s elevation through marriage to Collins are again Austen’s portrayal of the social changes taking place in the country. Lowly people are raised to heights they have never imagined, and find entry into circles they had earlier admired from a distance.

Wickham, the son of Darcy’s estate steward, had not stopped with simply admiring, he had coveted Darcy’s lofty position all his growing years. Where his father had been happy to serve, Wickham wants to be master. He connives with the family governess to convince Darcy’s sister Georgiana to elope with him. This will gain him Georgiana’s fortune of thirty thousand pounds, as well as entry into the house, he need no longer be restricted to the employees’ quarters. Two employees of the Darcy estate daring to breach the social boundaries violently and commit this act of social violence on Miss Darcy shows the daring in the lower classes, and the weakness in the upper. An unexpected visit by Darcy results in the detection and prevention of the scheme. Later, Wickham carries out something similar with Lydia, the youngest Bennet girl. Darcy has all his life disliked Wickham, with very good reason. In his brief acquaintance with Lydia, he has seen no reason to think well of her. He belongs to a wealthy, distinguished family, and used to consider contact with anyone outside his social sphere a pollution. But the changing conditions, aided by his love for Elizabeth, make Darcy go in search of Wickham and Lydia, in areas he would otherwise not visit, with the assistance of people he would much rather avoid. He gets the two married, repays Wickham’s debts, procures him a job, and salvages the Bennet family’s reputation. The highest in the land stoops to save, for a number of reasons, a low scoundrel, a thoughtless girl and a family he initially considered unfit to relate to.

Whereas the earlier generation among the lower classes was happy to be at the service of aristocrats, the next generation is no longer content to be in the subservient position. Forgetting for a moment Wickham’s morals and values, one sees in his attitude the resentment of the lower classes to remain where they are. They want to rise, and what comes out as servile fawning in Collins’ case expresses as devious stratagem in Wickham. The social climate permits Wickham his ambition. He is not called out to a duel by Lydia’s family, he is not murdered or sent to jail. The Bennets and Darcys continue to support him and his wife, and grudgingly accept him into their family circle. It takes Austen’s genius to make Darcy and the son of his former steward both sons-in-law and hence, in some regard, equal in the Bennet family.

“ The English aristocrat gave up his superiority, and saved his head, unlike his French counterparts who absolutely refused to bow down, and ultimately lost all. ”

The shades of Pemberley, the Darcy estate would be polluted, fears Lady Catherine de Bourgh, because of her nephew Darcy’s connections with the Bennet family. She is titled, and even higher than Darcy in the social order. She is forced by circumstances to go to Longbourn, to attempt to bully and coerce Elizabeth into giving up Darcy. When her threats fail to have any impact on Elizabeth, Lady Catherine is unable to comprehend it! She is steeped in class consciousness, and tries to maintain the old order. She is unable to understand, let alone accept, change. But her attitudes and beliefs are fast losing ground, and in the face of the powerful changes taking place in society, she and her opinions are swept aside.

The stratification of society was in fact based on real differences in cultural attainment. A class that owned vast acres of land and great wealth had the leisure and means to improve itself culturally and intellectually. This further widened the social differences between itself and the rest of the population, and raised real barriers to compatibility and harmony between the classes. These differences were self-reinforcing. The barriers which egalitarian modern society today tends to dismiss as mere prejudice did exist, as Lady Catherine insists. The long gradual decline of aristocracy leads us to overlook the real cultural attainments which characterized their ascendency and long period of social dominance. However, the barriers were fast becoming flexible, thanks to developments in science, trade, travel, empire building, education and economic progress. That is how the sons of traders are able to enter higher social circles and daughters of country attorneys can marry the landed gentry. To Lady Catherine’s great indignation, Elizabeth does marry Darcy and enter Pemberley. She declares she will have nothing to do with the couple anymore. But eventually, she responds to her nephew and his wife’s reconciliatory invitation, and visits them. In the story, she represents the last citadel of the old world order that crumbles, giving way to a more integrated and inclusive society. Austen shows how those who bowed to change, gracefully or otherwise, survive. Pemberley that had been the seat of the distinguished family of the Darcys is now open to the relations of Elizabeth. The runaway sister and her soldier husband visit. Elizabeth’s mother and aunt, the daughters of a town attorney, can come. Most welcome are her uncle and aunt, the Gardiners. This uncle in trade who lives in an unprestigious locality in London has impressed Darcy with his culture, refinement, intelligence and fine values. He makes Darcy renounce the stereotypes he had formed of people outside his social sphere. A young man from one of the highest levels in the land receives an important lesson from a city tradesman, and is thankful for it. The English aristocrat gave up his superiority, and saved his head, unlike his French counterparts who absolutely refused to bow down, and ultimately lost all.

The British government had banned any mention of the French Revolution in fiction, and even if Austen had wanted to talk about it, she could not have. But instead, she depicted without commentary the changes that were taking place in British society, changes that had prevented a similar revolution there. Pride and Prejudice is the story of romance in the Bennet household, and Elizabeth and Darcy are its hero and heroine. But at the same time, Pride and Prejudice is also the story of the peaceful social evolution that took place in Britain, as a subconscious reaction to the movement across the Channel. Upward social mobility replaced the relatively static barriers that prevented social movement between the classes. Whereas in France, the impenetrable walls of class compelled violent revolution. This is one of the profound insights that can be drawn from the book about the social process that was taking place at that time, and about the process of social evolution in general. If one novel can provide us such a perspective of human history, what would a deeper understanding of all literature give us? And this perspective is only a fraction of what Pride and Prejudice itself can offer. The genius of Austen goes far beyond tracing social processes.

4. Human Psychology and the Individual

Literature that is true to life offers intuitive knowledge about human nature, rarely found in textbooks on psychology, history or biography. Is everything that comes to us related to us in one way or another? Do we sanction, subconsciously, every act in our lives? Do aspects of the non-physical plane, such as our words, thoughts, emotions and attitudes have the power to manifest themselves in the physical plane? Does every outer event reflect the inner state of our consciousness? In Pride and Prejudice , Austen shows the unmistakable connections between the inner and outer worlds. She depicts five unique characters in the five Bennet girls, but at the same time shows us with mathematical precision how each of the five girls is a combination of the various characteristics of Mrs. and Mr. Bennet.

Mr. Bennet belongs to the landed gentry. He is an educated and well-bred gentleman, with an estate and a comfortable income. He has high values and principles. He is not mercenary. On hearing that Elizabeth is engaged to Darcy, he warns her against marrying for money. Later when he learns the truth about the man, he respects Darcy’s character, not his wealth or status. He has been born and brought up in plenty, and has no petty traits. He is also intelligent. From just reading Collins’ letter, he can make out that the man is an absurd mixture of servility and self-importance. He is perhaps the one person in Meryton who sees through Wickham from day one. His daughters are immensely relieved, and his wife wildly happy on receiving the news of Lydia’s marriage. But Mr. Bennet sees the truth behind the development. He realises that a huge amount of money must have changed hands before this can be brought about. He declares “Wickham’s a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds”. If he can see through Wickham, then why does he not stop his daughter Lydia from going to Brighton? Mr. Bennet does not because he cannot be bothered to take the trouble. Having erred in his choice of wife, he prefers to distance himself from her ambitions and schemes, taking refuge in books in the solitude of his library rather than facing her in open combat for supremacy in the daily life of the family. Mr. Bennet is content with watching and being amused, he does not act. Be it Mrs. Bennet’s lack of sense, Lydia’s wild behavior, Jane’s disappointment, or Elizabeth’s concerns, he is a bystander, laughing silently. He has failed to provide for his family. He does not attempt to control his wife or discipline his daughters. He refuses to exert himself. He lacks the energy and mental will for the task. His wife is a quite perfect contrast to him.

Mrs. Bennet, the beautiful daughter of a country attorney, has married a land owning gentleman and risen in society. She wants her five daughters to rise further. She relentlessly pursues the task of finding suitable—that is wealthy—husbands for her girls. Her aspiration is so great she simply seems to draw eligible men from all parts of England towards Longbourn. While her husband thinks and understands more, and talks and acts less, Mrs. Bennet wastes no time in exercising her mind. She believes only in taking initiative. She is strong, seems to have infinite energy, and never gives up. When Bingley arrives in town, she plans and schemes to make him fall in love with Jane. Her constant mood swings and irrational behavior are beyond others’ understanding. She has no sense of social propriety. She is only aware of what she wants.

The five Bennet girls are all unique, each with her own characteristics. Jane is pleasant, beautiful, and thinks well of everyone. Elizabeth is a strong individual, intelligent and with positive values. Mary is dull and lacks energy. Kitty is petulant and irresponsible. Lydia is foolish, strong willed and full of energy. But none of them have even a single aspect of their nature that cannot be traced to one or the other of their parents. Jane receives all her beauty from her mother. Like her, she is also without keen intelligence. She gets her natural goodness from her father. Like him, she is also without much energy or initiative. As a reaction to her mother’s boorishness, she develops the opposite, a pleasing social behaviour. Next is Elizabeth who owes her strength of will and energy to her mother, and intelligence, positive values and pleasant manners to her father. If Elizabeth has got the best combination from her parents, the exact opposite seems to have been reserved for the next daughter. Mary’s foolishness is her mother’s; her lack of energy is her father’s. Kitty knows about Lydia’s planned elopement, but does not bother to inform her parents. Such irresponsible behaviour is from the father. She finds nothing wrong in eloping, her sense of right and wrong coming from her mother. Lydia is irresponsible in not giving a thought either to her own or her sisters’ future before eloping. This again is like her father. All the rest of her nature, the impulsiveness, initiative, foolishness and wild energy, are from the mother.

Austen goes further in her analysis of human character. One likes the child who is most like oneself. Of Mrs. Bennet’s two great characteristics, her beauty and foolish impulsiveness, she has passed on one to her eldest daughter Jane, and the other to the youngest, Lydia. Jane and Lydia happen to be her favourite children. Mr. Bennet is endowed with values and intellect that he has passed on to Elizabeth, sparing a little for Jane. Not surprisingly, his two favourite daughters are Elizabeth and Jane, in that order. Just as parents are able to identify most with the children who are like themselves, they seem to identify least with the children who are most like the partner, especially in a not so harmonious partnership as in the case of the Bennets. Elizabeth is the least favorite of Mrs. Bennet’s, and Mr. Bennet is glad to keep a distance from Lydia.

“ Experiential, subjective truths that touch the emotions have a greater learning impact than abstract scientific knowledge in a textbook. ”

There is a constant tension, sometimes humorous, sometimes bitter, between Mrs. and Mr. Bennet. When Mrs. Bennet and her daughters return from the assembly where they meet Bingley for the first time, Mr. Bennet is unusually awake late in the night, waiting for their return. With an astonishing insight for a young unmarried woman to perceive in parental relations, Austen tells us that Mr. Bennet stays up hoping to hear that his wife is disappointed in Bingley. A good marriage for one of his daughters would be welcome, and he shares his wife’s concern for their future. But the rivalry with the wife is so intense that it overrides even his goodwill for his daughters. He would like to see his wife’s plans stymied even if that means disappointment for the girls. So he would like to hear that Bingley turned out to be a disappointment, there is no chance of one of his daughters profiting by the new connection, and Mrs. Bennet has no reason to celebrate. He displays the same behaviour when Elizabeth rejects Collins’ proposal. Charlotte gets engaged to Collins instead, leaving Mrs. Bennet disappointed and enraged. Mr. Bennet has five unmarried daughters on his hands, the estate is entailed to cousin Collins, neighbour Charlotte Lucas is to become its mistress. But all that Mr. Bennet cares for is to enjoy his wife’s disappointment. Apart from the rivalry between Mrs. and Mr. Bennet, this tension is also an outcome of the marriage between the two classes to which they belong, the working class that is striving to rise and the upper class that is struggling to accept the new world order.

Austen has captured such minute elements of human psychology in her portrayal of the Bennet family. Shakespeare critic A.C. Bradley talks about Jane Austen’s “ surpassing excellence within that comparatively narrow sphere whose limits she never tried to overpass... which... gives her in that sphere the position held by Shakespeare in his .” If such knowledge of human psychology can be learnt from one of the six novels written in Austen’s narrow sphere, then what is the learning potential from Shakespeare and other great writers! Such knowledge is impossible to obtain from a textbook of psychology for the simple reason that experiential, subjective truths that touch the emotions have a greater learning impact than abstract scientific knowledge in a textbook. Such knowledge that touches the human emotions can be found only in literature. Take the first assembly at Meryton for instance. Bingley and Darcy have newly arrived in the neighbourhood. Bingley has just taken a house of his own. He has been invited to a ball. Everyone seems to take an interest in him. He is dancing with the prettiest girl present, Jane. All these make a usually tractable person who waits for Darcy’s approval before taking a step actually give Darcy an order. He finds Darcy standing by himself, and says he will not have him stand in a “stupid” manner. You had much better dance , he orders his friend, offering to introduce Jane’s sister to him. This is the one occasion in the entire story spanning a year where we find Bingley speaking in this way to Darcy. Darcy usually takes decisions, and Bingley complies, even in matters such as whom Bingley should fall in love with, and whom he can marry. But this temporary aberration, which Austen’s genius captures with the alertness and clarity of an expert photographer, results from the momentary reversal of their fortunes. Darcy stands alone, while Bingley is clearly adored by the crowd and has a very pleasant and beautiful girl for a dance partner.

Darcy gives an uncharacteristic response in return. In a voice loud enough to be overheard by Elizabeth, he curtly describes her as just ‘tolerable’ to look at, and dismisses Bingley’s offer saying dancing with her would be a punishment to him. An educated, well-bred gentleman from a wealthy and distinguished family speaks ill of a country girl in her hearing, and insults her in public. It appears inexplicable, unless Darcy is really as boorish as Elizabeth comes to believe. The truth is that Darcy is attracted to Elizabeth. The attraction is subconscious and therefore not under his control. The dislike of Meryton’s common vulgarity is a well-formed conscious attitude which he is proud to proclaim. The ungentlemanly act of expressing his opinion so loudly that Elizabeth could overhear it, is not in his character—at least the conscious part of it—but beyond his control. This initial act at their indirect contact announces the inner conflict that will possess him and compel him to propose to her at Hunsford almost against his will and it anticipates in the beginning the final outcome of the story. But why? The rude act is reflective of the internal turmoil in Darcy. He hates to move in social circles outside his own. But he makes Bingley his friend and accepts the invitation to go to Hertfordshire. He claims that he does not enjoy the company of the country people, yet he accompanies Bingley to the dance. He believes in the superiority of his class, but he finds in Elizabeth and some of her friends and family qualities that he can admire. He does not want to fall in love with Elizabeth, but he is unable to stop himself. He cannot embrace change, although he knows he has to. This internal conflict in Darcy results in the insulting words. He does not intend to hurt or offend her, but the jarring words are an echo of the inner clash between his mind and emotions. He thinks he should not marry her for her family and her class, although he loves her. This is not mere story telling or artistry. It is intuitive perception of human character and life.

As almost universally proclaimed, Darcy is Austen’s best hero. Austen has a deep and mature insight into human nature that is far from romantic fantasy. It may or may not reflect her own personal experience in romance as some critics conclude. However, it expresses a clear dispassionate knowledge of the complexity of human character that exceeds in its subtle complexity the superficiality of most prevailing psychological theories. A deep study of literature, be it Austen, Shakespeare or any other writer, can make real and concrete to our experience what scholarly articles only theoretically describe.

5. A New Science of the Arts

Every story has a beginning. ‘Once upon a time’, ‘In the year 1856’, ‘There once lived in a village’, ‘In the kingdom of’, ‘It was a sunny morning’, and so on. We accept that as the beginning of the story. We read it from that point and do not ask what happened before that time, why does the story start in that year and not a year earlier, why is it set in this city and not that, why is the protagonist given that name and not any other, or why does this family have exactly this number of children, and not one more or one less. We accept the given conditions as the beginning of the story and go on to trace the causality of subsequent events from that point onwards. We do not question why the story begins where it does.

Science does not know why there was a Big Bang. Physicists extrapolate backwards in time to one picosecond, a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang, and explain the universe, the development of its electronuclear force and magnetism, the formation of all matter from the hydrogen nuclei to the stars and planets, up to the evolution of plant and animal life. But they still do not know why there was a Big Bang, or what existed before that.

Biologists try to explain everything from the advent of the first living cell onwards: when and where life first appeared, how the plant kingdom became diversified, how animal life first appeared in the sea and then spread and evolved into complex species, how some species became extinct and others adapted and survived. But any effort to explain how that first carbon compound came to life as a living cell is purely speculative imagination.

Even an infinitesimal difference in the atomic bonding of an element such as Hydrogen or Carbon would have left Earth without life as we know it today. So what determined those right conditions? Physics starts with constants and explains matter. Biology starts from the first living cell and describes life. But Science does not have an answer to the question, ‘How and why did it all begin in the first place?’. Science describes these phenomena as singularities, but description is not explanation. Naming phenomena is not knowledge.

All physical science is based on the past determining the future, but today, a new science has emerged, the science of Anticipation 2 . The future is being studied to determine the present. It is now recognized that the future can shape and determine the present, whether consciously through our values, ideas, dreams and aspirations or subconsciously through our deepest fears and biological conditioning. If we take this science to study the arts, then, instead of beginning a story by implicitly accepting the initial conditions, a new and intriguing question arises: what happened before the beginning, before the Big Bang!

Austen’s Pride and Prejudice begins with the arrival of the friends Bingley and Darcy in Hertfordshire. As we saw earlier, the characters reveal great insights into human psychology. Their actions and experiences also reflect the emerging social process. We can go further.

Countless are the lovers of this lively romance, yet few are those who have delved beneath its superficial charm, delightful humor, entrancing energy and emotional intensity to uncover the profundity of wisdom it contains. To the occidental intellect, society is an empty space, a playing field in which the separate and independent lives act and interact with one another. But to the Asian mind, society is a living organism of which every individual member is an inseparable part, a universal unified existence, as real in itself as any living, breathing, feeling individual.

“ We need to delve deeper into the context, circumstances and individual character of the players to discover principles and forces that are concealed by the veil of chance and accident. ”

Literary criticism is an Occidental science, an attempt to apply the analytic mental faculty to the comprehension of that which cannot be divided, for Life is an integrated whole that can only be understood in totality and in context. The limitations of analysis can be found even in the most profound works of literary criticism. Some great critics sense its importance but struggle to reconcile it with a rational view of life.

In Act IV of Hamlet , Hamlet’s uncle, King Claudius, dispatches the young prince to England as a representative to the English king accompanied by two courtiers, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who have been secretly missioned by Claudius to ensure that Hamlet never returns alive to Denmark. Claudius’ sealed letter to the English monarch denounces Hamlet as a traitor and threat to his realm and calls on the English king to remove the threat. On the ship to England, Hamlet awakes restless during the night. An intuitive suspicion prompts him to sneak into the cabin of the two courtiers, unseals the king’s missive and discover the fate that is awaiting him. He reseals the letter using the signet ring he bears as Prince of Denmark and replaces it.

So far, the story conveys the high drama and passion one would expect from great tragedy. But then something remarkable occurs. The following morning, the ship conveying Hamlet to England is attacked by pirates. In the intense combat that ensues, Hamlet boldly jumps into the pirates’ ship demonstrating his leadership as prince of the realm. Surprised by the intensity of resistance they meet, the pirates withdraw to their own ship and the ships separate. Hamlet finds himself alone with the pirates, their prisoner. But once he reveals his identity and offers them a reward, he readily secures swift transport back to Denmark where he pursues his confrontation with Claudius that ultimately ends tragically in the death of Claudius, the queen, Laertes and the prince himself.

Commenting on this incident, A.C. Bradley 3 acknowledges the right of the dramatist to employ dramatic device reflecting the admission of chance in the course of tragedy. Bradley’s profound insight into human nature exceeds that of all but the greatest psychologists and sometimes seems to rival that of Shakespeare himself. But his view, like our own, is obscured by the narrow perspective of early 20 th century scientific material culture. He never considers another explanation because he lives in an age in which knowledge of life has been reduced to a philosophical abstraction rather than a living vision of reality. He acknowledges accidents as a prominent fact of human life. He never considers the possibility that Shakespeare has perceived and is either consciously or subconsciously pointing to a deeper truth of life that can attract our attention only when it occurs in circumstances that appear inexplicable according to any normal conception of causality. A cursory review of the great literature of the world reveals that these works are replete with such inexplicable incidents, unnecessary and avoidable to the logical mind, irrational and implausible to the scientific intellect, other than as expressions of the inherent uncertainty and randomness of life, but natural and extremely common to the vision of those who perceive the deeper workings of life in its integral reality.

If the determining influences of fate, chance and accident are all we can learn from such incidents in great works of literature, we may well have grounds for questioning their greatness. But it is not. For awakening to the reality of the unexpected and inexplicable is only the first step in the revelation of the character of life and the greatness of the author’s vision of it. We need to delve deeper into the context, circumstances and individual character of the players to discover principles and forces that are concealed by the veil of chance and accident. Pride and Prejudice can be used as raw material for that inquiry. Without psychology, philosophy, or intellectuality, it reveals a relationship between our subjective thoughts and feelings and the response of life around us. Not only Pride and Prejudice , any of Shakespeare’s plays or the works of Hugo, Dumas, Trollope, Hardy, Tolstoy or the great Indian epics Mahabharata and Ramayana suffice for the purpose of discovering the character of life and its ruling principles. Literature has amassed vast volumes of experiential knowledge of human nature acting in life. It is a great field for studying not only human psychology and sociology, but also understanding the relationship between our inner thoughts and the external acts in life.

Of course, without the arrival of Bingley and Darcy at this place and time, there is no story, no Pride and Prejudice . We can give a plausible explanation in hindsight, much as by looking in the rear view mirror, we can tell where we have been. Bingley has come into a considerable fortune. He enjoys the respectability that comes from being a wealthy gentleman, and would like to take on the trappings of that class. He would like to go to the country for the summer, to a place not too far away from the attractions of London. He would like to rent a large house, until he is ready to buy an estate of his own. He needs to cultivate friendship with a man from the highest circles in the land, as Darcy is. He wishes to own a carriage, indulge in shooting and have a life style appropriate to his newly found status. He happens to receive a recommendation about a place in the country at a short distance from London. But none of these reasons distinguishes Bingley’s coming to Hertfordshire, selecting the estate of Netherfield, when Jane, twenty-three years of age, beautiful and good natured, is waiting to find a suitable man she can love and marry. Science, in such a situation, assumes it is singularity or chance. But is it possible that the key to the whole story of Pride and Prejudice , and similarly, to many stories including those of our own lives, is in understanding why that first step was taken? And then go on to understand the next step, and the next step?

Early in the story, the Bennet girls go out for a walk and have an interesting encounter. Their cousin Collins, who is on a two-week long visit, accompanies them. The youngest Bennet girl, Lydia, seeks news about one of the soldiers who have just been posted in the nearby town of Meryton. Their father is eager to be rid of the annoying company of Collins. So he encourages all the girls to go out, taking their cousin with them. Meanwhile, Bingley and Darcy set out towards Longbourn to call on the Bennets. Bingley particularly wants to meet Jane, who has just recovered from an illness. As the girls enter Meryton, their attention is caught by the good looking and charming soldier, Wickham. Just as they exchange greetings, Bingley and Darcy ride into town and come upon this group. Here are three parties, comprised of people who have been acquainted for periods ranging from a few weeks to a few minutes. Darcy and Wickham alone have known each other since childhood. They have always had a turbulent relationship, and would like to avoid each other. The Bennet girls did not know of Wickham until they meet him in town. They did not expect to meet Bingley, and do not care to meet Darcy. Collins is without any other expectation than to marry one of the elder Bennet girls. Life brings this disparate group together as they all walk or ride into Meryton at the same time. At the end of the story, they have all become interconnected through marriage. Bingley and Jane are married. So are Darcy and Elizabeth. Collins marries his cousin Elizabeth’s friend Charlotte, and through his cousin, becomes related to Darcy. The soldier ends up married to Lydia. Wickham who tried and failed to become Darcy’s brother-in-law by eloping with Georgiana ends up as his brother-in-law through Elizabeth’s marriage to Darcy. Seven of the eight people who are to become related thus, are brought together by life a year earlier, without their conscious will or intention. A chance event? An amazing coincidence? A dramatic literary technique used by the author? Luck? Or is there another explanation? Does life indicate the end subtly in the beginning?

In saying Austen wrote fairytale endings, critics mean she gives everyone, or almost everyone what they want at the end of the story. In dismissing the outcome as romantic fantasy, we fail to recognize what every high achiever intuitively perceives—the power of aspiration for self-realization in life. In Pride and Prejudice , we definitely see that almost all get what they aspire for. Jane and Bingley wish to marry pleasant, mild mannered people, and they find each other. Elizabeth and Darcy wish to marry those they can respect and love. Their longings are fulfilled. Lydia gets a more than dashing husband, and adventure too in ample measure.. Wickham wants to become Darcy’s brother. He hopes and fails to do so by marrying Georgiana, but succeeds through another path when he and Darcy marry sisters! Collins wants to be at the feet of aristocracy. He firmly establishes himself near it, first by acquiring Lady Catherine as his patroness, then when his cousin marries Darcy. Charlotte wants physical and social security, and she gets just that in her marriage to Collins. Mrs. Bennet wants her daughters married, and gets three of her five girls married in a single year. Mr. Bennet wants some peace and quiet, and the best for Jane and Elizabeth. Life grants him all these. Everyone’s true aspiration is fulfilled. Are all our deep, intense aspirations similarly fulfilled in life? Even Lady Catherine, who claims that she loves to be useful, succeeds at least in this measure. In her attempts to prevent Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage, she unintentionally plays the role of a messenger and prompts Darcy to propose to Elizabeth. She has, indeed, been very useful, though not in the manner she intended!

When news of Bingley’s arrival comes and the Bennet family is excited at the thought of a marriage, Lydia exclaims that she would like to be the first in her family to get married. And she becomes the first! After her elopement with Wickham, the two are caught and a marriage is hastily arranged. Do all our words come true? We see an instance of the same phenomenon in the author’s life. Austen wrote in a letter to her sister Cassandra, “I write only for fame.” This was in 1796, fifteen years before she was to have a book published. Till the publication of Sense and Sensibility in 1811, her readership was limited to her own family members and friends. So her mention of fame was more a facetious remark. 222 years on, life has obediently given Austen spectacular fame. And just as she implied that she was not writing for profit, she was granted about 600 pounds from the publication of four novels in her lifetime, nothing more. But numerous stage and movie adaptations, sequels and spin-offs, museums that enshrine her life and societies dedicated to her works have given her just what she asked for, fame!

“ Reconciling art and science, the subjective and objective views of reality through literary criticism may well provide a means to transcend the limitations of a purely material life science and discover a true science of life. ”

Bingley’s sister Caroline teases Darcy over his future mother-in-law Mrs. Bennet, all the while hoping to marry Darcy herself. Unfortunately for her, the hypothetical joke comes true. Does life have a sense of humour? At the first ball, Bingley chooses Charlotte for the first dance. The choice turns out to be a subtle indication. Charlotte is the first in the story to be married, though not to Bingley! Does life always throw out such pointers? When Charlotte announces her engagement to Collins, Elizabeth responds with an unthinking, insensitive ‘Impossible!’ When she informs her family of her own engagement to Darcy, the same word is echoed. When we say history repeats, we have in mind large scale political happenings, mass movements, and events based on great ideals. Do even our little, individual acts repeat in our day to day lives? Is there a pattern to the repetition? Can literature give us the knowledge to make sense of apparent coincidences?

When Elizabeth is on a holiday with her aunt and uncle the Gardiners, she is persuaded by Mrs. Gardiner to visit the Darcy estate at Pemberley. Elizabeth last met Darcy at Hunsford when he proposed to her boorishly, she turned him down, and the encounter ended in a heated argument. Both of them had parted, wishing never to meet each other. But gradually, subconsciously their feelings have undergone many changes over the past few months. Elizabeth reluctantly agrees to go to Pemberley only after she learns that Darcy is not in town. However, once she sees the place, she is greatly impressed by the beauty and elegance of the house and the grounds surrounding it. She feels a twinge of regret for having turned down such magnificence. After hearing a glowing description of the master by Darcy’s old housekeeper, Elizabeth is filled with a gentle sensation towards him, and a deep sentiment of gratitude for what he had offered in proposing to her six months earlier. After leaving the house, as Elizabeth is walking in the grounds, Darcy suddenly comes into view. He has returned a day earlier than planned. He is also a changed man now, and renews his relationship with Elizabeth after a long abrupt hiatus. Her recent change of attitude is immediately followed by a sudden change of circumstances. Does life respond to our deepest thoughts and feelings?

Literature is filled with such curious incidents and ironies, seeming coincidences and lucky or unlucky meetings. Life is full of them too. Literature reflects life. Early societies and ancient wisdom from around the world claim to have discovered relationships between human consciousness and life events which the modern mind summarily dismisses as superstition. Science studies objective external facts and regards subjective inner experiences as secondary or incidental, rather than causal factors. Literature revives the debate which science ignores or dismisses as unscientific. It intuitively points to a knowledge which rational thinking overlooks, ignores or dismisses. Reconciling art and science, the subjective and objective views of reality through literary criticism may well provide a means to transcend the limitations of a purely material life science and discover a true science of life.

Helena Kelly, Jane Austen, the Secret Radical (New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group), 22-30
Roberto Poli, “Anticipation: A New Thread for the Human and Social Sciences?,” Cadmus 2, no. 3 (2015): 23-36.
A.C. Bradley, Shakespearean Tragedy (London: Macmillian, 1971), 9-10.

About the Author(s)

Trustee, World Academy of Art & Science; Senior Research Analyst, The Mother‘s Service Society; Board of Directors, World University Consortium

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Volume 3 Issue 4

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What is the Importance of Literature and its Impact on Society?

What makes literature so important in our lives? How does it influence us and the society at large? Read on to find out.

“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.” ~ C.S. Lewis, a British scholar and novelist

This adage is perhaps the most appropriate description of the importance of literature in our lives. Literature reminds us of stories, epics, sacred scriptures, and classical works of the old and modern times. It is defined as the body of written works of a language, period or culture, produced by scholars and researchers, specialized in a given field. Why is literature important? Let us see.

Literature Adds Value

As stated in the quote by C.S. Lewis, literature not only describes reality but also adds to it. Literary works are portrayals of the thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in society. They are a depiction of the different facets of common man’s life. Classical literary works serve as a food for thought and encourage imagination and creativity. Exposing oneself to good literary works, is equivalent to providing one with the finest of educational opportunities. On the other hand, the lack of exposure to good literature is equal to depriving oneself from the opportunity to grow.

Parts of Literature

Prose, poetry , drama, essays, fiction, literary works based on philosophy, art, history, religion, and culture as also scientific and legal writings are grouped under literature. Creative nonfiction of the olden times and literary journalism also fall under literature. Certain extremely technical writings such as those on logistics and mathematics are also considered as a part of literature.

Literature Impacts Living

Some of the great literary works like the Bible and Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, among others, provide society with the guiding principles of life. Works by poets like Homer, Plato, Sappho, Horace and Virgil, Shakespeare’s sonnets and notable poetry by W.B. Yeats, John Keats, Wordsworth, Tennyson, and William Blake, among others, are timeless. They have always amused their readers and shall continue to. The Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, A Tale of Two Cities, and James Bond Series are some of the best-selling books of all time that have entertained several generations. While some literary and poetry works carry life’s lessons, many others make us think. Some works are known for the sheer entertainment they provide, while others intrigue. Many works in literature establish a strong connect with their audience through the stories they narrate or the message the carry. Readers tend to associate themselves with the emotions portrayed in these works and become emotionally involved in them. Literature thus has a deep impact on the readers’ minds and in turn, their lives.

Children’s Literature

The Adventures of Pinocchio, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Winnie-the-Pooh, as also the relatively recent Harry Potter Series are some of the greatest works in children’s literature. Due to a whole new world they create through words, or due to their characters that the readers can relate to, these books attract children. Amused by the stories they tell, kids associate themselves with these books’ characters and idealize some of them. Moral stories are an aid for parents and teachers to let the kids learn important lessons in life. Aesop, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, and Mark Twain, among many others are some of the most widely popular children’s authors. They have enriched the childhoods of so many. Their works have amused millions of children the world over.

Literature Helps Understand Life

It is through reading great literary and poetic works, that one understands life. They help a person take a closer look at the different facets of living. In many ways, literature, in its different forms, can change one’s perspective towards living. Biographies of great people, real-life stories of courage, sacrifice and other good values never fail to inspire readers. Such works give the masses an insight into the lives of eminent people, and also serve as a bible of ideals.

It Provides Information

Literature serves as an enormous information base. Research works by famous inventors and literary works by notable scientists often narrate stories of their groundbreaking discoveries and inferences. Ongoing developments in the fields of science and technology are documented so that the world can know about them. Several ancient scriptures relating stories of human evolution and narratives of human life in those times, have been of tremendous help to mankind. Thus, literature has always served as an authentic source of information.

Scope of Literature

True, languages are the building blocks of literature. But the study of literature cannot be restricted to only studying languages. In fact, literature cannot be confined to an educational curriculum. A degree in language and literature is perhaps not able to provide one with everything that literature can offer. Its scope is so deep and wide that even a lifetime may not be enough to really ‘study’ literature.

Literature is Important

For the breadth of knowledge is gives, the moral values it carries, and the enjoyment it provides, literature is important. An exposure to good literary works is essential at every phase of life as it enriches us in more ways than one. Literature is definitely much more than its literary meaning, which defines it as ‘an acquaintance to letters’. In fact, it lays the foundation of a fulfilling life. It adds ‘life’ to ‘living’.

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Essay on Literature In Our Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Literature In Our Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Literature In Our Life

Introduction to literature.

Literature is a big part of our lives. It includes books, poems, plays, and other writings. We use literature to learn, to feel emotions, and to understand other cultures and times. It helps us to think and to grow.

The Importance of Literature

Literature is important because it lets us see the world in new ways. By reading, we can experience other people’s lives and feelings. This can make us more understanding and kind. It can also inspire us to do great things.

Literature and Education

In school, we read a lot of literature. This helps us to learn about language, history, and science. It also helps us to improve our thinking skills. By reading, we can become smarter and more knowledgeable.

Literature and Entertainment

Literature is also a great way to have fun. We can enjoy exciting stories, funny poems, and interesting plays. This can make us happy and relaxed. It can also help us to be more creative and imaginative.

250 Words Essay on Literature In Our Life

What is literature.

Literature is a term used to describe written or spoken material. It includes books, poems, plays, and other written works. Literature is a mirror of society, showing us the world and our place within it.

Role of Literature in Our Life

Literature plays a key role in our life. It can entertain us, make us think, or even make us cry. It is a way for us to experience different cultures, times, and places. Reading literature can help us understand other people’s feelings and viewpoints.

Learning from Literature

Literature is a great teacher. It can teach us about history, science, art, and so much more. By reading books, we can learn about different parts of the world, different ways of life, and different ideas. This can help us become more open-minded and understanding.

Expression through Literature

Literature is also a way for us to express our feelings and ideas. When we write, we can share our thoughts and emotions with others. This can help us feel understood and connected to other people.

In conclusion, literature is a vital part of our life. It helps us understand the world around us, learn new things, and express our feelings. So, let’s keep reading and writing to grow and learn more about the world.

500 Words Essay on Literature In Our Life

Introduction, the power of stories.

From the time we are small, we are told stories. These tales, whether they are from books, movies, or our family members, help us understand the world. They teach us about good and bad, right and wrong. They show us different ways of living and thinking. In this way, literature helps us learn about ourselves and others.

Learning from Characters

In literature, we meet many characters. Some are brave, some are wise, and some are just like us. These characters face problems, make decisions, and learn lessons. By reading about their experiences, we too can learn. We can see how they handle situations and what results from their actions. This can guide us in our own lives.

Exploring Different Worlds

Understanding society.

Literature reflects society. It shows us the customs, beliefs, and problems of different cultures and times. By reading literature, we can learn about history and social issues. This can help us understand why things are the way they are today. It also teaches us empathy as we read about the experiences of different people.

Improving Language Skills

Reading literature improves our language skills. It introduces us to new words and phrases. It shows us how to express our thoughts and feelings in a beautiful and effective way. This can help us in our studies and in our daily communication.

In conclusion, literature is a vital part of our lives. It teaches us, entertains us, and opens our minds. It helps us understand ourselves, others, and the world. So, let’s keep reading and let literature enrich our lives.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Literature and its Affect on Society

Literature has been a part of human culture since its inception. From the ancient epic poems to the modern day novels, literature has always had an impact on society. It can be used to promote certain values or ideologies, or it can simply be a way to entertain. In either case, literature has always played a role in shaping and reflecting the societies in which it was created.

One of the most obvious ways that literature affects society is through the promotion of certain values or ideas. This can be done directly, through didactic works that are explicitly designed to teach moral lessons, or indirectly, through more subtle means such as allegory and metaphor. Literature has always been used as a tool for social commentary, and it continues to be one of the most effective ways to communicate ideas about the human condition.

Even works of fiction can have a significant impact on society. They can be used to raise awareness about social issues, or to explore the psychological effects of different situations. In many cases, fictional stories can be more effective than non-fiction in terms of getting people to think about important issues. This is because they are able to engage the emotions as well as the intellect, and they can often reach people who would otherwise be indifferent to the issues being discussed.

Ultimately, literature is a reflection of the societies in which it is created. It reflects the values and beliefs of its creators, and it also has the power to shape those values and beliefs. Literature is an essential part of culture, and it will continue to play a vital role in the development of human society.

Literature has always had a significant impact on the formation of national culture and belief. Literature has a long and illustrious history, which means it indirectly influences the baby boomers’ and their children’s television world. Students at Glacier Bay High School conducted a recent poll in which there was overwhelming agreement that television is America’s favorite form of entertainment, but literature may well be the most beneficial.

Literature has often been thought of as a window into different cultures and worlds, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. It can also be used as a way to escape the mundane day-to-day tasks and explore different lifestyles, thoughts, and emotions. In his book Reading for the Plot, Peter Brooks argues that “the novel is essentially a form for the exploration of social reality” (7). This means that novels provide readers with a way to understand different aspects of society that they may not be familiar with. They can also be used to examine one’s own culture and ideology in a new light.

One of the most important things literature does is present different cultures and worlds in an unbiased way. Often times, people are only exposed to other cultures through the media, which can be very biased. Literature provides a way to explore different cultures without any outside influence or bias. It allows readers to make their own judgments and form their own opinions about different cultures.

The very existence of a nation and its citizens is influenced by literature. Literature has dominated the thoughts and hearts of an ever-changing American culture through the daring and brilliant efforts of numerous outstanding writers.

It is the light that guides us through the darkest of times, and the voice that pierces through the heaviest of hearts. Literature has a way of shaping society by giving individuals a different perspective on the world around them. It is a form of communication that has the ability to break down barriers and build bridges between people from all walks of life.

The power that literature holds over society is undeniable. For centuries, authors have used their words to spark revolutions, inspire change, and challenge the status quo. Literature has been at the forefront of social movements throughout history, from the Civil Rights Movement to Women’s suffrage. In more recent years, it has become increasingly clear that literature is still very much capable of affecting societal change.

The myths that have been passed down through the ages are among the first forms of literature. Myths are a reflection of a culture’s and time period’s beliefs (Bercovitch and Jehlen 70). Through the myths that emerged from a certain society, historical meanings can be imputed to it.

Today’s politics has its origins in Greek and Roman mythology. The myth is the language of historical memory, which is why it’s so important (Bercovitch and Jehlen 70). The manifestation of the influence mythology has had on eras gone by, as well as the present, serves as a great illustration of the impact that fictitious words may have on a group of people.

Literature has always been an escape for people. When reality is too harsh, literature offers a way to forget about the troubles of the world and enter into a different realm where anything is possible. It can take people to places they have never been and let them experience things they never thought possible. Literature has the ability to change people’s perspectives and make them see the world in a new light. It has the power to inspire, educate, and entertain.

Though it may be considered frivolous by some, literature plays an important role in society. It gives people a way to express themselves and their ideas. It allows people to share their culture and heritage with others. Literature makes us think about difficult issues and problems that we might not otherwise consider. It can help us to understand other people and cultures better. It can also provide us with a much-needed escape from the everyday problems of life.

Literature had a considerable influence on colonial style in the new world as it was discovered and the nation was founded, influencing both the newly arrived Americans and Europeans still dwelling in the old world. The romantic revolution and historical writings, which included histories, sermons, pamphlets, diaries, and biographies, were two of the eighteenth century’s major leg

All of these genres impacted American literature and culture, as well as, the way that people looked at the world. One of the most important things that Literature did was to help form a new American identity separate from Europe.

This is seen in early works such as Jonathan Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and Benjamin Franklin’s “Autobiography”. In both of these works, the authors are trying to come to terms with who they are and where they fit into the world. For Edwards, this meant grappling with his Calvinist beliefs and how they applied to the New World.

For Franklin, it meant figuring out how to be a successful businessman and citizen in a new country. Both of these authors were influenced by the Literature of their time, and they used it to help create a new American identity. Literature also had a huge impact on the culture of early America. One of the most important aspects of Literature is that it allows people to share their experiences and ideas with others.

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The value of literature to society

The value of literature to society is often overlooked, but it is clear that literature has played a key role in the development of civilization. Literature provides knowledge about history, language, and other cultures through creative works. It shapes people’s opinions by focusing on specific fictional characters or events. Plus, reading literature improves vocabulary acquisition and literacy rates.

The history of literature

Literature creates knowledge about history and other civilizations through creative works that may be nonfiction or fiction. For example, “Beowulf” was an epic poem written by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet around 700 A.D., only discovered in modern times (Burgess). The narrative describes Scandinavian kings and heroes as well as monsters such as Grendel and its mother (Answers.com). This text allows readers to learn about ancient Scandinavian society. In addition, historical fiction often incorporates real events from the time period being represented as well as other important cultural information. For instance, through literature, readers can gain knowledge of ancient Egypt by reading “The Mummy” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This short story is an adventure narrative describing a fictional expedition in which a dead priest and his cursed servant are unearthed (Doyle).

The opportunities that literature offers

Literature also provides a look into a given culture through creative works that may be nonfiction or fiction. Creative works that are nonfiction include essays, biographies, autobiographies, journals, letters, memoirs, speeches and other forms of writing intended for publication (Burgess). On the other hand, creative works that are fiction include novels, short stories and poems (Burgess). These types of literature provide readers with knowledge of other cultures as well as the differences and similarities between those cultures and their own. For example, Native American tribal myths such as the Iroquois creation myth helped members of a culture learn about one another and themselves. This text is an explanation of how four humans were created by an evil spirit named Gitche Manitou who became too powerful for even himself to destroy (Great Lakes Iroquoian Cosmology). In addition, “Hadji Murad” by Leo Tolstoy provides information on Russian customs through its narrative set during the nineteenth century Caucasus War (Tolstoy).

The first functions that literature performs

Literature shapes people’s opinions by focusing on specific fictional characters or events. For example, the popular novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald examines wealth and its influence on love through a story of an unnamed protagonist who falls in love with Jay Gatsby (Fitzgerald). In addition, many works of literature do not provide clear-cut answers to problems that they present. Instead, they encourage readers to create their own conclusions about what is right and wrong. Literature can also shape people’s opinion through reading the same books as other individuals and discussing them together such as reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee (Lee) together as a class or book club. The discussion allows readers to share their thoughts which reveals their own personal views on issues such as racism in the American south (Lee).

The second functions that literature performs

Furthermore, reading literature improves vocabulary acquisition and literacy rates. For example, in the novel “Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov, the protagonist Humbert Humbert describes Lolita as having “a svelte figure of almost classical purity” (Nabokov). Here, the adjective “classical” refers to ideas of ancient Greece and Rome which are typically associated with beauty (OED). This word allows readers to learn a new word that they can use when discussing the novel. In addition, research has shown that children who regularly read for pleasure have higher achievement in all academic subjects than their peers who do not (The Reading Agency). Furthermore, reading for pleasure has also been proven to delay the onset of dementia in adults (The Reading Agency).

The third functions that literature performs

Literature also improves vocabulary acquisition and literacy rates. For example, children who are read to when they are younger tend to learn new words faster when they enter school than those who were not (Lansing Public Schools, Michigan). In addition, reading literature can improve literacy rates through its use of complex sentences and sophisticated vocabulary that is often used by writers (Burgess). This presents a challenge for readers though which stimulates their brain activity and prompts them to try harder in order to attain success. Overall, literature provides knowledge about history and other civilizations, shapes people’s opinions through characters or events, improves vocabulary acquisition and literacy rates. Plus, it enhances creative writing abilities. In addition, literature can provide readers with experiences they would not have otherwise had which results in a better understanding of the world around them.

How does literature provide knowledge of other cultures?

Lastly, literature can provide people with knowledge of other cultures. This is because characters and events are often based on real ideas or people which readers would otherwise be unfamiliar with. For instance, the protagonist Adam Ewing from “Cloud Atlas” by David Mitchell who travels to many continents during his life provides readers with knowledge about different cultural settings during the nineteenth century. In addition, historical fiction such as “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseni allows readers to understand the harsh realities faced by Afghan women through its narrative set in Afghanistan’s recent history (Hosseini).

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The Impacts of Literature on Society

Understanding the Concept of Literature

Importance of Literature

Factors That Influence the Impacts of Literature on Society

The Overall Effect of Literature on Society

Shaping of the Global Popular Culture

Providing Information

Elimination of Cultural Barriers

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The Influence of Literature on Society

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