What is Literature? Literature can be interpreted whichever way you want, it just depends on which way you are truly looking at it. From my experience in school, I learned that literature is basically anything written. Before knowing truly what literature represented, I would only consider well known books such as Catcher in the Rye or 1984 solely as works of literature. As I continued my school, I learned more information about what is literature. Literature does not have to make sense to everyone who reads it, it does not need to be condensed in a way for someone’s liking, as well literature does not need to be explained to be considered authentic. Literature is words put together on paper with endless possibilities as understandings for …show more content…
I found Moraga’s writings to be relatable because I am a Hispanic woman and can agree wholeheartedly with the points she made within. I consider her work literature, because it is understandable. It has a beginning, middle, and end. And most of all, it hooks me as a reader and makes me want to continue reading on. I feel like literature should make you want to flip to the next page and continue reading. The distinction between literature and a story whether short or long depends on the quality and eloquence of what is within the lines. Within Moraga’s story, we find out parts of her which are written clear enough to make you feel like you know her. As well, she gives background to her racial history which allows you a better understanding of what is she getting across in her story. A point that stout within Moraga’s story was the part about how she identifies herself. She does not solely identify herself as a Mexican woman writer but as a Chicana writer. She then goes on a tangent to explain how identifying as Chicana does not give background to her racial or cultural identity but instead rubs in the face of America, that she is not going to blend in like many people do. She talks about how literature is mostly represented by the European world and that their work is “regurgitated” often. Unlike the European writers, Chicano writers are given little to none exposure
Unbroken is mainly set during World War II, in the Pacific and several other places. The story mostly focuses on Louie's life growing up, in the barracks, and in the several POW camps he had to endure during his time as a captive. The setting has a huge effect on the story because the war is what really drives the main plot through Louie's enlistment through the mental aftermath of the war that he has to work through. It's also interesting to look back at how the men at the time perceived the war effort, and how it impacts their morale. For example, after a successful air raid the men in Louie's unit believe “With the dawn of 1943 and the success at Wake, the men felt cocky. It had all been so easy. One admiral predicted that Japan might be
Literature, the dictionary defines it being the art of written works that is simultaneously designed to entertain, educate and instruct its audience; writers, using their skill of telling stories, use literature in an attempt to transfer their ideas from paper to the reader; for some, this task means bringing their story to a different place and time that is entirely separate from what the could be perceive as ordinary, on order to serve the writer’s intent. With this, the impossible, becomes the probable, and the worst fear imagined becomes the breathed reality; with no separation between the truth, and fiction. The word “literature” in itself cannot be accurately defined, and by attempting to do so, it limits the word not only in its
In the novel, A Lesson Before Dying by _________, the main character, Grant, is trying to console Jefferson. Jefferson has just been framed for a murder he did not commit, and many believe it is because he is black. Two drunk, white men went into a liquor store, already drunk, and attempted to shoot the owner who, in turn, shot back. In the end of the firefight, Jefferson was the only man standing. When at the trial to convince the jury Jefferson did not actually shoot the people, his attorney realizes his attempts at proving Jefferson’s innocence were futile, and says, “What justice would there be to take this life? Justice, gentlemen? Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this” (8). He is asking the jury to spare the life of Jefferson, by implying that Jefferson is no more intelligent than a hog. The attorney is white, and is voicing the common belief among whites that all blacks are animals. Throughout the novel, Jefferson becomes haunted by the
In the novel The Compound the author writes about how Eli, the main character of the story, loses his grandma and his twin brother due to a war that broke out. He is taken to a shelter that his father has built underground. It has several bedrooms, a living room, and all the things necessary to live there for fifteen years. His father even thought to bring gifts for birthdays every year. Although this wasn’t enough for them. Eli and his sister were going through a lot and had to deal with several emotions. Especially the loss of their brother. Eli just tried to accept the fact and move on while his sister kept hope. That got him wandering, could he really still be alive? So throughout the story Eli battles with depression, worrying, and the
In the short story “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there is a great deal of literary elements used to enhance the story. For example, imagery is used to draw the reader 's attention further into the story by having them see it happening in their head and allegory is used to pull the reader away from the story by referencing things that happened somewhere else. While these two literary elements are both used to magnify different parts of the story, as well as counterbalance each other, the literary device that this essay will be focused on is symbolism. While it appears in many parts of the story one of the most obvious uses of
A Long Way Gone shows how over time one’s character can be changed completely due to circumstances. For example, A Long Way Gone gives an understanding of how the most innocent children can become the most outrageous killers. Survival plays a very huge theme in the book because of the situations Ishmael had to go through. . Ever since Ishmael escaped from the chaos that was happening in Mattru Jong, Beah mainly had to focus on his survival every single day. Such an incident happened in Chapter 4. “Things changed rapidly in a matter of seconds and no one had any control over anything. We had yet to learn these things and implement survival tactics, which was what it came down to,” (Beah, 29). In Chapter 10, the boys are given meat at night
Power and control plays a big role in the lives many. When power is used as a form of control, it leads to depression and misery in the relationship. This is proven through the themes and symbolism used in the stories Lesson before Dying, The fun they had, The strangers that came to town, and Dolls house through the median of three major unsuccessful relationship: racial tension between the African Americans and the caucasians in the novel Lesson before Dying, Doll’s House demonstrates a controlling relationship can be detrimental for both individuals and The Stranger That Came To Town along with The Fun They Had show that when an individual is suppressed by majority they become despondent.
The science-fiction thriller “The Veldt”, by Ray Bradbury is about a family of four who live in a very futuristic house that makes their way of living much easier. George and Lydia Hadley own the house and are also the parents of ten-year-old Wendy and Peter - two kids who are a little too spoiled in this story. In the Hadley household there is a nursery where Wendy’s and Peter’s thoughts are brought to life by way of crystal walls. The Veldt can be understood better using psychological and Marxist criticism. Specifically through Carl Jung’s theory, all people have three elements in them: Shadow, Persona, and Anima/Animus in which Wendy and Peter evidently show some sense of Jung’s Shadow in them. While looking the story through the psychological
In the book Everything I Never Told You, there are many different elements and techniques used within the book. The technique that I want to go into more depth on is the use of symbolism. I specifically want to focus on the symbolism in regards to Lydia, Hannah, and Nath’s love of astronauts and space.
In the novel, Brave New World, written by Aldous Huxley, the author uses many literary
A common theme in many great works of literature is that of forgiveness. Through studying some of these classics, we can learn the lesson that forgiving others, lets you to let go of hate and anger, and to draw nearer to God; this helps people to be happier and to obtain peace, even in terrible circumstances. First, in Left to Tell, Immaculée was able to find comfort and peace, when she found it in her heart to forgive. Second, in Blood Brothers, Elias found comfort and strength in the understanding that Christ loves and forgives all. Third, in Les Miserables, we see the results of being selfless and choosing to forgive. In this essay, we will examine this fundamental theme in the books Left to Tell by Immaculée Ilibagiza, Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour, and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
The debate of what literature is or how it should be defined is an ongoing battle even today. Many have expressed that literature should be well-written, worthy of study, and also stand the test of time, despite most of this criteria catering towards classical literature written by wealthy white men, while others believe this is all too subjective to work fairly. I personally believe that literature is at least three of the following: An embodiment of the human experience, a reflection of cultural perspective, and the relationship between author and reader.
Roy Conli once said “When you're telling a story, the best stories, every character has an arc. Every one. And that arc is usually about finding yourself, or about at least finding something about yourself that you didn't know.” This is a prevalent theme in many examples of Young Adult Literature (YAL or YA). Three books that demonstrate the critical transformation between childhood and adulthood by exploring difficult social issues, finding personal identity, and letting go are a Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.
Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor and critic. He is mainly known for his trilogy that investigates, using fiction, the history of Nigeria. The trilogy begins with Things Fall Apart, followed by No Longer at Ease and ended with Arrow of God. Furthermore, in this critically analytical essay, through a feminist perspective, a chapter of his second novel, No Longer at Ease, published in 1960, will be discussed. The setting of the novel is Lagos, Nigeria and Umuofia, Nigeria during the 1950s, before Nigeria attained independence from Great Britain. The novel, No Longer at Ease begins with Obi Okonkwo on trial, charged for accepting a bribe. However, using flashback, the author takes us back to the point before Obi’s departure
The definition of literature has been discussed and argued over time and there is no precise answer to be given. Any reader or author can define literature as whatever they wish it to be defined as. This is more of an opinion of how one views certain pieces of work or writings and whether or not they feel that is actually literature or not. Literature is any type of creative writing such as fiction or poetry, for example. Literature is also any form of body of written works of language, which could be from the English era or even as far back as the Shakespearean or Elizabethan era. It is also work from a specific period or culture defining key elements or somehow relating to and/or expressing how it is exactly from that time. The