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Point Of Literature Essay

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The point of literature

Personally, I think the point of literature is entirely subjective. Even the definition of literature can be interpreted differently. In class just now, it was defined as written works with artistic value, which I agree with to some extent, but then again, what does and doesn’t constitute as artistically valuable is also subjective. I feel like I’m on a fast-track to my history and philosophy class here, being all like “everything is subjective, nothing is real”. The point, the purpose, the goal of literature can be so many things. In earlier human evolution, the Homo Sapiens’ ability of more advanced communication than that of other animals, the way we evolved to understand and communicate not only the tangible reality of our surroundings (after all, the Neanderthal could do this too), but also perceive and deal in hypotheticals and what’s referred to as the imaginary reality – the capability to believe in made-up concepts like gods, money, nations – is what made us the sole surviving human species; it gave us reasons to unite, to coexist in larger groups and eventually entire societies. Without this crucial cognitive development, we wouldn’t have …show more content…

Apart from the evolutionary advantage of the societal bonds that it creates and enforces, literature is just yet another channel for humans to channel its unusual knack for creativity. Love of writing could also be the point of literature. Or, on the other hand, love of reading. Or a conduit for expression, or knowledge, or reverence. Or a million other things. There’s no single, lone point to the art form of written works. Just like most of literature itself, the point probably lies in each person’s own interpretation of it. Or maybe that’s just my

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