What Is Literature? Define it

[Rosaline 0]

Hello everyone!I figure since this is the book forum, it would be an interesting debate to try and define literature. My thoughts aren't necessarily right, and I'd love to hear what you have to say! :lol:In the simplest of terms. I believe that literature is any piece of written word that contains meaning. Most of the time it also revolves around a central plot or idea. I also believe that it always has characters, whether that is simply the poetic voice or the different people in a play or novel. These characters can even be animals or objects that are personified.I believe that there are many different types of literature, but I feel that the motivation behind writing it is usually the same. Literature always reflects on the society and culture of the world. It is a way that people can observe their world through art and writing. So in the same sense that the world changes as time passes, so too does the style of literature. Literature always contains some sort of moral or theme, often times relating to problems of current society; for example, sexism or racism.I don't think that literature became more important over time, however, I do believe that literature from the past now has a more historical aspect that didn't exist at the time of itis publishing. This is simply because now we can learn more about the world at that time much in the same way we would inspect cave paintings :DI think that the historical aspect of literature is one of the reasons why we study it. It allows us a creative looking glass into the world at that time. We temporarily get inside of the mind of the author and, therefore, live in their time through their perspective of the world. Even though all fiction pieces of literature are not actually written historically or with the intention of being historical, we can still learn a lot about the problems and beliefs of people at that time.Another reason why we study literature is because by studying it we learn morals and lessons that help explain, justify, and give meaning to life and the world. It is an artistic way to explore the unexplainable. In science and math, you can't study the difference between right and wrong, the power of love, or the courage of man. Only through literature can we immerse ourselves in these ideas.Lastly, literature is fun. It is a form of entertainment that almost every one enjoys at one point in their life. Stories and poems allow us to travel to different worlds, meet new people, and go on exciting adventures. Our imaginations are given a chance to flourish through writing and reading, bringing to life colorful images and people that before were simply flat text on a page.Well... what do you think? Agree or disagree with me? Gotta love literature, either way

Edited June 4, 2007 by Rosaline (see edit history)

[demonatashadow 0]

Well I would think that literature is words that have meaning and probably the study of vocabulary and phrases and stuff like that. I also think it basically has everything to do with reading (no daaa). Well thats the most simplist way I can define literature, of course I can go into more detail. But I don't see how this can turn into a debate, I'm pretty sure everyone has the same general idea of what literature is, of course if you stated some kind of detail about literature then maybe that would start a debate, but I wouldn't know the future so I'll keep track of this forum to see if it does get turned into a debate.

[kwantum 0]

Words put together in such a way that it makes a story, maybe not a story as in a movie or a novel but even poems tell a story, that would be my definition of literature

[kwantum 0]

Words put together in such a way that it makes a story, maybe not a story as in a movie or a novel but even poems tell a story, that would be my definition of literature

[Zlash 0]

Hello everyone!

 

I figure since this is the book forum, it would be an interesting debate to try and define literature. My thoughts aren't necessarily right, and I'd love to hear what you have to say!

 

In the simplest of terms. I believe that literature is any piece of written word that contains meaning. Most of the time it also revolves around a central plot or idea. I also believe that it always has characters, whether that is simply the poetic voice or the different people in a play or novel. These characters can even be animals or objects that are personified.

 

I believe that there are many different types of literature, but I feel that the motivation behind writing it is usually the same. Literature always reflects on the society and culture of the world. It is a way that people can observe their world through art and writing. So in the same sense that the world changes as time passes, so too does the style of literature. Literature always contains some sort of moral or theme, often times relating to problems of current society; for example, sexism or racism.

 

I don't think that literature became more important over time, however, I do believe that literature from the past now has a more historical aspect that didn't exist at the time of itis publishing. This is simply because now we can learn more about the world at that time much in the same way we would inspect cave paintings

I think that the historical aspect of literature is one of the reasons why we study it. It allows us a creative looking glass into the world at that time. We temporarily get inside of the mind of the author and, therefore, live in their time through their perspective of the world. Even though all fiction pieces of literature are not actually written historically or with the intention of being historical, we can still learn a lot about the problems and beliefs of people at that time.

 

Another reason why we study literature is because by studying it we learn morals and lessons that help explain, justify, and give meaning to life and the world. It is an artistic way to explore the unexplainable. In science and math, you can't study the difference between right and wrong, the power of love, or the courage of man. Only through literature can we immerse ourselves in these ideas.

 

Lastly, literature is fun. It is a form of entertainment that almost every one enjoys at one point in their life. Stories and poems allow us to travel to different worlds, meet new people, and go on exciting adventures. Our imaginations are given a chance to flourish through writing and reading, bringing to life colorful images and people that before were simply flat text on a page.

 

Well... what do you think? Agree or disagree with me? Gotta love literature, either way

A long definition there. You have really been thinking haven't you? I have really never thought about it. Literature has always just been literture for me. It has had something to do with smart writing\stories in a way that can't be described. I looked in the Oxford Talking Dictionary and found this:

 

literature /lt()rt/ n. LME. [(Fr. litterature f.) L lit(t)eratura, f. lit(t)era LETTER n.1: see -URE.]

1 Acquaintance with books; polite or humane learning; literary culture. Now arch. rare. LME.

2 Literary work or production; the realm of letters. L18.

3 a Literary productions as a whole; the body of writings produced in a particular country or period. Now also spec., that kind of written composition valued on account of its qualities of form or emotional effect. E19.

b The body of books and writings that treat of a particular subject. M19. c Printed matter of any kind. colloq. L19.

 

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Excerpted from Oxford Talking Dictionary

Copyright Š 1998 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Edited June 24, 2007 by Zlash (see edit history)