Importance of Literature - Essay Example

Course Overall Literature has always been endemic in man’s daily life. It has been the source of knowledge, inspiration, enjoyment and a medium for transfer of information. For this reason, it is essential for man to appreciate the intricacies revolving around the world of literature (William 2). There arises a need to effectively read and understand literature. Numerous avenues can be employed to source meaning from different literature. It is via the use of literature that an individual will learn to analyse thought and action empathetically.

It is only when the reader has grasped the theme present in the literature, will the author’s insight be appreciated. In the context of academic and professional reading, it is imperative for critical reading to be endeavoured. Critical reading necessitates the reader to understand and enjoy the paper simultaneously. To effectively read literature, a reader must consider the story, analyse its construction and deduce the different interpretations that can be sourced. In order to realize this, the reader must aspire to read and reread the literature.

Writing short notes on the literature should be the next step. This should pave way for interpretative reading. The literature text should be interpreted in different context in line with different audiences. Lastly, a discussion with other individuals should be carried out. This ensures that if effective reading of the literature is to be achieved. When writing about literature, the essay should be focused. Only the core elements of the literature should be analysed. Formal language should be adopted throughout the entirety of the essay.

Additionally, it should be written in third person. While in some instances, the literature under review may have been written a long time ago. However, irrespective of this fact, the essay written about this literature, under analysis, should adopt a present tense. Since the literature has already been read, the essay should be structured into a persuasive argument. As such, the writer should employ the use of valid evidence to strengthen the assertions. The first week writers were from the late 19th century, an era that was slowly embracing modernism.

However, due to the slow transition rate, there were still signs of pre-modern literal styles and elements in their work. As such, this is the rationale for the difference between literal works sourced from these two eras. High modernism was only achieved after the end of the world wars. Regardless of this situation, the styles characterizing their literal works are somewhat similar. Nineteenth century writers wrote mainly on human rights. Gastavus Vassa primarily focuses on slavery. In the same context, the eighth week writers focused on human rights but specifically women’s rights.

The eight week writers are only women speaking on the cultural and social ceilings hindering their overall progress. Another factor compounding this is that all of the eight week writers are all black women. As such, there is no surprise that they all wrote on racism, discrimination and campaigned for feminism. One style that features prominently is repetition. Both Phenomenal Woman and Still I Rise by Maya Angelou are personal. Phenomenal Woman was written for the average African American woman.

It is a motivating poem, aimed at showing the power of the woman as she should not be brought down. She states that it is how a woman expresses her beauty in how she carries herself that makes her phenomenal. The woman in the poem is over flattering herself. She continuously cites trivial aspects of how she carries herself that attracts attention. Both of these poems seem to have the same speaker. This assertion is arrived at given the choice emotional and powerful language characterizing both poems.

In both poems, the speaker is motivating her audience into becoming assertive in life. This is particularly noteworthy given the time when both poems were written. Her audience were the African American women who were being subjected to racism and discrimination. Work CitedWilliam, Long. Importance of Literature. Reprieved on 25th Feb 2013 from http://classiclit.about.com/od/Experience_literature/a/The-Shell-And-The-Book_3.htm