Why to read literature?

[blazeofglory]

Today we are equipped with varieties of entertainment or knowledge providers. Few turn to domains of literature, for there are many entertainers the radio, the television, the Internet and the like. Why people should narrow down their ranges of interests just to dry and tiresome pages of books when there are things live or alive. wallowing in things dead is kind of reading books mostly of dead writers with obsolete ideas.

Notwithstanding they are dry and not quick - entertainers the way the rest of others do, literature has a domain of its own, and in fact the way it sensitizes our minds and mirror life not in fragments but in whole. The rest of other mediums of art can never displace literature at all.

All that literature does and in fact that distinguishes it from the rest of other disciplines is through literature you can fathom the depth of life and measure the innermost core or the kernel of our minds.

Literatutre transforms us in the degree the rest of other mediums never can do so. I remember when I read resurrection and the way it transformed me an shaped my patterns of thinking.

Share your views.

[NikolaiI]

I agree, Stephen R. Donaldson can go far deeper than any movie. The reason to read literature is both because it is enjoyable, and to increase your knowledge and reading ability. You read to increase your involvement in literature, and to get into the world of literature, or just the book you're reading. If you want to write, say, then you'll need to read as well. Another good thing literature does is help your language skills- I never had any problems spelling, not because I ever practiced but because I read books. Above all is enjoyment, and instead of draining your energy and creative juices like TV, well, literature doesn't do those things. Also learning, like books on religion or something.

[blazeofglory]

I agree, Stephen R. Donaldson can go far deeper than any movie. The reason to read literature is both because it is enjoyable, and to increase your knowledge and reading ability. You read to increase your involvement in literature, and to get into the world of literature, or just the book you're reading. If you want to write, say, then you'll need to read as well. Another good thing literature does is help your language skills- I never had any problems spelling, not because I ever practiced but because I read books. Above all is enjoyment, and instead of draining your energy and creative juices like TV, well, literature doesn't do those things. Also learning, like books on religion or something.

To add to this, in fact books are like streams that are bigger sources of ideas, imaginations, mysteries and explorations above all. Compared with what we can we get from books the rest of other sources of knowledge and entertainment are simply stream-lets they are not complete compared with books.

Books are what call oceanic sources of knowledge and inspirations and they are full of mysteries, creativeness and inventiveness.

Literature takes us by flight of imagination to a domain where no others mediums can take and today we are so much rich in ideas and are exploring into so many spheres of wisedom and all the rest of stuff.

Ideas are condensed into books in many forms and the rest are superficial and shallow. For instance, poetry. No other disciplines can plumb the depth of truth and sensbilities and the subconscious the way poetry can.

Through books we can unlock vast resoirvoirs of posibilites and potentials we are innately rich in. See the profundity of Homer, the Mahabharata, the Bible, the Upanishads. You never can explore so deeply and profoundly the way you can do with books.

[JBI]

I like how literature can take you into the subjunctive, and expose you to not just appearance and events, but emotion, thought, and questioning. The mainstream literature I find is generally what makes a movie, something that is plot driven, with very little into characterization. However, the literary literature, the good stuff, is what really pulls you into the mind of the character, really makes you feel what he feels, relate to him, sympathize with him, scorn him (or her in all these cases). Other forms of entertainment (I speak here generally of movies and television) are less likely to express on this level. Art, music, and literature are the only real forms that can express this sort of idea, this sort of expression.

[Mortis Anarchy]

I read because, well...I feel that I can picture things better. It allows for more mental freedom, if that makes sense...I'm having difficulty getting my thoughts out, so sorry if it doesn't sound right. With movies and TV, you can come up with basically the same thing though...its just like seeing it in person...and I totally admire filmmakers etc.

But doesn't it just seem like when you read something...doesn't it just feel better? I get so much more pleasure and a feeling of accomplishment when I read. I can't describe it. Its a feeling that I've had since I begun to read. I love watching movies...but its not the same. I enjoy them...and sometimes I really get INTO it, but its not the same.

With art...of topic, but I go in depth with it. I want to feel everything that the artist felt when he/she created it. Understand it...its got to do with that feeling again. With the arts in general, but reading...well its more fulfilling...doesn't it just seem right?

[Gadget Girl]

I read because it is fun. I am reading because I can be in the characters' feelings and emotions, which is really great. You can relate to them, y'know. Usually if I'm reading literature, I feel like I'm the director of that plot; I'm the one who determines the events, I'm the one who pictures them in my mind, I am the one who is imagining the characters and the places, I am the actor. I am all; the director, actor, producer, screenplay. It's just perfect.

One of my favorites besides reading is watching movies. I love movies as I love books, but they are very different from each other, aren't they? In movies, you aren't the one who imagines anymore. You see what the other people's perspectives, you can see other people's ideas on how they do the scenes, scripts, etc.

There are all sorts of entertainment and some people don't want to read anymore because look at the technology today! Everything is high-tech and I wonder what will be in the next generation after ours will be. Can you imagine it? There are internet, movies, television, Wii, PSP, computers... what more do you want? Those are the things why most of the people in the world prefer to do something else fun in their opinion, than engulf themselves in a book reading all day long. People will say, 'what's the fun in reading anyways?' and stuffs like that.

[blazeofglory]

I read because it is fun. I am reading because I can be in the characters' feelings and emotions, which is really great. You can relate to them, y'know. Usually if I'm reading literature, I feel like I'm the director of that plot; I'm the one who determines the events, I'm the one who pictures them in my mind, I am the one who is imagining the characters and the places, I am the actor. I am all; the director, actor, producer, screenplay. It's just perfect.

One of my favorites besides reading is watching movies. I love movies as I love books, but they are very different from each other, aren't they? In movies, you aren't the one who imagines anymore. You see what the other people's perspectives, you can see other people's ideas on how they do the scenes, scripts, etc.

There are all sorts of entertainment and some people don't want to read anymore because look at the technology today! Everything is high-tech and I wonder what will be in the next generation after ours will be. Can you imagine it? There are internet, movies, television, Wii, PSP, computers... what more do you want? Those are the things why most of the people in the world prefer to do something else fun in their opinion, than engulf themselves in a book reading all day long. People will say, 'what's the fun in reading anyways?' and stuffs like that.

Indeed, there are different means of entertainment and reading habits or less seen yet I personally feel rather differnt, for it gives a different feeling, and our imaginative faculties will intensify with books.

[amalia1985]

Literature hands you the chance to delve deep into life, it can teach you how to change your life, how to view the world from different angles, not just your own...

[blazeofglory]

Literature hands you the chance to delve deep into life, it can teach you how to change your life, how to view the world from different angles, not just your own...

That is the purpose pf literature, and in fact what it does it is widen our horizon of experiences immensely for we share ourselves pr our ideas with one another. For instance reading Dostoevsky gives me totally a new experiences indeed. When I read some of the characters in his stories and novels all I feel is I feel my pains lessened considerably. That when people sees somebody suffering the pangs of pains of him will lessen.

Therefore, all that literature does is widens our horizon of understanding indeed and help us see life through a bigger spectrum ordinarily not possible, and therefore, all that literature does is it kinds of fuels our sensibilities and sensitivity towards others,

In fact many writers revolutionized the course of history, and we know it was through the writings of Rousseau and Voltaire French had a great revolution.

All that literature does is uncover truths, and truths remain covered, human beings remain under a veil of darkness and it is always literature that helps him realize or understand facts.

Today we idealize literature and idolize the creators of them. We have followers of Tolstoy's ideas.

[amalia1985]

I really couldn't agree more with you. I am very happy and very moved by your comments.

[blazeofglory]

I really couldn't agree more with you. I am very happy and very moved by your comments.

Today we want something to involve us engrossingly; or else today's man is vulnerable to a variety of aliments and may be depression also. What a piece of literature does in effect it widens our horizon to look at life from different perspectives.

I write poems, essays, stories. These are creative things and creation has always invigorated my life. It is likened to a mother birthing a baby and the very act thrills her and engages her for some great cause. Your creativity is what makes your live more livery and vital.

I have hardly bad moments for I have many books to read. I read philosophy, scriptures, literature, and even economics also appeals to me.

I am the son of a farmer. I saw the moods of my father when he saw the cornplants he planted growing on his farms. I do not cultivate plants. I cultivate ideas and when I cultivate and someone read them and comment, crtically and appreciatively I feel thrilled.

The world of creativity is really amazing.

[Clouder]

Blaze,
You could write an article on this subject. I agree most of your writings here. It inspires me a bit to further put this: Literature is one form that stands on a balancing point which is very provocative and makes all the inspiration/imagination/connection possible while at the same time, can cut so deeply into the core and cover the unknown corners. Comparing to other forms with sound/image, it leaves more spaces for the reader; it saves the limited life time from distraction. I always think words are always profound than sound/images, although I like movies, music as well.
Yeah for Blowin' in the Wind.

[jon1jt]

Today we are equipped with varieties of entertainment or knowledge providers. Few turn to domains of literature, for there are many entertainers the radio, the television, the Internet and the like. Why people should narrow down their ranges of interests just to dry and tiresome pages of books when there are things live or alive. wallowing in things dead is kind of reading books mostly of dead writers with obsolete ideas.

Notwithstanding they are dry and not quick - entertainers the way the rest of others do, literature has a domain of its own, and in fact the way it sensitizes our minds and mirror life not in fragments but in whole. The rest of other mediums of art can never displace literature at all.

All that literature does and in fact that distinguishes it from the rest of other disciplines is through literature you can fathom the depth of life and measure the innermost core or the kernel of our minds.

Literatutre transforms us in the degree the rest of other mediums never can do so. I remember when I read resurrection and the way it transformed me an shaped my patterns of thinking.

Share your views.

to read is to be fully human.

[blazeofglory]

to read is to be fully human.

Your expression is really highly relevant in today's world more than ever before and I feel totally inanimate if there are no books, and in point of fact now through literature I feel vivacious in life.

When I have bad moods I find refuge in books, and it is a book of poems that solace.

I subscribe to this adage wholeheartedly that to read is to be fully human.
I live with full energy and find life really interesting, one of the drives that animates my life is reading.

[amalia1985]

blazeofglory, although I hadn't met you, I deeply admire you. It's not a compliment, I have never ever seen such eloquence and inspiring attitude.Bravo!!!