Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

(Intramuros, Manila)
WORLD LITERATUREImportance of Literature
By: Ed Mark L. Barrera
This essay will answer the questions Why do we need to study world literature?
and Why
do education students need to study world
literature?
Or at least give some insights about thequestion.
Before I discuss the main topic, let me define the word literature first. According
to
Fora
dictionary, literature are published writings in a particular style on a particular
subject. According to
Merriam-Webster,
literature are writings in prose or verse; especially writings having excellence
ofform or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest.
According to
Websters
Universal,
literature are the writings of a period or of a country, especially those valued by
theirexcellence.History is one of the most important element of literature. Most of
the literary pieces that weknow today are based on some historical events. Anne
Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl is one of thebest example where we can see a
piece of recorded history. The written diary of this young girl,while jailed inside
the secret annex, is a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an
eloquenttestament to the human spirit. Knowing this fact, another question adds
to the equation

Why is itimportant to study history? The answer is:

we can learn something in the past. Most of theseknowledge teaches us to face
the future with power and great understanding.Vocabulary is another important
element of literature and another reason why we shouldstudy literature. How
many times did you stopped reading just to check in the dictionary thedefinition of
a certain word? Or how many times did you reread a passage just to get
the context clueto a word that
you dont understand?
As a language teacher (I am taking BSE-Filipino), it is importantto have a lot of
knowledge in vocabulary whether it is in English or local language, Filipino.What
will your student say if only a simple word stops you from reading the next lesson
in
class. The principal will probably tell you For shame! For shame!
So, stopping during reading to check some definition does not hinder us from
being a betterteacher, but having a lack of knowledge in vocabulary do