Arche Udtohan Gaudel

Introductory Assignment

How can we, as readers of literature, appreciate literature knowing that it is all a product of
humanity and society?

Literature had co-existed with humans since our ancestors' first discovery of scribbling
and/or writing, even if may be way back then it were written in symbols and peculiar. It is not
exclusive to those that were written but also those that were told mouth to mouth. It is not just
a product of the author's mind but likewise a product of time, events, circumstances, and
certain influences. Literature had been an instrument or a way for the writers to express almost
everything going on in their minds or emotions and also of their surroundings. It had become a
leverage, for example, in the Philippines to ignite the imprisoned patriotism of the Filipinos
during Dr. Jose Rizal's time which later resulted into freedom from being a colony of Spain for
three hundred and thirty three years.

These written materials are not just a combination of words that are meant to be read as
is. It is a way to communicate new ideas or to express one's feelings. Literature were created
not just to be passed on from one generation to another. It possess lessons and guides. They
are meant to be appreciated to truly benefit from the purposes of their existence. Readers
must learn to understand the idea or the information imbedded in the written work. We neen
to decipher both the content and the context. It can be dome by understanding the work as an
entity in itself, by finding out more information regarding the author and the background of the
literary. A reader should study the language by giving the meanings of words used, study the
structures of a literary work by listing the elements of each work, and study some approaches
which can be useful to make a better understanding. Appreciating them is important because it
will lead us to the higher level of understanding. That aside from enjoying them, we must
likewise get the advantages from them to make our lives better.