The Difficulty of Defining Literature

Lesson adapted from the article “Why Literature has Many

Definitions” available at http://bit.ly/3hArOsh
 “Why Literature has Many Definitions?”
The essay written by Sitwe Benson defines
literature and “brings out the inadequacies
attached to the definitions.”
The essay concludes that the presence of the
different genres of literature makes it difficult to
have one working definition attached to it.
http://bit.ly/3hArOsh
Argument on the Definitions of Literature http://bit.ly/3hArOsh

1. Literature is a Latin word „litera‟ which means

Writing.
Argument: Saying that literature is any written
material is too limiting because literature may be
both oral and written forms. Twenty-first century
literature that considers the influence and
prominence of technology goes beyond the
meaning of text as more than just words on page.
What are the flaws of these definitions of Literature?
1. Literature is literally “an acquaintance with
letters.”
2. As a common noun, the word „literature‟ can
refer to any form of writing, such as essays or
poetry. As a proper noun, literature refers to a
whole body of literally work, worldwide or relating
to a specific culture (Wikipedia, 2008).
3. Literature is a body of written works of a culture,
language, people or a period of time.
 Something to ponder upon
Can we consider a history book literature?
How about a cookbook or the manual of your I-
phone?
Can we consider a Mathematics book literature?
Think of a Mathematics formula? Does it express
a language “worth calling as literature?”
What about Youtube videos, blogs, and podcasts?
 Why are these definitions of literature narrow in
scope according to Benson?
1. Scylar (1998: 83) defines literature as “ any
writing on a subject: the body of published
work concerned with a particular subject.”
2. Pollanen (1997) says that “literature refers
to published writings in a particular style on
a particular subject.”
 Can you use this working definition of
literature?
Encarta (2009) defines literature as “the use of
well-chosen words to tell a story through
narrative, involving characters in conflict, or to
express an emotion or idea through artfully
arranged images.”
 Why is this view about literature contradicts the
concept that literature is “anything written”?

The purpose of literature is to entertain and

instruct (or to delight and enlighten) the reader
through the use of the imagination. Literature
can also shock, amaze, or provide readers with
an escape from reality for a while.
 What are the qualities of “good literature”
according to this definition?
Hancock (2006) defines literature as “being
written works of fiction and non fiction in
which compositional excellence and
advancement in the art of writing are higher
priorities than are considerations of profit or
commercial appeal.”
Davids (1983) says that “literature is a creative
writing of artistic value.”
 Summing up
Why is Literature difficult to define?
1. The body of literature is encompassing and has many
forms.
2. Some definitions of literature do not consider the “orature”
component.
3. Other definitions limit themselves to literature being
written or published.
4. The purposes of literature may be too broad or too
specific.
5. The 21st century literature does not limit the meaning of
literature to anything printed on a page.