NAME : SILVI PRATIWI

NPM :19052022
SUMMARY
Literature is a term used to describe written and sometimes spoken material. Derived from the
Latin word literature meaning "writing formed with letters," literature most commonly refers
to works of the creative imagination, including poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, and in some
instances, journalism, and song.

 What Is Literature?

Simply put, literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people. The
concept is difficult to precisely define, though many have tried; it's clear that the accepted
definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving.

For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a page
doesn't necessarily equate to creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of works for a
given author. Some works of literature are considered canonical, that is, culturally
representative of a particular genre (poetry, prose, or drama).

Literary Fiction vs. Genre Fiction

Some definitions also separate literary fiction from so-called "genre fiction," which includes
types such as mystery, science fiction, western, romance, thriller, and horror. Think mass-
market paperback.

Genre fiction typically does not have as much character development as literary fiction and is
read for entertainment, escapism, and plot, whereas literary fiction explores themes common
to the human condition and uses symbolism and other literary devices to convey the author's
viewpoint on his or her chosen themes. Literary fiction involves getting into the minds of the
characters (or at least the protagonist) and experiencing their relationships with others. The
protagonist typically comes to a realization or changes in some way during the course of a
literary novel. Genre studies, on the other hand, introduce students to a variety of books they
might not otherwise choose. You can open your students’ minds and expand their reading
choices with genre studies in categories like Fantasy, Fractured Fairy Tales, Science Fiction,
Native American Legends and more.
 EXPLANATION

Literature has been proven as a great tool to approach English language and English
culture. Even though there are students and teachers that consider it as too abstract or
bored, . It gets you closer to the language, culture as well as customs and it is always a
way of learning how to write and spell correctly. Teachers should make literature
interesting for students.

Children’s literature is extremely valuable in both the school setting and at home.
Teachers and parents should both be able to differentiate between quality and
mediocre literature, in order to give students access to the best books to encourage
these important values of literature and considering developmental domains.
Children’s literature is valuable in providing an opportunity to respond to literature, as
well as cultural knowledge, emotional intelligence and creativity, social and
personality development, and literature history to students across generations.
Exposing children to quality literature can contribute to the creation of responsible,
successful, and caring individuals.

Works of literature, at their best, provide a kind of blueprint of human society. From
the writings of ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China to Greek philosophy and
poetry, from the epics of Homer to the plays of William Shakespeare, from Jane
Austen and Charlotte Bronte to Maya Angelou, works of literature give insight and
context to all the world's societies. In this way, literature is more than just a historical
or cultural artifact; it can serve as an introduction to a new world of experience.

But what we consider to be literature can vary from one generation to the next. For
instance, Herman Melville's 1851 novel "Moby Dick" was considered a failure by
contemporary reviewers. However, it has since been recognized as a masterpiece and
is frequently cited as one of the best works of Western literature for its thematic
complexity and use of symbolism. By reading "Moby Dick" in the present day, we can
gain a fuller understanding of literary traditions in Melville's time.

 School Skills
 Students who study literature and read for pleasure have a higher vocabulary, better
reading comprehension, and better communication skills, such as writing ability.
Communication skills affect people in every area of their lives, from navigating
interpersonal relationships to participating in meetings in the workplace to drafting
intraoffice memos or reports.

When students analyze literature, they learn to identify cause and effect and are
applying critical thinking skills. Without realizing it, they examine the characters
psychologically or sociologically. They identify the characters' motivations for their
actions and see through those actions to any ulterior motives.

When planning an essay on a work of literature, students use problem-solving skills to

come up with a thesis and follow through on compiling their paper. It takes research
skills to dig up evidence for their thesis from the text and scholarly criticism, and it
takes organizational skills to present their argument in a coherent, cohesive manner.

 Empathy and Other Emotions

Some studies say that people who read literature have more empathy for others, as
literature puts the reader into another person's shoes. Having empathy for others leads
people to socialize more effectively, solve conflicts peacefully, collaborate better in
the workplace, behave morally, and possibly even become involved in making their
community a better place.

Other studies note a correlation between readers and empathy but do not find
causation. Either way, studies back the need for strong English programs in schools,
especially as people spend more and more time looking at screens rather than books.

Along with empathy for others, readers can feel a greater connection to humanity and
less isolated. Students who read literature can find solace as they realize that others
have gone through the same things that they are experiencing or have experienced.
This can be a catharsis and relief to them if they feel burdened or alone in their
troubles.

As far as we remember we used to look forward to the English Literature classes every
week when we were in high-school. Were you as excited about new stuff and great
information taken from the class?
Since English has become an international important language, more and more people
are studying it. “ The study of literature allows people to develop new ideas and
ethical standpoints, and can help individuals to present themselves as educated
members of society. Studying literature can be enriching, eye-opening experience”
( Joshua Cruz, eHow contributor, www.eHow.com).

Traditionally, the role of Literature was not taken into consideration in English
Language Teaching programs due to the importance given only to functional
language. Today, Literature in second language classes has a very important linguistic
input for students and it is a valuable source for learners’ motivation.

* Usually, students who study only English Language emphasising on reading and
writing skills, sometimes fail to see the point of studying English literature, especially
if they have no plans to study English or Translation at University. But English
Literature can introduce students to a range of aspects, not only of the English
Language but also of the English culture.

There are parts of the English culture that are “encapsulated” by English Literature. Of
course this is quite evident when studying the works of Shakespeare or other writers,
poets and playwrights of last centuries.

Teachers are the basic pillars to reach students through literature trying to attract them
to this field that can be interesting to everyone. Teachers should think about
everything that they are going to do without falling in boredom and keep their
students interested in the topic. Also we, as teachers, consider that we are the ones
who must make students get closer to Literature so that they can realise that it is not as
abstract as they think, trying to avoid their frustration. Also it is useful to have literary
texts and their analysis easier made for students.

Authentic literature has the power to excite students and foster a love of engaged
reading, but it’s often challenging for busy teachers to find time to integrate real books
into an already jam-packed schedule of daily lessons. How can you harness the power
of a classroom library and get students reading more throughout the day—especially
when you’re dealing with students of different ages and abilities?
Prioritize balanced literacy in the new year ahead with these ways to incorporate
books and reading into many different aspects of elementary, middle AND high school
classrooms.