The Study

of Literature
 Definition of Literature
Literature, in its broadest sense, is any written
work. It is a term used to describe written or spoken
material. Broadly speaking, "literature" is used to
describe anything from creative writing to more
technical or scientific works, but the term is most
commonly used to refer to works of the creative
imagination, including works of poetry, drama,
fiction, and nonfiction.
Etymologically, the term derives from
Latin litaritura / litteratura “writing
formed with letters,” although some
definitions include spoken or sung texts.
More restrictively, it is writing that
possesses literary merit.
Taken to mean only written works, literature was
first produced by some of the world’s earliest
civilizations—those of Ancient Egypt and Sumeria
—as early as the 4th millennium BC; taken to
include spoken or sung texts, it originated even
earlier, and some of the first written works may have
been based on a pre-existing oral tradition. As urban
cultures and societies developed, there was a
proliferation in the forms of literature.
Developments in print technology allowed for
literature to be distributed and experienced on
an unprecedented scale, which has culminated
in the twenty-first century in electronic
literature.
The Function of Studying Literature
Literature represents a language or a people: culture
and tradition. But, literature is more important than
just a historical or cultural artifact. Literature
introduces us to new worlds of experience. We learn
about books and literature; we enjoy the comedies
and the tragedies of poems, stories, and plays; and
we may even grow and evolve through our literary
journey with books.
Ultimately, we may discover meaning in literature by
looking at what the author says and how he/she says it.
We may interpret the author's message. In academic
circles, this decoding of the text is often carried out
through the use of literary theory, using a mythological,
sociological, psychological, historical, or other
approach.
Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss
and analyze literature, there is still an artistic
quality to the works. Literature is important to
us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and
it affects us. Even when it is ugly, literature is
beautiful
 Advantages of Studying Literature

1. To benefit from the insight of others. The body of

world literature contains most available knowledge
about humanity--our beliefs, our self-perception,
our philosophies, our assumptions and our
interactions with the world at large. Some of life's
most important lessons are subtly expressed in our
art.
We learn these lessons only if we pause to
think about what we read. Why would
anyone bury important ideas? Because some
ideas cannot be expressed adequately in
simple language, and because the lessons we
have to work for are the ones that stick with
us.
 .
2 To open our minds to ambiguities of meaning. While
people will "say what they mean and mean what they say" in
an ideal world, language in our world is, in reality,
delightfully (ambiguous. If you go through life expecting
people to play by your rules, you'll only be miserable angry
and disappointed. You won't change them. Ambiguity, double
entendre and nuance give our language depth and endless
possibility. Learn it. Appreciate it. Revel in it.
3. To explore other cultures and beliefs. History,
anthropology and religious studies provide a method
of learning about the cultures and beliefs of others
from the outside looking in. Literature, on the other
hand, allows you to experience the cultures and
beliefs of others first-hand, from the inside looking
out.
The only other way to have such a personal
understanding of others' beliefs are to adopt them
yourself--which most of us aren't willing to do. If
you understand where other people are coming
from, you are better equipped to communicate
meaningfully with them--and they with you.
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4. To appreciate why individuals are the way they are. Each
person we meet represents a unique concoction of
knowledge, beliefs, and experiences. In our own culture we
find an infinite variety of attitudes and personalities, hatreds
and bigotries, and assumptions. With each exposure to those
who differ from us, we expand our minds. We may still
reject their beliefs and assumptions, but we're one step
closer to understanding them.
5. To exercise our brains. Our brains need
exercise just like our bodies do. Don't balk
at picking up the barbell and doing a few
mental curls. Great literature has hidden
meanings that won't slap us in the face like
children's' books will; we'll have to dig and
analyze like an adult to find the gold.
6. To teach us to see individual bias. In a sense, each of
us is an unreliable or naive narrator, but most of us
mindlessly accept the stories of certain friends or
family without qualification. We should remember that
they are centers of their own universes, though, just
like we are. They are first-person narrators--not
omniscient just like we are. The only thing that suffers
when we appreciate individual bias is our own
gullibility.
7. To see the tragedy. Lenin said "A million
deaths are a statistic, but one death is a
tragedy." History gives you the statistics.
Literature shows you the human tragedy.
8. To further our mastery of language. Sticks and stones
may break my bones, but words build and destroy nations.
Study of literature hones techniques for communication. A
master of language can seduce your emotions and inspire
you to follow him into death--or he can crush your will with
a word. Language is the single most important tool of
leadership and great leaders embrace its study.
9. To explore ethical complexities. Only children find ethical
rules cut and dried. Literature forces readers to challenge their
simplistic ethical conceptions and sometimes their outright
condemnation  of others' actions. For example, we believe
lying is wrong. But what do we mean? Do we never lie? Have
you ever met a person rude enough to follow this rule
implicitly? Be advised, though: ethical exploration is a mature
endeavor it is not for the thin-skinned.
10. To learn better ways to behave. An untold
amount of our opinions and words and reactions
are absorbed during childhood and from our
culture. Literature teaches us better courses of
action and more effective responses to
situations.
11. To know we aren't alone. Others have been
where we are, have felt as we feel, have believed as
we believe. Paradoxically, we are unique just like
everyone else. But we aren't alone. Others were
here and they survived...and may have even learned
from it--and so may we.
12. To learn to support our points of view and trust
our own interpretations. We provide evidence for
our interpretation of a story or poem when we
explicate it. When we build a solid case in support
of our opinion, we build self-confidence in our
own interpretations of language itself.
13. To expand our vocabularies. New words
are tools for grasping new ideas. Each new
idea is a building block upon which we may
acquire more knowledge. Knowledge is power.
Main Ingredients of Literature

1. Character. These are the beings who inhabit

our stories. Sometimes they are actual people
but, just as often, they are animals, dragons,
faeries (gotta love those fantasy folks and their
creative spellings!), or even inanimate objects
(consider the spoon, dish, and clock from
Disney's Beauty and the Beast).
Characters are necessary because we need
someone to invest in, to care about, and to root
for (or against). It doesn't matter where your
story is set, what the point-of-view is, or how
exciting the plot--without characters, no one will
care and the other six elements quickly
become irrelevant.
2. Plot. Plot is what happens in the story, the series of
events. This happened, then this happened, then this
happened.
3. Setting. Setting is where your story takes place. But
some settings are so powerful, they almost seem like
characters themselves (Think Tara, Hogwarts, the
island in Lord of the Flies). Settings can be large and
all-encompassing (A hospital, a jungle, an inner city rec
center, The Death Star) or more intimate (a kitchen, an
alley, a park bench).
Setting also includes season and time of
day (Summer, 5 p.m.), climate (sultry,
bucolic), and era (The 70s, post-Watergate,
World War II, The Great Depression).
Instead of merely describing setting,
though, smart writers impart setting through
the filter of their characters'
feelings about that setting.
4. Point-of-view. To figure out point-of-view,
ask yourself "Whose story is it?" and then tell
the story from that character's perspective.
Point-of-view includes first person ("I" and
"me"), second person ("you"--this is very rarely
used in fiction, take that Jay McInerney) and
third person ("He," "she," "Nick" and "Abby").
Third person is further split into omniscient
(the reader accesses all of the characters'
heads and hearts, a conceit that's now
considered somewhat old-fashioned) and
limited (where we see the entire story through
a single character's perspective).
5. Style. Style is like a fingerprint, no two are
alike. A function of diction, syntax, and voice,
style tends to emerge from how you write rather
than from a concerted effort to control it.
6. Theme. Theme refers to "The Big Ideas"
that bubble up from what you've written. Is
your story about Betrayal, Love,
Friendship, Justice, Family, Honor,
Violence, Hypocrisy? You may have a
theme in mind when you sit at the
keyboard but, like it or not, readers will
carve their own idea of theme out of what
you write. And that's as it should be.
 The Structure of Literature

Structure, or form, is the arrangement of

story elements according to purpose, style
and genre. Structure doesn't just
happen on it's own. Rather,  it's carefully
considered by the author to make
sure their intended meaning is conveyed.
In order for a story to be truly immersive, the
structure must play the part of a skeleton. In other
words, the structure supports the story to ensure the
most powerful delivery of elements, yet in a manner
unseen and not easily identified by the reader.

Structure may be confused with plot. While the plot is the

events in the story itself, heavily affected by character, 
setting and theme, the structure is how these elements
are presented to the reader.
Types of Structure
Most stories can be either rigidly or loosely aligned to
a particular structure and these can be expressed
through simple diagrams.
A common example of structure in modern fiction is 
The Fichtean Curve, involving moments of rising and
falling action, a climax at the height of the curve and a
resolution, may it be a happy ending or a tragedy.
Perfect for fantasy or science fiction, the Hero's
Journey begins with an interruption to
a protagonist's everyday existence by an
opportunity for adventure. They journey into the
unknown, facing obstacles and undergoing a
gradual metamorphosis. After overcoming every
hurdle, they return to their old world with a new
mindset. Tolkien's The Hobbit, is a fine example
of this structure.
Another common structure, In Media Res, means 'in
the middle of things'. If your story begins on the
third or fourth crisis point of a Fichtean Curve, the
stakes are very high already. You hook your readers
in from the first word. Events prior to the start of the
story are revealed gradually through the narrative or
through flashbacks, like in the movie Vantage
Point. Alternatively, any boring introductory scenes
can be dismissed entirely, like in William
Golding's The Lord of the Flies or Hatchet, by Gary
Paulsen.
Frame narratives are, as the name suggests, stories
told within stories. Useful for setting the stage or casting
doubt on the reliability of a narrator, this structure is
more common in the crime, adventure or fantasy
genres. The Farm, by Tom Rob Smith and every title in
the Redwall series, by Brian Jacques, are frame
narratives.
Historically, the popularity of different
types of structures has fluctuated. Of
course, as story-telling continues to
evolve, structures are
constantly reworked, simplified and
deconstructed, according to the
writer's target audience and purpose.
Literary Standards
The seven literary standards are:
artistry, suggestiveness, intellectual
value, spiritual value, permanence,
universality and style. These are a
set of characteristics to determine
whether or not a work is literary. 
The criteria was developed by
writer William J. Long in his
textbook “English Literature:
Its History and Its Significance
for the Life of the English-
speaking World.”
 Universality 
● It appeals to everyone regardless of
culture, race, sex, and time which
are considered significant.
Universality describes a piece of
writing that appeals to the hearts
and minds of almost any reader.
The appeal is considered
universal due to its ability
to cross gender, racial
and cultural barriers,
regardless of the time it’s
written.
 Artistry 
● It has an aesthetic appeal to
everyone and thus possesses a
sense of beauty. Artistry describes
literature that is aesthetically
appealing and reveals or conveys
hidden truth and beauty.
● This type of literature
appeals to broad audiences
and possesses a sense of
beauty in the writing that
could even feel poetic.
 Intellectual Value
●  It stimulates critical thinking
that enriches the mental
processes of abstract and
reasoning, making man
realizes the fundamental
truths of life and its nature.
● Intellectual value takes readers
into a bit of a gray area as they
may have different opinions about
what qualifies as intellectual, but
from an academic point of view,
intellectual works are relevant to
society and thought provoking.
●  Literature with intellectual value
promotes critical thinking that
enhances both abstract and
reason-based thought processes
and makes readers focus on the
fundamental truths of life and
nature.
 Suggestiveness
● It unravels and conjures man’s
emotional power to define symbolism,
nuances, implied meanings, images
and message, giving and evoking
visions above and beyond the plane
of ordinary life and experiences.
●  A suggestive piece of literature relies
on emotional power to convey nuances,
symbolism, implied meanings, imagery
and messages. The power of
suggestion allows the work to inspire
and provoke thoughts and
understanding beyond the actual words
written on the page.
 Spiritual Value 
●  It elevates the spirit and the
soul and thus have the power
to motivate and inspire, drawn
from the suggested morals or
lessons of the different literary
genres.
● Literature with spiritual value lifts
up the inner spirit and soul and has
the power to motivate and inspire
readers. It typically draws on the
suggested lessons and moral codes
of society that are depicted in
various literary genres.
 Permanence
● It endures across time and draws
out the time factor: TIMELINESS,
occurring at a particular time,
and TIMELESSNESS, remaining
invariably throughout time.
● Permanence is determined by a
written work’s ability to stand the test
of time, which makes it impossible to
determine at the moment of writing.
Novels that continue to be read over
and over again across decades,
either for enjoyment or for fresh
insights and ideas, meet this criteria.
●Many novels enjoy initial
popularity but ultimately
fade into obscurity with
time, failing the
permanence test.
 Style
It refers to the distinct way the author
expresses his or her thoughts. Words
can be used in unique, creative and
entertaining ways that make the work
memorable. Style is another element that is
subject to interpretation by readers in terms
of its appeal.
● It presents peculiar ways on
how man sees life as evidenced
by the formation of his ideas,
forms, structures, and
expressions which are marked
by their memorable substance.
● A particular literary piece must
possess these seven literary
standards in order to be called
a peerless epitome of artwork
capable of enduring the
inexorable gusty tides of
alteration.
●To criticize it is to consider
the seven literary standards.
Be critical. Ask yourself once
in a while.
● Does it move you?
● Does it tickle your
imagination?
● What does it suggest?
● What moral lesson can be
drawn out?
● Would it still be read and make a
good reference hundreds of years
from now?
● Does it possess multifaceted
natures for all sorts of audience?
● Does the style fascinate you?
● Is the style used unique or forgery?
Literary Models
 Cultural Model

Cultural model is a traditional approach to

teaching literature that aims to understand
and appreciate cultures and ideologies
different from one’s own in time and
space. In this model, the learners have to
explore and interpret the social, political,
literary and historical context of a specific
text.
The cultural model represents the
possibility Literature brings into the
picture as regards the understanding
and appreciation of different cultures
and ideologies together with the
development of one’s perception of
feelings and artistic forms.
 Pros and Cons
Pros
• It encourages learners to understand
different cultures and ideologies in
relation to their own appreciation of
different cultures and ideologies
• get an idea of the contemporary or
historical way of life where the story is
taking place and thus develop insight
into the country that speaks the
language they are learning
● An efferent reading focuses on descriptions
of landscape, weather, architecture,
decoration, dress, customs, and traditions,
among other things, which enhance
vocabulary, language, and a cultural insight
● Cons
● largely rejected by those in TEFL since not
only tend to be teacher-centered but there is
little opportunity for extended language work.
● efferent reading keeps the students alienated
from the text and language
● missing the intertextual references the literary
work
Langauge Model
It aims to promote language
development like
vocabulary and structure.
Personal Growth Model
It aims to help one achieve lasting
pleasure and deep satisfaction in
reading.