Introduction To

Literature:
A Review
Presented By: Carlo Serge P. Camimo
 What is
Literature?
One and useful definition of literature
has been “it is simply anything that
is written: textbooks, brochures,
”newspapers, manuals and so on
VARIOUS
DEFINITIONS
OF
LITERATURE
 Literature as written artistic words, especially
those with a high lasting artistic value.
● Literature is any artwork which uses language.
It is a medium in which a person/artist creates an
artwork out of tools he/she has. In literature, the
tools used to create artwork are words which are
used in expressing human experience, feelings,
emotions and thoughts.
● Literature is a total experience shaped into
beauty and attractiveness.
Literature is defined as a piece of
writing that is valued as a work of art,
especially novel, play, and poetry.
● Literature is also defined as the
written or oral composition that tells
stories, dramatic situations, and
expresses emotions, and analyzes and
advocates ideas.
● Literature also refers to the creative
and imaginative writing which is
designed to engage readers emotionally
and intellectually through the major
literary genres such as novels, drama,
and poetry and other sub genres like
fable, parable, and short stories.
● Literature is a reflection of social,
political, economic, and cultural realities. It
is a part and parcel of man’s self-realization
and a symbol of man’s success and failure.
It explains human nature, caliber and
his/her destination.
 “Literature is an art that uses language
creatively to portray social and personal
experience.”
Essence of
Literature
1.) The best way to understand
human nature fully and to
know a nation completely is to
study literature.
Through literature, we learn the ).2
innermost feelings and thoughts of
people – the most real part of
themselves, thus we gain an
understanding not only of others, but
importantly, of ourselves of life
.itself
3.) Offers us an experience in
which we should participate as we
read and testing what we read by
our own experience.
 4.) Does not yield much unless
we bring something of ourselves
to it.
It is our life’s story including it’s ).5
struggles, ideals, failures, sacrifices
.and happiness
 6.) People read literature- for
information, for amusement, for
higher and keener pleasure, for
cultural upliftment and for discovery
of broader dimensions in life.
Functions of
Literature
ENTERTAINMENT FUNCTION

Known as “pleasure reading”. In this

function, literature is used to entertain
its readers. Literary works are
consumed for the sake of one’s
enjoyment.
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL FUNCTION

Literature helps the reader “see” the

social and political constructs
around him/her and shows the state
of the people and the world around
him/her.
IDEOLOGICAL FUNCTION

Literature shapes our way of

thinking based on the ideas of other
people. Literature also displays a
person’s ideology placed in the text
consciously and unconsciously.
MORAL FUNCTION

Literature may impart moral values

to its readers. The morals contained
in a literary text, whether good or
bad, are absorbed by whoever reads
it, thus helps in shaping their
personality.
LINGUISTIC FUNCTION

Literature preserves the language of

every civilization from where it
originated. They are also evidences
that a certain civilization has existed
by recording the language and
preserving it through wide spans of
time.
CULTURAL FUNCTION

Literature orients us to the

traditions, folklore and the arts of
our ethnic group’s heritage.
Literature preserves entire cultures
and creates an imprint of the
people’s way of living for others to
read, hear, and learn.
EDUCATIONAL FUNCTION

Literature teaches us of many things

about the human experience. Literature is
used to portray the facets of life that we
see, and those that we would never dream
of seeing. Literature, therefore, is a
conduit for the chance to experience and
feel things where we can learn things
about life.
HISTORICAL FUNCTION

Ancient texts, illuminated scripts,

stone tablets etc. keep a record of
events that happened in the place
where they originate. Thus they
serve as time capsules of letters that
is studied by scholars and
researchers of today.
THANKYOU! 