Why Literature?

To quote William. J. Long, Literature is an artistic expression of life. Man was born and succumbs to inevitable death one day. In this mean time, he/she eats, sleeps, has sex, laughs, fights, cries etc. Some times, he thinks of what his life is exactly in the wake of death. He thinks of unknowable truths and eternal bliss. He thinks how he should conduct his life. He thinks how his ancestors lived their life, what their thoughts are, what their emotions are towards certain experiences.

History presents the life as it was, to the most extent. It does not evaluate it and it does not inspire the current generation. Whereas, Literature presents life how it should be. It goes into the lives with sensitive soul. It makes the reader sympathize with the unfortunate as well as astounding lives of the past and contemporary. It frees man from shackles of human body, bonds, futile desires and heightens the level of spirit. It transports his soul into unknown and unseen vistas.

Reading literature enables man to live the hundreds of noble lives apart from his, as “ A great book is precious life blood of a writer” – to loosely paraphrase Milton’s great quote. Nevertheless, it is a bit hard to find the soul enriching pieces of literature.

To sum up:

1.      Literature presents the nobler lives of the past and the contemporary.

2.      It eye-opens futile desires, beastly life of Man.

3.      It allows the reader to taste the unheard, unseen, unimaginable sweets of soul.

4.      It transports the reader to the places like “magical casements on perilous seas forlorn”.

Please correct grammar and style. Please let me know your ideas on this topic, if possible.