Role of Literature

What is Literature?

The journey of learning literature is not began from Bachelor or Master degree. Degrees gave us understanding  whereas Literature always remains in our surrrounding and the process of Learning never ends. The definition of literature keep on changing just like the stages of human life. We feel that it is difficult to define literature but the reality is about its variation according to different perspective of human being. If we ask to the child that What is Literature?, then the easy answer we get is playing and enjoyment. Children don't know the exact meaning of literature but they know that what they like most in their life. Therefore for them playing and enjoying becomes literature. Indirectly they are learning through surrounding. Likewise if we ask to Adult that what is Literature? then again we get answer of their interest like ecstacy in love is literature. They will compare their feelings, desires with literature. If we ask to Old person about Literature, then he/she might be gave very philosophical answer that life experiences, ups and downs, happiness and sorrowness, lies and truth, everything is literature. So what literature really is?


Metaphor of Literature

After completing degrees, thinking processs of our mind takes a big turn and started defining things with some basic connection between the text which we have read and the way it mould us. If we think about specific Metaphor of Literature then the very first thought which came in our mind will definitely linked with our life and experince, our likings or might be dislikings. Many people have given various metaphors to literature. The stupendous metaphor about Literature is "Akshaypatra"

There is mythical story about Akshaya Patra meaning inexhaustible vessel which held a never falling supply of food everyday(Wikipedia contributors). Like Akshaya Patra, the vessel of Literature never get empty. The more we learn, the more new texts, work of art emerged from the vessel. It keep on giving pleasure to the readers with its infinite materials. There is primordial seed of literature inside the vessel which feeds and satiates the whole universe. Literture is compared with Akshaya Patra because of its vastness. It is a term which is used worldwide. Writers from different countries are emerging everyday and contributed in the field of Literature with their beautiful work of art. No one can read entire Literature because if someone thinks that he/she has read everything then at the same time other new texts will emerged because of creative writers, critics. There is immense pleasure in reading, just like the way we enjoy eating tasty food from Akshaya Patra. However it is only the myth but get well connected with the idea of literarture. According to the myth, the vessel give unlimited food everyday till Draupadi(wife of pandavas) finished eating. In terms of literature, it give unlimited work of art till the writers, new writers stops writing. Which never happens because to write about our thoughts, to give symbolic meaning, and to criticize the current situation symbolically will never ends. Therefore there is unlimited food for education in the inexhaustible vessel of Literature.


How Literature shaped me?

Literature is very important part of life. It keep on teaching life lessons at every step. There are so many literary text which mould us and changed our way of thinking. The theories of lietrature are always challenging and it gives the real picture of the contemporary society. Various isms like Postmodernism, Potcolonialism, Existentialism, Feminism, Realism, Naturalism, Transcendentalism etc taught basic meaning of life, our existence. It taught us to raise questions or doubt in our mind against the particular system.

The theory of Deconstruction helps in building mental thought process through questioning spirit. We can learn to deconstruct or reconstruct the myths, or anything in which we found doubt or Aporia(loose stone). To raise voice is not crime, it is our fundamental right to express. There is always freedom to share our thoughts. Deconstruction helps us to do not follow blindly anything, there are always loose stones in work of art, nothing is perfect. Imperfection is the truth of any lieterary work. It needs an Eagle eye to observe sharply about the gaps in literary texts. Deconstruction means reconstruction not destruction. The aim is deconstruction theory is not to destroyed or desctruct particular text but to reconstruct it in a new way by removing its gaps and filled it with facts.

Feminism is very important term which helps to know about the gender role in society. How the dominant power ruling over supressed people. Many prominent literary texts like Harry Potter, Da vinci Code, Tom Jones, Gulliver Travels etc helps to understand the true meaning of life. Ambiguity in life of characters.