What is Literature ?

What is literature for me ?

[Before Post-Graduation]

What is literature for me ?

[After Post-Graduation]

For me, literature has been more than an academic pursuit—it has shaped my perspectives, intellectual depth, and personal identity. As I progressed from a master's student to a postgraduate scholar, engaging with diverse literary traditions has profoundly influenced my worldview, critical thinking, and understanding of human nature.

Exploring African and British literature introduced me to themes of colonialism, identity, and resistance. Works by Chinua Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie revealed the impact of colonial rule and the power of storytelling, while British literature—from Shakespeare’s tragedies to the novels of Woolf, Orwell, and Dickens—deepened my appreciation for historical consciousness and philosophical thought.

Beyond traditional studies, my interest in digital humanities has broadened my perspective on literature’s evolving nature. Existentialist and absurdist thinkers like Sartre and Camus challenged my understanding of human existence, while Emerson’s essays reinforced the importance of intellectual independence. Thoreau’s reflections in Walden further shaped my appreciation for solitude as a space for creativity and self-discovery.

Studying literary movements from Romanticism to Postmodernism expanded my analytical lens, from the introspective poetry of Wordsworth and Keats to the experimental narratives of Rushdie and Pynchon. Even contemporary works, such as Chetan Bhagat’s novels, have provided insights into modern storytelling and societal transitions.

Literature has sharpened my critical thinking, deepened my empathy, and enriched my engagement with the world. As I continue my academic journey, I see it as an essential tool for understanding human experiences, cultural shifts, and intellectual discourse, making it central to both my personal and scholarly growth.