How Literature Shaped Me?

Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.

(Boris Pasternak)

So, as the aforementioned statement display Literature helps an individual to discover something extraordinary about themselves. Do you agree with the statement? Well..Let me assume you might all agree. But showing agreement will not only work here. You will have to give some evidence and proof. Because as Christopher Hitchens says, "What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence."

So, I am here to narrate my Five year Journey of reading Literature along with how Literature helped in becoming my new better version of myself.

Literature is news that stays news.

-Ezra Pound

As Ezra Pound says Literature is news that always stays news. The best thing about literature is how many times you read, it always has something new to say. More you read, the more you become mature and eventually a deeper understanding grows within you. So, Literature is like coming up with a new wave of ocean which is eternally different from the previous one.

Now the question is at what extent can you learn from Literature? So, for me Literature is 'Jadui Chirag.' It can answer many of your questions. Literature is the ocean of Knowledge, how many drops you want to take is your own choice. Margaret Atwood also says…

"The answers you get from literature depend on the questions you pose."

My Journey of Literature Reading begins from of course Childhood just like many many people whose first serious encounter with Literature starts from School Days. I remember the days when I was in fifth grade. I used to take a books of Gujarati Comics like પંચતંત્ર, સિંહાસન બત્રીસી, વિક્રમ વૈતાલ, ઇસપનીતી વાતો, અલીબાબા અને ચાલીસ ચોર etc…

The habit of learning is little bit developed in me from childhood but the maturity of looking Literature from a different perspective is developed during these five years.

Literature not only serves Aesthetic Delight or mere Entertainment. Along with fun it also caters life lessons to individuals. Now the question arises whether the Literature is only dealing with Morality? And the oblivious answer is 'Big No.' Literature deals with both Right and Wrong factors of society. On one side it gives beautiful Moral lessons or Life lessons on other side it also picturise the darker side of human community, human psychology or behavior. That doesn't mean that particular text is not worthy to provide good lessons. If a person is mature enough to unfold the deep layers of literary art then S/he is also mature enough to decide What Learning they should have taken from any particular text.

Let's see some good lessons which I have learned from 'The White Tiger' Though it is criticized a lot with reference to denoting a wrong message to killing a master in order to gain personal wealth. But still it contains many deeper lessons for a better life.

"That's Why I want to ask you directly

If you really are coming to Bangalore."

Doubting very minor things is in the nature of Balram Halwai. If we put it in other words then He constantly keeps on asking questions and evaluating things internally. His mind never sleeps peacefully. Until he cross-check everything he didn't take rest or accept those things easily. Here, You find an example here where Balram Halwai is doubting the news which is coming on Radio that Chinese Premier is going to visit India nearly. So, Balram Halwai teaches us to doubt everything which ever you listen to. Hence, Believing blindly can be considered as a foolish act. Similarly Voltaire also says, "Doubting is an Uncomfortable Situation but certainty is a ridiculous one." In nutshell Balram teaches us It is better to doubt without the confirmation of its authenticity

"But if the driver sees his free time as an opportunity.

If he uses it to think, then the worst part of his job becomes the best"

Another thing which can be learned from Balram Halwai is to remain flexible and develop adaptability towards any situation. Wherever you go, it's not certain that you get all your desire and dreams becomes true. In that case, You have to develop your own opportunities, you have to create your own path, and you have to develop your own individual values. Balram Halwai is an exceptional man who has a desire to come out from the Rooster Coop. As result of this He breaks walls of all cages ranging from Closed Caste System, Family Values, Came out from deep incarnated notion of Servitude. And become a successful entrepreneur. Of Course the path chosen by Balram Halwai which is slitting the throat of Master and running away with his money is not a fair way to do things. It is altogether a different discourse. But the overall nature of Balram Halwai is a Car Driver who creates his own opportunities, coming out from a narrow comfort zone makes character more interesting. And we can learn this from Balram Halwai.

Another text which I like the most is Sense of an Ending, which demonstrates the ways through which we understand life. This text opens up every minute thing about you and also puts a mirror towards how you remember things. This text helps me to cultivate an Objective Perspective towards self as well as others. How you define yourself is not always right as you see. There might be some Personal Prejudices which are overpowering the truth. And Sense of an helps to scrap out all these dust. And It also teaches that there are four truths..

• My Truth

• Your Truth

• People's Truth

• Actual Truth

Of Course Literature discusses all kinds of terrible things, but still there is a kind of satisfaction and that's what makes Literature great. Literature is like water in a dry forest, which irrigates your mind and your understanding of life as well as of others.

So, Literature helps me to become more self-disciplined, self-aware, it also enhances my creative problem-solving, It develops empathy, It also has developed adaptiveness, flexibility, rational judgment which allows one to cultivate the habit of interpreting things from multiple angles just like a diamond. To conclude I would like to say that in the world of Literature this is just a beginning but still there are…

The woods(Literature) are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.