Back Then

now (after completing masters)

Have you ever wondered about the world? Like the World is So, Dynamic. Here and there you meet various people from different societies having diversified culture and unique behavioral patterns. And If you take a project to understand this weird, eccentric World, Then I bet you, You will end up by plunging into a deep, horrific blackhole. So, the question is: What could be a better way to understand society?

Literature? Well… Maybe Yes. Literature can be the best way to understand the world. Because as many critics define literature as a 'Mirror of Society,' Literature is an 'X-ray image of the world.' Manier time literature is also depicted as Window of the World. Or if we put in the words of Matthew Arnold then 'Poetry is a Criticism of Life.'

Do you think these definitions of Literature are enough to make sense of What exactly Literature is? Let's see some more definitions of Literature that shows how time and again various Scholars define literature.

In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Literature is the record of the best thoughts." So, Literature according to Emerson is a bunch of good thoughts and experiences which are helpful to other people in understanding their meaning of life.

Now, Thomas DeQuincy goes more deeper and unfolds another hidden layer of literature by describing it as following..

"All that is literature seeks to communicate power; all that is not literature to communicate knowledge"

Winchester argues that "Literature is criticism of life or, perhaps better, an expression and interpretation of life." The definition of Julian Barnes almost covers most of the parts of Literature. He says in 'Sense of an Ending'...

The things Literature was all about: love, sex, morality, friendship, happiness, suffering, betrayal, adultery, good and evil, heroes and villains, guilt and innocence, ambition, power, justice, revolution, war, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, the individual against society, success and failure, murder, suicide, death, God. And barn owls. Of course, there were other sorts of literature—theoretical, self-referential, lachrymosely autobiographical—but they were just dry wanks.

So, These are some of the definitions through which we can make sense of What exactly Literature is? But are these definitions able to display height of Literature? Perhaps not. Because as Derrida says text is "Free play of meaning" and Literature is a bunch of texts so if we narrow down at several definitions for Literature then it might be unfair.

Literature is not exact or accurate Science, which can be framed in certain definitions. Literature is an Art and Art can never be confined into walls of Language, Because Human Imagination and Creative Skills always transcends beyond Imagination. And Human Imagination cannot be expressed in words.

So, In a way every definition of Literature is true and we cannot define Literature wholly in one definition. Because the current understanding of Literature is different from the etymological meaning of Literature. And our current understanding is constantly changing with the passage of time. So, Literature is all about how individuals are persuasive towards Literature.

Now, Coming down to my point of view about Literature. What Literature means to me? Well..First of all as we have seen above that Literature is multidimensional and cannot be confined into a single cage. But Still I will try to define Literature by giving a metaphor. Because metaphor gives multiple meanings to a single word. So, For me Literature is Telescope. How and Why will be answered further.

Telescope is an instrument which is used to get a better sky view at night. Similarly Literature helps people to understand the meaning of life. Telescopes provide a wider view of the sky which we are not able to see through our naked eye. As a human being we are also not able to travel through the whole world but Literature by providing telescoping view of Society creates a multifaceted view of the world which gives an individual a better understanding of Society.

Telescopes allow you to peer into the vast unknown stars, planets and galaxies of the universe which we are not able to see through our open eyes. In the similar manner Literature also provides a kaleidoscopic view of the individual which urges an individual to look inside, look within self and give an opportunity to explore the unconscious self of the human mind. Unexplored parts of Human consciousness can be explored by reading great serious Literature like 'Sense of an Ending.' Which asks individuals to doubt their own memory and history because as Tony Webster says, "What you end up remembering isn’t always the same as what you have witnessed."

There are mainly two types of Telescope: One is Reflectors which uses a mirror to collect light and used to look at deeper sky objects. Second one is Refractors which uses lenses and is useful for planetary observation. Now Literature can also be divided into two parts like Classical Literature and Popular Literature. Classical literature deals with some abstract questions which have no answers at all. It goes deeper and deeper and explores the darker side of human existence which requires implicit reading of the text. So, Like reflectors Classical literature collects all lights surrounding the world and gives a more clear and ideational picture of human existence which demand as Matthew Arnold says 'high seriousness and sincerity' of readers, critics as well as of writers. So, Classical literature raises philosophical questions. Now contrary to this Refractors are used for planetary observation which can be seen with parallel to Popular Literature which are not raising deep questions to some extent it also lack high seriousness in its subject matter. That doesn't mean that Popular Literature is not worthy at all. Of Course they are valuable but it is more superficial and explicit in comparison to classical literature.

So, This is how we can give a metaphor of the Telescope to Literature. Telescope's light gathering ability gives a better and clear picture of the universe, same with Literature which gives us a Telescopic view of Society and Individual Self. Telescopes are also capable of magnifying the distance elements which will give a larger view of objects. Same with Literature which transcends beyond the text and develops a more critical and rational perspective of looking at self as well of others.