What is Literature?

   Literature is a collection of written works, but it also used in various types. By studying and knowing about literature, one can come to know about many things. The word literature is derived from the Latin word 'littera'. Literature represents a language or a people. One more thing that literature is a reflection of the society, human nature and reality. 

   Books are a source of knowledge and information. By reading literature one can improve and enhance the knowledge of English language. 

  Literature, in its broadest sense, is any written work. Etymologically, the term derives from the Latin litteraturta, meaning writing formed with letters. More restrictively, it refers to writing that possesses literary merit. Literature can be classified as fiction or nonfiction and as poetry or prose. It can be further distinguished by major forms such as the novel, short story, or drama, and works are often categorized according to historical periods. 

 'Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with wonderful clarity something very special about situations, feelings, and life itself.' - Boris Pasternak. 

 Literature has played a vital role in shaping in one's identity. we study literature to express ideas and understand that knowledge must be extracted rather than absorbed. It develops a moralistic approach and prepares us for failure. Literature is rooted in a specific period, and its definitions may vary from person to person. Developing critical insights while studying literature is crucial, and high - level thinking must be employed. Interpretation has become an integral part of literature, and the study of literature makes us responsible and accountable. 

 'Fiction doesn't tell us something we don't know, it tells us something we know but don't know that we know.' - Walker Percy   

  By studying literature, we are led to think that all should spend their time reading novels and poems. Of course, it may appear to be a waste of time, but ultimately, it is the greatest time-saver. Literature provides us with a range of emotions and events that it would take years and decades to experience directly. It shows us what things look like from someone else's point of view. Literature typically stands opposed to the dominant value system, the one that rewards conformity.

Literature is a cure for loneliness. Books are described with an honesty quite different from what ordinary conversation allows. Literature is a corrective to the superficiality and compromises of friendship. Books are our true friends, always available, never too busy, giving us unvarnished accounts of what things are really like. It truly depicts reality. As the writer Emerson remarked,

 'In the works of great writers, we find our own neglected thoughts.' 

As mentioned earlier, literature prepares us for failure. In our lives, we all have that fear of failing. Interestingly, a significant portion of literature is also about failure. However, books do not judge harshly. Literature, in its broadest sense, is a therapy. 

 'Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.' - C.S. Lewis  

 This quote explains literature as not merely descriptive but transformative and enriching human experience.