Literature provides a unique experience of developing empathy, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. Readers are able to expand their horizons and live the lives of thousands of people from all over the world. The use of literature in educational establishments helps to encourage learners to evaluate situations other people have encountered and draw their own conclusions. 

Literature is a versatile tool that can show us the lives of many others and experience the things that the authors experienced, including how educational inequalities have affected people for years. Through storytelling, literature humanizes the statistics and research and provides us with a connection to a real-life situation. 

Hogan (2011) argues that literature invites readers to understand different perspectives and expand their own horizons by exploring new narratives. This process, which he calls “the question of the Other,” allows readers to deal with moral and ethical dilemmas through the experiences of fictional and real characters. When we apply this to education, stories about growing up in lower social classes can help raise awareness of the barriers students with limited access to technology and resources face. These stories help to enhance empathy and inspire people to want to create change.

Additionally, literature encourages both students and teachers to reflect on their own educational settings. It encourages people to question things like privilege, access, and equity. This engagement broadens perspectives and empowers students to advocate for their own rights and the rights of others. Hogan’s (2011) theories on how influential literature can be to form empathy and social empowerment are critical for how literature can promote change. By integrating more literature narratives into educational curriculums, we amplify voices from underrepresented communities and learn how to consider a side of life we may not have considered before. 

Short Comings and How We Can Overcome Them

Literature is excellent at conveying personal experiences and ethical dilemmas, but it falls short in terms of analytical tools, statistics, and solutions. Stories can invoke strong senses of empathy and encourage action, but they cannot ensure that action happens and is successful. Literary analysis also focuses on attempting to interpret an author's words, meaning it might not always be accurate or beneficial at all to changing educational policies and promoting equality. 

Interdisciplinary studies can help us overcome these challenges by bringing research and solutions. Sociology can help to pinpoint the problems within the system, and philosophy contributes ethical guidelines to complement literacies' emotional contribution. Together, these three disciplines form a humanities-driven solution to inequality and technological gaps in education.