What Is A Response To Literature Essay

Simran Gaglani

English honors

Period 1, Mrs. Grexton

November 18 2011

There are many significant symbols used to represent the different themes in To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the book Harper Lee transmits a message to the reader using examples and symbols to get her point across. Some of these symbols include the dresses, Tim Johnson, and dependencies. The symbol that best represents the theme of growing up would be clothing. Throughout the book, clothing has been more than just a choice of style; it had been a sign of maturity. Another instance would be when Miss Maudie asks Scout, "'Where are your britches today?'" Scout answers back, "Under my dress." (Lee 309) This shows that Scout has finally learned to accept the...show more content... '"He's far from dead, Jem, he hasn't gotten started yet."' Racism has a funny way of popping back up once you think its done and over with. Just when you think its about to die out, there is still more out there. Aside from clothes and Tim, deceptive appearance is also an important theme symbolized by people's different dependencies. Although the weakness may look like one thing, it might actually mean another. For example: '"secretly Miss Finch, I'm not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live the way I do because that's the way I want to live."' (Lee 268) Dolphus Raymond's "apparent" weakness/dependency seem to be an addiction to spirits. But as we take a closer look he reveals to us that his so called addiction is only a cover up so people would spare the time to try and figure out his motives. "His left arm was fully 12 inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side."' (Lee 248) Tom's state implies that he committed the crime and looks as if he is guilty, but his dependency being his left arm proves that he couldn't have done the crime. "Mrs Dubose was a morphine addict, she took pain–killers for years...she was going to leave this world holden to nothing and nobody."' Hearing this from Atticus jem realizes, "You mean that's what her fits were?" (Lee 147 and 148) Jem has always seen Mrs. Dubose as a horrible old lady with a bitter tongue. But as he looks past the deceptive

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Examples Of Response To Literature

Unit 1 – 5 Paragraph Jane Schaffer Essay Outline Response to Literature

What I think of the novels is sad because they have a hard life and some died. In the novel of the Pearl by John Steinbeck and The Treasure of Lemon Brown by Walter Dean Myers, both books are sad. The Pearl is about a man and a wife who are trying to get wealth but something bad comes in there way. The Treasure of Lemon Brown is about a kid which learns what life is. The thesis is that you should never mess with fate. In the beginning of Thepearl Kino life it starts changing when he met the scorpion trying to find a cure for Coyotito. "He threw it down and beat th

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Since the 18th century, the definition of the concept "literature" has become a problematic and a controversial issue among various literary schools. What is literature? What are the qualities that distinguish a literary text from a non–literary one? Does literature have any particular function in society? These are some crucial questions whose answers were supposed to limit and define the scope of "literature". However, various literary and critical schools have advanced different and contradictory responses to these same questions, which have consequently led to a failure in producing an authoritatively established definition of "literature". This failure can be ascribed to many reasons, but because the length of the paper doesn't...show more content...

This new sense, which was ascribed to the development of printing, was "a specialization В… to the printed word and especially the printed books with certain quality [imaginative works]" (Williams, 46). To elaborate on this definition, R. Wellek and A. Warren have stated that "in all of them [the printed books with certain quality], the reference is to the world of fiction, of imagination" (Wellek and Warren, Theory of Literature, 25). However, a simple review of the history of prose narrative forms would show that this definition of literature as a category of fictional and imaginative writings is irrelevant. Many writings which were written as anthropological documentaries were making use of fiction, while many other fictional works were given the status of documentary and factual writings. All travelogue writings and western historiography between the middle ages and the twentieth century are good examples to illustrate this point. Works like T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom, W.M. Thackeray's From Cornhill to Cairo, Kingslake's Eothen, and Sir Thomas More's Utopia made use of both fact and fiction. Moreover, at the time of their appearance, most of these works were conceived of by the western audience as factual and documentary writings. Later on, due to some historical and political changes in the world, these writings became conceived of as fictional and imaginary works.

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Reader Response Theory

The Reader Response Theory emerged as a reaction against the New Criticism or formalistic approach, which focused on the text, finding all the meaning, the value in it and regarding everything else as extraneous, including readers. Despite the ideas of the Reader Response in the 1920's, the late Louise Rosenblatt pioneered the Reader Response theory. She was a literary theorist and an English Educator. In her writing, Literature as Exploration written in 1938, she emphasizes that the readers play an important role in the life of any piece of literature. According to Rosenblatt, "A novel or a poem or a play remains merely ink spot on a paper until a reader transform them into a set of meaningful symbols" (1985, 25)....show more content...

It allows for inferences and insights by the reader This means that when a reader reads some literary texts it is the belief that it allows the individual to construct his/her own meaning. Once the reader is able to interact with the text, he/she is able to explore and interpret it in a way in which his or her cultural backgrounds is understood and that of others. Within a literary text, the reader is able to understand why specific cultures do certain practices and how it places value on society. Furthermore, it is through a text that individuals gain insight on what is morally acceptable to society and can be able to link it through their experiences whether in their school environment and the community. This insight may be gained not just by reading one book, but through various literary text in which they are able to apply their critical thinking skills and construct their own understanding whether it may be through a poem or story. However, not all similar books will be written the same way, for example, Cinderella. There are many Cinderella books written with countless interpretation; however, readers can be able to read all and find similarities such as it is wrong to treat people cruel or that the stepmother is cruel. Despite that, a reader may have a stepmother who is a wonderful person yet he or she can analyze and understand that not all stepmothers are cruel or not everyone will treat a person wrongfully. In essence, the readers are able to become critical thinkers through the assimilation of a literary

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Examples Of Reader Response Theory

Reader Response Theory Reader–response theory identifies the reader as an affective agent who imparts real exist–ence and life to the work, completing its meaning through interpretation. Reader– response criti–cism argues that literature should be viewed as art in which each reader creates his or her own–most likely unique, text–related performance. I am using Wolfgang Iser and Stanley Fish's takes on Reader Response for my study. Iser's Theory of Reception and Transactional Reader Response Theory According to Iser, any literary text which is a product of the Writer's intentional acts part–ly controls the response of a reader; however, this includes an abundance of gaps. In order to comprehend more clearly, the reader must take action in active participation in attempting to cre–atively fill these gaps with the given information of the test put before him; Thereby allowing the Reader and the text to undergo a transactional process. Iser speaks of the Actual reader in distinction to the Implied reader who is formed within a text and expected to react and respond in specific ways to the response inducing structure of the text. The actual reader, however, is an individual with its own personal experiences accumu–lated as baggage wherein responses actually are continuously and inevitably changed...show more content...

What lies behind Fish's thinking is a strong view of the social construction of reality; as he firmly believes that knowledge is not objective but always socially conditioned. All that one thinks and knows is an interpretation that is only made possible by the social context in which one lives. For Fish the very thought one thinks are made possible by presuppositions of the community in which one lives and furthermore the socially conditioned individual, which all individuals are, cannot think beyond the limits made possible by the culture. This culture is referred to by Fish as an interpre–tive

Response to Literature Essay for The Giver In the dystopian novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry, the story takes place in the future. The setting of the novel revolves around sameness. Same weather, same houses, same furniture, and even the same, flat landscape. There are no colors or animals, other than fish, in the small community. The government is strictly controlled by the Elders. They make decisions and control every aspect of the society, limiting emotions and choices. InThe Giver, the setting and government creates sameness. There is no passion, excitement, or good or bad. This promotes a predictable, regulated, and calm society where individuality and diversity does not exist. Individuality and diversity are necessities because they add meaning to life. Having uniqueness and difference creates a deeper, true meaning to emotions. An example where sameness occurs is when Jonas questions what his parents feel towards him. One evening, Jonas asks his parents, "'Do you love me?'" His parents hesitates before replying, "'Jonas. You of all people. Precision of language, please!...you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it 's become almost obsolete'" (127). In Jonas' community, people do not feel love to one another. They consider the term to be meaningless and too general. They do not feel deep emotions like love or anger because everything is the same. Another example where lack ofemotion is shown is when Jonas realized that without knowledge of the memories, Get

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Roland Barthes once said "Literature is the question minus the answer." This means that there is no real answer to literature, there are just the questions. This is designed so you can incorporate and have different ideas about literature instead of there being a definite answer to what everything means. Shakespeare for example uses a certain language and his writings require you to think about what's happening and why he worded it the way he did. Other books such as the Invisible Man has a different meaning to the quote. At first Ithought that this quote was referring to racism, but it was so much more than that. This quote is saying that there is no answer to life. There are just a bunch of questions followed by decisions but there is no...show more content...

Once you accept your past, new beginnings are a necessity to help find happiness in something you love doing. New beginnings means a brighter future and a happier life in the future. This is shown in the book the invisible man because he finds new a beginning, "This was a new phase, I realized, a new beginning, and I would have to take that part of myself that looked on with remote eyes and keep it always at the distance of the campus, the hospital machine, the battle royal–all now far behind. Perhaps the part of me that observed listlessly but saw all, missing nothing, was still...the dissenting voice, my grandfather part; the cynical disbelieving part–the traitor self that always threatened internal discord. ( chapter 16)" the invisible man was able to overcome his past with shock therapy in the hospital and he didn't listen to his grandfather when he constantly doubted the invisible man. He joins a group called the brotherhood of harlem. It is a group of men that try to gain rights that they deserve. They are sick of being restricted from going into bars and other places just because he is black so him and this group try to gain back what they deserve. This is the invisible man's new beginning. He just wanted a place to belong so he became apart of a group that thought like

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Salvador Late or Early: Response to Literature Essay Poverty and stress take away the pleasures of childhood from the children unfortunate to be born into such families. In Salvador Late or Early, a short story by Sandra Cisneros, tells us about the stressful lifestyle of an underprivileged boy named Salvador. Salvador The author believes Salvador is an interesting character because he's a boy with responsibilities of an adult, he is a solitary and misunderstood kid at school, and because throughout all the pain and suffering he's been through, he remains unbroken. First of all, Cisneros thinks Salvador is interesting because he's so young yet so much responsibility is thrown on to his shoulders. He is merely a child him himself and...show more content...

"Salvador, late or early, sooner or later arrives with the string of younger brother's ready" Poverty stricken Salvador is plagued daily with the responsibility of his brother's, seen as an invisible nobody at school, and aches with not having a break from this endless cycle, but none of it breaks Salvador's spirit. He is an engine that keeps running, despite being mistreated, uncared for, and beaten. It's amazing that Salvador, with his "geography of scars," and "history of hurt," hasn't lost hope. He hasn't lost hope because he thinks not of how difficult his situation is at the moment, but of the better future soon to come. A future where Salvador's mama isn't so busy, a future where they won't eat corn flakes from a tin cup, a future where his crayons aren't "little fingers of red, green, yellow, blue" or "nubs of black sticks that tumble," He remains going everyday with his hopes that keep him going locked inside deep somewhere as he fulfills his responsibilities day to day. Salvador is also kept going by the love he gets from his brothers. Salvador's name literally means 'Savior' and to his little brothers, he is their savior. He provides them with everything his mother can't give them and with the love they give back to Salvador, he finds strength and keeps pushing forward. "Helps his mama with the business of the baby" Mature Salvador is. Salvador did learn to adapt to his life and became quite mature

Nothing teaches us better than literature to see, in ethnic and cultural differences, the richness of the human patrimony, and to prize those differences as manifestation humanity's multi–faceted creativity. Reading good literature is an experience of pleasure, of course; but it is also an experience of learning what and how we are, on our human integrity and our human imperfection, with our actions, our dreams, and our ghosts, alone and in a relationship that link us to others, in our public image and in the secret recesses of our consciousness. The bond that literature establishes among human beings compels them to enter into dialogue. The bond also makes them conscious of a...show more content...

Without reading and untouched by literature will resemble a community of mutes and those of lost expressions afflicted tremendous problems of communication due to its crude and rude language. This is true for individuals, too. A person who does not read, or reads little, or reads only trash, is a person who speaks much but he/she will say little words such as curse words, because his/her vocabulary is lacking in the means for self–expression.

Reading Literature is not only a verbal expression, but also represents a limitation on intellect and in imagination. It is a poverty of thought, for the simple reason to grasp our knowledge and ask what is the importance of life? We learn how to speak correctly and deeply and subtly from good literature and only from good literature. No other discipline or branch of the arts can substitute for literature in crafting the language that people need to communicate. To speak well, to have at one's disposal a rich and diverse language, to be able to find appropriate expression for every idea and every emotion that we want to communicate, is to be better prepared to think, to teach, to learn, to converse, and also to fantasize, to dream, to feel. In a secret way, words repeat in all our action, even

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Literature Review: Reader Response Criticism

Chapter II Literature Review Reader Response Criticism Literary criticism is an activity of natural human response to the literature. Endraswara (2003, p.116) said that literary work is a phenomenon which is concrete by the reader. The statement is in accordance with the theory of reader response which focuses on the activity of the readers rather than the author or the structure of the text itself. Reader response focuses on the reader and their role in the making of a literary work. The text does not exist without the reader and there will be no meaning in literary text if there is no interaction between the text and the reader itself. The act of reader is important since they are the active participant which produces the meaning from the literary text, while the kinds of responses itself such as; summarizing the text, analyzing them or relating the text story to their on experiences. Reader response takes literature exists not as a printed page but as a transaction between the physical text and the act of reader in using their mind. It attempts to describe what occur in the reader's mind while interpreting a text and reflects that reading into creative writing process....show more content... It is called aesthetic response because, although it is brought about by the text, it brings into play the imagination and percpective faculties of the reader. Iser also stated "I call it aesthetic response because it stimulates the reader's imagination, which in turn gives life to the intended effects." Aesthetic response talks not only about the interaction between text and reader, but also the unique imaginative capacity that the reader brings into the

Examples Of Literary Criticism Of Hamlet

After reading your chosen essay of literary criticism, respond to the following questions:

1) What was your author's thesis?

Loberg's starts her essay by informing the reader that physical violence is the most infrequent form of aggression and that people prefer alternatives that give bigger effect and less punishment. Her thesis implies that Hamlet shows a great amount of examples of how humans psychologically treat each other. Characters spreadaggression in non physical violent ways such as spreading lies, framing others and etc. Opening to the thought that the Queen was not seen as a suspect to Ophelia's death because she did not use physical violence.

" I suggest that, within this context of prevalent indirect aggression and with...show more content...

64 Loberg)

"Stereotype"(p. 61 Loberg)

6) What did this particular perspective add to your understanding of Hamlet?

I found this essay to be very intriguing and it definitely changed my perspective on Queen Gertrude, it made me want to pay more attention to hints in reading and makes me want to think more in depth. If I never read this essay I would have never thought that Gertrude could have been involved in Ophelia's death.

7) Did you notice anything about the way in which this essay was written that seems to contradict essay "rules" you have been taught in the past?

If so, explain

I realized that the author did not order her information from first events to the end events but a quite random order, which is something I've never done because I believe it is just common sense to order information chronologically which I found surprising that the author would do that, she still

managed to get her points across and have me understand but I think it would have been more efficient if the author had her information in chronological

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Response to literature: Beowulf Chapters 1 & 2

These first 300 lines of Beowulf do a decent job setting the stage for the entire epic. They present the readers with historical background, introduce the first main conflict, and set the general mood of the entire story. In other words, the readers are lead into a seemingly hopeless situation where all anyone really needs is a hero, and Beowulf is just the warrior for the job.

The prologue, though ostensibly unecessary at first, depicts a brief history of Ancient Denmark that actually does shed some light on where the story takes place and why. The prologue tells readers about Ancient DenmarkВґs monarchy beginning with King Scyld Scefing, his son Beowulf (Sr), his son Healfdene, his for children (herogar, halga, Hrothgar, and...show more content...

After winning a war, Hrothgar was crowned king, and to celebrate his reign he had a great Mead–hall constructed for him and his thanes to eat, drink, and revel in the merriment of winning a war; a mead–hall he later named "Heorot". At first, everything was going swimmingly for Hrothgar and his "gang", but that changed rather quickly as the sound of their festivities and songs reached the gloomy dwelling of a very grumpy Grendal.

The Grendal is the first of three villainous monsters that are eventually defeated by Beowulf, but thatВґs getting ahead of the story. Simply put, the Grendal is a man–eating demon/giant that somehow descends from Cain, one of HistoryВґs first "Bad Guys" (Genesis Chapter 4). He is not someone to trifle with, but the ruckus of HrothgarВґs Chronic Partying was just spark Grendal needed to go out on an all–night killing spree. Apparently, to Grendal, that seemed like the best option; Instead of politely asking them to quiet down, killing thirty thanes in one night would be enough to satisfy his Get more content

The definition of literature has been discussed and argued over time and there is no precise answer to be given. Any reader or author can define literature as whatever they wish it to be defined as. This is more of an opinion of how one views certain pieces of work or writings and whether or not they feel that is actually literature or not. Literature is any type of creative writing such as fiction or poetry, for example. Literature is also any form of body of written works of language, which could be from the English era or even as far back as the Shakespearean or Elizabethan era. It is also work from a specific period or culture defining key elements or somehow relating to and/or expressing how it is exactly from that time. The...show more content...

In her poem, "Dylan" in lines 4 and 5, she writes, "Her hair was a halo of warm light / and color dripped off her tongue" (23). The reader can interpret just from those two lines the creativity and imagination not only in that one poem, but also in all poetry. The description of hair being a halo of warm light allows the reader to use his or her own imagination to perceive that image in whichever way they would like. Creative writing can be determined by many other things not only image or structure of how the poem is set into stanzas, but what is left up to the reader for interpretation. Jewel writes in "Cautious" in lines 23–29, "an open vessel / whose function it was / to be filled / until my consciousness / could return and / spit out / the bad seeds" (18). After reading these lines the reader can be left with different feelings and emotions that vary from disgust or simplicity. This is just another example of how poetry is creative writing. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, literature is defined as being the body of written works of a language, period, or culture. An author of any specific type of writing or works can include certain details pertaining to language or other details, which allow the reader to develop a sensory image of that specific period or culture. If the reader had no prior knowledge to the language, period, or culture of the writing he or she would be reading, upon reading and analyzing

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Writing the Critical Response

WRITING THE CRITICAL RESPONSE

A critique is an analysis of and a commentary on another piece of writing. It generally focuses on technique as well as on content. A critical response essay (or interpretive essay or review) has two missions: to summarize a source's main idea and to respond to the source's main ideas with reactions based on your synthesis.

Organization

Introduction: attention–getting with a thesis statement

Body: clear critical reasoning and adequate examples

Summary

Analysis: Evaluate the evidence: sufficient (enough evidence, examples), representative (large enough pool/sample), relevant (accurate correlations), accurate, claims fairly qualified

Response: base reaction on your own experience, prior knowledge, and...show more content...

CONSIDERATION According to new research published by Wayne State University 7–6 days, children use computers have better academic skills than children who do not have access to this device.

In a study in 122 children aged 3 to 5 years old, while doing the tests, the children used computers at school and at home 3–4 times / week school readiness scores and learning than those who do not use. Previously, some research suggests that computers help children more active, recognize

letters and numbers better. However, the relationship between the computer and language skills of children remains controversial.

Effects The researchers also warned that children playing games is not good, and I rarely use computer games, usually they like playing with toys or interact with friends.

Research results from 100,000 students in 31 countries around the world gave a surprising result that the computer can cause children to become less intelligent and lazy.

Thomas Fuchs and Ludger Woessmann University of Munich general, the second author on the study. Two experts have used the test of PISA system to measure the skills of 100,000 15–year–old children in all countries.

The students

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Reading Comprehension and Response to Literature Questions Chapters 1–2 Directions Answer all the questions below. Dont forget to answer all of the parts of each question too. Restate the question in your answer. Dont forget to cite evidence from the novel to support your answer. Anthropomorphism characterization What human characteristics (other than the ability to speak English) does Orwell give to each of the following characters CharacterHuman Characteristics and Personality TraitsOld Major Boxer Mollie Benjamin Snowball Napoleon Exposition setting up what the characters want (characters motives) and the potential conflict Old Major and his dream a. Why is Old Major so respected

What is Old Majors vision for the...show more content...

Reading Comprehension and Response to Literature Questions Chapter 6 Directions Choose three questions to answer from the list below. Answer all of those three questions parts. Restate the question in your answer. You may answer the questions using bulleted answers. Dont forget to cite evidence from the novel to support your answer. Topics Themes Manipulating Language. In August, Napoleon announced that animals could work on Sundays, but that this work is strictly voluntary. What happens if the animals dont volunteer to work on Sundays Is this really voluntary work Rising Action the windmill Why are the animals happy working like slaves over the windmill What is the main problem with building the windmill and how do they solve it How does Boxer provide extra help Rising Action shortages a new plan Shortages of what cause a big problem Explain Napoleons new policy for getting items the farm needs Does this make sense What is a broker Who sets the record straight that the animals have never passed a rule forbidding them to deal with humans Characterization Mr. Whymper

Describe Mr. Whymper What word does his name sound like Why would Orwell give Mr. Whymper a name like that How does Orwell shape how the reader feels about Mr. Whymper Who might Mr. Whymper represent in the allegory Rising Action The Pigs Where do the pigs move and why Why does this matter Why do pigs get up an

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Literature: Mirror of Society

Literature: Mirror of Society

That literature is a reflection of the society is a fact that has been widely acknowledged. Literature indeed reflects the society, its good values and its ills. In its corrective function, literature mirrors the ills of the society with a view to making the society realize its mistakes and make amends. It also projects the virtues or good values in the society for people to emulate. Literature, as an imitation of human action, often presents a picture of what people think, say and do in the society. In literature, we find stories designed to portray human life and action through some characters who, by their words, action and reaction, convey certain messages for the purpose of education, information and...show more content...

The novel mirrors the society and shows how the society's misconception about the purpose of education, coupled with government policies, produce intellectually and morally bankrupt leaders. The novel also shows how both societal and family demands and expectations compel the emergent elite to live above their personal incomes and to consequently resort to corrupt means of self–enrichment as exemplified by Obi's corrupt action. In the novel, Achebe paints a society where extravagant spending of public funds by public officers is the norm, and where corruption has been institutionalized. By taking bribe, Obi Okonkwo has merely done what everyone else does; it is his weakness and inability to escape being caught that is actually frowned at by his kinsmen. The novel aptly depicts the situation in our society, where those who loot the public treasuries, without being caught, are held in very high esteem and are honoured with chieftaincy titles. Another example of literature as a mirror of the society is Wole Soyinka's The Trial of Brother Jero. This play exposes religious charlatanism, a prevailing problem in our society. The main character, Brother Jero, is a typical example of the fake prophets and other religious charlatans operating in various parts of the society. Like Brother Jero, they pretend to be what they are not. They use the name

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Have you ever want too many things even though your life was already fulfilled and lost yourself? Have you ever ask too much and regret for what you did? Every desire, ambition, selfishness and a bit of extravagant of a human being was carefully portrayed in this story, "The Necklace". The story is about a young woman named Mathilde Loisel. Born in a family of artisans, she wasn't rich, but beautiful and glamor. But she never feel satisfied of what she had and never stop dreaming to have more, to live a luxury life with expensive homes and glittering dresses, and eventually paid hard for her nonsense dreams. In "The Necklace", Guy de Maupassant uses third person limited narration to show how Mathilde Loisel changes in how she...show more content...

When her husband gave her the invitation to the ball, which was a perfect place to meet the rich people, Mathilde got mad and cried. It was a shame since she has nothing to wear. Mr Loisel gave his money to Mathilde and she got an elegance dress. But she didn't stop and wanted to have jewels. Mathilde met her friend, Madame Forestier and chose an gorgeous diamond necklace. Of course, she became the prettiest woman in the ball, with everyone stared at her, as if she was the most attractive woman ever. She felt fascinated, just like her dream came true. But then a tragic came to her. She lost the necklace! Mathilde and her husband tried to find the necklace, but they found nothing. Mathilde lost her hope and had aged five years. The Loisels finally decided to replace the diamonds for 36 000 Francs, spent all of their money and accepted to pay the debts. It was such an unfortunate situation. After Mathilde lost the necklace, she was described as " And, clad like a poor woman, she went to the fruiterer, to the grocer, to the butcher, a basket on her arm, haggling, insulted, fighting for every wretched halfpenny of her money". (Maupassant 8). The family was suffering from poverty and have to pay the debts continuously. Mathilde changed immediately and did everything. They have worked so hard to earn every single penny for their life, to survive and pay all those debts. The third person limited

The Giver, a young adult fiction novel written by Lois Lowry, tells a story about Jonas, a curious boy trapped in a futuristic society full of contentment, rules, and the elimination of emotions such as fear, hatred, etc. When he begins to see The Giver, an old man who holds all of the past memories of the community,Jonas realizes a dangerous past and becomes the first to begin on a journey to escape the community to protect his loved ones and himself. I feel that this book has a lot of depth and emotion that blends together with Lowry's great literature, making it special. The book does have a few minor flaws, yet it doesn't fail to impress as it makes readers think deeply about life and what you make out of it. Here are the reasons why I recommend this book....show more content...

In the book, the people of Jonas's community does not experience emotions from the absence of certain memories that the officials decided to eliminate. This hinders the people of the community to feel any suffering in human history as well as the desire to engage in activities or relationships that could result in disorder or pain. Jonas is chosen to receive these hidden memories by The Giver to discover that the world he lives in is only the first layer to what is under beneath. The fact that the author made the storyline on how Jonas discovers these memories makes me cherish my own and how I am grateful for all that I have. Furthermore, the book includes many elusive lessons and forms of symbolism that are able to be applied in real life. For example, one of the first memories that Jonas receives is a sled ride. The sled is the color red, which symbolizes the newly rich and vivid feelings and experiences that Jonas goes through. The sled ride is exhilarating, yet painful as he falls hard in a different sled ride memory. This refers to the difference between pain and pleasure that we all experience in

Charmine J. Cramales

BS Math II

Lit 3 10:30 – 12:00

What is Literature?

Poems, novels, and stories; these are some of the things that first came to my mind upon pondering on the question 'What is Literature?'. And just lately I have known that literature also includes songs, speeches, plays, and many others in written and spoken forms. I have also known that things that are produced out of creative imagination can be referred as literary works which are the ones that comprise literature. Considering this description of what literature is, the coverage of literature seems very puzzling. If literary works are those produced out of creative imagining, then it would directly point to fictional works. But then, there are also...show more content...

Take for example the views of two individuals coming from different places on anovel based on the culture of one. It would likely be the same if their culture and beliefs are quiet related but if not, then they would surely have different understandings on certain parts of that novel. Hence, defining literature as those considered by people as 'literature' is questionable.

Eagleton also associated literature as any kind of works which are valued highly by people. But then again, since people may have different perceptions on things, one may value highly a certain work while another person may consider it just as a plain writing. As stated by Ms. Pinzon, a literature professor, a personal letter can be an example of this. The recipient of the letter can be expected to really value the letter while her classmate may not. Hence, this can't define literature as a whole. Then, what really is literature? Many great critics have tried formulating a fixed definition of literature but have failed to do so. In the rise of every possible definition of what literature is, counter arguments also rise.

Literature, though it seems impossible to enumerate everything it covers, play an important role in every individual's life. One can influence using literature or be influenced by it. Examples of these are the novels made by our very own national hero, Jose Rizal – the Noli Me Tangeri and El Filibusterismo. During his time, Rizal has