Read the following quotation. Then, discuss what this quotation means to you. Make sure you offer examples to support your position. You can relate various pieces of literature you have studied or that you have read for pleasure. Be sure to show how this literature has enriched you in some way. Finally, explain and discuss the metaphor at the end of the quotation.
"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
Literature has been around for centuries, but I feel as if society has lost touch with it. Everything in today's world is all about new technology and trying to get everything done faster. We seem to forget what reading books can do for the mind. It expands our vocabulary and let's our mind imagine only things that could be found in books. I remember we when I was in the 8th grade, I read the "Diary of Anne Frank". It really gave me a sense of what really happened during World War II. It was able to give me an image of what her apartment was like and how she was forced to live the way she did because of Hitler. The reality of this story is that Anne Frank really did die because of the Nazi and it should never happen again. Another book that reminds me of this quote is "Black Boy". It is a fictional story, but it's based off of true ideas. Blacks have always been discriminated against and this story shows the effects of what can happen when people are put down because of their ethnicity. C.S. Lewis's quote really makes me think about all the little lessons that you can learn from reading. Literature offers experiences that one could only imagine and they can be quite emotional. If you grab the right book, it could make you cry because of how raw and real the story is and how relatable it can be to real life. Nicholas Sparks is an author that is popular with women. He writes about love that can only be found in novels, but this quote means that his stories can add to the reality of life and become real of you believe that it can.
ReplyDeleteThe end of this quote makes me think of the impact that reading and literature have on the average human. Our lives can be boring and dry if we didn't have anything to fill it with life and refreshment. This metaphor is saying that literature is what gives us life. It gives water to the dry areas in our lives. It fills us with images that can be both beautiful and sad at the same time. That is the beauty of literature and I hope that more people can start to see all that it has to offer.
Camille, I also wrote in my blog that people have lost touch with literature because of the new technologies. I agree that people are trying to get things done faster but I don't believe that it why people aren't reading. I think that people are too concerned with the apps and social networking that are available through technology. I remember reading "The Diary of Anne Frank." I was a great book that really gave us a first hand experience into someone's life who lived during this horrible experience. I could picture the things she described in her diary which was helpful for me to get a better sense of what happened there. Nice job Camille
DeleteCamille, I also read both of those books. Like you said, it allowed me to get a better understanding of how life was for different race groups in the 1900s. Also reading these books, it allowed me to put myself in the place of some of these people who had to experience these harsh things first hand. After reading them, I realized what was really important in my life, which is my family, friends, and God. I also feel the same way about how with technology now in the future, people don't read as much, so they don't all understand life completely.
DeleteCamille, you had a very good blog this week. Everything in our world is all about technology. There has been so many advances in the last couple of years. Just in the time we have been alive we have seen the inventions of many great products. All this technology can be a good thing. However at times it can be a bad thing. By keeping up in our literature it will really benefit us. The two stories that you talked about were very interesting. I was a big fan of learning about WWII. "The Diary of Ann Frank" was a great story. It really helped but into perspective what was really going on during that time. Also the story "Black Boy" was something very interesting and it showed them how much they took during that time! You made some very good points in your blog this week!
DeleteCamille, I like how you brought up technology. To me, technology has made the world a better place for literature. For literature, we have come out with nooks and kindles that help us to read books easier and faster. I do agree to a point though that it is also making literature worse in a sense. People are very preoccupied by social networking cites and other uses of technology that literature is pushed aside.
DeleteEver since written languages were created, people have been writing stories. These stories, or literature, have played a major part in how people have looked at the world, and thought about everyday things. Sadly, many people do not read or use literature anymore. Now it is all about movies, or games, and many people overlook good writing. One of the best pieces of literature I have ever read was by Conan Doyle, it was a huge collection of "Sherlock Holmes" mysteries, and it is probably the most lengthy book I have ever read. This book was well written, and it gave me something to think about when reading. I was able to attempt, and often fail, to figure out the solution to the mystery before Sherlock did. This is what I think good writing is: something that makes you think, and enjoy it, at the same time you are reading. Many people have gotten away from this, and more people should be encouraged to read good literature.
ReplyDeleteThe metaphor at the end of the quotation dealing with irrigation and deserts can be startling if we think about it. Lewis is saying that our lives are deserts, and I think that can be partly true. They could be deserts if there is nothing in them to make them "living," and reading good literature will add to your experiences, and create a more "living" type of life. The more good things that we can experience the better, and I think that this is what Lewis is pointing at with the metaphor. The more good literature we read, the better educated and more "alive" we will be. More people need to realize that.
Jess, I never thought of movies being a reason as to why people don't read a lot of literature anymore. I just looked at the technology aspect. Now that you say this though I can see how this is true. Instead of reading a book people will say oh I will just watch the movie it will be the same. It however isn't the same. I don't think that it is a big deal watching the movie based off of a book, but it is a good idea to read the book first I believe. This way you know what really happened. A lot of times the books and movies aren't the same. I myself have never read the Sherlock Holmes book but they soundalike they are very interesting. Nice job Jess!
DeleteJess I can picture you reading the Sherlock Holmes books. I have to agree that those books are interesting, and keep a reader wondering and thinking. Those types of books inspire people to be adventurous. Without adventures and mysteries the world today would have no discoveries and would be just plain boring and dry. This could could refer back to C.S, Lewis's quote how our lives our like deserts. Jess I think you did a great job with your blog!
DeleteJess, you had some good points in your blog this week. Our world has started to drift away from the literature. There are so many new things to distract us from reading. Movies and games are two things that have taken over our minds. There are many books being turned into movies. This is causing people to not read the book but to just watch the movie. Although the movies may be good it will still never compare to the reading of the book. I never heard of the book that you read. However it was good that it made you stop and think for a second or two on stuff. A lot of time people are so busy they don't just stop and think before they do things. Your last part of the blog really made me think. Literature really is something that can make our life living! Good job on the blog this week Jess.
DeleteI feel like with today's technology, people are losing touch with literature. This is because instead of sitting down and reading a book they are sitting down and playing a game on their iPad or going on some kind of social networking site. This isn't good because people aren't going to have the knowledge from literature like people did before technology. People are relying on technology and aren't really learning. Technology can help in learning, but it can also impede it as well.
ReplyDeleteLiterature adds to the way people see the world. When I read a book I can instantly place myself inside of what I'm reading. For example when we read "The Grapes of Wrath" this year I could really picture when happened. I knew that the Dust Bowl and Great Depression happened and I knew facts about it. Reading this book however allowed me to see what people really had to go through during this time of hardship. I think that it is important to read books that are classical literature. It shows what happened during the time period. Not only is it interesting to read books about what happened in different time periods, it is interesting to read books written by people from other cultures. This gives us insight of what happens in their culture compared to ours. We may think we know what goes on in their culture, but in reality we really don't know. Literature is important for people to continue studying. It gives us insight as to what is happening today and what happened in the past.
Rachel, I really agree with you when you said how without classical literature, people are not as educated if they didn't read some books in that subject. I also put myself in the shoesof people in certain stories, which gives me a better understanding of what took place in the novels. In my blog I also thouh that books made in history like the Bible are very good parts of literature and reality because especially with our catholic society, we look at the Bible as a map of our past lives and our future to come.
DeleteRachel your blog is interesting. I agree that the new advancements in technology are taking over the world. Sadly reading a book is becoming "unpopular." Literature allows people to learn about the past just like your example of "The Grapes of Wrath." Those types of books allow the reader to understand and visualize what people had to deal with. Rachel literature is important not only to learn about past, but also to inspire people to create their own reality which relates to C.S. Lewis's quote. Good job!
DeleteThis quote by C.S. Lewis poses an interesting view of literature. In my opinion literature sparks and builds imagination. The creativeness of authors and poets is not only impressive, but inspirational to others. Literature has many powers. Many pieces of literature inspire people to broaden their mindset and create new ideas. These new ideas help mold and shape reality today. Without creative thinkers technology would not be where it is today. Literature opens the senses to visualize and create a new perspective. This new perspective inspires each generation of thinkers and dreamers create and shape reality.
ReplyDeleteFor many literature is also an escape from reality. In my own opinion literature allows readers to expand their imagination. One's imagination allows dreams and goals of the impossible to become a reality. For example Walt Disney made his imagination come to life. Thanks to Walt Disney's imagination, he was able to create popular fairy tales, stories, movies, and amusement parks. His works open the imagination of children around the world. Walt Disney has been able to provide inspiration through his literary accomplishments.
Also other fictional works of literature inspire people to go on adventures. The fictional series about Indiana Jones combines historical myths with ancient treasures. These sort of books inspire people to become historians and archeologists.
C.S. Lewis is trying to explain that literature is more than just words on a page. Literature adds dimensions to reality. Literature inspires others to create the future with no limits. Without the inspiration from literature reality would be boring and dry. Literature enriches our dry lives, that changes to boring into extraordinary.
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DeleteMarla, great job this week! I especially like what you wrote in the last paragraph, "Literature adds dimensions to reality." I agree with you; without literature, our world would be extremely blah and boring. It gives us inspiration and the power to think of more than ourselves, which was something great about Walt Disney. Disney spent his life inspiring others, and he still does today. His many different characters and different ideas of making the world a better place are still expressed today. In his famous Cinderella, Walt inspires young girls to believe in their dreams, "No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true."
DeleteThe quote, "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.",by C.S. Lewis, means in my eyes that books that were written in the past, present, and future tell us what life is really about, and what our future may hold. Literature helps us become more educated and understanding. It doesn't describe reality, its a part of reality. A literary work that helps with this quote I feel is the Bible. In Saint Marys, we are full of the Catholic belief. Our whole understanding of the world and what our past held and what our future holds is based off of this historic book. The Bible helps us understand the true meaning of life. It allows us to become more in touch with reality, I feel, because it allows us to see what is most important in our lives as christians. Also books like novels that we read and learn about in school teach us about life lessons also, and intrigue our senses of wonder. One book I immediately think of is Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. This is just a love story that really made me see a tragic love story of life, love, and death. All three of these things add to life in some shape or form.
ReplyDeleteMany books also create thoughts and ideas that kids think of at a very young age like when reading fantasy books. These books help their minds work and drift them into their own fantasies. This helps them create character which also helps add to reality in young children.
I feel that the end of the quote means that with all of the bad things in our world, books can help take our minds off of them. They can take us out of the sad and depressing times in our lives. It helps "irrigate" or minds and how we look at our present lives. Our lives also revolve around electronics now, so many people almost seem in some ways obsessed with them. I feel that with all of these electronics, people do not read as much as they used to. There are new ways of entertainment in their eyes. So, when we read books, it does in some ways also "irrigate" our minds and hearts towards life.
Emma, I agree with you when you mention the Bible. The morals, values, and understandings we are taught in the Bible really help build us as a person. It was also interesting that you brought up fantasies that children read, because it allows them to build an imagination. From a young age, it is important to have an imagination so we can visualize what we read and get different meanings from stories according to our imaginations. I love that you mentioned technology and electronics and how it has taken away from children reading. The more a person reads, the broader of a vocabulary they have as well as many other key aspects in brain growth. Good blog, Emma!
DeleteEmma, I really enjoyed that you compared his quote with the bible. Coming from another Catholic, I truly agree with your ideas in this. Without literature, their may not be anything called a bible. A world without a bible would certainly be a world of distress. I also agree with your views about kids having literature. Their minds would not fully develop, and they would not be what they are today. Their brains would not fully develop. With the technology of the recent years, I hope that literature remains part of the education across the world.
DeleteThis quote really speaks to me for different reasons. I enjoy reading as a pastime, so I really see literature as an escape from the confines of reality. It is my stress-reliever to be able to let my consciousness slip away, as my mind drifts to another world in literature. While some may describe this as madness, I feel it helps me see the world more three-dimensional. It enriches reality; it poses questions to the confines of normal and sane. I feel reading gives me the ability to be a part of another world, and when I come back to the world I live in, it gives me the confidence to be who I know I can be.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this quote because to goes straight to heart. I love to read, especially fiction, because I enjoy how these authors put their own twist on different parts of reality. For C.S. Lewis, I enjoy how he incorporates his religious views into his “Chronicles of Narnia.” Especially in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, you see his religious views as Catholic. I enjoy his view with Aslan as Jesus, who, thanks to Edmund, is put to death by the witch. Edmund betrayed Aslan as Judas betrayed Jesus, but Lewis suggests that he is forgiven, just as Jesus forgave those who crucified him. Aslan comes back to help win the battle against the White Witch, and then leaves with a promise to return.
Another series that I really enjoyed growing up with was J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series. I really loved the idea growing up that there are different dimensions to this world and that there so much more to discover and learn every day. The idea that a boy who grew up as a loser, growing up to be one of the greatest wizards of all time can really give a young reader the idea that anything can happen. Rowling sparked imagination and gave readers confidence, knowing it was ok to grow up being a little different. With Harry and Malfoy constantly contradicting each other, it was easy to see how much Malfoy actually envied Harry. While Draco was rich, came from a high social class, and had influence over others, he envied Harry’s love, compassion, and true friends. These ideas of love conquering all I feel are what made the series such a great success. When I was little, I couldn’t wait to be old enough to read it because it was something my older sister was reading, and when I began the series, I was not disappointed. The idea of having friends as true as Ron and Hermione and conquering evil with love made Harry Potter a huge success for all ages. I feel J.K. Rowling goes with the quote by C.S. Lewis. Her stories added on to reality, and also teach life lessons. Professor Dumbledore I feel had some of the more remembered life lessons, about doing what is right and just. In the first book, he tells Harry, “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” While we should follow our dreams, it is not wise to linger on them. It is okay to escape reality once in a while, but we must recognize the difference between reality and fiction.
Maria, I enjoy your many examples of what this quote relates to in terms of literature. It was unique that you chose "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" as an example because C. S. Lewis was the author this best selling book. I am not quite as much as a reader as you are, but I have read this book and seen the movie. As far as you saying it helps people escape the confines of reality. This is very true kind of like what I said in my blog. Many authors go through harsh realities like death in their childhood, and as a result they perform an act that has many consequences. The Harry Potter series is certainly one that all people know about. I have read most of the books and have seen all of the movies, so I certainly know how good that series is.
DeleteMaria, awesome blog this week! It was very descriptive and I knew exactly what you were talking about the whole time. Bringing up "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" made me laugh because I never understood the Narnia series. Maybe it is just because I don't have much of an imagination, but I never understood it. It shows,though, that stories have a sense of imagination and the more you read, the stronger it becomes. Harry Potter is a great series for kids to read, because it really allows an escape and builds vocabulary. You ended your blog well, and brought up a great quote from Dumbledore. Good job, Maria!
DeleteThis is a short quote but has an enormous meaning for the literary world. Just think of a world with absolutely no literature whatsoever. It would be a very boring world. Our imagination would not be able to fully develop, and we would not be able to understand the true meaning behind someone's writing. This is why "literature adds to reality." It is sad to say that literature has died of in recent years. With the progression of technology, people do not feel that literature is as important anymore. Just look at the iPad. People think that it provides much entertainment which it does, but with that entertainment comes less literature. Much like we have studied, many authors and poets have overcame hardships in their early life. These authors and poets are often the backbone of world literature. I feel like in this day of age people do not know exactly how to write about their hardships. They either don't know how, or simply are in to much distress to write about the experiences that they went through.
ReplyDeletePeople have a vast array of imagination, and that is very similar to a desert because it is very wide and vast. Thankfully, we are educated about different types of literature, and it accounts for a great portion of our knowledge. Without this knowledge of literature that we have, we would not have a great imagination or even that much knowledge. If people read, they will also enhance their vocabulary. Just think if literature was not existent, our vocabulary would be very poor and people may not be able to understand us. This is why literature is such a vital part of everyday education, along with a vital part of everyday life. I believe that it is very important for people to have a good sense of literary knowledge because it will help the education world and it will help all people in the world.
Andy, I completely agree that without literature the world would be dull. I don't think that people who dislike literature realize how wonderful it actually is. People are often close-minded and it is sad because I want to push all of the things that I have learned and the information that I have obtained from reading onto them just to try to help them out but obviously I cannot do that. Literature is what taught me how to become a good speller. Whenever people do not know how to spell things they come to me because I have learned how through the different vocabulary used in various types of books that I have read. I wish that more people realized how literature benefits society.
DeleteAndy, when I read your blog I felt as though I was reading my own blog. I also thought that the technology is making people turn away from reading. They aren't getting that rich vocabulary that only reading can give you. I also like what you said about how the authors we have read about wrote about their hardships. Today, people don't really write about their feelings, they just hold them inside. I think that as a society, we need to write about our feelings because they can usually help somebody else who feels the same way. I also liked what you said at the beginning of your blog when you said that our imaginations wouldn't be as big. Stories really help the brain expand it's horizons and imagine things that aren't even real. Good job this week Andy!!
DeleteThis quote really made me think. When I think about the first line in the quote I think of how when reading a book it seems like sometimes it takes you into the book. You become more then just a reader in the book. One book that I have read that gets this point across was "Night". This was one of my favorite books. It really gave a sense of what was going on at the time. Everything seemed so real when reading this book. Also I think that to many times do we get wrapped up in all the new technology and forget how important reading is. With everything new coming out it dose make it really hard to remember how important reading can be. Reading can teach us so much about life. Sometimes I think we forget that because we are always so caught up in our everyday lives. So many emotions and different feelings can be brought out by reading.
ReplyDeleteThe metaphor at the end of this quote was something to think about. When I read it I thought of how when water irrigates the desert it makes it plentiful. This is just like what reading does to our mind. By reading we are learning new things every time!
If a book can take you into it and really feel for what is happening in the story, then it is a well written piece of literature. Books are meant to take their readers to what is deemed impossible, or to something we were never meant to spectate. Books like "Night" let us see what we could never have gone too, while most fictions let us see a world of fantasy. Reading improves life, it broadens vocabulary and creativity.
DeleteHayley, I like what you said about "Night". We've learned that some people believed that the Holocost never happened, so stories like this hold a very deep significance compared to other pieces of literature. It's always important for people to study history and without these brave writers people may have never really known what happened in the Holocost.
DeleteHayley, I think that you had a good blog this week. I also thought that technology seems to be one of the reasons that not as many people are reading books. I also liked what you had to say about books making you feel as if you are in the story. It gives you emotions that can only be felt through books because of the situations that occur in them. I know that I always get an image in my head of what the characters look like and the environment that they are in. Night is a great example because of all the sadness that took place. It was written in a way that you could paint a very clear picture in your head of the situation at hand. Also, it was a good idea to point out how we get caught up in our busy lives and don't take time to read. Great job this week Hayley.
DeleteThe quote has a deep meaning, and I fall victim to a person who has less than a love for reading. I don't personally read for pleasure, and I feel that because of this I have a weaker style of writing. Literature builds vocabulary, imagination, and mechanics of writing. There are many stories that are based solely on imagination, such as the Narnia series, and there are other stories that are based on reality and allow us to enter into either another time period, another life, or many other things. I remember reading every Junie B. Jones book in elementary school, and as I thought of this, I remembered that those stories were commonly misspelled because it was like a third grader writing it. It was almost a way of saying our writing didn't have to be perfect, but it was an outlet for emotions and such. Without literature, what would we study? There are so many styles and ways to interpret everything, and it builds character in a person. Our brain is like a desert, desiring nourishment. By reading, our brains are built up and by water in the desert, it thrives with life. I am hoping technology doesn't take over too much more, because it is very easy to simply Google a book and get the necessary information about it. This has taken away from reading a lot, and it could be detrimental to learning as well as expanding the human brain.
ReplyDeleteReading has fallen in popularity in recent times, so not everyone reads for fun now. Most technologies have overridden literature. Movies and other forms of media can deliver the same as a book, but requires no effort from the audience. The countless different ways to interpret a piece of literature makes novels stand apart from movies, which are seen the same as everyone. Technology is both helping and hindering literature. It is true that anyone can look up a bare bones summary of a novel, it is also possible to find the actual novel. Reading on tablets or phones might actually be better since the book does not have to clutter any actual space when finished with it.
DeleteNicole, it kind of shocks me that people are able to say that they dislike reading for pleasure. I think that everyone usually has a point in their life where they are reading a novel and they fall in love with it. I am definitely surprised to hear that you dislike literature, especially because you are in an accelerated English class! I guess that I cannot try to push my views of literature on to anyone else, but I do encourage you to keep trying to find a kind of book that you like. I agree completely with the way that you explained how literature helps with vocabulary and writing skills, it also opens portals to places that you have never been before and might not get to go in life.
DeleteLiterature has a big part in human history. Although it does not have the influence that it used to anymore. With many new ways for people to entertain themselves now, reading for fun has become less common. Although now there are easier ways to read, the same technology harbors other ways to occupy ourselves. But no matter what new thing comes out, literature will remain. Reading literature has never been to big with me. I do not mind reading, I just never get around to actually doing it. I will not deny that there are some good things to read out there. Most of the novels I have read were in school assignments. My favorite novel that was assign was "Night" by Elie Weisel. I really do not like nonfiction as much as fictional literature, but this still captured my attention. I like fiction because there is really no boundaries for what can be written. But "Night" captured something so unrealistically harsh and inhuman that it almost seemed untrue. The novel captured my attention enough to make me want to continue reading the book to see what would happen next. The overall factor I look for in anything with a plot, is that the story be good, and is also told well. "Night" delivered both of these.
ReplyDeleteThe quote I do find to be very interesting. Literature does add to the reality that we live in. This is especially true with people that can see the images in their head clearly. Books can bring new and interesting ideas to anyone that reads them. The possibilities are next to endless with literature. There is one part that separates literature from other forms of entertainment. Literature gives us an image, but how we really see it depends entirely on the reader. Everyone can see a character or a setting in a completely different manner. This fact is what gives literature its deep meaning.
Tyler,
DeleteYou brought up many interesting ideas in your blog! Literature has been a huge part in human history, and it still does today, even if it is not used nearly as much. The novel "Night" was the best novel we have read in school by far. It was interesting, and a great read. I like what you said about the quote, I did not see it that way. You have a great point about literature giving an image, but what that is exactly depends on the reader.
Well done on your blog!
Tyler, I had the same exact thought with how important literature is to our human history. I feel like the written words in our literature is what formed us as the people we are today. Reading is not as present as it once was with all of the other means of entertainment taking over our society and the world. I have even noticed a decline of reading in our school since the iPads were first introduced. With the quote, I did not even consider how people could view the images books present in different ways. They are all so subjective and can be taken in many ways. Good job Tyler!
DeleteTyler, I find your view on this specific quote very similar to mine. Without literature, knowledge wouldn't have spread nearly as quickly or accurately as it has or will continue to. It really helps even today that we have stories and similar things to get points across to us.
DeleteIt always amazes me whenever I hear people say the three simple words "I hate reading." I never understood how a person could really hate it. Books are incredible. Whenever I'm reading one, I feel like I am actually a character in the novel. Books are able to take you to a whole different kind of world. Take the Harry Potter books for example, obviously there is not really a school out there named Hogwarts and I will not really get a letter when I turn eleven that tells me that I am a wizard. I am, however, able to feel like I am really at Hogwarts whenever I read the Harry Potter books. I think that people who do not like to read do not know how to picture themselves as a character in the book. Mostly everyone likes television. Books are just like television, except with books you get to use your mind and create things and really visit different places. I also think that there is a type of book for everyone, if you don't like reading, you just haven't found the right book yet.
ReplyDeleteThis quote means a lot to me. People seem to have been straying away from literature in today's society. It is hard for me to come upon people who read for pleasure rather than the other types of people who only read because it is what their teacher assigned them. Literature makes one use their mind and imagination, it helps one to learn new things and to enrich the brain. It opens up new ideas and information that one never would have gotten if they hadn't read.
Morgan, I don't know how people can say they hate reading either! I suppose they must have read the wrong book at sometime and it completely turned them off of reading. I like what you said about reading opening up your mind. I feel that people who read are better off because they have a deeper understanding of concepts and grammar. Reading truly does enrich your mind. Not only that, but it keeps you informed. I wouldn't know half of what I do without reading and I think that that is too important to give up.
DeleteMorgan, you stand very well for your opinion, and I appreciate that. I also love to read, and find it difficult to understand how anyone could hate it. There nothing like reading. I enjoy wrapping my brain around a good story and falling in love with characters. I like how you mentioned being a part of the story when reading because I feel that it happens to me as well, but more importantly, it is good to recognize while you may never go to Hogwarts or visit an invisible land, literature is important for us to learn more about ourselves and others.
DeleteLiterature is a necessity to the human race. The writings that were passed on from generation to generation helped shape the people that we are today. However, the concept of sitting down and getting lost inside of a good book is starting to deteriorate because of all the new technologies that are being introduced to the world. America is one of the countries that are affected by this lack of literature. Our country as a whole used to have such a high ranking when tests were taken for academic rankings for the entire world. Nowadays America is not even a threat when compared to the countries that have less technology. I find that when there is less focus on academics, less reading is a result. China is always ridiculed in joking ways with how their kids "won't get dinner if they don't get an A". China might actually have the right way of thinking with such a harsh focus on education because they are the ones who are truly getting the job done.
ReplyDeleteReading a book takes us to places we might never be able to get to in our wildest dreams. Literature is a way to place ourselves inside of a story and get a true feel of what the characters are going through or viewing without leaving the comfort of our own homes. We are able to live lives that we can only dream about when we need an escape from our reality. Many of the stories that are created in literature can be adapted into many other types of entertainment, such as plays or movies. It is one of the most common statements to hear when someone says that "the book was so much better than the movie", because the descriptions are so distinct and have explanations that cannot come close to being portrayed or captured through movies.
The metaphor at the end of the quote truly has the best description to what reading really does for us. Reading literature that is created can open up the doors to so many opportunities and teach us in all new ways. Without even trying, our language is improved by taking an interest in a novel, poem, etc. Reading cannot hurt us, only make us better people with an enriched experience in such a short time.
ReplyDeleteReading has been a huge part of my life ever since I could remember. Reading has made me lifetime friends and really made me who I am today. I think that if I were to go back and take all literature out of my life I would have a much different life and I wouldn't be me at all. I think the last line of C.S Lewis' quote is my favorite. All throughout history people have really struggled with different problems in their lives. In all of these situations they had some form of outlet to take them to a different world, even for a little while. I consider many things literature that perhaps other people do not. I think that movies, songs, and old radio stories are all forms of literature. Not all are great, but they do involve some sort of writing and really help and enrich lives.
Even though I love reading I've always hated old "classic" novels. In my three years of high school I've only really enjoyed "To Kill a Mockingbird". I hated "The Odyssey" and pretty much anything Shakespeare. And of course who can forget "The Grapes of Wrath"? These stories had me convinced that classical literature was meant to torment you. However, "The Great Gatsby" has completely changed my view. I know it isn't as old as some of the other works I mentioned, but it has helped restore my faith that not all classics are evil.
My favorite thing about literature is that you can be part of it. Writing is my favorite thing to do and something I would like to do forever. I think that writing deepens the impact of literature because its your world you create and you can change it as much as you please. Great writers have this ability to transport you to their world and make you feel fall in love with their characters, cry over their deaths, and feel their happiness when something goes right. Personally, I think the world would be completely boring without literature.
Reading was always a big part of my life too. I enjoy reading good stories, and I have always loved to read a good book. I have to agree with the view on "classical" novels. Personally, there are great classics, but I have yet to see any I really enjoyed in school. I always enjoyed books from authors like Jack London. I am not sure if that is truly classical or not, but I find them interesting nonetheless. Literature can create an image, like in a movie, but it just is not the same. Literature was important in the past, and it seems that it still is today.
DeleteGood job on the blog Maddie.
Reading may not have been a part of my life for my entire life, but once it was, it couldn't be taken out. Maddie, you know that we talk about books constantly, so you know about how much of my time has been spent reading. I love it, and you know that as well.
DeleteMaddie I really liked how you put so much of your opinion in your blog this week. I know how smart you are, and I can tell that you gained all of this information, or most of it, from reading. It seems like we also have similar views on the classic literature, but I kinda like some of Shakespeare. My favorite types of novels seem to be love stories, mostly told by Nicholas Sparks. Everyone can find a book they find relatable to their life or that they want to be in. Not everyone knows the true beauty of books since there is such a decline in reading. Good job Maddie!
DeleteMaddie, you are one of the most creative people I know. Some of the atoriws that you write relate to my life so much and it's amazing how graphic some of them are. You definitely have a talent for writing. This weeks blog was food for you to describe how you feel about literature. It really has opened your eyes to a new world.
DeleteThis quotation shows more than most realize. Without literature and the spread of knowledge, where would our society today be? We would still be back in the dark ages. While this is true, literature, as compared to simple text, embodies so much more than knowledge itself. One book that I read when I was much younger was "The Outsiders" pertains to this quote highly in my mind. It's about gangs in the '50s, and it really depicts daily life well. However, it also shows the ties between gang members and how situations that you are put in lead to the life you live. This was e first time that I truly realized that people didn't always live in the same way. Not everyone had parents to take care of them, and not everyone was safe in their own home. This was the first time that I truly experienced real literature, and it turned me to reading in my daily life, where before I thought that television was quite enough for me in the ways of entertaining myself. Reading shows us show much more than anything other than actually experiencing a situation.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we would be in the dark ages without literature. It has brought so much light and new ideas into the world. This literature can give us a whole new outlook or opinion on different situations. Even if it is sad or tragic, it helps us see how different authors look at things and how they feel. Good blog!
DeleteThe quote, "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" by C.S. Lewis, can be looked at in many different ways. Literature has to do with many stories about other people's lives and interesting events going on. Literature helps us compare our lives to theirs. When I am reading a book I picture myself as the narrator of the story, whomever the speaker is at the time. When something bad goes wrong I get all worked up about it but then I remember it's not really me in the story. It still gets me all worked up, when something bad happens it ends up putting me in a bad mood. When something happy and exciting happened I literally get really happy and it puts me in a good mood. I also learn off of their mistakes in the books. One piece of literature that is very informative and classical that I really got into was "Go Ask Alice." This piece of literature was a diary if a young girl who had many troubles in her life and ended up getting into drugs. After many hard times involving many types of drugs she finally turned her life around and went back to her normal self. A few years after her life was going smoothly, a former friend of hers that got her into drugs ended up drugging her without her knowing and killing her from an overdose. As this was all happening I felt like I was in her shoes. The information that I got out of this book was to hang around the good people that I hang around and not to get into any of the shady sketchy people. When CS Lewis says, "it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become", I think that the deserts that he is describing are our lives without literature, boring, empty, and full of worthlessness. Literature brings a new light into our lives.
ReplyDeleteLeah, I like how you said that you picture yourself as the narrator. I do this as well. I like to think about how I would react if that was me in that situation. It adds to the emotions that I feel when reading the story. I enjoy the story that you related to the quote. I do not think I have ever read that piece of literature, but it does seem to go along with this theme well. Literature is never boring to me. I always try to get a good lesson out of it and enjoy it.
DeleteThe quote "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." by C.S. Lewis has very deep meaning for me. Literature helps people to see what others are going through. Some of the literature that we studied in class this year have really gave me a different perspective on things. Before this class, I was not very good at analyzing different poems. Now I understand to look at the symbolism and read background information on the authors to know what they really mean by it. Some of them tell the most interesting stories. Even the most recent poem that we studied by Rita Dove helps us to see the tragic situations that have happened. I didn't even know about that tragedy until studying the poem. I like to put myself right in the story and think of how I would react. Literature really helps people to learn more about different things to add to our reality. When reading literature, I am always filled with all sorts of different emotions. I enjoy the stories that teach little life lessons. With all of the technology in today's society, people don't really read literature as much. I think we need to start looking at all of the good things it brings us. Poems, novels, short stories, and many other types fill us with knowledge and can take us to a whole new place. It really has a big impact on daily life.
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