Have you ever been so immersed in a book that you lose all track of time? Or have you realized you just spent the better part of your day lost in another world? If you haven’t, then honestly I would argue you’re missing out on one of life’s greatest treasures: Literature.
Now, to define literature, Britannica explains it as such: “Literature is first and foremost humankind’s entire body of writing; after that it is the body of writing belonging to a given language or people; then it is individual pieces of writing.” Essentially, it’s all the epic poems, fiction and non-fiction books and writings that humanity has ever created. Of course we have different genres, but for the intents and purposes of this article, we will hereafter refer to any kind of book, poem or reading as literature.
Growing up, I loved to read. It took me a while to understand and read proficiently; however, once I could, I never looked back. Literature was always my main form of entertainment and escape as a child. I especially loved fantasy books, and anything that brought discussion such as Harry Potter, Keeper of the Lost Cities, The Book Thief, The Giver and Wings of Fire. For me, reading meant visiting worlds I could physically never go to, but in my mind, I could travel to anytime I wanted.
As I got older, I found myself moving into the romance trope. Although fantasy still has my heart, I have read a few strong romance contenders that changed my perspective on the importance of a story — even if it would seem somewhat unimportant or silly to someone else. A book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading recently was The Love Hypothesis. It was adapted into a film this year, and while I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the film, something about it didn’t capture everything the book brought to life — something that only my imagination could offer.
In my view, every book, play, poem or article is important. They are the thoughts and opinions written and recorded by the people who brought them to life through their own lived experiences. If we lose the ability to comprehend literature and the want to create, we lose a part of humanity’s ability to share and pass down what has always been important for our survival, possibly more so than simple physiological aspects: A reason to live. We create literature that surpasses time itself, and help the reader to feel a little less alone.
In her Nobel Prize lecture, Toni Morrison said, “We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.”She captures what language means to people in a succinct and poignant way.
Literature can even change people’s perspectives or prompt them to consider concepts they may have never given thought to, such as privilege. I distinctly remember the first time I read Malala Yousafzai’s memoir about her time as a young student in Afghanistan. She was shot in the head by the Taliban, simply because she wanted to attend school in a country where women’s rights were quickly dwindling.
Her powerful story centers around fighting for women’s rights, especially the right to receive an education. Her book showed me just how privileged I am to have grown up in a household and society that did not limit me because I was female. I am also privileged to attend university and continue to read, study and learn new things everyday. This is why I believe that literature matters so much, and why I see a need for young people to keep reading, even if it’s only a fraction of your daily life.
You may not be aware, but in recent years the United States has been facing a literacy crisis, especially within the public education system. According to PBS NewsHour, the average reading score among high school seniors last year was the lowest since 1992, and nearly a third of the students lacked basic reading skills.
This is quite concerning because literature and the practice of reading open so many doors and build many important skills in young people, including critical thinking, empathy, imagination and awareness. These skills are so important, especially in society today where misconceptions and fake news have become the norm. Being able to think for yourself and to comment on what you feel is right and wrong is a privilege, so don’t waste it. Educate yourself, read what matters to you and to those around you; read for fun; and read to learn new things. Most importantly, read for yourself — not because anyone else has told you to (including me).