Why Do We Need To Study World Literature?

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (Intramuros, Manila) WORLD LITERATURE

Importance of Literature By: Ed Mark L. Barrera

This essay will answer the questions “Why do we need to study world literature?” and “Why do education students need to study world literature?” Or at least give some insights about the question. Before I discuss the main topic, let me define the word ‘literature’ first. According to Fora dictionary, literature are published writings in a particular style on a particular subject. According to Merriam-Webster, literature are writings in prose or verse; especially writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest. According to Webster’s Universal, literature are the writings of a period or of a country, especially those valued by their excellence. History is one of the most important element of literature. Most of the literary pieces that we know today are based on some historical events. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl is one of the best example where we can see a piece of recorded history. The written diary of this young girl, while jailed inside the secret annex, is a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit. Knowing this fact, another question adds to the equation – “Why is it important to study history?” The answer is: we can learn something in the past. Most of these knowledge teaches us to face the future with power and great understanding. Vocabulary is another important element of literature and another reason why we should study literature. How many times did you stopped reading just to check in the dictionary the definition of a certain word? Or how many times did you reread a passage just to get the context clue to a word that you don’t understand? As a language teacher (I am taking BSE-Filipino), it is important to have a lot of knowledge in vocabulary whether it is in English or local language, Filipino. What will your student say if only a simple word stops you from reading the next lesson in class. The principal will probably tell you “For shame! For shame!” So, stopping during reading to check some definition does not hinder us from being a better teacher, but having a lack of knowledge in vocabulary do.

1 Ed Mark L. Barrera World Literature | Eng 22 | Dr. Erlinda Cayao

How many times have we ever dreamed of going to Europe, Paris, Vigan, Alaska? Or go into a trip riding in a locomotive, double-decker bus, Boeing 747 or even a hot air balloon? We can actually experience these things for free with the help of literature. As they say, “the best things in life are free!” Literature bring us around the world. It can also bring us in different worlds. I can still remember myself reading a novel by R.L. Stine, entitled “Goosebumps”. In the novel, I had a chance to go in the Himalayas! I even got a chance to talk to an alien. And in that story, I became the hero of the aliens! I also got a chance to go to a remote island and be a detective in the book “Secrets of Skull Island”. I became a zombie exterminator in “Married with Zombies” and “Flip this Zombie”. Who says reading can’t be fun? Studying literature or classic literature somehow teaches or gives us an idea of a certain culture where the said literature piece came from. Connecting this into being a future educator, we may sometimes handle students that has a different nationality and we should know how to handle some certain situations. Another thing, as Dr. Cayao said on the first day of class, the teacher isn’t just a teacher inside the classroom. I remember Dr. Cayao sharing us some stories about her going out of town or going outside the country to share some insights to our friends. Well, someday, that could also be me. So I better prepare myself in facing them. I don’t want to be the headline of a local newspaper “LICENSE TAKEN FROM A RUDE GUEST PROFESSOR.” What is the common denominator in the given definitions of literature above? The word ‘excellence’. And an excellent literary piece can teach us many lessons in life that will make us a better person. To site an example, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, written by Dr. Jose P. Rizal, taught us how to love, to be courage, to have a hope, to love your country. On every story we read, a new lesson can be learned. Why did the protagonist fought even though he knows he will die? Why did his friend sacrificed himself? Why did his mother always prepare him a breakfast? Just to name a few common lessons that we can find. I hope that in my own simple way, I answered the given question. Or at least gave enough insights to answer the question. These are the things I know about literature. I want to learn more. And learning more is what I expect from this course. By the end of this course, I hope that I would be able to love English and Classical literature as much as I had loved the Filipino literatures.

2 Ed Mark L. Barrera World Literature | Eng 22 | Dr. Erlinda Cayao