What Is Literature? Essay Example

What is Literature? Why the special vocabulary? What does interpretation have to do with literature? What can be gained by vocabulary and interpretation in literature?

Literature is noted as the collection of different written verbal art that express the thoughts and opinions of the writers through words. Each writer has his own style in presenting the ideas he has in his mind. Some writers are more direct compared to others who would rather choose using figures of speech to help their readers understand the message that they hope to pass on. Usually, writers make it a point that they do not only pass on their thoughts but also that of their emotions and their very being in each worded art that they create.

However, because each person is unique and develops a distinct understanding of the different issues in life, every reader has his own interpretation of a particular work. This element then defines the value that a specific literary work has on a particular group of individuals compared to others who may have a different understanding of the overall message that the same literary work. Usually, interpretation of literary works is based on human experience, culture, tradition and background understanding of life. Basing from the vocabulary used by the writer, the audience also is able to find out more about the writer; this way, the writer tends to show or share a part of himself to his readers. This is why literature is considered as a distinct process of communication that is dedicated to the masses with which the entire population of the human society could actually relate to. This is what makes literature a valuable art that is made up through the connection of vocabulary and interpretation between the creators and the audiences to whom the messages of each work are dedicated to.

What is the tone of this passage? How is personification and metaphor used to create a tone? What do you make of the last sentence?  

The selection follows a declarative tone where the narrator tries to tell a story through describing the different elements that make up the main message of the piece. The writer specifically intended to bring the audience into the setting. The narration is not used to simply provide an indication of what was happening, it was used to bring about a sense of involvement on the part of the readers that as they read through each line, they would be able to feel as if they are a part of the story itself. Doing so made such narrative more reflective of the community as it represents the actual communities that the readers might actually know of.

Firstly, the writer tried to represent North Richmond Street to be a personification of what the community is. Saying that it is ‘blind’ implicates that the community was rather specifically concerned about other things than that of the one that the narrator specifically presents. The narrator also utilizes personification when she presents the Christian Brothers’ School as the one to set the boys free. Relatively, the narrator presents the institution as a distinct organization that puts about a sense of ‘peace’ or ‘quietness’ in the community.

The last sentence where mentions, “he had been a very charitable priest; in his will he had left all his money to institutions and the furniture of his house to his sister”; denotes a distinct irony on how the term ‘charitable’ defines the character of the priest. While he did give his wealth to the charity to support their needs, it could be interpreted as somewhat hypocritical as he specifically gave almost nothing but his furniture to his sister, the one person who is actually related to him compared to those who are being supported by the charity. Relatively, the narrator wants to point out how social perception works on the way the community sees a particular good work from an unethical movement.