Literature is a way of expression through a collection of works that includes culture, emotions, and many more. But how does it change our lives, and in what aspect? The consumption of literature can be done through various platforms, but the result remains that it aids in the process of how we express ourselves and how we could reflect on our actions and thoughts, or, in other words, how we could reflect on what makes us a person and our understanding of stereotypes and the world around us. The impact that it has on our lives is undeniable, as it not only acts as an art form but also as a device that holds culture, history, events, and many more. It is proof of mankind’s existence, alongside the many artefacts that have made an influential mark as testaments to our journey through time.
Impact on Culture
The existence of culture and history in literature has always been prevalent. The context in which they exist plays a large role in the main plot or content itself. We get to experience it through the eyes of the speaker or the narrator who observes firsthand, especially those from an omniscient point of view about the experience, the five senses, and many more. We are to witness the cultural representation or a depiction of it, whether purely accurate or by traces of influences. But how does it affect our perception and shape our lives? We learn while reading, and we also reach out further to be informed about the context of the culture and to discern facts from fiction, which simultaneously is an observation of the writer’s perception of said culture and their intentions when portraying it. The idea of being informed itself is making us aware of information we didn't know prior or expanding on knowledge we already have to further understand the context.
Within a community, literature enhances and acts as a record-keeping device that ensures the preservation of culture as well as tradition through stories, poems, and other forms of art. Being passed down orally or through physical copies, these existences transcend time and generations, providing an insight into a certain event or the culture as a whole. A culture of our own or another, consuming the literature, will be revelatory in nature.
Impact on Personal Growth
Knowledge is power. As we ponder the information we received, we tend to question our existence, thoughts, and actions. The challenges that we face make us question the situation that we are in and how we got there. The different perspectives will potentially lead to a shift in understanding for us and enable us to identify any problems within or involving others, and the understanding that we develop also makes us gentler towards the different circumstances in life, especially for those who are suffering emotionally and physically.
We question our morality and how to fulfil our moral obligations while maintaining the judgement that we have decided upon based on personal thoughts that are influenced by emotions as well as the reactions from the literature that we have consumed. These acts of self-reflection will involve the development of our personal growth, where we learn about who we are, what we want, and who we want to become. The personal thoughts of the narrator or the characters make us grow as we reflect, and in turn, we gain the power to transform ourselves to our best potential. How the characters or words interact with each other and their actions are all done with intentions by both the writer and the characters themselves. Wan Jemima Binti Wan Shaiful Bahri, a final-year student from the Bachelors in English Language and Literature Studies (BELS), states how literature can be a source of inspiration. As she puts it,
“There are all kinds of genres for us to choose from, but one thing we can find in every work is a line of thought we can adopt from the author, or, in other words, the morals. But not just any morals like the ones we learn in school, but something deeper that can resonate with only us when we read it. It's inspiring; it changes our lives for the better or worse if we choose to let it.”
Our duty as readers is to decipher what the intentions are in order to understand the story or meaning as a whole. The process thus contributes to the development of our ability to understand ourselves and others in order to grow as people. Mistakes and errors are inevitable, but they serve as a stepping stone for success in any aspect that benefits us. On the path of self-improvement and development, literature thus facilitates the process of personal growth.
Impact on Critical Thinking
Consuming literature goes hand in hand with heightening our awareness. The amount of information gathered from extensive reading and identifying key concepts and theories enables us to apply it not only in literature itself but in real-life contexts as well, especially those concerning social issues. The gathered information assists in our critical thinking, which allows us to view our decisions beyond just wants and needs. Beyond the analysis of meaning and issues in the chosen literature, what also lies ahead are the syntax, semantics, and pragmatic concepts that test our eye on details that are not exactly noticeable at first glance.
The various elements of what makes literature complex instill the idea of hyperawareness, which makes us view the world through a lens that has been trained to identify any significant elements. Another final-year student from BELS, Ariani Soraya Binti Saiful Suhairi, views literature as ‘a house full of secrets’, and gave her input on how it could impact us positively, especially in the aspect of awareness. She states,:
“There is nothing you can't find in literature, and this impacts one positively, making you aware of everything and nothing at the same time, which I think is a crucial thing we all must have because, in order for humans to find balance in themselves, you must have the ability to seek and ask, yet at the same time, you need to sit and observe as well as strip ourselves bare. Only through this can you understand yourself and others and get a better grasp of emotions and conflicts.”
Media, in particular, has established itself as a platform that effectively portrays layers of issues, symbolism, and concepts. The ability to dissect information and identify important details by removing those layers of meaning then becomes possible when critical thinking abilities are well developed and applied.
Literature has accompanied us throughout time. As a form of art and expression, it has stood as a platform for us to express ourselves and represent a certain component that could act as a symbol for others to discover and decipher. Studying and understanding literature can make a difference in our lives because we have the opportunity to view the world through the eyes of others—the characters, the writers, as well as the narrator. The different viewpoints present us with a window for us to witness the different cultures, mindsets, environments, and many more. The possibilities are endless, as literature paves the way for us to become a better version of ourselves and enables us to express ourselves in a manner where oceans of creativity could never compare. As a result, consuming literature stimulates your creative spirit and draws attention to what really matters to yourself and to others around you.
Literature is a way of expression through a collection of works that includes culture, emotions, and many more. But how does it change our lives, and in what aspect? The consumption of literature can be done through various platforms, but the result remains that it aids in the process of how we express ourselves and how we could reflect on our actions and thoughts, or, in other words, how we could reflect on what makes us a person and our understanding of stereotypes and the world around us. The impact that it has on our lives is undeniable, as it not only acts as an art form but also as a device that holds culture, history, events, and many more. It is proof of mankind’s existence, alongside the many artefacts that have made an influential mark as testaments to our journey through time.
Impact on Culture
The existence of culture and history in literature has always been prevalent. The context in which they exist plays a large role in the main plot or content itself. We get to experience it through the eyes of the speaker or the narrator who observes firsthand, especially those from an omniscient point of view about the experience, the five senses, and many more. We are to witness the cultural representation or a depiction of it, whether purely accurate or by traces of influences. But how does it affect our perception and shape our lives? We learn while reading, and we also reach out further to be informed about the context of the culture and to discern facts from fiction, which simultaneously is an observation of the writer’s perception of said culture and their intentions when portraying it. The idea of being informed itself is making us aware of information we didn't know prior or expanding on knowledge we already have to further understand the context.
Within a community, literature enhances and acts as a record-keeping device that ensures the preservation of culture as well as tradition through stories, poems, and other forms of art. Being passed down orally or through physical copies, these existences transcend time and generations, providing an insight into a certain event or the culture as a whole. A culture of our own or another, consuming the literature, will be revelatory in nature.
Impact on Personal Growth
Knowledge is power. As we ponder the information we received, we tend to question our existence, thoughts, and actions. The challenges that we face make us question the situation that we are in and how we got there. The different perspectives will potentially lead to a shift in understanding for us and enable us to identify any problems within or involving others, and the understanding that we develop also makes us gentler towards the different circumstances in life, especially for those who are suffering emotionally and physically.
We question our morality and how to fulfil our moral obligations while maintaining the judgement that we have decided upon based on personal thoughts that are influenced by emotions as well as the reactions from the literature that we have consumed. These acts of self-reflection will involve the development of our personal growth, where we learn about who we are, what we want, and who we want to become. The personal thoughts of the narrator or the characters make us grow as we reflect, and in turn, we gain the power to transform ourselves to our best potential. How the characters or words interact with each other and their actions are all done with intentions by both the writer and the characters themselves. Wan Jemima Binti Wan Shaiful Bahri, a final-year student from the Bachelors in English Language and Literature Studies (BELS), states how literature can be a source of inspiration. As she puts it,
“There are all kinds of genres for us to choose from, but one thing we can find in every work is a line of thought we can adopt from the author, or, in other words, the morals. But not just any morals like the ones we learn in school, but something deeper that can resonate with only us when we read it. It's inspiring; it changes our lives for the better or worse if we choose to let it.”
Our duty as readers is to decipher what the intentions are in order to understand the story or meaning as a whole. The process thus contributes to the development of our ability to understand ourselves and others in order to grow as people. Mistakes and errors are inevitable, but they serve as a stepping stone for success in any aspect that benefits us. On the path of self-improvement and development, literature thus facilitates the process of personal growth.
Impact on Critical Thinking
Consuming literature goes hand in hand with heightening our awareness. The amount of information gathered from extensive reading and identifying key concepts and theories enables us to apply it not only in literature itself but in real-life contexts as well, especially those concerning social issues. The gathered information assists in our critical thinking, which allows us to view our decisions beyond just wants and needs. Beyond the analysis of meaning and issues in the chosen literature, what also lies ahead are the syntax, semantics, and pragmatic concepts that test our eye on details that are not exactly noticeable at first glance.
The various elements of what makes literature complex instill the idea of hyperawareness, which makes us view the world through a lens that has been trained to identify any significant elements. Another final-year student from BELS, Ariani Soraya Binti Saiful Suhairi, views literature as ‘a house full of secrets’, and gave her input on how it could impact us positively, especially in the aspect of awareness. She states,:
“There is nothing you can't find in literature, and this impacts one positively, making you aware of everything and nothing at the same time, which I think is a crucial thing we all must have because, in order for humans to find balance in themselves, you must have the ability to seek and ask, yet at the same time, you need to sit and observe as well as strip ourselves bare. Only through this can you understand yourself and others and get a better grasp of emotions and conflicts.”
Media, in particular, has established itself as a platform that effectively portrays layers of issues, symbolism, and concepts. The ability to dissect information and identify important details by removing those layers of meaning then becomes possible when critical thinking abilities are well developed and applied.
Literature has accompanied us throughout time. As a form of art and expression, it has stood as a platform for us to express ourselves and represent a certain component that could act as a symbol for others to discover and decipher. Studying and understanding literature can make a difference in our lives because we have the opportunity to view the world through the eyes of others—the characters, the writers, as well as the narrator. The different viewpoints present us with a window for us to witness the different cultures, mindsets, environments, and many more. The possibilities are endless, as literature paves the way for us to become a better version of ourselves and enables us to express ourselves in a manner where oceans of creativity could never compare. As a result, consuming literature stimulates your creative spirit and draws attention to what really matters to yourself and to others around you.