Literature is not just writing, it has the power to change our lives. This article explores how literature affects us and the deep meaning we find in it.
My mother once asked me, “What’s the point of studying literature if you can’t use it in your life?” I’m only now giving you a belated answer. Literature is not a shortcut to power, and in that sense it is not something you can use. But ironically, literature uses the fact that it cannot be used. We cannot save a single hungry person or make a fortune by writing literature. But that is precisely why literature does not oppress people. What is useful to people generally oppresses them because it is useful. Think of the frustration of being deprived of something useful. But literature does not oppress people because it is not useful.
Literature is not oppressive, so the stage of its primordial feeling is accompanied by pleasure. Even now I can hear my mother’s voice from my childhood. On winter nights, my mother would serve me sweet potatoes, persimmons, or even radishes, and in a soft voice she would tell me the story of Abel and Cain, and the story of one of her relatives who was punished for stealing, until I fell asleep. I vividly remember the fear and pain I felt at that time. But how much I enjoyed the pleasure that my mother’s soft voice gave me under that pain and suffering! How amazing and delightful was the imagination that this voice evoked! In that pleasure we feel a sense of fear of what we shouldn’t do and a sense of obligation of what we should do. It is a commitment, not an oppression. Joy is the primal reflection and enlightenment that it awakens.
My mother’s stories were not just old stories. They were a time to learn about morality and ethics and to let the imagination run free. They were precious moments that went beyond simple pleasure and helped me realize the truth of life. These memories have accumulated to form my literary sensibility.
This pleasure that literature provides has a meaning that goes beyond simple enjoyment. Literature allows readers to see the world in a new light and to discover truths and beauties that are easily overlooked in everyday life. In the process, readers come face to face with their innermost feelings and find common ground with others. Literature narrows the distance between people and enriches human relationships through this emotional connection.
Literature allows us to look at the many emotions and events we encounter in our daily lives from a new perspective. For example, literature captures the nuances of emotions that we tend to overlook in everyday conversations and the complexities of social issues. This allows readers to gain new insights and experience a deeper understanding that they may not have considered before.
Literature that does not oppress shows that everything that oppresses has a negative effect on people. Since literature advocates the oppression of people, it cannot show a clear way. Through literature, people can understand the nature of oppression and the oppressed and realize its negative power. A sad poem awakens the reader to the reality of oppression and misery. We feel pain when the protagonist in a novel who seeks true value is defeated in the end. When we share this pain, we can see the absurdity of the world that oppresses us, and we realize that human beings must live freely and happily. That is why we think painfully about happiness.
Literature is not merely entertainment. It reflects the society in which we live, and serves to denounce the absurdities and inequalities that exist in it. Literature is a mirror of society, and in this mirror we can reflect on ourselves and dream of a better future.
Literature cannot save a hungry beggar. But literature makes the existence of that hungry beggar a scandal. And so, in the end, it leads to human happiness. It is painful to think about happiness in times of suffering and hardship. But as the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said, human beings are born to breathe happily. How can we give up breathing well? I cannot give up literature.
Literature also has the power to record history and predict the future. From ancient epics to modern novels, literature has shaped the history of mankind and played an important role in understanding our present. Literature is a mirror of the times in which we can discover ourselves and imagine our future. This power of literature goes beyond individual stories to encompass the stories of humanity as a whole.
Literature gives us the meaning of life, makes us realize the truth of the world, and enables us to reflect deeply on the nature of man. Through literature, we can better understand human emotions and strive to become better people. Therefore, I cannot give up literature, and I will continue to explore myself and the world through literature.
Literature not only records the stories of the past, but also teaches us lessons and provides guidance for the future. We can experience various aspects of life through literary works, which can enrich our lives. Literature gives us freedom of thought, allows us to expand our imagination, and ultimately makes us dream of a better world.
Therefore, literature has more meaning than just writing. Literature gives us the meaning of life, makes us realize the truth of the world, and enables us to reflect deeply on the nature of man. Therefore, I cannot give up literature, and I will continue to explore myself and the world through literature.
