Nina Patricia G.

Morales

Professor John Paolo V. Sandicho

ENG 11 WFU1

17 May 2019

Literature and Its Two Stages

Throughout the years, many have tried to define literature. For some, literature is any body

of text that displays excellence in form and style (Karnik et al 1). For others, the definition is reliant

on how someone decides to read rather than the nature of what is written (Eagleton 7). With its

shifting definition, literature is dynamic. If there is anything constant in its evolution, it is that

literature entails a two-stage activity: writers first process realities into bodies of text, then

readers unleash the transformative power of the text when they digest the content.

With this activity, there exists a symbiotic relationship between the writer and his society:

society both influences and is influenced by its writers (O’Flinn 604). The author draws inspiration

from society and writes for its members. Meanwhile, society serves as the readers and responders,

processing the text and allowing it to influence their actions. Essentially, literature cannot work

without society, and society cannot evolve without literature. To shed light on this relationship

between literature and society, the two-stage activity will be broken down.

FIRST STAGE: Processing Realities into Bodies of Text

“Literature is a reflection of society.” Across numerous sources on the relationship between

literature and society, this statement reveals itself in different forms. Albrecht is exhaustive, saying

that “literature has been thought to reflect economics, family relationships, climates and
landscapes, attitudes, morals, races, social classes, political events, wars, religion, and many more

aspects of environment and social life” (426). In a more poetic way, Lopez declares that “[writers]

voice the grievances as well as the aspirations of a nation; they document its achievements; they

treasure for posterity the worthwhile efforts of man” (17). Meanwhile Karnik et al. state it plainly,

“literature is something that reflects society… it can be didactic, and it reflects ‘the human

condition’” (2).

While all these statements hold true, the term “reflect” does not seem to do justice to the

work of an author. Albrecht presents another perspective, pointing out that “literature may present

interpretative frames of reference…which have their counterpart in real life attitudes” (427). This

implies that authors do not merely mirror the events of society, they interpret realities. For

literature to develop and stand the test of time, writers must not only record, but also process human

experience. They must speak in a voice that is ribbed with criticism, protest and challenge (Lopez

13). The author goes beyond merely recording the many aspects of life— he transforms the

information by exercising his creativity and imbuing the text with purpose. Realities that are

processed this way become the most poignant and effective subjects of literature.

Take for example Bobis’ “Fish-Hair Woman,” a tale revolving around a gifted Filipina

who uses her hair to fish out dead bodies from their river in Iraya. Through magic realism, Bobis

is able to capture the horrors of the Philippine government’s war against communist insurgency.

In Ozick’s story “The Shawl,” a baby finds comfort in a piece of fabric worn by her mother during

times of trial. In dissecting the tale, the reader is faced with the harsh reality of Jews in

concentration camp under the Nazi regime. Read the short story “Amnesty,” and Dalisay helps

you understand the political climate during Philippine martial law in a span of a single bus ride.
 What is common among these stories is that underneath the beautiful language used, there

is a significant reality portrayed. When the authors’ creativity is disentangled from the content,

truths are revealed. Bobis, Ozick, and Dalisay have successfully processed the events of history—

creatively transforming facts of war and human hardship into original stories ribbed with criticism,

protest, and challenge. These literary examples prove that the first stage of literature goes beyond

mirroring the events of society. Authors are tasked with processing realities into novel ideas that

will endure and affect its readers— which brings us to the second stage of literature.

SECOND STAGE: Unleashing the Transformative Power of the Text

For the second stage of literature, the focus is on the reader. Authors have done their part

during the first stage by imbuing their literary works with purpose. It is now time for the readers

to unleash that purpose. According to Clapp, “the contribution of literature rises out of its character

as a medium employing words... and this medium is not merely unique but essential” (40). Clapp

emphasizes how words greatly affect the way the audience consumes the content; words have

social force, and on top of that, there are numerous possibilities in which they can be used (40).

That is why literature, a body of carefully selected words, carries power; it affects readers in

multiple complex ways.

For instance, Albrecht believes that literature can reconcile intergroup conflict, and even

contribute to social mobility, an important cultural value in society (433). According to Karnik et

al., literature can shape an individual’s ideologies. These ideologies then bring about individual

motivation, action, and engagement. Throughout history, this chain of effects has shaped

civilizations, changed political systems, and exposed injustice— proving the transformative power

of reading and understanding literature (2).

 Perhaps the most thorough description of the impact of literature is this: “Literature… may

reveal to an individual a wide variety of patterns and behavior which he may accept or reject. In

either case, his awareness of the range of possibilities, the degree of freedom for action, would be

increased, the areas of significant meanings enlarged, and his horizon expanded.” (Albrecht 433)

Truly, there lies the beauty of literature— whether it supports or opposes the reader’s views,

literature has the capacity to influence and liberate. That is why literature cannot be defined solely

by the first stage. Literature will not achieve its purpose if it only exists within the bounds of

authors after they have processed realities into a medium of words. For a work to be considered

true literature, it must be passed on to an audience. It must be read. It is only through this second

stage that a text’s transformative power is unleashed— a power so strong that it molds the

consciousness of men. According to Lopez, reading literature brings about material change as it

acts upon the minds of men, “enabling them to understand the mechanism of social change, and

infusing them with the determination to change the world” (15). To further understand this, it is

best to look at different aspects of society which have been molded by literature— such as

education, culture and identity, gender, and politics.

Education

Teachers play a significant role in the second stage of literature; they determine whether

the next generation becomes sufficiently preceptive to understand the impact of words (Turner

585). It is not only the task of schools to make children acquainted with literature, it must be their

chief duty to do so (Babcock 387). To demonstrate this, teachers in Oil City, Pennsylvania started

to introduce literature as early as first grade, asking children to read tales like Carroll’s "Alice in

Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass." Babcock claims, “to give a child insight into the

surprising power of English words to mean different things, probably no two books equal the
‘Alice Books’” (388). Later may follow works like Crusoe’s "Robinson Crusoe," Stowe’s "Uncle

Tom's Cabin," and Dickens’ “Little Nell.”

The effects on the children were fascinating. The teachers noticed the development of their

reconstructive imagination. Children also exhibited an increase of power in using the English

language, both to obtain thought and to express their own. After reading considerable literature,

students were found to excel in other subjects as well, such as history, language, geography, and

even arithmetic. However, the best result of reading literature by far was the “energizing and

spiritualizing of the child's whole nature and setting it in the right direction... He comes in contact

with the high and the true ideals of the race... He sees the splendor of devotion to duty, of the

passion for truth, of the love of parents, of patriotism, so present in literature as to impress him

more vividly than reality itself” (Babcock 388). Truly, once authors have the successfully

transformed realities in their stories, the effects of reading are manifold and necessary.

Gender

Aside from education, literature also affects society’s concept of gender. Authors continue

to blur or shift the boundaries between the spheres of gender (Elbert 1). This affects how readers

evaluate the relationships between men and women in the past, and how they perceive their roles

at present. A new school of feminists is trying to assign women to a less vulnerable and more

proactive role so that women’s story is not one of victimization (2). Today, tales of resistance and

redemption continue to emerge across all genres.

Take for example Alfon’s “Magnificence,” a story of quiet intensity. Alfon dignifies a

mother who takes control of her daughter’s sexual harassment experience. She strikes down the

perpetrator who cowers and runs out of fear— no story title is more befitting. Alfar introduces
another character with the same magnificence in the comedic story “How Rosang Taba Won a

Race.” Rosang Taba, who goes against every patriarchal criterion of what a woman should be,

victoriously outwits a high-ranking commander of the Spanish forces in a race.

It is through stories like these that gender studies have become increasingly more

multifaceted. Rather than inverting the patriarchal social order that marginalizes women and puts

men at the center of power, feminists seek to subvert it and discover an open both/and option that

sidesteps the center-margin oppositionality completely (Wrede 13). As a result, the shifting

boundaries of gender and genre reassign new roles to women as an active force in social and

political change (Elbert 3).

Culture and Identity

In the same way, literature has helped challenge, redefine or rediscover culture and identity.

For instance, Yang describes his personal spiritual journey in China and the US during the Cultural

Revolution, under which all forms of religion were banned (216). Chinese souls were trapped in

cages of modernism, Marxist-Taoist atheism, totalitarianism, and traditionalism (219). Novels

both reflective of the era and inspirational in “some eternally relevant spiritual dimensions” aided

many in their soul-searching journey. Yang claims that it was “in and through literature [that] some

souls [were able to] slip out of the cage and wander” (219).

Amy Tan also shares a similar experience regarding soul-searching. Tan is actually a part

of the first stage of literature— she is an author. It was though the new breed of Chinese writers

and artists like Tan that a new identity emerged among the Chinese in diaspora— the ethnically

proud (Wang 199). With stories such as “A Pair of Tickets,” Tan sheds light on characters like

Jing-mei who reconnects with her family and uncovers parts of her history that help define her
identity. Readers have not only reconceptualized the Chinese-American identity, they have started

to demand a rightful place in the US for all Chinese-Americans.

It is not only the Chinese who have been influenced by literary works. Filipinos can attest

to the transformative power of literature too. More and more local writers are producing content

to challenge Philippine culture. For instance, Bobis, once again, creatively depicts prevalent

realities of Filipinos in stories such as “Fruit Stall.” Bobis highlights the struggle for national

identity, especially for migrants who are constantly caught in between idealization and

disillusionment. Another example is Lumba’s “Darnation,” a piece of speculative fiction that seeks

to rewrite the story of Darna, the iconic heroine of the Philippines. By presenting different

approaches to defining national identity, Lumba exposes the politics of representation, which often

works in the favor of men. It is through pieces like these that Filipinos are prompted to reflect on

their sense of nationalism.

Politics

Aside from culture and identity, Philippine politics can also exemplify the impact of

literature. In fact, Jose Rizal, the country’s national hero, believes that the pen is mightier than the

sword. Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere,” the “first Filipino novel,” and “El Filibusterismo” remain as

the most important literary works produced by a Filipino writer (Testa-De Ocampo 496). Rizal’s

work played a crucial role in the political history of the Philippines. From a local viewpoint, “Noli

me Tangere” exposes the harsh conditions existing in the Philippines during colonization (Kennon

209). Rizal’s devastating critique of the society under Spanish rule animated the consciousness of

many in the past, inspiring Filipinos to gain their democracy after 333 years of oppression.
 Until this very day, Rizal’s novels continue to spark change. All schools, colleges, and

universities, public or private, are actually required to include these novels in their curricula in

accordance with the 1956 Rizal Law. His writings are considered a “constant and inspiring source

of patriotism for the youth” (Testa-De Ocampo 496).

* * *

These are only a few examples of the tangible effects of literature in society. Evidently, the

two stages of literature are of equal importance. It is through the first stage that realities are

creatively processed into a medium that endures the test of time. During the first stage, authors are

given the chance to command words and imbue text with purpose. However, that purpose cannot

be realized without the second stage. It is in the readers’ hands that literature takes effect, shaping

consciousness, challenging ideologies, and influencing change. It is through the second stage that

the transformative power of words is unleashed. Hence, as mentioned earlier, literature and society

benefit from each other. One cannot evolve without the other. Overall, literature cannot be defined

simply as a body of text that displays excellence in form and style, nor is it merely reliant on how

someone decides to read. Literature is the synthesis of both material and interpretation. It is the

marriage of the two stages. Ultimately, literature is a process— an activity— that yields results

beneficial to society.
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