IMPORTANCE/RELEVANCE/ SIGNIFICANCE OF LITERATURE

It is through reading such great literary and poetic works, that one understands life. They help a person take a closer look at the different facets of life. In many ways, it can change one's perspective towards life. Lives of brilliant achievers and individuals who have made a valuable contribution to society, are sketched in their biographies. These works give the readers an insight into the lives of these eminent people, while also serving as a bible of ideals. Literature, especially classic literature, gives people a greater appreciation for history in a non-historical way. Themes of everyday life remain the same even though times are certain to change. Reading a work of fiction written one hundred or more years ago and being able to visualize and understand the events gives the reader a special connection to time periods past. Readers can also look at what is happening in these works and identify how certain things would be different or similar in the context of today. Literature reflects the culture of a nation. It can serve as a tool to express a feeling and emotion. Literature provides a common knowledge that allows people to talk, share information and experiences. The importance of knowing the indigenous forms of Philippine literature is to gain more knowledge about our own country. Its aim in general is to announce and flaunt one's culture. As stated in the quotation by C.S. Lewis, literature not only describes reality but also adds to it. Yes ,literature is not merely a depiction of reality; it is rather a value-addition. Literary works are portrayals of the thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in society. They are a depiction of the different facets of common man's life. Classical literary works serve as a food for thought and a tonic for imagination and creativity. Exposing an individual to good literary works, is equivalent to providing him/her with the finest of educational opportunities. On the other hand, the lack of exposure to classic literary works is equal to depriving an individual from an opportunity to grow as an individual. Literature serves as an enormous information base. Research works by famous inventors and literary works by notable scientists often narrate stories of their ground breaking discoveries and inferences. On going developments in the fields of science and technology are documented so that the world can know about them. Several ancient scriptures relating stories of human evolution and narratives of human life in the those times, have been of tremendous help to mankind. Thus, literature has always served as an authentic source of information from all around the world. To express human behaviour in all its form whether it be Love, Hate, Betrayaland so forth. Literature is people's comments on society, emotion and so many different topics that determine our everyday lives. We are either inspired or dismayed after reading a novel. Literature has more effect on people that any form of written words. It can cause controversy or create a universal love for the issue if executed correctly. As aesthetic Validation. Literature is a form of art;it is capable of bringing about differing emotions and a general sense of "spiritual" well-being. Poets William Wordsworth and Percy Shelley write about this power of poetry in "Preface to the Lyrical Ballads" and "A Defense of Poetry," respectively. The study of literature allows people to develop new ideas & ethical stand points & can help individual to present themselves as educated members of society. Studying literature can be an enriching, eye-opening experience

Literature represents a language or a people:culture and tradition. But, literature is more important than just a historical or cultural artifact. Literature introduces us to new worlds of experience. We learn about books and literature; we enjoy the comedies and the tragedies of poems, stories, and plays; and we may even grow and evolve through our literary journey with books. Ultimately, we may discover meaning in literature by looking at what the author says and how he/she says it. We may interpret the author's message. In academic circles, this decoding of the text is often carried out through the use of literary theory, using a mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or other approach. Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze literature, there is still an artistic quality to the works. Literature is important to us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us. Even when it is ugly, literature is beautiful. literature gives us the ability to cope with life because of the understanding of human nature. This new perception of life and people adds a new dimension to our lives in the form of greater sensitivity and awareness, refinement of feelings, lofty ideals, nobility of purpose and added culture.

General characteristics/qualities/standards of literature

Artistic. The first significant thing is the essentially artistic quality of all literature. All art is the expression of life in forms of truth and beauty; or rather, it is the reflection of some truth and beauty which are in the world, but which remain unnoticed until brought to our attention by some sensitive human soul, just as the delicate curves of the shell reflect sounds and harmonies too faint to be otherwise noticed. This refers to a the unique way an author sees life, forms his ideas and expresses them through the use of techniques and devices. So in literature, which is the art that expresses life in words that appeal to our own sense of the beautiful, we have many writers but few artists. In the broadest sense, perhaps, literature means simply the written records of the race, including all its history and sciences, as well as its poems and novels; in the narrower sense literature is the artistic record of life, and most of our writing is excluded from it, just as the mass of our buildings, mere shelters from storm and from cold, are excluded from architecture. Timelessness. Good piece of literature can be enjoyed by readers from generation to generation. That is timelessness. FOR EXAMPLE: Shakepeare's works are enjoyed as much today as they were when they were first written, hundreds of years ago. But why? How did he do it? Well, by carefully choosing his theme is one way. A theme is the underlying meaning of a piece of literature. It usually includes an observation about life. It could be the moral of the story, a teaching or an observation of human experience. Suggestiveness. Its appeal to our emotions and imagination rather than to our intellect. It is not so much what it says as what it awakens in us that constitutes its charm. When Milton makes Satan say, "Myself am Hell," he does not state any fact, but rather opens up in these three tremendous words a whole world of speculation and imagination. When Faustus in the presence of Helen asks, "Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?" he does not state a fact or expect an answer. He opens a door through which our imagination enters a new world, a world of music, love, beauty, heroism,--the whole splendid world of Greek literature. Such magic is in words. Permanence. The world does not live by bread alone. Notwithstanding its hurry and bustle and apparent absorption in material things, it does not willingly let any beautiful thing perish. This is even more true of its songs than of its painting and sculpture; though permanence is a quality we should hardly expect in the present deluge of books and magazines pouring day and night from our presses in the name of literature. But this problem of too many books is not modern, as we suppose. But literature is like a river in flood, which gradually purifies itself in

two ways,--the mud settles to the bottom, and the scum rises to the top. When we examine the writings that by common consent constitute our literature, the clear stream purified of its dross, we find at least two more qualities, which we call the tests of literature, and which determine its permanence. Originality. The quality of literary originality does not mean that all literaqy types originated from greece. The drama had been produced by the egyptians and narrativd poetry hand been cultivated in india, but the greek mind had the supreme power of modifying and improving all that it touched. spiritual value. literature elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which make us better persons. the capacity to inspire us part of the spiritual value of literature. intellectual value. a literary work stimulates thought. it enriches our mental life by making us realize fundamental truths about life and human nature. university. great literature is timeless and timely. forever relevant, it appeals to one and all, anytime, anywhere because it deals with elemental feelings, fundamental truths, and universal conditions.