Sanchez, Ria Joy M.

BSED English 3-A

Directions: Below are main reasons why we need to study literature. Choose three
(3) reasons to discuss by giving an example to illustrate further.

WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY LITERATURE?

Some people think that reading books is boring and a waste of their time. However, they do
not know that one book could change a person's life. Mostly, books encompass literary
masterpieces, which are sometimes adaptations of oral literature of a particular country.
These literary pieces might include powerful wisdom that one can reflect. Aside from it,
there are various reasons why we need to allocate time to studying literature, not just
locally but globally. Among those, I will discuss three reasons and give examples to explain
further.

Firstly, through studying literature, we become culturally literate. I can compare literature
to a window. The same to its function, literature allows us, readers, to view the world.
Regardless of the distance, race, color, and language, it does not hinder us from discovering
other cultures, traditions, beliefs, and religions. An example of this is "Book of the Dead." It
is the ancient Egyptian collection of mortuary texts made up of spells or magic formulas.
This book is placed in tombs and believed to protect and aid the deceased in the hereafter.
Many contemporary writers translated and made different versions of it. In this book, it
gives us the blueprint of how Egyptians bury their Pharaohs. They have unique beliefs and
ways of doing the process. Even though we have not gone to Egypt yet, it already allows us
to become literate about their culture. Also, it gives readers a pathway to new experiences.
In the future, if one is planning to travel around Egypt, he/she will be less likely to be
culture-shocked.

Secondly, we can gain wisdom by studying literature. Literature is powerful. It provides

knowledge, especially moral values. Sometimes, the wisdom we gain from a written
masterpiece tends to change our perception of how we see the world. We somehow realize
that not all the things we thought right are right. Personally, it is okay to unlearn some
things that you thought were good before. That is why studying literature opens us to
different opinions, ideas, and perceptions. In that way, we can grasp wisdom from people
around the world. The poem entitled "To my dear and loving husband" by Anne Bradstreet
is an example of this. This poem is composed driven by the intimate love of Mrs. Bradstreet
to her husband. After reading this poem, I have this realization that expressing love has no
gender. Regardless if you're married or not, it's okay to express emotions as long as you
know how to handle them properly. Since then, my parents and even my grandparents told
me that a woman should wait for a man to confess his feelings first. They explain to me that
it is the appropriate way. However, after I read this, there's a debate of ideas inside my
mind. For me, men also deserved to receive some sweet confessions, love letters and to feel
special. See how influential literature is in our lives, with the wisdom that we can take out
from it can reform the conception that we opt to believe.

Thirdly, to experience the world's past and present. Literature has many purposes and
opens doors to unique worlds. Through literature, we discover ourselves and the world in a
different time. It also enables us to face the reality of the present. Besides, when we read, it
allows us to transport to a particular event in the past. The poem entitled " Africa" by
David Diop is an example of this. As we go along with his masterpiece, we can teleport to
the past events during the colonization of Africa. Every word that he used goes through
your heart and soul. While reading, it feels like you are experiencing their struggle also.

In conclusion, we need to study literature. It opens us to various doors of opportunities in

improving ourselves and to how we perceived the world.