Essential Question

—Why does literature improve society? (literary and societal)

IMPORTANT DETAILS

—As Sophie Austin states in the article, “The Importance of Literature in Modern Society,” books mirror and reflect society. Because of that, they allow us to understand our world better (Austin 10).

—Additionally, they allow us to better understand other people’s point of view (Austin 14).

—Through literature, we can see the world in a different light. We are exposed to different themes and ideas we would not have noticed ourselves. By studying these themes, we can work towards improving our own thoughts and behavior, and the thoughts and behavior of the people around us.

IMPORTANT DETAILS

—Literature has the ability to change a person’s thoughts, which unknowingly changes their actions (Moledina 2).

—Without even meaning to, our mind unknowingly accepts the lessons we learn from the books we read. Because of that, we make decisions that are based off of what we learned. All this can happen without our knowing. Therefore if the books we read are filled with true themes about society, we can improve the world around us.

IMPORTANT DETAILS

—As Roy Devjani says in the article, “Grappling with Ignorance: Frameworks from Decision Theory, Lessons from Literature,” books allow us to “get inside the heads of the characters” and truly “experience the world as they do” (Devjani 27).

—By getting fully engaged in the books we read, we can learn about society from the way the characters in the book experience it. They can take us down a road where we learn new ideas and see different themes within our world. We can get a different point of view by connecting with the characters.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

—As Ahlaam Moledina states in the article, “Does Literature Change Anything?,” “Literature has, for centuries, acted as a reflective tool” and leads people to “question the scope of fundamental truth” (Moledina 2).

—Literature allows us to examine ourselves and society by reflecting themes within society. Once we recognize our faults, we can work towards improving them.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

—Additionally, many novels in the late 1900s to early 2000s caused mixed reactions among readers, which eventually led to reforms (Moledina 4).

—The fact that literature caused reforms demonstrates how it can affect us, and help us change society for the better. This can only occur if we take what we read seriously, ponder on what action we can take, and reassure ourselves that not being the same as others is alright.

RESONANCE

—In the novel, “The Great Gatsby” author F. Scott Fitzgerald uses several themes to attempt to caution his readers about the dangers of wealth:

—People hid behind their wealth in the 1920s (Fitzgerald 179).
—People were obsessed with the American Dream (Fitzgerald 98).
—“He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them...shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel...he brought more and the soft rich heap mounted higher” (Fitzgerald 92).

—From these themes, we can learn to be morally strong, and make the right decisions even when it is hard. We can realize that the image we portray to others does not need to be fancy or better than who we actually are. We should show people our true identity, and not worry about impressing them.

CONTINUED IMPACT

—As Sophie Austin says, “Literature...reiterates the need to understand modern day issues” (Austin 12).

—It gives us different points of view and allows us to see the world in a different light. We can truly understand the themes of society from studying literature.

CONTINUED IMPACT

—Ahlaam Moledina says, “Literature creates an emphatic link between reader, writer, characters, and ideas...broadening views and forming awareness of different sides” (Moledina).

—This quote hardly needs explaining! From reading literature we can form different views about the world, and learn about what is happening around us.

CONTINUED IMPACT

—Literature allows our minds to relax, and therefore allow us to make better, clearer decisions (Devjani 26).

—When we read, our mind is able to relax. Ultimately this can make us better able to make educated decisions.