What is Literature? Literature is a broad topic that no one definition can sufficiently define. Although each individual may have his own definition of literature, the definition should be within the “ballpark,”or the realm of reason, and be supported by reasonable evidence. By inspecting different pieces of writing, one will be able to gather adequate support for the definition of literature. Literature can be defined as different forms of writing with notable qualities, consisting of an impact on the audience, adroit use of the resource of language, and the style used by the author which appeal to the reader.
Literature can be found in many different forms, such as poems, novels, diaries and letters. The literature will have an impact on its audiences regardless of which form it is in. One literary work that had an enormous impact on its audience is Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” Not only was this one of the most significant documents in the Civil Rights movement, but was also one of the most well-written, most powerful and most persuasive pieces of writing. “The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse-and-buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter”(King 14).
This vivid comparison reflects the innate talent for writing possessed by Dr. King as well as his strong idea. By reinforcing his statement using powerful and persuasive words, Dr. King’s “The Letter From Birmingham Jail” has become a memorable piece of literature.
The Term Paper on Writing a Letter of Recommendation
Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty, second edition © 2006 by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Burroughs Wellcome Fund All rights reserved. “Writing a Letter of Recommendation”: Electronic addendum published 2009 Writer: Laura Bonetta, Ph. D. Production: Martine Bernard Design Permission to use, copy, and distribute this ...
Use of the resource of language is another aspect that helps to define literature. Resources of language are components of the language such as syntax, structure, figures of speech and juxtaposition. “Cotton Candy On A Rainy Day” by Nikki Giovanni is a poem that adroit use the resource of language. “If loneliness were a grape, the wine would be vintage”(Giovanni 22), Nikki Giovanni compares a grape to loneliness by using a metaphor. This is just one example of a resource of language and it is used to convey meaning and effect.
The third aspect of defining literature is the style used by the author which appeals to the reader. Every author has his own style of writing, but one will find Raymond Carver’s style will be most appealing to the reader in his “The Third Thing That Killed My Father Off.” “I’ll tell you about what did my father in. The third thing was Dummy, that Dummy died”(Carver 73), Raymond Carver focuses the story on the third thing instead of focusing on all three things that kill narrator’s father. This is not the style of all the literary work, but this is an example how an author transforms a normal piece of writing to a more appealing one.
By reading examples of literature, one can easily form a definition of literature. Literature is a very complicated word to define without providing examples from literary work. All three of the selections by King, Giovanni, and Carver are different forms of literature, but they all and many other pieces of writing consist of creating an impact on the audience, use of resource of language, and the style use by the author in which it will appeal to the reader. All of these components will provide a clear definition of what literature is.
