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Post by Eternal Lobster on Jun 7, 2011 20:21:03 GMT -5
I am super tired from work, so none of this may make sense. Ye are forewarned.
My definition: written work with artistic value. Art's value, as Dodger said, is based upon the viewer. So it all depends upon the reader. What may be literature to some may be garbage to others. As someone who works in a library, I hear all sorts of opinions from people about what they are reading. Many people may enjoy Dan Brown's work while the more "hardcore" readers can nitpick it to pieces. The people who enjoy The DaVinci Code tend to be those who aren't super well read, but to them and the canon of written work they have read, it is literature. There is no exact definition. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz. Literature is defined by its beholder.
EDIT: That artistic value can then be noted by the majority or minority and then interpreted. Thus, it results in the majority of our English major classes. The professor sees artistic value in a work and tries to relay his/her opinion to the rest of the class. The class doesn't have to share the professor's opinion. That is why we all disagree on interpretations of literature. We are, as Emerson said, filters of what we view. We filter everything differently, resulting in concentrated readings that others may or may not understand.
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Post by Marina on Jun 7, 2011 20:21:17 GMT -5
So can an online phone-book be considered literature? (going off Dodger's argument)
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rayyychul
Armadillo
On ne voit bien qu'avec le c?ur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.
Posts: 159
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Post by rayyychul on Jun 7, 2011 20:24:34 GMT -5
I think that a piece of work becomes literature as soon as the aesthetic of the text elicits emotions from the reader.
Does the beauty of the phone book turn you on? Then by all means, let it be literature!
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Post by embonpoint on Jun 7, 2011 20:28:49 GMT -5
I think that a piece of work becomes literature as soon as the aesthetic of the text elicits emotions from the reader. Does the beauty of the phone book turn you on? Then by all means, let it be literature! But what if I get angry reading a sign that says "DONT TRED ON THE GRASS"? Is that literature? It's elicited emotion, but... Is it literature? I'm inclined to a big, fat no. |
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 20:31:01 GMT -5
We are, as Emerson said, filters of what we view. We filter everything differently, resulting in concentrated readings that others may or may not understand. FFFF-...I am beginning to get a bit of a crush on Emerson. I should not have sold that textbook back...even if it was a used copy.... |
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 20:31:57 GMT -5
Now that we've posited a number of different issues and definitions concerning literature, perhaps you will now understand why I initially just said that "Literature is the written word."  |
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Post by Eternal Lobster on Jun 7, 2011 20:32:27 GMT -5
We are, as Emerson said, filters of what we view. We filter everything differently, resulting in concentrated readings that others may or may not understand. FFFF-...I am beginning to get a bit of a crush on Emerson. I should not have sold that textbook back...even if it was a used copy.... I am really glad that I took that class. You can apply him and Thoreau to SO MUCH, I NEVER KNEW. I have no plans on selling him back. I may even not burn Moby Dick (!) |
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Post by Eternal Lobster on Jun 7, 2011 20:34:31 GMT -5
Now that we've posited a number of different issues and definitions concerning literature, perhaps you will now understand why I initially just said that "Literature is the written word." I do think that your definition may be a little broad. Sure, overall, it can be every written word, but to the single person, there is still a difference between literature and writings. |
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Post by Marina on Jun 7, 2011 20:35:40 GMT -5
I am still dissatisfied with that.
[Exit pursued by Bear Dodger]
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 20:36:15 GMT -5
Now that we've posited a number of different issues and definitions concerning literature, perhaps you will now understand why I initially just said that "Literature is the written word." I do think that your definition may be a little broad. Sure, overall, it can be every written word, but to the single person, there is still a difference between literature and writings. Broad, yes, but inclusive. As I said, it is difficult to determine an all-inclusive definition, sadly. I really do think this would be a fascinating discussion topic for Sigma Tau next year. |
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Gina
Armadillo
Every second is a highlight.
Posts: 203
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Post by Gina on Jun 7, 2011 20:37:08 GMT -5
I'm still working on my personal definition of literature. However, in my English class this year, we spent a day talking about it. Our teacher started the discussion by saying that the definition of literature can be interpreted in many ways, because literature itself can be interpreted in many ways. Like I said, I'm still working on mine, but it's somewhere along the lines of anything that can be interpreted, discussed, or studied. I feel like that definition is a little too vague, though.
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 20:39:22 GMT -5
anything that can be interpreted, discussed, or studied. I feel like that definition is a little too vague, though. I like this; however, we then run into the issue that all books, plays, poems, etc. are literature because they can easily be discussed, studied (you may have to elaborate what you mean by "study"), and interpreted. I do like those qualifications, though. |
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Post by Eternal Lobster on Jun 7, 2011 20:42:20 GMT -5
I do think that your definition may be a little broad. Sure, overall, it can be every written word, but to the single person, there is still a difference between literature and writings. Broad, yes, but inclusive. As I said, it is difficult to determine an all-inclusive definition, sadly. I really do think this would be a fascinating discussion topic for Sigma Tau next year. I am curious as to how you would describe the other side of literature's coin. Because I think (?) that we are all agree that there is an opposite to literature, or else how can you define it? I think that the definition of the word can be very gray but there is still something that defines it differently from everything else. Am I making sense? |
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 20:43:20 GMT -5
I am still dissatisfied with that. [Exit pursued by Bear Dodger] Can I just state how much I love this? |
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Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jun 7, 2011 20:43:50 GMT -5
Broad, yes, but inclusive. As I said, it is difficult to determine an all-inclusive definition, sadly. I really do think this would be a fascinating discussion topic for Sigma Tau next year. I am curious as to how you would describe the other side of literature's coin. Because I think (?) that we are all agree that there is an opposite to literature, or else how can you define it? I think that the definition of the word can be very gray but there is still something that defines it differently from everything else. Am I making sense? I usually think of it as literature vs. trash or pulp. |
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