1. understanding the importance of Story
Why Read Literature?
understanding the importance of Story

2. Why Read Literature?
Storytelling has always been a part of human culture.
Stories have always been linked to our understanding of the world around us.

3. Why Read Literature?
Even before written language, stories were told to pass on knowledge, understanding, and traditions.

4. Why Read Literature?
With the advancement of the sciences, the role of stories in society has changed.
Stories once explained external phenomena; now they explain internal phenomena.
“Fiction is about what it means to be a human being.” - DFW

5. Why Read Literature?
The sciences can explain the human experience in chemical, biological, and sociological terms.
But none of these tell us what it FEELS like to be human.
Only literature does that.

6. Why Read Literature? SOLIPSISM:
“the philosophical belief that a person
cannot truly know or understand the experiences of another.”
Literature allows us to break out of our “spheres of the self” and truly experience another’s thoughts and feelings.

7. Why Read Literature?
Literature provides us with empathy and a feeling of being understood.
“You too; I thought I was the only one.”

8. Why Read Literature?
Literature also provides us with a better understanding of our own emotions and experiences.
Great writers are able to put into words emotions that exist outside of our own limited vocabulary.

9. Why Read Literature?
Lastly, literature provides us a safe, vicarious experience of things we might never encounter in real life.
We can experience these things without risking physical or emotional harm.

10. Why Read Literature? (a summary)
Literature provides us with an understanding of our humanity not available through science.
Literature provides us with a sense of empathy.
Literature provides us with a better understanding of our own experiences.
Literature provides us with safe, vicarious adventures.