Literature, according to me..

'There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that be does not know till be takes up a pen to write.'

                                               -William Makepeace Thackeray

If we search on internet the definition of literature, we can find many definitions one of which is-

"Literature is a road which is much travelled through the point of arrival, if ever reached, is seldom satisfactory."

After reading literature for so many years, we cannot clearly define literature as its definition changes with individual as well as time. In B.A, we were taught that literature is the mirror of the society and this definition was accepted by us without questioning anything. In this way, we can be called sheeples as we all accepted what was said and we never questioned anything. We just accepted what we were taught. After joining M.A, first of all I learnt to question everything and then slowly and steadily, my attitude towards the definition of literature changed and I came out of this group of sheeples. My perspective towards literature changed. We can now say that literature is not only the mirror to society but it is much more than that. When we read the novels of Charles Dickens, we come to know about the truth of the society that what happened during that time. Some writers wrote good things about their society while some writers showed the bitter truth. These types of books contribute to literature and so we can say that literature is the mirror which shows us the bitter and harsh reality of the society which not everyone can accept. During my under graduation i.e. B.A, I read many novels like Such a Long Journey, Things Fall Apart, Oliver Twist, The Quiet American etc but we just read what was written in it.  Earlier I read Hamlet but just as a story but now I could understand that it is a revenge play when I read it in M.A. with different approaches, could feel the difference in meaning which was very vast. After coming in M.A, I started reading novels from different perspectives and approaches. Now I can apply different theories and can also read novels from whichever perspective I want. Earlier, I read the things which were in front of my eyes but now when my views have changed a lot about literature, I try to find out what is absent in it.

         According to me, Literature has no definite definition of what has been in so far projected, to talk of history brings a new hope of study but it lacks the value of actual faith of time in which history of literature gives an individual study of pleasure. The only thing that is certain about defining literature is that the definition will change. Concepts of what is literature changes over time as well.

Like architecture is the art form that arises out of the human ability to create buildings and monuments, literature is the art form that arises out of  the human ability to create language.

Literature makes us think about ourselves and our society, allows us to enjoy language and beauty, it can be didactic and it reflects on the human conditions. Literature is the creation of another world, a world that we can only see through reading literature. Literature reflects ideology as well as changes the ideology. Literature effects the life o beings. It consists of ideas, thought and communication. It is the perception and reflection through writing. Language is intertwined with literature and emotions, thoughts and imagination are conveyed by language. In short, we can say that literature weaves our thoughts. Literature is the comprehensive essence of the intellectual life of a nation. Literature is emphatic as it gives vicarious pleasure. Literature is a work of art which uses creative and imaginative language in order to reflect social realities. The best example  is Charles Dickens' novels in which be reflects all the harsh realities of the society of that time.  Literature is any artistic way of using language to reflect daily human experience. literature is a mirror that shows the social, economical, political and religious aspect of the world. Literature is an art and uses language which deviates from normal conversation to create an effect in literary work. Literature can also be called 'many men, many minds."

               After these two years of M.A, I could develop critical thinking as well as the argumentative capability. I understood the worth of free thinking as earlier we were not used to do it. We just learnt what our professors and teachers taught us.

 When I took admission in M.A, we were given a small test comprising the question 'What is Literature and which text did we like the most?' Today, when I read that answers, I literally laugh at myself as what I had written as I knew nothing at that time. But now there has been a lot of change in me as now I am an individual thinker and my thinking process has expanded. I am really thankful to Dr. Prof. Dilip Barad and Dr. Heenaba Zala for making me capable and what I am today.