Another Perception of Literature

This composition was an assignment from my English 11 teacher, asking us to answer "What is literature?" Of course, to make things more interesting, the answer should come from our own ideas of literature. This is what I came up with but I didn't really expect it to turn out this way; it just happened anyway. Maybe it'd be better ust think of it as food for thought.


Literature is an art. It is the expression of one’s inner thoughts brought to life by words put together through careful consideration in the hope of reaching out to other people. The forms in which these words are presented vary depending on the purpose the author has for expressing such words. The purpose is determined by the message the author wants to convey and the people whom the message is intended to reach because I consider literature to involve not just the author but also the audience or readers, as well as the people that interact with those that have become familiar with the words of the author.

I perceive literature as food for the mind and soul and it is something meant to be or should be enjoyed by just about anyone. The contents of such pieces are meant to satisfy various tastes hence the existence of different genres. In this sense, they can reach out to people because people, in turn, seek out literary pieces for inspiration, enlightenment, stress-relief, entertainment, knowledge, awareness, and understanding.

Literature has multiple genres, forms, and kinds. It is very broad and I believe it should not be constrained to be defined as just one of the many things it is or could be. It is too large in scope and too great in depth that I cannot see why many say they hate books or reading. There is a large scale of literary pieces. Surely, there must be at least one piece that a person would enjoy. Those that say they dislike or are not fond of reading just might not have found a piece or the kind of pieces that have stirred their interest yet.

I used to tell others that I’m not fond of books but I have gradually learned to appreciate reading. I think this started when I found a book that just stirred my curiosity because at the time I wondered what my classmates find so addictive in reading a book of the Harry Potter series. Back then, it was just to satisfy plain curiosity. Eventually, I found the creativity of Rowling’s imagination interesting, although I have yet to finish the entire series. Later on, I wanted to know about how other people would think – how else the human mind can conjure up seemingly similar plots but come out with quite different twists that are just enough to make you want to know more.

I find it fascinating how people think and express different views on just about any topic. In this light, I realize that my taste varies ranging from informational to recreational literary pieces. However, one kind of literary piece I never seem to tire of, because of just how diverse these pieces are capable of being, is manga, also known as Japanese short novels.

I consider manga to be a kind of literary piece because it satisfies all the things that I have stated above, which are my views on literature, with the additional pleasure attained from the provision of visual aesthetics. I somewhat have a bias when it comes to how artistry is expressed and not just in the verbal sense because most of the time, I prefer it when what I see pleases me, just like how well people may be able to project themselves or how well one may project their imagination and thought in sketches, paintings, and the like.

Literature is many things for me but, all in all, it is an art to be enjoyed not just by the person expressing their thoughts but also those whose lives they have touched however subtle that may be.