Since I feel compelled to center a
whole blog around the concept of literature, I thought it would be fun to park
here a moment and take a deeper look at its value and functionality.
Literature, commonly known as
literary works, is quite “literally” seen all around us. From dissertations to
directories, to textbooks and tracts, it can be difficult avoiding words and
the messages they carry. I dare say that literature keeps the fabric of our society
together. (We won’t go into the condition of such a fabric. All of that should
probably be saved for a different blog altogether.)
The top three literary works readers
are most familiar with fall into three categories: fiction, non-fiction and
poetry. While non-fiction seeks to educate, and fiction strives to entertain,
poetry digs deep into a reader’s experiences and extracts beauty from something
that otherwise may have gone unnoticed.
Literature tapped me on the shoulder
at an early age. My response at the time didn’t involve more than a shrug, but
I believe the image made a lasting impression. I have memories of my mother
curled up on the couch in the middle of the afternoon with her nose tucked
into a book. The afternoon sun warmed her shoulders and shrouded her with a happy glow. Sounds of pretzel munching and slow sips of Dr. Pepper meant all
was well with the world. If memory serves me right, we would have just left the
library with a trunk full of paperbacks. Going to the library, I discovered, was as necessary
as a trip to the meat market. Yes, we used to buy our meat from a separate store. I’m probably
giving my age away with that comment, but why try and butcher it now?
My mother would
always be ready to trade a towering stack of novels in for a new one the
following week. Her spelling and grammar skills were, and still are, impeccable.
I attribute that to all of the carbohydrates and the words she devoured by the handfuls.
I like to believe this memory has a
lot to do with the writer I am today. Of the writing exercises I’ve experimented with so far,
creative writing has been my favorite way to find expression. I can’t help but
wonder if it has something to do with those mid-week errands into town so that
my mother could get lost in her next novel.
What about you? Which of the three literary works is your favorite? And was a love for
literature modeled for you at an early age?
