Literature is one of the most important subjects one can study in a university setting; there are many complex and sophisticated ideas about society, language, communication and more that can be learned through the themes and subtexts of fiction. College literature courses permit us to dig deep into the nuances of text in order to discern these deeper meanings and apply them to our own lives. English, as a subject of study, is required by all students at this university for a reason – it is the most accessible way to artfully discuss important issues that are relevant to all intelligent, young people who wish to become fully engaged with society.
Works like August Wilson’s Fences also permit us to deal with more direct social issues relating to our recent history; in this work, Troy Maxon is a disgruntled, bitter old man clinging to his past potential and refusing to accept the realities of the world around him (Wilson, 2011). This is a play that addresses issues that everyone can relate to (the fear of obsolescence, the dangers of arrogance and possessiveness): "Times have changed, Troy, you just come along too early" (Wilson, I.i.77). By looking at the way these societal circumstances ruin the lives of those who are oppressed, literature can provide a window into the emotional journeys of living history in ways objective textbooks cannot.
Literature can also open our eyes to other cultures, and how they think of us. In Stephen Dau’s The Book of Jonas, a Middle Eastern boy is forced to assimilate into American culture, leading to a great deal of cultural misunderstanding and loneliness: “He attempts to render himself invisible” (Dau 22). By viewing Jonas’s isolation and longing for purpose and happiness, we see popular American perceptions of foreigners reversed and subverted – this allows us to see what we often end up doing to them. To that end, this book and others of its kind offer fascinating cultural perspective that can open up our eyes to how the world sees us and vice versa.
In conclusion, these works and more illustrate the importance of college literature courses in a university setting. Through the use of narrative fiction, there is an emotional and subtextual element to stories that is opened up through discussion and study of theory and text in said courses. Unlike communication or history courses, the poetics and prose of college literature offer a much more appealing and accessible way to explore the problems of the world’s past, present and future which can inform our overall sense of the world around us.
Works Cited
Dau, Stephen. The Book of Jonas. Blue Rider Press, 2012. Print.
Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery.” In Backpack Literature (4th ed.). Longman, 2011. Print.
Wilson, August. Fences. In Backpack Literature (4th ed.). Longman, 2011. Print.
