WHAT IS LITERATURE?

1ST GROUP
Arranged by:
Annisa Nopendia 1813042038
Kartika Eka Kurnia 1813042046
Pipit Nurjannah 1813042002
Sahri 1813042026

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF LAMPUNG
BANDAR LAMPUNG
2019
 CHAPTER 1
WHAT IS LITERATURE?

Course Learning Outcomes

At the successful completion of this topic, students will be able to:
1. Understand the definition of literature.
2. Understand the basic theories of literature.
3. Understand the importance of literature.
4. Distinguish between literary and pragmatic reading.
5. Mention the examples of literary work and literary figures.
6. Mention the kinds of literature.

"Literature is a luxury;
fiction is a necessity."

—G. K. Chesterton

INTRODUCTION

Cited from Klarer1 (2004), “Etymologically, the Latin word “litteratura2” is derived from
“litera3” (letter), which is the smallest element of alphabetical writing. The word text is related to
“textile4”, so words and sentences form a meaningful and coherent text. The origins of the two
central terms are, therefore, not of great help in defining literature or text. It is more enlightening
to look at literature or text as cultural and historical phenomena and to investigate the conditions
of their production and reception”.

1
Mario Klarer; An Introduction to Literary Studies-Routledge (2004).
2
The Latin word of literature and written writing techniques.
3
te Latin word of a letter, which is the smallest element of alphabetical writing.
4
Can be translated as “fabric”: just a single thread from a fabric.
DEFINITION OF LITERATURE
There are so many definitions of literature. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language offers a number of definitions for the word literature, one of them is “imaginative or
creative writing, especially of recognized artistic value”. Klarer (2004:1) says that in most cases,
literature is referred to as the entirety of written expression, with the restriction that not every
written document can be categorized as literature in the more exact sense of the word. While
Wellek and Warren (1963:22) state that the term literature seems best if we limit it to the art of
literature, that is, to imaginative literature. Literature is also produced by the imagination of the
author. Literature is not just a document of facts, it is not just the collection of real events though
it may happen in real life. Literature can create its own world as a product of unlimited imagination.
From the states above, we may conclude that literature is a work which is the result of self-
expression in the form of oral and written that has aesthetic and creative values.

We need to understand that a story or poem are different from an essay, a newspaper editorial, or
a technical manual. According to Mays5 (2017), what makes the literary way of reading different
from pragmatic reading is, that it does not focus “on what will remain after the reading— the
information to be acquired, the logical solution to a problem, the actions to be carried out,” but
rather on “what happens during reading.” The difference between pragmatic and literary reading,
in other words, resembles the difference between a journey that is only about reaching a destination
and one that is just as much about fully experiencing the ride.

"It is in literature that the concrete

outlook of humanity receives its
expression."

—Alfred North Whitehead

BASIC THEORIES OF LITERATURE

5
Kelly J. Mays; The Norton Introduction to Literature.
 1. Imitative Theory
This theory holds that art is an imitation of something. The imitative theory often
includes the notion that art gives us not only pleasure but knowledge, insight into the
nature of reality.
2. Expressive Theory
This theory holds that the artist is not essentially an imitator but a man who expresses his
feelings.
3. Affective Theory
This theory holds that a work of art ought to arouse a particular emotion or affect in (the
psychological term) the perceiver. This theory is often closely related to the expressive
theory; the artist allegedly expresses his emotion, embodying it in a work of art.

TYPES AND KINDS OF LITERATURE

There are two types of literature:

1. Fiction
Kinds of fiction literature are prose, drama, and poetry.
2. Nonfiction
Kinds of nonfiction literature are biography, autobiography, essay, and literary criticism.

LITERARY FIGURES AND LITERARY WORKS

In this paper, we will give you an example of the world’s literary figures and their works.

1. William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, actor, and poet and is often called
England's national poet. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he was an important
member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men company of theatrical players from roughly
1594 onward. He is the one who write Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night's Dream, and
Hamlet.
2. Jane Austen (1775 – 1817)
The Jane Austen Centre’s website states: ‘Jane Austen is perhaps the best known and best
loved of Bath’s many famous residents and visitors.’ One wonders at the restraint in that,
 considering that Jane Austen is indisputably one of the greatest English writers – some
say the greatest after Shakespeare – and certainly the greatest English novelist and one of
the most famous English women who ever lived. She published four novels during her
lifetime: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park
(1814), and Emma (1815). In these and in Persuasion and Northanger Abbey (published
together posthumously, 1817), she vividly depicted English middle-class life during the
early 19th century.
3. Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
Charles Dickens was an extraordinary man. He is best known as a novelist but he was
very much more than that. He was as prominent in his other pursuits but they were not
areas of life where we can still see him today. We see him as the author of such classics
as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak
House and many others.

WHY READ LITERATURE?

According to Mays (2017), the enormous success of The Hunger Games trilogy 6 and the
proliferation7 of reading groups are only two of many signs that millions of people continue to
find both reading literature and discussing it with others to be enjoyable, meaningful, even
essential activities. English thrives as a major at most colleges and universities, almost all of
which require undergraduates majoring in other areas to take at least one course in literature.
(Perhaps that’s why you are reading this book?) Schools of medicine, law, and business are
today more likely to require their students to take literature courses than they were in past
decades, and they continue to welcome literature majors as applicants, as do many corporations.

According to Memoria Press, reading great literature exercises the imagination. We enjoy stories;
it is a pleasure to meet characters and to live in their world, to experience their joys and sorrows.
In a practical sense, an active imagination helps us perceive the truth, make value judgments, and
deal with the complexities of life in creative ways. People nowadays bore with journals, essays,
and maybe science books. It is a good thing about literature because literature is the art that we

6
Novels by Suzanne Collins
7
Rapid increase in numbers.
enjoy in every single word. It is just about how we enjoy it, not how we comprehend it as formal
knowledge. So, we can conclude that literature can increase reading interest in society.

WHY STUDY LITERATURE?

Cited from Mays (2017), “Some knowledge and understanding of both can greatly enhance our
personal appreciation of literature and our conversations with others about it. Literature also has
a context and a history, and learning something about them can make all the difference in the
amount and kind of pleasure and insight you derive from literature. By reading and discussing
different kinds of literature, as well as works from varied times and places, you may well come
to appreciate and even love works that you might never have discovered or chosen to read on
your own or that you might have disliked or misunderstood if you did”.

Cited from eNotes.com, “The study of literature is important because it, at its most basic,
improves reading skills. From this involved reading of quality literature, a student then develops
their writing skills, as the two go hand in hand (the best writers are avid readers, typically)”.

So, we may conclude that, by literature, we can learn to appreciate words and their power. We
can travel to other realms and times through the texts we read. We understand their own culture
and others. We can learn to empathize with characters, to feel their joys and pain.

SUMMARY

1. Literature is a work which is the result of self-expression in the form of oral and written
that has aesthetic and creative values. It has three basic theories such as imitative theory,
expressive theory, and affective theory. And also, there are two kinds of literature; fiction
and nonfiction.
2. William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens are some of the world’s literary
figures.
3. By literature, we can learn to appreciate words and their power. And also, by reading and
discussing different works of literature, as well as works from varied times and places,
you may well come to appreciate and even love works that you might never have
discovered
GLOSSARY

Aesthetic : A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty,
especially in art.
Artistic : Having or revealing natural creative skill.
Autobiography: Self-written account of the life of oneself.
Biography : Detailed description of a person's life.
Essay : A piece of writing that gives the author's own argument.
History : The study of the past as it is described in written documents.
Imaginary : Existing only in the imagination or fancy; not real.
Literature : A work which is the result of self-expression in the form of oral and written that
has aesthetic and creative values.
Playwright : A person who writes plays for the stage.
Poem : A piece of writing that partakes of the nature of both speech and song that is
nearly always rhythmical, usually metaphorical, and often exhibits such formal
elements as meter, rhyme, and stanza structure.
Story : A piece of prose fiction.
Word : Is the smallest element that can be uttered in isolation with objective or practical
meaning.

EXERCISES
Please answer the following questions!
1. In your opinion, what is literature?
2. What is the basic theory of literature?
3. What is the importance of studying literature?
4. Why do we need to learn literature in this major?
5. What is the difference between literary and pragmatic reading?
REFERENCES

Mays, K. J. (2017). The Norton Introduction to Literature. USA: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Klarer, M. (2004). An Introduction to Literary Studies (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.

Risdianto, F. (2014). A Handbook of English Literature. Salatiga: Javakarsa Media.

King, W. (2017, April 02). Best English Writers. Retrieved from

https://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/best-english-writers/

Southam, B. C. (2019, February 08). Jane Austen. Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jane-Austen/

Lombardi, E. (2018, September 06). Inspiring Quotes from Famous Writers About Their Craft.
Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/literature-quotes-and-sayings-738757/
APPENDIX

Responders

1. Cindy Yunita
2. Nunik Handayani
3. Antisya Azzahra
4. Riski Amalia Dinanti
5. Clara puspita
6. Safira Riskia
7. Abia Briliant

Questions and Answers

1. Questioner: Clara puspita

Question: What is the difference between English literature and Indonesian literature?
Answer: The difference is in spelling, figurative words, and language style.

2. Questioner: Safira Riskia

Question: Can a drama based on a true story be called as a non-fiction work?
Answer: Yes, because drama is a literary work that is flexible.
3. Questioner: Nunik Handayani
Question: How to increase reading interest?
Answer: By understanding the importance of learning literature, starting from reading
light stories, and using social media as a reading medium.