Literature As Art.

"The reader should be carried forward, not merely or chiefly by the mechanical impulse of curiosity, not by a restless desire to arrive at the final solution, but by the pleasurable activity of the journey itself." -John Dewey (Page 139).

I think we forget that the definition of art encompasses more than just paintings and sculptures. Like we talked about at the beginning of the semester, art includes many different forms such as music, dance, poetry and literature. I feel as though authors don't get as much credit for being artists as painters or sculptors do. I also feel like, as each generation continues, the appreciation for literature is becoming less and less. One of my favorite pastimes is reading and when I ask what a person's favorite book is, I get laughed at. People do not seem to enjoy reading anymore. The majority of my friends don't understand why I like to read so much. I think a reason why people, especially my generation and earlier ones, dislike reading so much is because we are forced to read and over-analyze literature all throughout high school. How can we enjoy Lord of the Flies or The Grapes of Wrath if we are forced to read it and talk about it to the point where it loses meaning?

I wish more people understood the importance of reading literature. I am not saying all books are enjoyable because there surely are novels out there that I have not liked reading (*cough* The Scarlet Letter *cough*) but I feel as though literature is forced upon us early on and that is why most people shy away from it. I think the most enjoyable activity in the world is to curl up under the covers with a good novel. My favorite book is The Color Purple by Alice Walker because of its powerful message and strong female characters. It is amazingly written and certainly a work of art. Books should be enjoyed. I don't know how to get people to see why books are so important, so special, and can be so entertaining. When a person realizes the power of words, then he or she has the opportunity to expand his or her horizons and actually learn and experience something completely new.

My question to you is: What is your favorite novel and why?