Classics

Something that struck me about The Odyssey, 1001 Nights, and The Pillow Book is that when reading them you can see quite obviously that they are not "modern." Each work has something about it that is different than something that would be written today. There is something about lack of detail or details included that are distinctly different. The focus seems to be on something that is less personal than a "modern" work. The characters aren't as relatable, the situations seem too detached from any sense of reality, and the presentation is just a bit off. Despite these little things that seem like I can't quite put my finger on just what makes it seem un-modern, these pieces definitely hold bits and pieces of the future of literature.

The Odyssey, The Pillow Book, 1001 Nights

While reading these three pieces, I found both similarities and differences between them. Right at the beginning, I noticed each piece was written rather poetically—especially in The Odyssey where you could see the poem in the format without actually having to read. I found their styles of writing very intriguing, giving the stories an interesting edge. I liked that Shonagon split The Pillow Book up into shorter pieces labeled by numbers and specific headings—much like 1001 Nights was split up, but into longer sections. I think poetic devices are used to enhance the story where the author deems necessary, while broadening the boundaries of literature. The main difference that I noticed between the three was the actual stories being told; each story had a distinctly different culture that it had developed from. I specifically value this cultural aspect of literature because it allows you to embrace a little bit of all different cultures you are not exposed to in daily life, and hear stories you will never experience otherwise.

The Odyssey, 1000 Nights, The Pillow Book

Despite mild confusion throughout some parts, there seemed to be some similarities between all three pieces. I personally think that this shows a great demonstration of the way literature can have similar effects on people; even if written at different times or different parts of the world, which have very different cultures. There was use of different language, but still some similarities between all three pieces. Even if you compare that literature to something written in present time, there would still be connections; as well as distinct parts crucial to only certain points in time. Even the style in which the pieces were written varies from what would commonly be written in present day in time. I enjoyed the poetic style used to in sharing a story. One thing that I did get rather frustrated with was the different names, obviously from different cultures, which I was unfamiliar with. I think there is a goal through the use of different literature. I think using certain styles have an emphasis on different things, such as the poetic style bringing extreme attention to the words used, and especially to the sentence structure. I think there was a lot to be shared through these pieces in terms of the versatility of literature.

Classical or Pre-Modern Lit.

After reading all three assigned readings, “Book I” of The Odyssey, “1001 Nights” and “The Pillow Book”, I noticed that they all were written from different cultural backgrounds. Even so, they shared certain aspects that proved evident in the readings. From all the books, they mentioned and included some sort of poetry that conveyed a message from the characters in the stories. Also, another similarity between the three readings was the aspect of a belief system. Especially, evident in “Book I” of The Odyssey and “1001 Nights”, the gods or higher being were sought after for help and guidance. Although, in the excerpt from “The Pillow Book” religion was not clearly evident, it seemed as though the main character possessed a sense of superiority in that she observed everything and can describe it in such rich details. In all, I felt the readings were enjoyable.

1001 Nights, The Odyssey, and The Pillow Book

What I found most interesting about the three readings was how the style of writing was very cohesive between the pieces, despite being written in different parts of the world. For their respective country, each work seems to be one of those stories that is consistently passed on throughout time. The meanings and messages hold as much weight today as they did during the time they were written. The three readings would have also, obviously, had to have been translated into English at some point. Being originally works of Greece, China, and the Middle East, these pieces were not originally meant to have been read in English. Since word choice and the way certain words sound together is a huge factor in a work of literature, translating a piece into a different language would presumably not carry the same poise as its original. However, translating the work from the its respective language into English didn’t seem to hinder the written voice of the time period, as it was still able to shine through.
Something I also found fascinating was how writing styles have changed so significantly throughout the years, but the works themselves stand the test of time. The Odyssey is an epic poem that is still pertinent in education today, as I’ve read it for multiple English classes. 1001 Nights has also been adapted into movies since being written; Disney’s Aladdin is probably the most well known example. With these works being written hundreds, even thousands of years ago, it’s amazing how the meanings behind their words and how those words were written still seems relevant today. What I wonder most is if the writing styles of today will be perceived with such beauty and grace as those thousands of years ago.

The Pillow Book, The Odyssey, 1001 Nights

It's interesting to read the three different classical pieces back to back. It emphasized the differences in style but also helped to point out the similarities between them. I noticed the use of poetic devices in all the pieces. In particular, Homer used even the format of poetry. The Pillow Book used poetic language and incorporated poems at various points. 1001 Nights also included verses of poetry within the story. All of these pieces obviously put importance in the use of classic themes and literature. In The Pillow Book, the author even states that she thinks people are often too informal with language, emphasizing this point.

The Odyssey, 1001 Nights, The Pillow Book

Having previously read Homer’s Odyssey, I was familiar with the dedication that the people of the time displayed to their gods. The heavy sense of religion also remained prevalent in Scheherazade’s 1001 Nights. An aspect that I did not expect was the intense respect and bond for familial ties. It struck me rather abruptly that in the Story of the Second Sheykh and the Two Black Hounds, how he refused to have his brothers killed despite their attempts to murder him. Homer’s creation Telémakhos [Telemachus] also exhibited such devotion to his father despite the fact that he imagined him dead without return. In a modern time such respect for family and religion is hardly found, we see single mothers raising multiple children, and extremists who slay others in the name of their god because they claim it is right or justified. Such themes are heavily-weighted upon my completion of reading, and seem to be goals that all wish to achieve. Peace among families, and harmony between peoples.

Odyssey, 1001 Nights, The Pillow Book

I appreciate the juxtaposition between the Greek epic, the Middle Eastern tale, and finally the Chinese story. It was a sample of each culture and it provided the opportunity to compare compositional styles. Most interesting perhaps, is the similar themes in the Odyssey and in 1001 Nights. Both feature decidedly human-like gods who regularly insert themselves into drama and intrigue. From this trickery, lessons are learned, a hero is born, or justice is restored. One could even argue that the Pillow Book presents the narrator as somehow superior to people, godlike. She is closeted, reclusive, but still asserts her influence on the people she sees, only she does it through the book. Her judgement rendered on each page is her own intrigue.

The Odyssey, 1001 Arabian Nights, The Pillow Book

After reading these three stories/excerpts I noticed a similarity between the three. Each of them either referenced a poem or, as in the case of The Odyssey, was written in a way which was almost lyrical like a poem. It was interesting realizing this, maybe it goes to show that poetry has been a staple in literature as time goes on. I really enjoyed all three of these stories. I especially like the chapter "Hateful Things" in The Pillow Book. Even though you can't really relate to everything that she was discussing it was still funny to read and try to relate it to things you observe everyday. I noticed, maybe an ob skewer, relation to modern television shows in 1001 Arabian Nights. In Monty Python, and the late HBO series Mr. Show they do sketches in such a way were one leads into the next. As I was reading it reminded me of that set up. For example, one of the first stories where the man was waiting to be executed and the man with the two dogs, the man with the mule, and the man with the gazelle, they all somewhat fed into each other and related to the first man's story. It's kind of a far off relation but it reminded of those two shows none the less.

Homer, 1001 nights, pillow book

The first thing that really jumped out at me from the reading, is the beautiful way that Homer is written. Not only in the word choices, but in the overall appearance. I really enjoy that it is not the normal line, paragraph, period composition. The pillow book reading, is so descriptive, it really puts you in the story. "Especially delightful is the first day of the month, when the mists so often shroud the sky." The language used throughout the story is so inspiring. It just is amazing to just think its one person detailing their life, I know for a fact that journals I have kept were no where near as well written. The other two readings were telling the reader a story which kept me interested. However, I will say I appreciated the "journal form" of the pillow book the most.

"The Odyssey," 1001 Arabian Nights," and "The Pillow Book"

When first asked to read these three readings, I thought they seemed as if they had no correlation to each other. In "The Odyssey," I first thought it was hard to read, but as I kept going, eventually I found I was very intrigued by the way it was written. It took me a little bit longer to get through it, but as the reading came to an end, I wanted to keep going, because of the interest it gave me. After reading "The Pillow Book," it gave me a total different feeling. It felt more as if it was journal, giving the reader an observation of different things. I thought this reading had a better flow, which made it easier to read and understand. I noticed "1001 Nights" and "The Odyssey" both had God-like issues and that they went a long with the first two readings we had to do. Overall, I thought the readings for this week was a lot more interesting than last weeks.

"1001 Nights," "Book I of the Odyssey," "The Pillow Book"

I started off my reading with The Odyssey. I had read it before and I thought it would be a breeze to fly through it having been assigned to read it so many times. However, our discussions about what literature is really made me appreciate the beauty and the longevity of The Odyssey. I think that The Odyssey is still widely read and studied is because of both its awe-inspiring lyrical rhythm and the idea of the process this piece of literature had to take to become the written word, being that it was passed down orally and had so many chances to change. The Odyssey is like the literary version of the game telephone. 1001 Nights is interesting in that way too, being as old as it is and being a collection of many different authors. Apparently some of the best known tales of Aladdin and Ali baba were not even a part of the original Arabic collections, but were added later by Europeans. That just shows how literature can change with the times. The Pillow Book is also very old and has been translated like The Odyssey and 1001 Nights. It is interesting to think about how much does "get lost in translation."

The Odyssey, 1001 Nights, The Pillow Book

After finishing these three readings I found myself comparing how different each of the writing styles were. It seems as if "The Odyssey" and "1001 Nights" were written in a story telling fashion, where as "The Pillow Book" was written from a more journalistic standpoint. I enjoyed reading "The Pillow Book" the most for that reason. I thought it was interesting how Sei Shonagon would document different observations on a day to day basis. it felt as if she was trying to present a guide to the reader on how people of class should behave in both public and in private. Each day that she would make an observation, more often than not, it was a negative one. After reading how strict and orderly a life Shonagon lived, I can't help but think she lived an unpleasant existence. I find it intriguing how easy it is to make assumptions on the quality of someones life by just reading their daily journal entries.

1001 Arabian Nights, The Odyssey, Book I

Once I heard that we were going to read "1001 Arabian Nights” the first thing that came into my head was the movie Aladdin. I used to watch this movie all the time when I was younger because my sister thought Aladdin was the cutest prince in all of the Disney movies. Since I knew so much about Aladdin and how the Arabians are portrayed within that movie, I thought it would be really interesting to read about how they have changed over time. Once I got done reading “Book I” and the excerpt from “The Odyssey,” I wondered why we were reading them together. I then thought back to the readings previous to these and realized they were all talking about some sort of God, goddess, or a high power. All of these readings started to connect together by religion and why people believe in and follow the bible so much within their lives.

Book I, 1001 Arabian Nights, The Pillow Book

After reading the excerpts from "Book I", "1001 Arabian Nights", and "The Pillow Book" I found myself wondering why we read them together. I think that one reason we read both "Book I" and "1001 Arabian Nights" because they both seem to have a similar message about them. This is that they talk about God, goddesses, and other members of higher authority of that time period. I did question why we read these with "The Pillow Book", but then remembered that we will be reading more of this later on and figured that this was just added because we are going to be reading it more indepth later on. When I heard we were going to be reading some of the story "1001 Arabian Nights" I was a bit excited because I know that this is a story that the disney movie Aladdin was based on and I had never gotten the chance to read any of it. I was interested to see how the real story went and how it has changed over the years in translation and through the disney movie. "The Pillow Book" was interedting to start reading because I thought that it was written in kind of a journal form and I like books like this because it keeps me engaged in the different stories of the book.

"The Odyssey," "1001 Nights," and "The Pillow Book"

While reading these 3 works, I could see the connection that each one had to one another as well as the connection they had to "Culture and Anarchy." As discussed in class, "Culture and Anarchy" was about how the Bible has and remains to be the literature that people turn to when they have questions and doubts. This was the case for the people in both "The Odyssey" and "1001 Nights." Both of the stories had characters asking their gods for help to guide them out of their peril and give them answers. It demonstrated how predominate religion was during those times and how much of their culture was based around it. Then in "The Pillow Book," we are given a journal of observations made by the author during her time as a court lady. She wrote about everything she witnessed at the time, including the memorable test that the ladies underwent because the emperor believed that the knowledge of literature was of the utmost importance in their society.

"The Odyssey," "1001 Nights," and "The Pillow Book"

After reading the excerpt from “The Odyssey,” “1001 Nights,” and “The Pillow Book” I started to think about the connections between the pieces and why we were reading them together. The first thing that jumped out at me was how “The Odyssey” and “1001 Nights” both began with the author praising God or the gods. This shows how much religion was tied to literature and to life in general and how the arts were meant to praise God or the gods. “The Pillow Book” was not as religious as the other two. Priests were mentioned a few times, but they did not dominate the work. All three of these works did seem to provide a glimpse into the culture and the time that they were written in. This is especially true of “The Pillow Book,” which seemed almost like a diary. The importance of literature in society was also alluded to. In “The Pillow Book” the ladies-in-waiting were tested by their knowledge of poetry, which they were expected to have learned. In “1001 Nights” there were poetic verses throughout, which could be meant to teach the reader a moral lesson.

Week 1 Thought Paper

From the readings and discussions we had this week I have to wonder what it is that makes a piece of literature stand the test time. Why do some works become "classics" while others get forgotten? I believe the major factor in determining the longevity of a piece of literature is not the work itself but the environment in which it is released to. To become a classic a piece of literature does not need to be widely loved or be a best-seller it just needs to have a following, no matter how small, that will push for it to continue to be read for years to come. Just as it took only one publisher to push for Paradise Lost to continue to be printed and reprinted, a small group of people like the Jews who follow the Torah are enough to keep it thriving. With a modern day fad like Twilight, I don't believe the teenage girls that follow it hold the right skills necessary to push the series into a longlasting run. The Bible is one of the most beloved and widely read texts of all time, but what makes it so? I believe the Bible has such an effect on society because it not only has elements of entertainment and morality but because it holds in it a complete guide to shaping a culture. Most culture-shaping books contain what not to do instead of what to do. For example, George Orwell's 1984 presents an example of what the world should not be allowed to become, whereas the Bible lays out a guide for a so-called "moral life." While not everyone agrees with the guidelines contained in the pages of the Bible there is no denying that it a complete package that most books only contain certain aspects of. The Bible also holds as a record of a period of time and the way a society worked also included in novels like The Scarlet Letter, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Things They Carried. The ability to make future generations understand the past also sets a work apart from those that slip into forgotten territory.

"Literature" and "Culture and Anarchy"

Like many others, I found both of the readings to be a little dry and hard to follow at times. Although it was hard to follow what I took away from, "Culture and Anarchy," was that the Bible has and remains to be the form of literature that people turn to whenever they have questions or doubts. No matter if you're religious or not everybody knows what the Bible is and it has been studied and looked over for centuries. I've always find it interesting that one book can mean so much to so many people or cause so many arguments and theories. It's no wonder that it has been called the "Book of Nations." No other book has been able to withstand the length of time that the Bible has and it may always be the literature that people believe in.

While reading "Literature" it got me thinking about how literature has grown since the beginning, much of this growth being caused by the advancement of technology. This article got me thinking about how literature now pertains to films as well as written words. Films may be adapted pieces that make only subtle changes from the text or change the story entirely, maybe only leaving the character's names the same. This can cause both the book and movie to have different meanings, causing a questioning of why was their a need to delve away from the original piece. I also find movies to be literature because they can be original pieces. They are a part of the writer, it contains their ideas and perspective and a lot of the times, you leave a theater questioning your own life because of it.

Williams and Arnold

Williams, I think, questions exactly how literature influences culture and how culture influences literature. Exactly which has the greater authority is to be debated, but to effectively discuss this topic; one would have to determine the effect of language on society and culture. I think Williams alludes to this problem by analyzing the evolution of criticism. Another latent subject in this essay is the question of who get to decide what constitutes literature. Is it the critic or culture? Does the critic tell society what is literature, or does society tell the critic?

Arnold was difficult grasp, I think, only because of the way religion holds such sway in his work. Religion simply does not have the authority it once did and because of this exposure to dogma is reduced the point that we simply may not know what he is talking about. Despite this, I found it interesting how seriously he contemplates religion, its relationship to society and its relationship to culture.

"Literature" & "Culture and Anarchy"

Between the two essays “Literature” by Raymond Williams and “Culture and Anarchy” by Matthew Arnold, I must admit I understood Williams much better than Arnold, probably due to Arnold’s referencing to religious texts and people and his extensive vocabulary. As Williams outlines the development of literature, I think he is trying to express that literature is more than just what is read. In doing so, he creates a strong relationship between literature and the social context in which it is found. His final points seem to define literature as “a specializing social and historical category,” as well as “decisive evidence of a particular form of the social development of language” (Williams 53). I think Arnold also tries to describe a similar relationship but with a religious context. Since much of our culture is influenced by religion, I think he tries to prove that literature is therefore influenced by religion… whether he feels that is a positive or negative thing, I am unsure.

"Literature", "Culture and Anarchy"

I, as many appeared to have, found "Culture and Anarchy" to be difficult to read and initially rather abrassive. However, after finishing the text and continuing on with "Liturature" I began to think that both of these authors were both convincingly making the point that literature and society evolve together, and that literature has the power to influence culture, and vise versa. The religious references in "Culture and Anarchy" made it harder to gather a message from it without the knowledge of the various sects. However, with careful reading, I think I did eventually gain an understanding of the text. I found it interesting that "Literature" touched on how the definition of the word continues to change as technology changes the way we recive information, and that that definition has had to change repeatedly since its inception.

"Culture and Anarchy" and "Literature"

Arnold piece "Culture and Anarchy" was, as like the majority, not something that could hold my attention enough to fully grasp. I understand that there is a clear relationship between culture and perfection in the world. I feel like there was a strong correlation being demonstrated between literature, and the ability to obtain perfection through knowledge of culture. As for “Literature” there were some parts that I did find to be interesting. I never really thought that were could be such a history and background to literature. I enjoyed when it was pointed out that literature could be viewed differently in terms of different pieces, such as poetry, or the role that reading plays in the definition of literature. Though the piece was not one of my favorites, I did find a few statements that spoke to me enough to keep me interested.

"Preface to Culture & Anarchy" and "Literature"

I believe that both Matthew Arnold and Raymond Williams discuss valid points on the relationship between culture and literature. Arnold rants about how because the culture emphasizes capitalism, the literature is lacking sophistication. Arnold calls for a better, more perfect culture. This is a rant that I could find sense in. Today it seems like because our culture is slave to the pleasure seeking id within all of us and because of that our literature serves that purpose, which I believe is the point that Raymond Williams was making in "Literature." Literature cannot be easily defined as a specific genre of prose, instead the concept of what literature is has changed as culture has changed. Compare modern esteemed works with those of the canon. There is a disparity between the two which illustrates how the concept of literature has changed.

"Literature" and "Culture & Anarchy"

Like most of the class, it was difficult for me to fully grasp Arnold's "Culture & Anarchy" due to his unique style of writing. From what I understand, Arnold is trying to emphasis the importance of culture in trying to comprehend and work through life and its hardships. Arnold defines culture as "a pursuit of our total perfection by means of getting to know, on all the matters which most concern us, the best which has been thought and said in the world" (Arnold 5). I understand "total perfection" essentially to be living the best, most well informed life possible. The foundation of most people's "total perfection" generally stems from religion or spirituality in on way or another. What I think Arnold is trying to point out is that not all of the best insight comes from religious text or sacred word. I tend to think of literature as an important part of culture, which is why William's "Literature" compliments "Culture & Anarchy". I found it interesting how the classification of literature has changed. But, I don't really think that literature is so cut and dry that we would be able to put an all encompassing definition to it. I find literature greatly subjective and what may be considered new and insightful to one person may be completely irrelevant to another.

So, if Arnold wanted cultural influences to veer away from religion, what literary works have had as much universal cultural influence throughout time as the Bible?

I found both readings to be somewhat dry and difficult to follow. Although they were not something I would particularly choose to read on my spare time, I did find them just slightly intriguing. Arnold's "Preface to Culture and Anarchy" has an unique way of interpreting The Bible. He questions many obscure factors that I, myself would not have contemplated so deeply about. He seems to be a very philosophical man; yet I think he is almost too opinionated for such a profound topic. He did make some valid statements, and some were hard for me to fully understand. However, I do not believe it is neccessarilary factual to say that religion makes up a good, true person. A few may find this to be rather offensive. In some ways, the two readings (when compared to Williams's "Literature") gave me a more open perception of the way literature affects me and other people in the world. I really looked at how much literature has changed over the years, and what has become of it today. When asked, what is literature? Sure there is an old-fashioned definition, but can it fully be explained? There are so many ways to interpret it. To think that The Bible is still so fascinating to this day, when most texts have changed greatly to follow changes over decades, really astounds me.

thoughts on "Literature" and "Culture and Anarchy"

My initial thought upon the completion of reading both, “Literature” by Raymond Williams and “Preface to Culture and Anarchy” by Matthew Arnold was one of bewilderment. I found it hard to stay focused on the reading and therefore, fully understanding the text. However, I did find important sections in the readings that caught my attention. In the book “Literature”, it states how literature has become an important aspect of our culture. Even though Literature may be viewed as historical, it also shows the significant effects that literature has on the “social development of language” (Williams, 53). This proves to us that literature not only consists of words printed but through time has changed in the way it is presented with the advancement of technology. The advancement of technology ties in with the change in our culture. Similarly, this topic of culture is explored in the reading, “Culture and Anarchy” which Arnold seeks to make sense of culture comparing it to anarchy through his criticisms and analysis. Arnold’s writing, I found, was repetitive. It made me wonder, why did he choose to write this way? Also, I did not fully understand the explanation to “harmonious perfection.” How does this “perfection” relate to culture and/or anarchy?

"Culture and Anarchy" and "Literature"

After reading both of these readings, I am left feeling confused and unfulfilled. To me, literature is used for entertainment and education purposes. I have come to the conclusion that since the intended point of the readings do not stand out to the casual reader it is hard for one to become engaged in the text. "Culture and Anarchy" feels unfriendly to someone looking to find insight in the preface of this particular book. It raises questions about the Bible and how it has stood the test of time. I did find this question to be an intriguing one. Since the Bible has been translated in so many languages and is honored and worshipped by many, it must hold some significance. If a text can be translated in various languages, and still hold it's meaning to many, why can't other pieces of literature do the same? I'm fascinated with how only a few texts can hold true like this.

What is the difference between the words of the Bible as compared to some popular non-fiction book available in stores today? Is it because it's the word of God, and all of his teachings? How can society put so much emphasis and trust in text?

"Literature" and "Culture and Anarchy"

While very different at first glance, “Culture and Anarchy” and “Literature” both seem to share a common thread—literature and culture are so connected that they are almost intertwined. It seems that Matthew Arnold views literature as more elitist. The author of “Literature” acknowledges that literature is no longer constrained to elitism and that there are forms that “[correspond] with a particular social class.” Literature is defined by “Literature” to be the “human experience.” This made me think about why certain types of literature fall out of style, like silent films, or are changed completely, like the pastoral. Is it because culture changes, because people get bored of it, or because something better comes along? The idea of the Bible having such a lasting appeal for hundreds of years is also interesting, and the same thing, in a way, applies to writers like Shakespeare. Even though the language and words he uses are nothing like our culture now, we still read his works, why?

Literature and Preface to Culture and Anarchy

While reading these two articles I found myself uninterested and sometimes bored. It wasn't that they were hard to read or very lengthy it was that I kept finding myself asking why am I reading this? and what is the purpose of reading the preface of a book when we aren't even going to read the book? Throughout the preface the bible was mentioned many times for how it is such an influential piece of literature. I think that yes, its true that this is influential, but I also found myself wondering what other literature is as influential to people who are not religious. I could not think of one off the top of my head and that is the question I would like to ask all of you, is there any other piece of literature that has been more influential and more well known as the bible?

"Culture and Anarchy" and "Literature"

I had a difficult time getting into both "Culture and Anarchy" and "Literature." Neither one really caught my attention and kept me wanting to read more...but I did, because I had to. Although I found the readings to be somewhat boring, there were a few things that got me thinking. Reading about the history and development of literature over time was something I had never learned before. I feel that because I hope to be an english teacher one day, learning and knowing the history of literature will be important in my future. "Culture and Anarchy" really got me thinking about religion and the bible. It amazes me how one piece of literature (although it is kind of weird to think of the bible as literature) can influence so many people all over the world. It just goes to show how the words someone writes can potentially have a huge impact on the way a person lives their life.

Preface and Literature

After reading "Preface to Culture & Anarchy," I was left very bored. It never fully caught my interest and ultimately it made it hard to finish and comprehend. However, one thing that I found interesting was that Matthew Arnold made a point that he feels religion is important but if you are not religious, it does not mean it's a horrible thing and that religion is not the only thing that makes who a person is.
Reading the two articles made me think about how the Bible made such a lasting impression. It is something that many people read multiple times and has been around for years. It shows how important literature really is and how influential it can be.

"Preface" and "Literature"

I found it difficult to stay focused on the first two readings. Despite the fact that neither of the selections really caught my interest, I did find a few points interesting. In Arnold’s “Preface,” he suggests that the purpose of the essay is to “recommend culture as the great help out of our present difficulties” as opposed to turning to religious establishments. Later in the preface, Arnold clarifies by saying, “That is because culture, in its aim at perfection, to see things as they really are, sees how worthy and divine a thing is the religious side in man, though it is not the whole of man.” I completely agree with the point Arnold is trying to make; I think that religion is important, however, I don’t believe that non-religious people are necessarily bad. Religion does not make the entire person.

While reading “Literature,” I found it really interesting to see how the concept of literature has changed over time. Throughout history, being literate meant you were of a higher social class. Today, however, literature can be read by almost anybody, regardless of social standing.

literature

While reading the two readings that were assigned to us, I had started to question. Why is the bible so important in so many peoples lives? Isn't it just a list of how to live your life and what is correct and what is not? I then thought, is there any other writings or books out there in the world today that have as big of an influence on peoples lives like the bible does? I went through my head and out of all of the writings that are out there, I couldn't name any. The bible has a way of influencing people and how to live their lives but what is so important about it? Can't people just live the way they want to live?

What is literature?

From the first two readings we were assigned I had to wonder what makes the bible such an influential and lasting work? There is no way of knowing whether is was written as a record of fact or a myth or metaphor for a set of beliefs. If it were simply a list of what to do and what not to do would it still be around today? How does it have a lasting appeal when it doesn't feature action and adventure and witty dialogue? What would it take for another piece of writing to carry the same weight that the bible has? I believe any work has the potential to gain as large a following in our modern culture but what will it take for something to have the long lasting appeal that the bible has had?