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?