In the minds of ESL exam candidates, e ssay writing is one of the most daunting tasks they are required to complete, regardless of the level of the exam, the administering body or the ease with which they themselves use the language. The same applies to students who are asked to write an essay by their teachers at school. In the previous sample essays posted on the blog, the main point I stress is the need to become acquainted with this form of writing (as opposed to writing a letter, review or report, for instance), to get a feel of what authorial voice is and how to organize and progressively express the arguments you wish to make in a coherent manner. Unfortunately, the best way to prepare for exam writing or learn how to write good essays for school is to read as many essays from as many sources as possible, then write as
Whatever the case may have been, I was surprised to find that none of the students I'd had, had been asked to ponder the question of why anyone would add Literature to the list of 'scientific' university courses offered and why, in spite of all contradictory opinions regarding its worth, someone would choose to major in this field of knowledge.
This last question was not part of the essay topic I used to give students as a first assignment (probably because, knowing what bright yet bored students in their late teens are capable of, I was dreading the idea
the only answers I'd read would be derogatory ones). The assignment I gave was intended to make students think about what Literature is and why it is an academic field of study like any other. My goal was twofold: a) students would see that the lesson they were stuck doing with me had method in its madness on a par with other more 'hardcore' science courses and b) I could check their knowledge of English and essay writing skills.
In short, dear teachers, giving this assignment out at the beginning of the year or course is a very good way to size up your Lit students from week 1 and see what your starting point ought to be.
Well in fact, as with most things in life, any Lit teacher's starting point should be contagious love of literature itself.
What is Literature and why is it a science?
The study of literature is deemed by many to be a science and this is why it is studied in schools and universities. To understand this however means to look at the specific meanings of the words 'literature' and 'science'. According to Oxford's Reference Dictionary, there are two definitions for the term literature: "written works, especially those valued for their beauty of form and style" on the one hand, and "the writings of a country, period or particular subject" on the other. The same dictionary states three definitions for science. The first is that it is "the branch of knowledge involving systematized observation and experiment, especially one dealing with substances or animal and vegetable life, and natural laws". The second states it is the "systematic and formulated knowledge" as well as the "pursuit or principles of this". Lastly, it is "an organized body of knowledge on a subject". From these definitions it is clear why literature is considered a science.
The first area where a correlation between these two terms can be seen is in the "systematic" study or "observation" as the definition states, which can be applied to literary works. To observe systematically naturally presupposes that there is a system found in the works that can be observed. This system is comprised of the various elements that make up a story, poem or play such as, for example, characters, setting, narrator, tone, atmosphere, rhyme pattern or rhythm, all of which can easily be selected and discussed separately and 'systematically' based on the set traits of the terms mentioned. To illustrate this, students of Literature at undergraduate level analyze what the point of view of a story can do to create atmosphere and how, if a different point of view were used, this would change if a first-person narrator is substituted for an omniscient one. Although the results cannot be measured, like natural forces or substance changes can, a student can nevertheless argue logically by using clues or quotes found in stories. In short, literature and science are similar in that both presuppose systematic observation and analysis of knowledge despite the fact that results in one will be more abstract than in the other.
The second area where the two terms converge is in the words "organized body of knowledge". Since Literature necessarily involves the study of a country's literary works or even the comparative study of the various literatures of the world, then we can conclude that this study has to be divided into categories according to country, era and literary movement which is exactly what the second definition of the word 'literature' states. All these categorizations compose a solid body of knowledge which is organized and can be termed a science.
In conclusion, even though Literature does not deal with tangible laws or phenomena, it includes systematic analysis and discussion based on proof found within a literary work, one which is part of a greater body of works that belong to a set of clearly outlined categories based on nation, period and theme.