My thoughts about literature

„Why do you like literature?”

This was the question asked by my professor of Old American literature on which no one gave an answer.  I kept asking myself if I like it at all. Thinking about it I realised that I really do, but why do I like I couldn’t say. Having my thoughts deeply into it I finally found out and I have something to say about it.

In my opinion, literature is a mirror of a nation, of the situation at the period, of people and their views, opinions, habits, interest and religion. Literature helps us a lot with knowing historical facts and behaviour of people, changes that happened during the period when book got its light till nowadays and troubles or circumstances that made a writer to write the certain written work.

Literature is like a song written in the most beautiful notes and lyrics that fulfils your soul, mind and vocabulary. It can relax you and let your mind slip away from the nasty and bad world in which we are living. It helps you to see what was, what is, and maybe what will be only if you read it closely enough. If you have any feeling towards literature you can see and feel how beautiful it is so it stays so long in you memory that sometimes you can identify with people and situation. It doesn’t matter if you read romantic books, thrillers, comedy or historical literature, all off them have the same beauty and it is just on you to see which are better for you.

Some people say that watching movies is same as reading books, but much easier. I disagree with that state. In my opinion, a movie is point of view of only one person and everyone will see how that person has seen the literary work. When you read a book you have whole new perspective, new ideas and if you use your imagination good enough you, with your mind you can put yourself in that book and feel all the things that main character felt. But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t watch movies; in contrary there are some movies that have been done in a very good production and can show you the deeper meaning of the book.

Even though some people say there are two different literatures: good and bad, I really think that every literature is good on its own way, but it depends on which is more interesting to the readers. Historical literature is becoming boring and literature that has no point is becoming more and more interesting.

How is that?

Nowadays people read books that have interesting content more then educational. Why? Well, in this century people are very much occupied with business and problems so they don’t have time for reading. So when they want to relax with the good book they always look for some that can be easily read and which won’t take much of their time but that will in same way get their thoughts off problems.

But for students that is a whole different story. If you read they laugh at you calling you nerd because for most of them it’s easier to Google the name of the book, read the short description of the book and play smart. But are they? I guess not. Reading only a short version of the book does not give you the whole perspective of the book, but I guess no one wants that. And with reading books on easy way does not help to your vocabulary, which is very important.Googling is good but only to get extra informations about it. I have done same things while I was in elementary school I have to be honest, but as I grown older I value books more because they can teach us about life. I started reading because I want it, not because someone made me to.

Now I love reading good books and one of my favourite is “The Bridge on Drina” by Ivo Andrić. I know it’s cliché but I was really so amazed by this book. Another one is “Impure Blood” by Borislav Stanković which changed my whole perspective of reading ( thanks to my proffesor Sima:) ). I also can’t wait to read Shakespeare in English because I got really amazed reading it in Serbian ( I am aware that this will be more difficult and that I might not understand it but it is a challenge ). Also I was recommended a book called “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini ( in Serbian named “Lovac na zmajeve” ) and I am so excited to read it as soon as I find some time (and I recommend it to you).

This post, as all of my, will seem very personal, but I’d really like to know do you like literature and why and you opinion about this post and my thoughts. I’d really appreciate it and you can comment even as anonymous I won't mind. I’d also appreciate if you could suggest me some books that you have read and which got your attention.

Thank you! J

Love,

Bojana J