WHY LITERATURE

The general argument made by Mario Vargas Llosa in his work Why Literature? Is that we need literature to develop our mind. More specifically, Llosa argues that literature is more than just a luxurious pastime. He writes; “…literature is a dispensable activity, no doubt lofty and useful for cultivating sensitivity and good manners, but essentially entertainment... it s something to fit in between sports, the movies, a game of bridge or chess.”(pg 39) in this passage, Llosa is suggesting that we need to find time to read because “as a result of literature life is better understood and better lived.(pg41). In conclusion, it is Llosa’s belief that through literature humans can connect on so many different levels, it allows us to think more critically, and gain more knowledge.

In my view, Llosa is right because “humanity without reading, untouched by literature, would resemble a community of deaf-mutes and aphasics, afflicted by tremendous problems of communication due to its crude and rudimentary language.”(pg 41) For example, I read this book called Matched, the people tried to create a utopian society by only keeping 100 books, 100 songs, 100 paintings etc. The people in that society did not have a broad range of knowledge because they weren’t allowed to read unless it was necessary to do so for their profession. The leaders of that society had total control because no one would speak up because they didn’t have enough knowledge. Although Llosa might object that to keep our freedom, dreams, and opinions alive we must read. I maintain that we should read to learn more, and think more critically to help our lives. Therefore, I conclude that literature is necessary in our society today and that it should not be a luxurious pastime but a priority.