How Does Culture Affect Literature

Improved Essays
• In order to have a more fulfilling reading experience, it is important to have knowledge of the religious traditions, beliefs, or readings from different cultures that could affect literature, despite an individual reader’s personal beliefs
• Since culture is greatly influenced by its dominant religious system, even if a writer does not necessarily adhere to the beliefs, the key values of that religious system will affect the literary work
• Despite a reader’s religious affiliation, generally a reader will recognize some Christ-like features in characters, such as being crucified, tempted, or having disciples
• Christ figures do not have to exhibit every single Christ-like characteristic
• It is important to look for a character’s age and if he or she exhibits
…show more content…
• Irony trumps everything; sometimes, authors will use the predispositions readers have about flying and wings to create an ironic situation, such as where a character is confined by an action most symbolic of freedom
• There is often an element of rebirth for characters who fall from large heights and miraculously survive o When these characters survive, readers must consider the implications
• Images of metaphorical flight include birds, feathers, and flying
• In literature, the freeing of a spirit or soul is often represented by flight
Chapter 16: “It’s All About Sex…”
• Sex began being vividly incorporated into literature after Sigmund Freud, in 1900, revealed the power of the subconscious regarding sex
• Sexual Symbolism: Objects, activities, and landscapes can take the place of sexual organs and sexual acts
• Oedipal situations, masturbation, and homosexual relationships were often symbolically incorporated into texts due to censorship during older time periods
• Sexual scenes can be coded into literary works and can work on many levels, as to please different age groups of people
Chapter 17: “…Except Sex”
• A majority of the time when authors write about sex, they do not write about the act

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