Why Do We Study Literature

Answering ‘why study literature’ is not tied to a singular conclusive response, rather it is justified through a multifaceted contention based upon a myriad of interlinking reasons. Literature is inherently complex and not so simply tied to a singular purpose for its existence despite various critics contending otherwise. Harold Bloom, in his How to Read and Why, quintessentially exalts the notion that literature has one singular purpose and staunchly discredits any literature that does not conform to his contention. Bloom’s answer to the question ‘why study literature’ is quite narrow in that he declares literature must abide a certain didactical purpose, else it is worthless. Praising select authors, and condemning a majority of others, Bloom …show more content…
Literature is read and studied for countless reasons, independent to each individual reader, but, Bloom contends, with a generalising statement, “ultimately we read…in order to strengthen the self” (Bloom 22), ignoring any other intention as to read or study literature. Literature, whilst can offer to ‘strengthen the self’ as declared by Bloom, can strive to accomplish other purposes, too. Literature encompasses various fields of study – history, philosophy, theatre, linguistics, art, psychology, science, etc – therefore it is illogical to claim that it can only achieve one goal. Studying literature opens gateways into these fields of study, illuminating readers to extensive and comprehensive information and enlightening them on various facets of human existence. Additionally, literature does not always have to be didactic, in fact escapism and simple pleasure are also valid reasons for studying and reading literature. However, Bloom firmly detests literature which characterises itself as escapism or pleasure, insisting “the pleasures of reading indeed are selfish rather than social” (Bloom 22). Furthermore, in a separate article, Bloom also asserts that more contemporary literary sensations, such as Harry Potter, “[are not] even good nonsense. [They are] insufferable” (Bloom second article), disapproving of the entire contemporary literary phenomenon. Whilst Bloom argues that ‘reading for pleasure is selfish’ and will provide the reader with nothing to intrapersonally gain, what Bloom ignores is that during the release of each Harry Potter novel, “on trains, in airport lounges, in parks and on beaches, everywhere one went, everybody seemed to be reading Harry Potter...not since the serial novels of Charles Dickens