Introduction to Literary Fusion

Introduction to Literary Fusion

Literature is the artistic expression of the experience of being human.

Literary endeavor may serve the universe as the matrix of solutions needed to uplift human civilization. Let us see how the literary endeavor may do that. To get the points, let us know first  what literature is in details, as the very nature of anything can show what it can do or cannot do.

Dissecting literary works and analyzing literary properties, we would see that, literature reveals in front of us the human condition[i] that means the experiences--both public and private--of being human in a social, cultural, political, economic, geographic and personal context[ii] remaining within the process of reaching his/her ultimate target of life, fulfilling his/her dreams, desires, needs and wants. According to Aristotle, ‘poetry is an art of imitation or representation, and the objects of imitation are “men doing or experiencing something”’[iii].  However, Literature does this with sensory details and devices as this is a branch of art. All these are done through microscopic observation on life which no other discipline can do.  

Going to deal on human condition and state about human dreams, hopes, feelings, nightmares, desires, states of life, achievements of life etc., it justifies, tests, verifies, and measures all other discipline endeavors which form any specific state of human condition with the scale prepared of human being’s thought regarding ideal state of civilization, human being’s optimum levels of all sorts of dreams, desires, feelings, wants, needs, and meaningfulness. So, in literary endeavor, there enters the questions of the ultimate targets of human life. In fact, every one of the human endeavors circles around the ultimate targets of life:

1. Establishing self-identity and ensuring self existence[iv]
2. Passing a happy life
3. Passing a peaceful life
4. Making life meaningful[v]

Since the very beginning of human civilization, men/women strive after their ultimate targets of life—at some case to fix what the ultimately targets should be or at some cases reaching the targets after fixing it.  However, as the part of their effort to reach their targets, they feel the urge to express themselves–to express both subtly and sensibly, and, thus, share their views with others. This is one of the basic human instincts. And because of this instinct of expressing themselves both subtly and sensibly, human being created art. Literature is the result of that urge of expressing oneself using language as medium of expression. Moreover, ultimately, what is to be marked here is—the readers also read the literature because of the same instinct.

Literature deals with human condition together with other disciplines doing the same thing and, side by side, it justifies, tests, verifies, and measures all other discipline endeavors which form any specific state of human condition. Now, the question comes know is how literary venture is different from other disciplines. First point to be stated here is—Philosophy, Psychology, Political Science, Anthropology, Economics, Sociology etc. and all of the other disciplines ‘say things explicitly, directly, simply, in “notional” language; literature expresses itself in way which helps to feel into and to realize and thus to get more help to think the complex experience’. Startling into perception, the invitation to perceptual or physical awareness, is function of literature[vi]. To express subtly and sensibly, literature deals with issues in a way which may touch our five sense organs. The writers become selective, creative, inventive, expressive, dreamer with its intended purpose, information and worldview it wants to convey. Secondly, the case of touching our sense organs through liveliness is a must for literature. The peculiar pleasure of poetry lies in the liveliness—using perfect plot, style, invention as well as diction. And, to make the information on human condition lively to us, the writers take us within their contexts (Context –the true image of man’s nature can only be exhibited inside the context). We are informed regarding human being’s Customs, Rituals, Beliefs, Attitudes, Myths they are being guided by, Prejudices they have, Fashions, Styles, Actions, Reactions etc. everything. 

Now, let us know on immediately raised question—what is the use of all these types of enterprise? Firstly, literature invites attention in a way no other kind of discourse can. We should mark that the systems through which literature expresses that help to –

1. Stimulate awareness
2. To recognize what already know
3. Release or organize our impulses and attitudes
4. Perpetuate and communicate a valuable kind of psychological adjustment

Again, as literature shows both material and the mental reality (conscious—organized or unorganized or expressed or hidden—and subconscious), this informs us the whole truth of life which no other discipline can do.

This is a psychological reality that no change within us, within our actions may come only because of our thinking faculty remained activated, this is must for us to feel into. This is clear that literature invites us simultaneously to think about and to feel into and, as a result, to become. And, thus literature promotes culture in all its senses.

** The writer does not claim it as a serious research work. Prior excuses are sought by the writer in case of any unacknowledged information used here.

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[i] Read André Malraux

[ii] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_condition

[iii] Critical Approaches to Literature by David Daichess, page-25

[iv] Read Ayn Rand

[v] Read Victor Frankl

[vi] Critical Approaches to Literature by David Daichess, page-154