I take a more traditional
definition of literature in that I believe that it refers to written works
alone. These works could be poems, epics, stories, etc. The term “literature”
implies a respect for the book as a great work that is appreciated in most
literary circles. It also implies that the work has somehow shaped or reflected
our culture through either style or meaning, such as a social critique. I do
not consider movies to be literature because of the very definition. “Literature”
comes into English from the Latin word “littera,” which means books. (Finally,
three years of study paid off somehow). So while I feel that movies are
certainly a great form of art that shape and critique our culture, the word
literature directly refers to books or other written works, and I believe that
it should be left that way.
One of
the greatest works of literature that I have come across is The Count of Monte Cristo by French
author Alexandre Dumas. I consider this literature, as well as many others do,
because of both the meaning and scale of the book. For one, it is every bit as
long as War and Peace, making it
already an impressive read. Secondly, the intricate plot details render this
book a fascinating read that can only be totally understood by the educated.
Not being elitist here or anything, that’s just how it is. Thirdly, perhaps
most importantly, the ultimate message of the book provides critiques on many
levels. It discusses the limits of human
justice and the role of the individual when it seems human justice has failed.
It also constantly examines the definition of happiness to the individual and
simultaneously the effects of jealous dissatisfaction. It calls into question
what actions should be taken by the individual when the larger society seems to
have failed the individual. But what qualifies The Count of Monte Cristo most as literature, I believe, is its
resilience to the test of time and its acclaim as a classic novel. It was
written in 1844 and is still popular today, an astonishing feat. For I believe
that when books are written, they are not then literature. Literature is
developed over time as a society begins to accept the work as such. Literature
carries an underlying respect for the work and is paralleled in our definition
of some books as “classics,” while others are dismissed. So overall, I think that literature should be
restricted to the traditional definition of written works that help shape or
reflect the culture that they portray.
