How can you define something like literature? Is it possible that there are words accurate enough to define a concept that thrives on the absence of limitations? To me, the beauty of literature is that it cannot have one concrete definition. Literature can mean so many different things to so many different people. So what does literature mean to me? That's what I spent a lot of time thinking about while doing my homework for this class this week. So I finally realized what it means to me right now. For me, literature is written art. It is the most intellectually stimulating way to gather insight into your own emotions. Literature is a different kind of journey for every literary work, but it is always a journey in some way. Characters share traits similar to people in your life, and you, in turn, relate to the story and become absorbed by every plot development. Authors of literary works have a grip on your emotions, and as long as you are involved in the novel, poem or other piece of literature, the authors will continue to have a grip on your emotions. It's amazing, how words can have such a powerful impact on the human soul. Instead of blatantly describing sadness, literature leaves subtle hints of tragedy for the reader to subconsciously take in. If you're looking hard enough, you find these sorts of subtleties and use analytical thinking to understand their meanings. The use of analysis helps you understand emotions on and even deeper intellectual and visceral level. That is literature for me. But the other beauty of literature is that it is ever-changing. Authors will continue to break rules, and as readers we will try to comprehend why these rules are broken. My hope is that as this course of AP Literature progresses, I will gain more insight into what truly defines literature for me.
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