Answer:
When students study Literature, they learn to appreciate words and their power. They travel to other realms and times through the texts they read. They understand about their own culture and others’. They learn to empathise with characters, to feel their joys and pain. For example, one 15-year old student shared with me that when studying the short story, “The Shoes of My Sensei”, by Goh Sin Tub, he could put himself into the shoes of those who lived through World War II, and understand their suffering, and what it was like during that time.
Importantly, they learn to consider multiple perspectives and understand the complexity of human nature. Take, for example, George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Do we feel Napoleon is fully responsible for the miserable lives the animals lead? Aren’t the other animals responsible for their own plight too, having allowed Napoleon to tyrannise them? In Literature, as in life, things aren’t always so clear cut, in black and white. And therein lies the value of the subject – it prepares one for the ambiguities of life, to take uncertainties in one’s stride.
Moreover, in Literature, students develop a sense of individuality and creativity, as they develop their own opinions about issues in their texts. They also learn skills of persuasion – they need to convince others of their interpretations, and this builds their confidence.
I hope it helps.
