The timeless pertinence of Literature:

There used to be a time when literature played a very important role in our lives. But with the changing world and the ever growing media platforms; literature is now seems to be confined only to the school and college curriculums.

Though the modern world has its own coign of vantage, but our children are missing what their preceding generations have enjoyed living.

Following are some things which we are missing out in our lives due to lack of literature:

1. Story books and picture books –

Literature isn’t just the big novel that comes to our mind whenever we think of anything related to the word ‘literature’. It however can be defined as anybody of written works; especially having an artistic, imaginative and intellectual value. The essence of storytelling has now been merged with the electronic and digital gadgets. Once upon a time the child used to insist on reading some of his favorite story books to bed while now we see the child wailing to let him use his parent’s  smart phone to browse the You tube or to Subway surf!

2. Reading-

This is something that the children do only while studying or at schools. Also some classrooms have gone digital leaving even lesser room for reading. This has just not only resulted in poor vocabulary and poorer writing skills; it has made the generation more distant from the authentic storytelling. The time when parents used to scold the children for reading the comic magazines is long gone because now is the time of playstations and movies that have taken place of that. 

3. History is not my favorite subject mama!

Homer, Shakespeare , Tagore, Wordsworth, Jane Austen, Dickens – if only you know one name of them all then  say a hearty thanks to the education pattern which despite of  many loopholes; is somehow managing us to keep connected to the fiction, poetry and drama (three of the main pillars of literature). Literature happens to be the blueprint of the society. Each novel speaks for the time it was written and published in. The language, lifestyle and livelihoods have evolved over the time. Literature is the witness of it. Children who are not into reading face difficulties in the subjects like history and other languages too.

4. Playgrounds, libraries and theatres –

The playgrounds are already getting less important day by day; falling prey to the modern technologies. The libraries too are seldom visited by the children and teenagers. It might be true that children are reading some other “genre fiction” but it still can’t compete with the classic literature and the character building. The theatres are now getting a tough competition from the over-crowded cinema halls.

5. The more lacking things –

Empathy is what you acquire if you are a reader. The lesser the reader you are the more violent, impatient and unimaginative you get. So, then you are unable to write many important and simple things in day to day life. From love notes to leave applications. WhatsApp and Facebook don’t help you at times.