When we take a look at history, both recent and old, we can see the countless pitfalls that humanity has been through. Historical chapters ranging from famine, war, depression, and political oppression characterize our collective journey here on earth. What we shouldn’t fail to notice, however, is the constant presence of literature throughout our most vulnerable and difficult eras. As long as man lived, literature did as well. Facing the human condition meant that individuals have always longed to chronicle their experience. Dairies, biographies, articles and books both fictitious and real have been around for centuries and centuries. The question is not weather books and literature are important in our life, as the answer to that is glaringly obvious. The real question is why these forms of expression are so significant to us.
Literature has always been a vehicle of change. In each key period of history, the world’s brightest and most sensible individuals have sought to question the status quo through their publications. We can think back to the Romantics speaking up against the dehumanizing effects of the industrial revolution. Edward Said’s deconstruction of the way Orientalism stereotyped the east. Or the way in which the modernist movement attempted to reshape the individual after the brutalities of World War I and II. These are just few examples of how books have not only commented on major social and political issues, but rather went beyond that to bring upon change and reform. This is because through reading, we can develop critical thinking abilities that can help us question the larger ideologies all around us.
Another thing worth stating is that literature serves as a voice for the voiceless. Be it fictional or real narratives, books often aim to shed light on various social concerns. Elias Khoury’s “Gate of the Sun” tells metaphorical tales of the displacement of Palestinians. While Charles Dickens spent a great deal of time representing the state of poverty and corruption of British Victorian society. Moreover, there is also much to say about the aesthetic quality of books. The way language can be used innovatively and creatively to have long lasting effect on readers. To evoke deep feeling of happiness, sympathy, or melancholy. A beauty that connects people and reminds us that we are not alone in our sentiments or endeavors. Reminds us that there is a humanity that exists within us all, a humanity that is worth protecting and believing in.
There are a plethora of reasons as to why books are so important in our life. Perhaps the most significant of which, is that through them we can communicate and understand each other in a way that is and will forever be unrivaled. In our fast paced modern world, there is still nothing quite like sitting down and burying one’s self in a good, engrossing book.
