11"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

WhyWhy ReadRead Literature?Literature?

““We go to We go to college to be college to be given one more given one more chance to learn chance to learn to read in case to read in case we haven’t we haven’t learned in high learned in high school.”school.”

- Robert Frost- Robert Frost

22"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

Enjoyment & Enjoyment & UnderstandingUnderstanding

Reading allows us to Reading allows us to

Relive the past Relive the past

Enter unknown worlds and Enter unknown worlds and Cultures Cultures

33"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

InsightInsight

Reading is a Reading is a windowwindow

Into unfamiliar Into unfamiliar experiencesexperiences

And into our own and And into our own and others’ charactersothers’ characters

44"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

So, why read literature?So, why read literature?

C. S. Lewis inC. S. Lewis in An Experiment in Criticism An Experiment in Criticism says:says:

““Unless you contain in yourself Unless you contain in yourself sources that can supply all the sources that can supply all the information, entertainment, information, entertainment, advice, rebuke and merriment advice, rebuke and merriment you want, the answer is obvious. you want, the answer is obvious. And if it is worthwhile, . . . It is And if it is worthwhile, . . . It is often worth doing so attentively.”often worth doing so attentively.”

55"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

““The nearest I have yet got The nearest I have yet got to an answer is that we to an answer is that we seek an enlargement of seek an enlargement of our being. We want to be our being. We want to be more than ourselves. . . more than ourselves. . . In reading great literature In reading great literature I become a thousand men I become a thousand men and yet remain myself.”and yet remain myself.”

C. S. Lewis continued…C. S. Lewis continued…

66"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

I’mI’m too too busy to busy to read!!read!!

ARE YOU ARE YOU KIDDING?KIDDING?

77"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

Go Audio!Go Audio!Audio tapes and CDs enable you to Audio tapes and CDs enable you to listen to great literature anywhere:listen to great literature anywhere:

While you’re cooking,While you’re cooking,

oror

Driving,Driving,

88"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

Jogging,Jogging,

oror

Resting.Resting.

99"Why Read Literature?""Why Read Literature?"

But where can I get audio But where can I get audio books?books?

Public LibrariesPublic LibrariesUniversity LibrariesUniversity Librarieshttp://www.audible.comhttp://www.audible.comRecorded Books on Tape Recorded Books on Tape

http://www.recordedbooks.com/http://www.recordedbooks.com/Listening LibraryListening Library

http://www.listeninglib.com/index.pperlhttp://www.listeninglib.com/index.pperl

Search for audible books on the internetSearch for audible books on the internetfor many other audio book providers.for many other audio book providers.