LITERATURE AS AN ART

LITERATURE AS AN ART

Why Literature is an Art?

Literature is said to be an art due to the following point;

i. Language use

The language used in literature is different from the language of everyday use. Literature uses figures of speech, and words are assigned an extra meaning than what they ordinarily imply.

Some words carry literal meaning and others have symbolic meaning. Therefore, you need to dig a bit deeper before you settle and say this is what it

ii. Character and characterization

Literature uses real people or other characters that represent real people in the outside world. Inanimate beings maybe personified in a way that they represent human qualities and act accordingly. This adds artistic effect to the literary work.

iii. Choice and presentation of incidences

Literature is not just a collection of facts and stories to be reported. Incidents in literature are presented in artistic way that makes the audiences think that they are actually happening.

There is the use of skillful narrative techniques like point of view, flashback, foreshadowing, suspense etc all these help the reader to visualize the events as though they are just unfolding before their eyes.

iv. Selection of setting

Writers select a setting that goes together with the content of their works. For example, some issues like poverty, ignorance, classes, misuse of power etc are common in African context.

v. Selection of title

Literary works like plays, novels and poems have tile that goes together with the targeted message. For example, The Trials of Brother Jero linked the title with the content presented by using the main character Brother Jero.

vi. Literature is imaginative and symbolic in nature

The language used in literature is usually imaginative. Therefore, literature just uses language imaginatively represented social realities.