1. Unit 1 Reading Imaginative Literature Pages 1 - 7

2. The Nature of Literature Literature does not lend itself to a single tidy definition Why? Because over the centuries it has become as complex, unwieldy, and natural as life itself. What can be classified as literature? Does it have to be beautiful? Moral? Can it include songs? Television scripts?

3. The Value of Literature Mark Twain observed that a person who chooses not to read has not advantage over a person who is unable to read. Why is reading literature important for us as human beings? It appeals to our emotions. It can broaden our perspectives on the world It can make us more aware of life’s possibilities as well as its subtleties and ambiguities.

4. The Value of Literature Continued Many times, students simply relate reading literature to college coursework, not to their growth as adults Reading, studying, and analyzing literature can develop a healthy “need” to problem solve The interpretation of literary texts requires you to deal with uncertainties, value judgments, and emotions; these are unavoidable aspects of life whether you are a lawyer, teach, scientist, business person, etc. To discover the insights of literature requires that you carefully read the piece Understanding the basic elements (point of view, symbols, theme, tone, irony, etc) is a prerequisite to an informed appreciation of literature

5. The Changing Literary Canon Some classics are not realized as classics until many years after their publication i.e. Melville’s Moby Dick Canon: Those works generally considered by scholars, critics, and teachers to be the most important to read and study, which collectively constitute the “masterpieces” of literature. Since the 1960s, the traditional English and American literary canon, consisting mostly of works by white male authors, has been rapidly expanding to include many female and writers of varying ethnic backgrounds.