“The pleasures of ordinary people are in their passions; but the seats of delight is in the reason and understanding. Such a frame of mind raises sweet enthusiasm which warms the imagination at the sight of every work of nature, and turns all round you into picture and landscape”- Woman of Color- Edited by Lyndon J. Dominque (106)

What contribution are you making to the world?

What impact will that contribution make?

Literature should attempt to answer these two questions because these are the most important questions human beings must answer. Authors of these pieces of literature must write about characters who are looking to answer this question. The characters do not necessarily have to find the answer to these question, but they should be shown looking for an answer with or without knowing they must answer this question. Therefore, the main characters must be well-developed, round characters that grow and change throughout the story. These pieces of literature should show these characters growing and changing as they attempt to answer these questions. In other words, the characters learn their contribution in the world based on a series of experiences that help them develop their identity. When they develop their identity, they will get closer to trying to find the answer to that question and figure out exactly what contribution they are making to the world, and what impact that will have.

As these characters experience life, they will meet other characters along the way who will make an impact on them. These characters will have a clear influence on them, whether it is positive or negative, and will impact their lives. The characters reflect on these experiences they have with other character, and help them figure out what these interactions mean to them. In other words, what impact does that character have on them? How will they use this impact to contribute to the world themselves? Other people shape who we are, whether positively or negatively, and characters should shape other characters as well. Therefore, characters should impact other characters so we can see what contribution characters make because of interaction and experience with other characters.

Not only should characters have an impact on other characters, but setting should also have an impact on other characters. Unlike round characters who are growing and changing, the place in which the story is stagnant. However, the places we have been influence who we are just as much as the people we meet. The setting of the story should be well-developed and vividly described to show how a place can impact a person. If a story is taking place in a place that exists in real life, the description in a piece of literature should accurately reflect the place in which the city takes place so the reader can relate to the setting and understand how the place can impact another human being. Likewise, the time in which a story is taking place should be reflect accurately so the reader understands how that time impacted people’s lives.

Lastly, literature should do to the reader what the characters and setting do to other characters, make an impact on the reader and help them contribute to the world. In other words, literature should be able to teach the reader about the realities of the world based on a theme of the story. The stories do not have to be realistic-fiction or nonfiction to show the importance of a theme. The literature must portray the significance of the theme or themes that are being discussed throughout the work. In other words, the literature should be able to effectively show why a theme matters to the world. The reader should use these themes that are taught in the literature and apply them to the world. The reader should be able to think about what exactly the literature is endorsing, why the author is endorsing that theme or idea, and what should the reader learn and apply from reading a particular work.

Literature aims to do what our parents and teachers do, instill values in us. We are brought into another world that differs from reality with an adventure that teaches these values. Our parents and teachers can provide stories as examples to teach us values, but they cannot take us on the adventures a good piece of literature can. Literature asks the reader, what did you learn about the world from this story based on this adventure into which this story has sucked you? In other words, literature takes us out of reality to teach us a lesson in a way our parents and teachers cannot.