Abstract
While reports of the death of literature are greatly exaggerated, reports of the decline of Aestheticism, New Criticism, and the printed word are not. Literature as a critique of society is alive today, but to survive tomorrow in any form it will need to engage environmental, climate, and pandemic public health issues. Without such engagement, there will be no civilization, and, thus, no literature. Literature can survive now, but to thrive, essays in literary criticism may have to not only (i) continue to discuss canonical and (ii) minority writing but also (iii) partner with cultural studies and/or (iv) expand the definition of literature to include “the best stories”, (v) especially multimedia stories. Critics would also be well advised to (vi) balance abstraction and theory with close, detailed readings of literature. Editors might encourage new essays demonstrating that (vii) unity in literature is compatible with the celebration of diversity, that explore (viii) the relationship of literature and science in general, and (ix) the integration of unity in literature with the search for unified theory in science. Finally, editors might encourage new essays on less trendy topics such as (x) literature focused on feelings and/or (xi) how literature helps individual readers make radical changes in their lives.
Highlights
In 1910, the power of literature was taken for granted: “the eleventh edition of The Encyclopaedia Britannica stated that literature ‘had as much effect upon human destiny as the taming of fire.’”1 Yet, only eighty years later, there were reports that literature was dying, suffocated by theory
One of the problems was that “literature,” the “best writing,” came to mean the literary works chosen for prizes and for anthologies assigned to students (Figure 1)
The English and other language departments could be changed by embracing an ethical emotive literary criticism, especially one that connects research on feelings of “sympathy” to the sympathetic imagination: our ability to penetrate the barrier between us and another person and, by entering into the other, so to speak, securing a momentary but complete identification with her (Bate 1945; Bate [1946] 1961)
Summary
In 1910, the power of literature was taken for granted: “the eleventh edition of The Encyclopaedia Britannica stated that literature ‘had as much effect upon human destiny as the taming of fire.’”1 Yet, only eighty years later, there were reports that literature was dying, suffocated by theory. In this essay, we will discuss how writing instruction teaches students to strive for unity of thought and form; how literary works embody both ideals and can inspire and support the search for unifying theories in science. (3) Consider including essays about electronic versions of canonical literature but about almost any story in multimedia form. (5) Consider including essays on neglected topics such as emotions in literature, readerresponse criticism, and the use of literature to help individual readers to change, maybe even transform themselves, using bibliotherapy, poetry therapy, autobiographies and other life stories?. The way we experience story will evolve, but as storytelling animals, we will no more give it up than start walking on all fours” (G 200) In his 1992 review of Kernan’s book The Death of Literature, Richard Lanham recommended the shift of literature from the printed book to the electronic screen (Lanham 1992). I propose including illustrations and embedded video as needed in any essay
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