Literature is a term used to describe written and sometimes spoken material. Derived from the Latin word literature meaning "writing formed with letters," literature most commonly refers to works of the creative imagination, including poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, and in some instances, journalism, and song.
What Is Literature?
Simply put, literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people. The concept is difficult to precisely define, though many have tried; it's clear that the accepted definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving.
For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a page doesn't necessarily equate to creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of works for a given author. Some works of literature are considered canonical, that is, culturally representative of a particular genre (poetry, prose, or drama).
Literary Fiction vs. Genre Fiction
Some definitions also separate literary fiction from so-called "genre fiction," which includes types such as mystery, science fiction, western, romance, thriller, and horror. Think mass-market paperback.
Genre fiction typically does not have as much character development as literary fiction and is read for entertainment, escapism, and plot, whereas literary fiction explores themes common to the human condition and uses symbolism and other literary devices to convey the author's viewpoint on his or her chosen themes. Literary fiction involves getting into the minds of the characters (or at least the protagonist) and experiencing their relationships with others. The protagonist typically comes to a realization or changes in some way during the course of a literary novel.
(The difference in type does not mean that literary writers are better than genre fiction writers, just that they operate differently.)
Why Is Literature Important?
Works of literature, at their best, provide a kind of blueprint of human society. From the writings of ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China to Greek philosophy and poetry, from the epics of Homer to the plays of William Shakespeare, from Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte to Maya Angelou, works of literature give insight and context to all the world's societies. In this way, literature is more than just a historical or cultural artifact; it can serve as an introduction to a new world of experience.
But what we consider to be literature can vary from one generation to the next. For instance, Herman Melville's 1851 novel "Moby Dick" was considered a failure by contemporary reviewers. However, it has since been recognized as a masterpiece and is frequently cited as one of the best works of Western literature for its thematic complexity and use of symbolism. By reading "Moby Dick" in the present day, we can gain a fuller understanding of literary traditions in Melville's time.
Debating Literature
Ultimately, we may discover meaning in literature by looking at what the author writes or says and how he or she says it. We may interpret and debate an author's message by examining the words he or she chooses in a given novel or work or observing which character or voice serves as the connection to the reader.
In academia, this decoding of the text is often carried out through the use of literary theory using a mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or other approaches to better understand the context and depth of a work.
Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze it, literature is important to us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us on a deeply personal level.
School Skills
Students who study literature and read for pleasure have a higher vocabulary, better reading comprehension, and better communication skills, such as writing ability. Communication skills affect people in every area of their lives, from navigating interpersonal relationships to participating in meetings in the workplace to drafting intraoffice memos or reports.
When students analyze literature, they learn to identify cause and effect and are applying critical thinking skills. Without realizing it, they examine the characters psychologically or sociologically. They identify the characters' motivations for their actions and see through those actions to any ulterior motives.
When planning an essay on a work of literature, students use problem-solving skills to come up with a thesis and follow through on compiling their paper. It takes research skills to dig up evidence for their thesis from the text and scholarly criticism, and it takes organizational skills to present their argument in a coherent, cohesive manner.
Empathy and Other Emotions
Some studies say that people who read literature have more empathy for others, as literature puts the reader into another person's shoes. Having empathy for others leads people to socialize more effectively, solve conflicts peacefully, collaborate better in the workplace, behave morally, and possibly even become involved in making their community a better place.
Other studies note a correlation between readers and empathy but do not find causation. Either way, studies back the need for strong English programs in schools, especially as people spend more and more time looking at screens rather than books.
Along with empathy for others, readers can feel a greater connection to humanity and less isolated. Students who read literature can find solace as they realize that others have gone through the same things that they are experiencing or have experienced. This can be a catharsis and relief to them if they feel burdened or alone in their troubles.
Quotes About Literature
Here are some quotes about literature from literature giants themselves.
- Robert Louis Stevenson: "The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish."
- Jane Austen, "Northanger Abbey": "The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
- William Shakespeare, "Henry VI": “I’ll call for pen and ink and write my mind.”
Scope Of BA English Literature In Pakistan
The Scope of Bs English Literature In Pakistan:
BS in English Literature has wide scope and demand in the present age. There are so many public and private sectors, in which BS English Literature candidates are required throughout the year. You can build a successful career in this field. This is also considered one of the highest paying professions in Pakistan but most of the countries of the world. A BS English Literature Degree holder can easily get employment in any of the below-listed fields with handsome salary package. Further, you can find your scope of BA English literature in Pakistan in the following departments.
- Embassies
- Colleges/universities
- Software Houses
- Civil Services
- Press
- Librarian
- Media etc
Jobs After English Literature:
This is the first and the foremost point of discussion about any field of studies. Students want to check about the jobs after English literature in Pakistan. In this respect, we are telling you that your career is bright in this profession especially if you are a girl. It is because the degree of English literature diverts the students towards teaching field and of course we have a lot of well skilled and qualified professors in this toughest faculty of education. But if you don’t want to be a teacher then in the following you are getting better options of jobs after English literature degree.
- Teaching jobs
- Media Jobs
- Free Lancing
- Writer
- Translator
- Press Jobs
- Public and Private Libraries etc
Bs English Literature Salary In Pakistan:
The degree of English Literature opens so many doors of employment for you in both public and private sector of Pakistan at handsome salary package. English Literature in the present age holds a special and specific pace. According to an estimate, the starting salary of BA English Literature starts from Rs. 40,000/- (plus) and the amount can touch the figure of Rs. 150,000/- (plus) PKR per month in Pakistan.
Bs English Literature Subjects In Pakistan:
Following are the important subject studied in BS English Literature offered by most of the universities in Pakistan.
- Introduction to Linguistics
- Introduction to Literature
- Psychology
- Applied Translation Studies
- Entrepreneurship
- Introduction to computers
- Introduction to Phonetics and English Phonology
- Communication Skills
- Advanced Academic Writing and Reading
- Literary Criticism
- Novel 18th to 19th Century
- Poetry 18th to 19th Century
- Literary Moments
- Pakistani Literature in English
- Semantics and Lexical Studies
- Sociolinguistics
- Psycholinguistics
- American Literature
- Feminist Linguistics
- 20th Century Literature
Universities Offering BA English Literature in Pakistan:
There are a number of excellent universities in Pakistan which are offering BS in English Literature, the names of some of them are listed below in detail.
- Government College University (Faisalabad)
- Lahore College for Women University (Lahore)
- University of Management and Technology (Lahore)
- Lahore College for Women University (Jhang)
- Government College University (Lahore)
- The University of Punjab (Lahore)
- Edison College (Faisalabad)
- University of Management and Technology (Sialkot)
- British University college (Multan)
- The University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (Lasbela)
These are all the details about the scope of BA English literature in Pakistan, jobs, salary, universities offering English literature subjects and all career options have discussed here. for getting any further query or inquiry relating to this course you can send your comment in the following comments section.
