Literature is more than just a field of study I pursue or one of the many pastimes of the literate masses around the world. Literature is a gateway to understanding, perception and critical thinking. You could read a book about anything ranging from a series of novels about dragons and magic to a novel that is so accurate to real life that you may question if the novel is fiction or a biography. Within all of these works you will find messages or historical context that will broaden your mind to new horizons.
For instance, one of my favorite series of novels is George R.R. Martin’s "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, which is the basis of the HBO series "Game of Thrones." Those novels are written so superbly to the point where you not only feel like you’re in the world, you feel as if you’re a part of it too, and when a character dies (which is all the time) you feel hurt, glad or shocked.
Yet, not too many people know that this famous series has historical context behind it. The series is loosely based on the infamous British Civil War of the 14th century known as the War of the Roses, which led to the most infamous dynasty of England, the Tudor Era.
Actual characters in the book and their actions are all emulations of historical accounts of actual historical figures. Not only are you reading a riveting tale where no man, woman, or child is safe from death, you are also being presented a history lesson hidden by a veil of dragons, ice monsters and magic.
Sticking with "A Song of Ice and Fire" as my example, there is a message encompassing this whole package of storytelling and madness. Actually, there are many messages, from the corruption of people in power to the strength of women in an oppressive society to the separation of church and state. The path of literary analysis is actually composed of many paths, but one adventure; your own.
Literary analysis is extremely subjective, yet allows the reader to do more than enjoy a story and think critically about it. This opens up debate, and from that a person’s view on anything, from politics to the meaning of life can be excavated out of organizing a critical analysis of a piece of literature.
Literature comes in many shapes and sizes and fonts and so on, but what remains the same is the ability to expand the mind and allow the reader to be more perceptive of the world around them and not take anything for face value because just like in R.R. Martin’s series, things aren’t always as they seem.
