When I tell people that I am an English major, there is usually a sort of uproar in response.
“What do you mean?” They ask, “Don’t you already know English?”
“How are you supposed to earn any money?” They press, wide-eyed.
The thing is, as far as majors go, society sees the study of English as a dud. Literature has been around for so long that people don’t understand how anything can be added to the industry. In this world where everything is changing so rapidly, the world of literature seems to be lost in history. The only place left for it, people think, is among the aisles of dusty, forgotten libraries.
But the industry doesn’t have to be growing in order to be important. There’s a reason that literature has stayed around for so long, and, even in this age of technology, people are still buying print editions of books.
The roots of my choice to be an English major lie in the first chapter book that I read, years ago. I believe that it was called "Clifford Saves the Whales." You know the series- the one about a bright red dog who is bigger than a house? The premise, yes, is absurd, but there is something so delightful about it. In that moment when we sit down to read, we can fall away into a world where any information the author gives us is believable.
The relationship between the reader and the writer is a unique one. In that short span of time where your nose is between the pages of a book, you and the author are having a conversation.
The story, even if it is fiction, is a reflection of the author’s own life. The characters, ideas and images will always have their origination in the author’s experiences. When the author writes, they are gifting their own knowledge- their own understanding of the world- onto you.
In the same way, when we read a story, we will always see it through the lens of our own history. How many times have you read a book and found yourself relating to the main character? Their relationships and issues all feel so familiar. It is no wonder that, after some time with them, you cultivate a friendship with them. In your waking life, you may even think about them as you walk down the street. What would they say, if they were here?
Or you might spend your waking life thinking about their story, craving the next moment you’ll have to yourself, where you can curl up and open the pages, and fall back into their world once again.
Even when the character is in a situation that you would never find yourself in, you will still find moments in their journey where you’ll think to yourself, yes, I know what that feels like. Books give us an opportunity to face our own feelings without having to do it alone. Sometimes, people can’t comprehend something that they’ve been through until a book pinpoints how the situation made them feel, and the book lets them know that they are not alone.
Books are powerful because they can act as friends and counselors to their readers. They help them understand their own life better, as well as the world around them. When a person comes to understand themselves through text, this leaves room for them to understand others through text, as well. When we read, we are forced to see the world through a stranger’s eyes.
Sometimes, we may not agree with a character’s actions, but when their life is laid out to us in the text, it is easier to understand what has led them to make the decisions that they’ve made.
This is an important skill to have in real life. People will always have opposing views, but once we become willing to empathize, it will be easier to communicate. Reading cultivates the best citizens and politicians. Those who read emphatically, will not only be strong critical thinkers, they will be well-spoken and understanding. A person who views the world through the lessons they’ve learned in books will be the most in-tune with the human condition.
I understand that all of us think we can solve the issues of the world by different means. For some people, the answers lie in science- studying our planet, advancing and bettering our lifestyles. Others find the answers in religion. Others, in politics and history.
Essentially, I think we’re all just looking for answers and knowledge. And isn’t that what college is about? I turn to literature because I know that it will undoubtedly, always shape the way that I understand other people. I choose literature because I think that it is an important medium to keep around.
Even as our technology advances, I think we should remember that we all feel the same things and go through the same experiences, and it is necessary to consistently remind ourselves of this.