One of the (Many) Reasons I Love Literature

You know why Literature is awesome? (I am tempted to add "unlike math and science," but I will admit that life is made better by math and science... Take the internet for example). Because literature is about PEOPLE and the human condition. And what's more, it's about ME and MY condition!

I had an "I love lit" moment this evening, so now I'm all inspired... I was flipping through a book and caught sight of Keats' line "Heard melodies are sweet but those unheard are sweeter" and it brought tears to my eyes. Why? What does that? (And when's the last time a math problem brought tears to your eyes?!)

It brought tears to my eyes because (well, to be perfectly honest it was probably because I had just been watching a sad movie and was listening to the very emotional "Five Hebrew Love Songs" but let's ignore that and say, which is also true, that it brought tears to my eyes because) it spoke to myriads of moments, big and small, in my life in which I held on to the profound truth that there is more to life than meets the eye - some moments of great joy where it was obviously true, others of desperation in which I needed it to be true, still others of clarity where I saw (with the eyes of faith) that it was true.

Literature is great because it can give expression to those myriads of moments. As Alexander Pope said (creating my all time favorite "why Lit is awesome" quote): "True wit is... What oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed."

I know I've already raved about The Next Fine Day on this blog, but I found so much of myself in that book. I am a conservative to the core, and haven't dealt well with change ever since infancy, pretty much. In class we discussed the theme of "mutability" and I made my students laugh lots with my rendition of a song I made up when I was 13 (it has a very haunting melody, I might add): "Why can't things be like they used to be? Why do things always have to change?" THIRTEEN!

So discovering this book, clearly written by a kindred spirit, was balm to a soul that has been oft tortured (okay, slight exaggeration). It was all about the things that do not change - the cycles and patterns and threads and continuity of history. And it was just so BEAUTIFUL! It was beautiful in a simple way that doesn't try to be anything bigger than it is, which makes it all the more inspired.

And that makes me think that another reason the Keats line brought tears to my eyes is that the line stretches way into my past (okay, high school anyway... which is becoming more and more historic these days) and is still part of my life today. Literature doesn't change! Tennyson's In Memoriam will ALWAYS begin "Strong Son of God, Immortal Love," no matter what else happens in life. Trends in what's being read my come and go, but those words were written and will remain forever written.

Cool.

So read, people, read! And discover truths around every corner...