Instilling literature as an educational tool

Instilling literature as an educational tool

Thomas Hidya Tjaya, Lecturer, Driyarkara School
of Philosophy, Jakarta

Certain words often yield particular renditions that go beyond
their actual meanings. The word "philosophy", for instance, may
connote a certain abstruse and abstract study of who-knows-what.

The word "literature" too suffers the same fate, at least by way
of the admission of some students, as it suggests heavy, dull,
and boring books (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 27). Such a rendition of
literature can easily scare students away, and therefore, to get
them interested in literature is indeed a formidable task.

Developing an interest in reading requires the removal of at
least two layers of obstacles. First of all, one (or students)
should be convinced that knowledge is to be primarily gained from
reading texts. Literature is essentially a text, and so are
heavily academic books, such as those of social sciences.

In this sense, reading literature is part of a learning
tradition that is centered around texts. The main competitor of
literature in this regard is any form of audio-visual
presentation that relies heavily on the reception of two senses,
not just the eyes.

Today's students grow up in a world that is dominated by MTV,
the Internet, and Play Station games. These forms of presentation
have a greater appeal than literature because they have an
immediate impact.

Reading any text, including literature, requires a certain
discipline, particularly intellectually. The reader must be
devoted to the content of the text. Preoccupation with other
things can easily distract the reader from the text.

In contrast, watching television or any other audio-visual
presentation takes very little effort. One can assume any sitting
position to view what is being presented on the screen.

Will one gain knowledge from watching television? It depends
on the kind of knowledge one hopes for. If what we mean by
"knowledge" includes what celebrities do in their lives and
current gossip, than certainly this is information readily
available.

But if knowledge is taken to mean something more essential and
lasting, then few television programs would provide it. There
are, of course, some good programs that are made specifically to
educate viewers. But these are rare and admittedly the producers
of such educational programs often encounter funding
difficulties.

There are a number of arguments in favor of literature as the
backbone of a good education. First, one should not rely on
visual presentations for one's education. Reading has been the
basis of education for thousands of years and should always be
the primary source of knowledge. The saying "After three days
without reading, talk becomes flavorless" should be kept in mind.
Reading good material nourishes the mind.

Second, one should know what to read. Reading materials are
abundant and varied, from comic books and popular magazines to
purely academic books. It is natural that the ordinary reader
would prefer materials that do not require much effort and energy
to read. In this sense novels (even the long ones) are generally
considered "light" because, unlike academic texts, they are
relatively easy to read.

Romance novels, detective tales or biographies may be found in
any large bookstore and make light reading matter. The most
popular sections of bookstores are usually those displaying
children books, comics, or magazines.

These books are obviously appealing to those who dislike heavy
literature as they are illustrated and thus, easy to follow.
Teenagers often choose magazines such as Seventeen and Cosmogirl!
over "real" books because of their glossy appearance. But good
literature is timeless.

Books which are said to be "classics" contain issues that are
perennial in human history. Classics usually address themes such
as sustaining love and its consequences, the quest and struggle
for freedom, the intricacy of human desires, tragedy etc.

The Greek plays, Shakespeare's works, or a local example such
as Pramoedya's tetralogy, for instance, are called "classics"
precisely because the issues they deal with are beyond the
confines of time and place.

Literature is a valuable tool in education as by personally
identifying with a story students can grasp an understanding of
history. When people say that a particular piece of literature is
wonderful and worth reading, they usually mean that their
imaginations have allowed them to make the issues their own.

In other words, the content of the book has widened their
horizons, and enabled them to see and live life with a richer and
deeper perspective. I believe this is one of the major values, if
not the ultimate value, of reading literature.

Reading literature keeps our imaginations active and alive.
Unlike watching television programs, which compel the viewer to
accept what they see, reading literature allows the reader --
through the thick woods of words -- to imagine the scenes, the
characters and their inner thoughts.

This exercise is part of the development of the imagination,
which enables us to shape our ambitions and future.

The practical problem is, of course, how to get students to be
interested in literature. One way, as suggested in the Post (Feb.
3), is to briefly introduce the next piece of literature to be
read.

In my experience as a lecturer, students usually pay more
attention when a passage or two from a piece is quoted, rather
than a rendition of the story or the experience of the
characters. It is as though the students want to hear for
themselves what the author or characters are saying in the book.

This may be an indication of their longing for an original
voice. In encouraging students to develop a love of literature
we should help them discover both the originality of a story and
its universal themes.