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.