Literature and English literature(文学和英国文学介绍)研究报告.ppt

Literature is literally a body of work about a particular subject. Literature refers to the practice and profession of writing. It comes from human interest in telling a story, in arranging words in artistic forms, in describing in words some aspects of human experiences. Literature shows us not only what a society is like in a certain age, but also what individuals feel about it, what they hope from it, and how they can change it or escape from it. What is Literature? Literature is – Writings that are valued as works of art, esp. fiction, drama and poetry – Composition that tells a story, dramatizes a situation, expresses emotions, analyzes and advocates ideas – Helps us grow personally and intellectually – Provides an objective base for knowledge and understanding – Shapes our goals and values by clarifying our own identities, both positively and negatively – Literature makes us human. Why We Read Literature? a. Reading for pleasure Howells observed that the study of literature should begin and end in pleasure. b. Reading for relaxation Modern life is full of pressure. It is people’s common desire to seek temporally relaxation from the stress in life. c. Reading to acquire knowledge Literature gives readers an insight into the tradition, custom, beliefs, attitudes, folklore, values of the age in which it is written. What are the differences between literary language and non-literary language? (1) Non-literary language is usually “denotative”(直指式的）, it aims at a one-to-one correspondence between sign(符号)and referent(指称对象) or between signifier(能指)and signified(所指) . It aims to meet a practical need of communication, or provide information and findings accurately. (2) While literary language is highly “connotative”(内涵的）. It is far from merely referential. It is expressive, conveying writer’s feelings, attitudes and tone between the lines; it is ambiguous(多歧义的）, the interpretation varies with context and reader. Four