Cherts

A.P. Composition
Literature Essay Imagine a world without literature, no writings expressing emotion and morals. Where would we be today? How would our values be different? Way of life? Literature plays a highly essential role in our society; so much it’s nearly impossible to picture us without it. Succeeding the reading of The Educated Imagination by Northrop Frye, Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott, and The Republic by Plato, it is evident which author has created the most effective argument. The authors’ goals were to use content and techniques to assess the value of literature in a society. Northrop Frye created the most effective argument of the three in his work of literature, The Educated Imagination. Unlike Plato, Northrop Frye created an argument in favor of literature’s effect on society. Northrop Frye creates the greatest argument of the three authors by analyzing language into three major levels; the language of consciousness or awareness, the language of practical sense, and the language of literature. The first language, the language of conscious and awareness, is our means if self expression that is the production of conversation. The second language, the language of practical sense, is our means of participating in society that produces information. The last language, the language of literature, is our means of entering the world of imagination and produces creative poetry from each writer. He then goes on to isolate the two subjects literature and science. Literature is information that comes from the imaginational world of an author’s head that is put forth into society and civilization. While science begins in the external world and adds imagination, Northrop Frye’s comparisons between imagination and literature and practical and technical is what makes his argument so effective. As well, Northrop Frye uses hypothetical situations as a type of analogy in order to better reinforce his perspective. He believes that it is through the communication between the people that make them humans. Literature makes for the most effective connection between people. Northrop Frye’s argument was most successful due to his development of literacy. Although Frye has developed the greatest argument of the three authors, Lamott too produced a well-organized and developed argument. Lamott divided her book into chapters based on different aspects of writing and literature. She had chapters dedicated to any obstructions a writer may encounter, techniques on how to overcome them, and methods on how to begin and end. In each of these chapters Lamott blends in a little bit of life experiences, which is a highly effective way to allow the reader to fully comprehend Lamott’s teachings. In one of Lamott’s chapters, she describes one of the worst desires a writer can have. It is the desire to obtain perfectionism. This hope can ruin one’s writing. It prevents writing styles that make literature unique such as inventiveness and playfulness. It will restrict one’s writing and not allow it the movement and liveliness it needs. A way to avoid perfectionism is by believing in God. Having faith will help one continue to write and avoid frustration. Lamott continues to speak about how writers need to learn to be giving. Giving people are generous and positively impact the society they live in. Lastly there’s the argument presented by Plato, the classical Greek philosopher. Plato demonstrated his discussion through his novel The Republic. Unlike Lamott’s and Frye’s argument, Plato’s argument opposes literature in society. Plato finds poets to be dangerous and unwholesome, which is why he banishes poets from the city. He disagrees with a lot of poets because he believes they do not know about anything of which they write. Although many people believe poets and what they write about, Plato does not. Plato creates the foundation for his opinion by explaining how the topics the poets claim knowledge of are mere images and far from what is most real. He also concludes that the images portrayed by the poets imitate the bad and irrational parts of the soul. Once these images are leaked into society, it can corrupt even the finest souls. Although Plato’s argument was against Frye’s and Lamott’s, it was still well presented and developed. In conclusion, each author has devised a valid argument with substantial supporting details, but one has the most effective argument. Northrop Frye’s argument demonstrates a strong use of reason and content to support his opinion. He uses these tactics to express the value of literature, and it’s positive effect it has on society today. Northrop Frye’s argument is the most effective because most readers who read each of the three works of literature will agree with Frye due to his easily comprehensible writing style and universal opinion of literature in society. Societies values may be completely different than which they are today if it weren’t for literature.