Reading creates empathetic and emotionally intelligent members of society. Fiction provides the reader with a variety of experiences, often quite different from their own life. University of Toronto psychology professor and author of Such Stuff as Dreams:The Psychology of Fiction, Keith Oatley, comments on the highly immersive nature of a story by observing how readers possess the ability to “become other people and enter their social worlds” as well as “meet others whom we would never meet in our day to day life”; accordingly, to those who enter the life of a particular character, the character often becomes a better-known companion to the reader than some friends in real life. This exercise in stepping into the shoes of another increases …show more content…
This experience allows them to humanize the person and understand the reality of day to day life coping with an impediment. The interviewer can “focus less on individual symptoms and more on fears, struggles, emotions, and successes.” Many students value the opportunity, because it opens their eyes and creates a complex picture of a person rather than a simple, black and white textbook understanding of the illness or disorder (Rouse). Reading increases both intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence by giving individuals the tools necessary to articulate their own feelings and understand those of others. A novel’s value often lies in that left unsaid, so active reading and thorough reflection, encompassing skills such as making inferences and reading between the lines, remains vital to a complete understanding of the text. A comprehensive reading of the classics requires the readers to draw individual conclusions, take away their own moralities and lessons, and connect the book to other works of literature, real world events, and the thoughts buried deep inside themselves. Through this intensive process, readers emerge with a tool kit of critical thinking skills and an increased empathetic capacity …show more content…
Philosophy builds a versatile foundation for an array of diverse and constantly evolving possibilities. President of Harvard University, Drew Faust, proposes philosophy supplies students with a toolkit filled with a collection of vital basic thinking skills that carry over across the disciplines to “help [students] get ready for their sixth job, not their first job” (qtd. in Zakaria 79). The general stereotypes of philosophical study portray the discipline as useless, lacking in practical applications, and inferior to a more marketable degree in the sciences; conversely, philosophy opens doors to a variety of professional paths, as students use the degree as a springboard to excel in careers such as politics, law, journalism, counseling, research, and education. Many head directly to postgraduate studies due to an intense love of learning for learning’s sake (Boyd). Angus Brook, associate dean of the School of Philosophy and Theology at Sydney’s University of Notre Dame Australia, hypothesizes the great success of philosophy majors lies in the “foundation in reasoning and logic, critical thinking, analysis, and understanding of abstract topics” (qtd. in Boyd). While many students glean intrinsic rewards from their studies, such as intellectual stimulation or an outlet for their insatiable curiosity and interest in the big
When you read, especially fiction, you experience a broad sweep of human life. You gain access to the thoughts of others, look at history through another person’s eyes and learn from their mistakes, something that you otherwise would not be able to experience.
He recognizes that students forge these degrees into an armor of achievement in hopes that it will cushion them from the harsh uncertainty of the future. Shiffman believes that the drop in interest in the humanities results in the inability of students to have clear bearings amid life’s uncertainties. He believes that only by studying the humanities will students be able to introspect and recognize that endless achievement may not add up to a meaningful life (Shiffman 5). However, Shiffman fails to realize that this form of reflection need not be done solely by those majoring in the humanities. It can be done by all who try, their fields of study are no limitation.
readers a dose of reality and human experience. People read literature and end up learning
Literature; it has compelled us, entertained us, educated us, and drove us to madness. It has served as life instruction, by using the characters as the lesson plan. It is sometimes blunt, sometimes ugly, and in Truman Capote’s case, is so gruesome that we do not dare forget it.
Imagine a cardiovascular surgeon about to crack the sternum of a dying patient; tension is high while the clock of life ticks desperately slower and softer for the poor soul on the cold steel table that saw death the hour before. Is it logical that at that moment the purveyor of life is contemplating whether his freshmen philosophy class back at SMU has thoroughly prepared him for what he is about to do? Not likely. In higher learning institutions, liberal art classes like philosophy are not meant to be directly applied to one’s life or career; however, they are structured and devised to be a strong base that the individual can expand upon through scientific learning and experience. This is precisely the reason colleges and universities require and place much emphasis on these classes; nevertheless, there has been a shift away from the liberal arts towards the direction of highly specialized areas of science and business because of their growing integration in everyday life. Although people need a limited number of liberal arts classes to attain a basic understanding of ourselves and our evolution, state universities are aptly moving towards technical education, because, in this fast paced world, many people don’t have the time or money to spend studying the humanities alone.
"When Eliza, Lindsay, and I all finally stood up to walk to the ambulance to get bandaged up, the crowd stood and gave us a standing O. We went on to win the game bug, but my topple made everything else anticlimactic."
How does reading a story benefits an individual and improve his or her daily life? Extensive reading does not only serve as an entertainment purpose, but it is also beneficial to many readers because reading fiction can help enhance a person’s understanding of the type of society the reader lives in. For example, the famous novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is regarded as a brilliant work of literature, for it offers a detailed glimpse of the American life in the 1920s and comments on various social problems during that time period. The novel tells the story of a mysterious millionaire named Jay Gatsby who lives in the fictional town of West Egg, located on Long Island, during the summer of 1922. Gatsby wants to pursue his first
A college education gives a person the opportunity to be successful in life, either financially or morally dependent on the goals that they set for their life. They will choose a college that offer programs for the major of their choice, where they will specialize and receive a degree. The decision to pursue a higher education will give the opportunity to earn a better income over someone who does not have a degree. College is more of life preparation course that will help make sure a successful career. If a person pursues a career in engineering, physics or mathematics their curriculum would include more liberal art preparation courses, in order for them to earn their degree, so someone pursuing a degree in these types of careers are attending college for job preparation. On December 10, 2009 at Hamilton University in Clinton, New York, college professors debated current college curriculum (Liew). They talked about how their college could make a leap from being good to being great. At the 22nd American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference held in Long Beach California on November 14, 1996 the topic of changing curriculum was discussed (“Mich”). The University of Louisiana, Lafayette, is eliminating its philosophy major, while Michigan State University is doing away with American studies and classics, after years of decline in enrollments in those majors (Zernike). The purpose of a college education is to meet the student's liberal art’s needs so that they can compete and understand the connection between a degree and a job that will enable them to compete with other world economies, give them a well-rounded education that will enable them to earn a higher income, and retain a lifetime full of knowledge.
Students with higher level responses are able to clearly evaluate their personal understanding of the text based on close analysis of the author's construction of the tragedy, such as themes, relevant quotations and textual integrity. Character analysis and the text’s ability to connect to different contexts through universal themes are both significant components
Sometimes it’s not until the second, third, or even fourth reading that the reader begins to ask the more advanced questions and demand more of the text. Once that is accomplished, the rest is a proverbial piece of cake. Works cited: Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet: Prince of Denmark.” Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama.
Continuing this idea of authors creating empathy from their audience, Andrew Simmons’ article “Literature’s Emotional Lessons” explains how “the process of entering imagined worlds of fiction creates empathy” (Qtd. in Simmons). Despite referring to fiction, this quote can be applied to African-American
When a student goes through the state of California’s University system, the student is encouraged to take many different courses of broadly ranged material including courses dealing with philosophy. Some individuals argue that studying and reading philosophy is a waste of a student’s time and has little value to the student and his/her education. Though this argument shows valid concerns for a university student’s education, it is more beneficial for a student to take courses dealing with philosophy because these courses teach students how to think logically and critically. Without the study of philosophical thinking and lack of philosophy courses taken throughout a student’s educational journey, university students would not be given the necessary critical thinking skills they need to be successful in their society.
We read about characters confronting life experiences in some way like our own and sometimes find ourselves caught up with the struggles of a character. Each reader gets a new and unique event and the words speak to us now, telling us the truths about human life which are relevant to all times. Literature enriches us by putting words to feelings.
“When you re-read a classic you do not see in the book more than you did before. You see more in you than there was before.” - Clifton Fadiman. Why should people read classic literature? I am arguing the point of why we should still read classic literature and how it’s relevant in today’s culture.
Learning philosophy should help in whatever field we decide to go into, the question itself is very broad and could also entail much speculation. In the reading thus far, I am already questioning my ability to learn this. I honestly had no idea what philosophy was until this week. I can see where it co...