Blog Post #1

In the first 10 pages of the chapter, Culler outlines the importance of how we are able to define literature. He states that it is a very difficult question to answer and in many ways, there isn’t any singular answer. He also states that many pieces of works that wouldn’t usually be called literature could still tie to some aspects of what literary is. Culler says that literature comes in “all shapes and sizes.” These shapes and sizes can vary from poetry to depicting historical events. The essence of literature is particularly essential since many varieties of poetry are easily recognized due to their distinct structure and purpose. Literature creates an imaginary environment in which the reader is exposed to a complicated tale weaved together using many approaches. Literature is important because philosophy has increased the literariness of writings of all kinds. This is very important when thinking about definitions of literature because it broadens our knowledge deeper into how literary can be divided into. From past pieces of work to modern. But, again, literature has different meanings for different people bringing about, altogether, different perspective. So the question of what is literature can’t really be answered using a single word or sentence.

One question that stayed with me as I read this chapter is “what is literature then, since there isn’t a clear single answer?” As I continue reading the rest of the book, I think it will be clear that the answer is perspective. Many literary theorists have different answers of what literature can be and why it matters. And the answers can vary to how literary ties to poetry and historical pieces of event to rhetoric from how it comes in all shapes and sizes and even ties to pieces of work that wouldn’t usually be listed under the category of literary. There isn’t a clear answer of what literature can be listed under because it can be tied to all pieces of work. As theorists dig deeper into what literature is, one thing for sure is, that it broadens the literary “universe” and strengthens our thinking in a variety of things.