Literature and Personal Development

The word literature comes from the Latin "littera" meaning an individual written character. Generally it means a body of literary work including essays, prose, poetry - anything that utilizes the written word in a particular culture.

How does enjoying literature contribute to personal development?

These days with so much of our time spent being entertained by movies, video games and the like, less is spent reading and enjoying the literary works of celebrated writers from the past and present.

This is unfortunate because there is so much we could learn about life and ourselves if we take time to read more. When we read, our imaginations take over and we cannot help but become part of the plot in a fiction or non-fiction work. We find ourselves empathizing with the characters and living through them as they plod on and deal with the predicaments they find themselves in.

Without having to experience the tragedies, difficulties and pain ourselves, we broaden our understanding of human nature and the human condition. We live and learn through the experiences of the characters.

The timeless works of the great literary masters such as Shakespeare, Dickens, Voltaire, Hugo, Cervantes, Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy to name a few, enrich and deepen our understanding by giving us great insight into human nature and the consequences of human action.

Some famous contemporary writers include: James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck, D.H. Lawrence and Vladimir Nabokov.

More Benefits of Reading

*Encourages open-minded and flexible thinking
*Stimulates the mind, imagination and creativity
*Provides a healthy escape, relieves stress, anxiety
*Healthy entertainment
*Makes you a more interesting person
*Increases vocabulary and language skills

There is nothing like reading literature of all types and genres to expand you in a variety of ways.