Nov 12 2009
What Makes Real Literature?: Resonance
So remember yesterday’s Merriam-Webster definition of “literature”?
3 a (1) : writings in prose or verse; especially : writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest
I touched briefly on “excellence of form or expression” yesterday; today I wanted to look further into that idea of literature “expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest.” While originality is certainly important, if we look closely we may find that we’re all just writing variations on the same basic themes: childhood and growing up, love, identity, spirituality, death and resurrection, sacrifice, etc.
The stories that last seem to do so because they say something about these things that resonates with many. I would break genre stereotypes and say that many fantasy novels fall into this definition of literature because they so aptly express yearning, beauty, estrangement, gain and loss. Certainly Lord of the Rings does, and Narnia too. The best fantasy hollows out a place inside me so I always carry this sense that the truly beautiful and eternal is just beyond my reach. And I think that’s true; I think fantasy just makes me more aware of eternity.
It’s that resonance with realities we may not always be able to pinpoint or face that makes a piece of writing really meaningful, that makes it really last.
Yesterday I drafted an article on writing about worry and fear, and writing to overcome those things with faith. One of my main points was that you can’t communicate raw emotions like these without being deeply honest. So I would say that resonance is an essential quality of true literature, and that honesty on the part of the writer is essential to resonance in the work.
What do you think?
I agree with you, Rachel. You’re posting some great ideas! I think another aspect of literature is this: It challenges your brain with new words–it’s not just an “easy read” for thrilling enjoyment, but it truly makes your brain work as it processes the words. Maybe that’s the reason I used to clump any book written before 1970 into the literature category.
“I would say that resonance is an essential quality of true literature”
I love this!