In answering the question, What is literature? its useful to ask what
any piece of writing is intended to do, how its intended to function.
Literature isnt unqualifiedly better than other kinds of writing; its
simply attempting to do more. (1) Its meant to convey information, and
(2) its meant to entertain. But scientific or technical writing also conveys
information, and it does so in a far more systematic, accessible way. And
non-literary fiction is obviously entertaining: Thats what its for. What
separates literature from these other kinds of texts is that (3) it attempts
to bring us inside a lived human experience so that we can understand it.
Further, (4) literature does all of these things beautifully, with language as
accurate, as moving, and as rich as possible.
Read the following texts, considering for each what the authors
purpose is in writing. Ask how effectively each author achieves his or her
purpose in light of this goal.
What Is Literature? What Is It For?
Timothy L. Pagaard
INCIDENT
A man murders a girl with whom he is in love.
AUTOPSY SURGEONS REPORT
Death occurred from the effects of asphyxia, cerebral anemia, and
shock. The victims hair was used for the constricting ligature. Local
marks of the ligature were readily discernible: There was some abrasion
and a slight ecchymosis in the skin. But I found no obvious lesions in
the blood vessels of the neck.
Cyanosis of the head was very slight, and there were no
pronounced hemorrhages in the galea of the scalp. I would judge that
very great compression of the arteries was effected almost immediately,
with compression of the arteries as well as of the veins, and that the
superior laryngeal nerve was traumatized with the effect of throwing
the victim into profound shock.
The lungs revealed cyanosis, congestion, overaeration, and
subpleural petechial hemorrhages.
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNT
Local Girl Found Slain by Rejected Lover
Miss Porphyria Blank, 21, daughter of Mr and Ms R.J. Blank, of El
Cajon, was found strangled this morning in the cottage owned by John
Doe, 25, who was apprehended on the scene of the crime by officers
Bailey and Hodge. Doe was found holding the body in his arms and
appeared to be in a stupor, his only reply being,I killed her because I
loved her.
According to members of the Blank family, Doe had paid
attentions to the younger Ms Blank for the last several months, though
it was strenuously denied that his regard for her was returned. Ms
Blanks engagement to Mr Roger Weston was announced last month.
Mr Weston couldnt be reached for a statement. The elder Ms Blank
was prostrated by the news of her daughters death.
The slain girl disappeared last evening at approximately 11:00
from a dinner party given at her parents home in honor of the
approaching wedding. The family became alarmed when it was
discovered that she was not in her room, and instituted a search for her
about midnight. The police, who were promptly notified, in the course
of their search knocked at Mr Does cottage, a building some quarter
of a mile from the Blank mansion, at five in the morning. Receiving no
answer, they forced the door and discovered Doe sitting with the dead
girl in his lap. She had apparently been strangled; Dr AP Reynolds,
autopsy surgeon for San Diego County, stated that, from the condition
of the body, death must have occurred at about midnight.
Doe, who has been charged with murder, could give no
coherent account of what happened.
NON-LITERARY FICTION
not by Danielle Steelebut almost
The dead girl, beautiful and peaceful in death, her scarlet lips slightly
parted as though whispering a caress to her lover, her blue eyes gentle
and unquestioning as a babys, lay in the murderers arms like a child
who has been rocked to sleep. Her golden hair falling in profusion
about her shoulders all but concealed the cruel welt of red about her
throat. The murderer, clutching his still burden to him, like a mother
holding an infant, appeared dazed. As the police came in, he rose to
meet them, still carrying his precious burden in his arms. The officers
almost had to force him to relinquish her.
He couldnt answer questionscould merely clutch the closer to
his breast all that remained of the girl he loved better than life and
mutter, I loved her, I loved her, like a man in a dream. A few hours
later, when I saw him in the sordid surroundings of the downtown
police station, so different from the cozy cottage which had been the
abode of a tragic love, he was still dry-eyed, though his face wore a
ghastly pallor. But when I tried to question him, I became aware of the
terrific strain under which he suffered, and he showed all the signs of a
man on the verge of hysteria. When I tried to draw from him the
motive for the pitiful tragedy, he could only reply, his pale boyish face
like a mask: I killed her, but God didnt say a word a word.
At last he managed pitifully to say: I killed her so that she
would be mine alone for always!
And this is the irony of fate! The very greatness of his love made
him strangle her. Separated as they were by wealth, social position, and
all that that implies, it was only in death that they could be united.
Who are we to pass judgment on such a love?
LITERATURE
Porphyrias Lover
by Robert Browning
The rain set early in tonight,
The sullen wind was soon awake,
It tore the elm-tops down for spite,
And did its worst to vex the lake:
I listened with heart fit to break.
When glided in Porphyria; straight
She shut the cold out and the storm,
And kneeled and made the cheerless grate
Blaze up, and all the cottage warm;
Which done, she rose, and from her form
Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,
And laid her soiled gloves by, untied
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