"The Epic of Gilgamesh. The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. The Kumulipo. These are just some of the timeless creation stories from around the world that students of literature can explore. These tales help us unravel the cultural practices, art forms, values and ideas of various societies throughout history. Literature majors delve into historical and contemporary works, learning about major eras of creative thought and civilization development.
Literature students have the freedom to explore texts and gain familiarity with various cultures, time periods and groups in society. Graduates can be extremely versatile employees; these skill sets make graduates well-rounded and multifaceted individuals, with strong communication and analysis skills. These abilities can be applied to roles within business, technology, education and marketing."
Young minds—in high school and college—need to feel personally connected, excited, and moved by what they read. They have a thirst for beauty, and will respond to poetry and prose that speaks to the human condition. To pitch too soon into a theoretical approach risks destroying this visceral connection.
ascendancy of science, which has turned the study of literature into a scientific endeavor.
eading Shakespeare aloud is key to appreciating his work.
read whole texts in their original versions, sharing written and oral
meanings, not simply supplying workbook answers or responses to predetermined
questions
learn grammar and usage by studying how their own language works in context
experience the interaction of reading, speaking, listening, and writing as
reasoning and communicating acts