Literary Appreciation

LITERARY APPRECIATION

When we hear about literature, we think of large tomes of words and stories that have become classics over time however this is only one definition of literature.Below, some definition about literature, literary appreciation, how to understand and advantages literary .To make more clear about what is literature here also there are some definition about literature.

The word literature derives from the Latin word littera, 'a letter of the alphabet.' The Latin word for literature was simply the plural, litterae, and in this basic sense literature embraces everything written with the letters of the alphabet.In the Routledge dictionary luterature in present times generally taken to be imaginative compositions, mainly printed but earlier (and still, insome cultures) was oral, whether dramatic,metrical or prose in form.  Based on Terry Eagleton literature is imaginative writing .

Based on that definition we can conclude that literature is everything written, it can be imaginative writing with the letters of the alphabet.

When someone read literature , she or he can give appreciation. By the literary appreciation reader or audience will be understanding and mastery the context.
            Ogenlewe (2006) posits that ‘literary appreciation refers to the evaluation of works of imaginative literature as an intellectual or academic exercise.’ In this process the reader interprets, evaluates or classifies a literary work with a view to determining the artistic merits or demerits or such a work.

 Donelson and Nilsen (2009) echo this sentiment and add that it is the process by which one ‘gauges one’s interpretive response as a reader to a literary work’. This means that the reader is able to gain pleasure and understanding for the literature, understand its value and importance and admire its complexity.

The way to appreciate are understanding  the idea or information and performing in many way, such as discuss the elements of a literary work with friend, write a note on certain aspect, recite poems, short stories, performing drama on the stage and so on.

To understand literary there are some way. Here are some way to understand :

1.      Study the languange (word meaning). For example by understanding figurative languange, symbols etc. in poem  make us easy find word meaning.

2.      Study the stuctures of literary work. To undersatand the literary, we should know the structure literary work.

3.      Study some approach. In literary also there are approach.

There are approach to understand

The literary work in relation to :

Ø  Its background

Ø  The author

Ø  It’s reader

Ø  Other literature

Ø  As an entity in itself.

By the understanding literature will get advantages. Literature is an important component of a total language arts program at all grade levels because of the many benefits it offers. Here are advantages :

Literature provides pleasure to listeners and readers. It is a relaxing escape from daily problems, and it fills leisure moments. Making time for recreational reading and using high-quality literature help to develop enthusiastic readers and improve achievement (Block & Mangieri, 2002). According to Rosenblatt (1995, p. 175), "The power of literature to offer entertainment and recreation is . . . still its prime reason for survival." Developing a love of literature as a recreational activity is possibly the most important outcome of a literature program.


Literature builds experience. Children expand their horizons through vicarious experiences. They visit new places, gain new experiences, and meet new people. They learn about the past as well as the present and learn about a variety of cultures, including their own. They discover the common goals and similar emotions found in people of all times and places. Two examples of books that provide such experiences are Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff, a harsh survival story set in Ireland during the potato famine of 1845, and Patricia Polacco's The Butterfly, dealing with Nazis, resistance, and Jewish persecution during World War II.


Literature provides a language model for those who hear and read it. Good literature exposes children to correct sentence patterns, standard story structures, and varied word usage. Children for whom English is a second language can improve their English with the interesting context, and all children benefit from new vocabulary that is woven into the stories.


Literature develops thinking skills. Discussions of literature bring out reasoning related to sequence; cause and effect; character motivation; predictions; visualization of actions, characters, and settings; critical analysis of the story; and creative responses.


Literature supports all areas of the language arts curriculum. The chapter-opening classroom vignette shows how literature brings together all of the language arts. Listening to stories provides opportunities for honing listening skills, and discussion allows children to express their thoughts, feelings, and reactions. When students read literature, they are practicing their comprehension strategies in meaningful situations. Young writers may use various genres of literature as models for their own writing, and literature can be the basis for creative dramatics. Children can find stories to read and puzzles to solve on the Internet, and the computer can serve as a word processor for creating stories of their own.


Literature helps children deal with their problems. By finding out about the problems of others through books, children receive insights into dealing with their own problems, a process called bibliotherapy. Children might identify with Gilly, living resentfully in a foster home in Katherine Paterson's The Great Gilly Hopkins, or with Mary Alice, a city girl forced to live with her grandma in a "hick town" in Richard Peck's A Year Down Yonder.


Picture books develop visual literacy. The carefully crafted, creative illustrations in picture books develop children's awareness of line, color, space, shape, and design. Some illustrations complement or reinforce the story, whereas others enhance or extend the text. Pictures convey meaning and open new opportunities for interpretation (Giorgis et al., 1999).


Multicultural literature helps readers value people from different races, ethnic groups, and cultures. Excellent, well-illustrated books are available for many cultural groups. Children from such populations gain self-esteem by seeing themselves represented in books, and mainstream children begin to appreciate others from culturally diverse backgrounds.


Literature helps establish career concepts. For children who have limited knowledge of occupations, literature expands their ideas for potential careers (Harkins, 2001). Peggy Rathman's Officer Buckle and Gloria, about a police officer who shares information, and Alexandra Day's Frank and Ernest on the Road, about truck driving, give insights into two career choices.


Literature integrates the curriculum. Trade books (books of the trade, or library books) supplement and enrich any part of the curriculum. Instead of relying solely on textbooks, look for recent, brightly illustrated books on specific topics related to your theme or subject area. Remember that textbooks are assigned, but trade books are often chosen.


Literature improves reading ability and attitudes. A study of thirty second-, third-, fourth-, and sixth-grade classrooms by Block, Reed, and deTuncq (2003) indicated that students benefited more from twenty minutes of daily trade book or short story reading instruction. The researchers claim that reading from trade books resulted in increased reading ability, improved attitudes toward reading, and increased reading rate.

Based on explanation above we can conclude that literature is anything written. We can also give appreciation to the literary. To give appreciate we should understand literary.There are some way to understand it.  From appreciate literary we will get many advantages in ourwithout we realized.

Resource :

Peter Childs and Roger Fowler. 2006.The Routledge Dictionaryof Literary Terms.London and Newyork published

http://abs.kafkas.edu.tr/upload/219/The_Routledge_Dictionary_of_Literarms.pdf

http://community.plu.edu/~jensenmk/271literature.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_criticism (Taken on Monday, March 18, 2013 at. 15.23.)
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5529563_definition-literary-criticism.html (Taken on Monday, March 18, 2013 at 15.28.)