What Will Students Gain from Studying World Literature
An encounter with a specter not far from the bright lights of the Petronas Towers, huge fans of 70s pop music in Tehran, essays that analyze the Mexican psyche. If you're a true literary aficionado, then you would look for these kind of stories when you pass by a book shop. If you're a student of the English Department, then it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to read and study these tales. Welcome to world literature!
After losing count of the number of English novel that you read and write about, you're wishing for a different venture. You're not thinking of those very long novels by Russian novelists (like Leo Tolstoy), not even another excursion into Transcendentalism. There must be more than English literature, where you don't need to buy plane tickets (and immerse completely in the sights). You imagine Graham Greene studying the karsts in Ha Long Bay while aboard the Vietnamese Junk. You don’t have a clue if the English novelist wrote a book about the Vietnam’s iconic landmark, but your professors would think of the same thing. Your third year of studies isn’t devoted to novels from other countries entirely. It's better to study some than none at all, though. Don't think that the coursework would be cut down.
You have written too many papers, such that you have mastered literary criticism. You would apply the same principles in world literature, but there could be some challenges. You’re required to read the book in its original text, even if you hardly know the author's native tongue. You're not panicking, though. (You can always rely on the English translation.) Moreover, you must read other articles and books, all of which are related to the title that you must write about. You have been studying different genres these last two years, so this shouldn't overwhelm you at all. As a matter of fact, this so-called detour could be the only thing you need to make you enthusiastic about the coursework one more time.
There are a few things that you need to know before embarking on this exciting journey.
What Does Your Professor Expect From You?
You must figure out the history and/or cultural context of the written material. The first item must not intimidate you at all. This is a theme frequently discussed by the renowned authors of Modern literature, and some science-fiction writers give their thought-provoking views on this complex topic, but all would be lost in post-apocalyptic fever. This should be one end of the spectrum, as the other end could be an in-your-face moment. You might think that this would be less difficult, but you might mistake it for something else. You must familiarize yourself with the author's background, his (or her) country of origin in particular. You should read the history without checking Wikipedia (for further details). And you must be able to identify a certain event that may (or may not) inspired the book. If you still recall Chinua Achebe's works, then you won't have a problem on how to pen your introduction (of your essay).
The usual topics are nation, migration, and revolution (in no particular order). You won't question this sequence if you know world history well enough. (If you still don't have a clue, then "A Tale of Two Cities" should give you the light-bulb moment.) There are other related topics, which are bound to nation, migration, and revolution. Time for instance. Censorship is another thing. Gender and class should come to mind if you're looking at Indian literature. If you focus on India, then your work would be cut in half. There's a comparison between India and the British Isles. (In this particular instance, you won't make a huge mistake if you cite certain movies. Deepa Mehta might be a good case, but don't generalize your arguments.) It might surprise you that analyzing these titles is not too different from writing a paper on a H.G. Wells book. There's a thin line, though. It's up to you to find out.
You should focus on one literature, in English or in translation. You might wonder if it's not possible to study two or more. No one forbids you, but the goal is to acquaint yourself with many literary genres. It can overwhelm you, if not pressure you during certain times of the year. There’s no need to fret about it, as you can turn it into a lifelong hobby. It should be a sensible choice to read the translation in English, but you could learn many things from the original version. There's an unwritten rule on snobbery, though.
What Happens Next?
You’re not supposed to plan your holiday, even if this study should make you appreciate literature from a particular region. You could use whatever you have learned (from this course) on the next one. Your thesis for instance. It shouldn’t surprise you, as your tutor might have discouraged your from thinking of another argument on an often-read English novel (or American classic for that matter). This would be a new challenge, which could turn you into a hermit in an instant. There should be more sleepless nights, but imagine the light at the other end of the tunnel instead.
