Literature: 2 Works Stay and Why, 2 Works Remove and Why

Introduction

Literacy is vital to an individual’s learning development and wellbeing. Literature is the mainstream to knowledge acquisition and development in learning. Understanding and appreciating the contribution and diversity of literature are mainly determined by making proper selections of literary works. It is not just a matter of reading rather than gaining value from literature. Certain abilities that require writing and analytical skills are derived from the experience with written literature as they help in defining expectations and norms about literature and the real world. In satisfying the needs of the assignment four literacy works two of which should be included and two should not be discussed. The current course materials cover a wide breadth of literary works and provide a comprehensive overview of the Modern era; however, the course materials could be improved through reducing the number of works and specifically focusing on the elements of the best works of each week.

What Literary Works That Should Stay

Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe narrates a heartbreaking tale of the Nigerian based tribesmen who in spite of the prevailing changes that are related to modernity preserve their traditions. This story is highly appropriate for the course given that it addresses a modern issue. Through the struggles of the community, the author explores the issues that are related to corruption as well as oppression by the British colony. Imperialism is a concept of the modern era that has left many of the colonist countries suffering even though the matter is perceived to be a light one. While Achebe reveals many salient concepts through the story beginning with the issue of colonial morality, friendship, individualism and social structures all touching on contemporariness. Achebe highlights ‘’ the white people are very intelligent’’ (Ogede 22). This shows how they exploited Africans. The most important is on the ground that the story focuses on distinct descriptions of morality by arguing that the rising conflict is caused by the fact that the colonialist tend to dominate even in the social structures. 

The decision to recommend the literacy works by Achebe to be included is grounded on the fact that it adheres well to literature elements and from the detailed stories that are not mainly fictional, it is easy for the readers to understand the concepts. The literacy will also contribute to enhancing the success of the course as well as ensuring that the set objectives are met within the stated period without fail for everyone.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad in the ‘’ Heart of Darkness’’ explores the most common issues that are related to imperialism in the contemporary society (Song-cun 117). In this context issues such as oppression, isolation, corruption, and selfishness are explored. The author connects with the readers by centering on imperialism and colonialism which leads to the oppression of Africans in the colonist nations. Generally, imperialism tries to force foreign rules on the native governance and individuality. This means that the colonist is focused on creating complications and conflicts by exploiting that which does not belong to them. Conrad successfully integrates most of the recurrent concepts in regard to the imperialism issues. He states’’ it grew to be a place full of darkness’’ (Abu-Snoubar 4). This illustrates the existing evil. Through this the author allows the ready to understand the human suffering as well as how imperialism and modernity are related.

The storyline is more focused on imperialism which is a contemporary concept in general. This literacy work should be included in the course because it mainly involves and addresses certain concepts that are related to modernity. In addition, all the literature related concepts are fully considered which makes it suitable for learning as it will be expanding on the concepts that have been instilled throughout the course in a more comprehensive style.

What Literacy Works Should not stay

Death in the woods by Sherwood Anderson

In the ‘’Death in the Woods’’ by Sherwood Anderson presents a reader with more naturalism than modernism and was also chosen as the work students most wished to edit. The storyline focused on the survivalist nature of Mrs. Grimes whose primary position in the reading focused on providing food. In addition, Mrs. Grimes was also not given a voice to allow the reader to assume she had free will of being of help to others. Anderson basis the story of his observation of the woman whose life ended in the woods thus gaining a higher appreciation of his own life. The story is more of a naturalistic focus because the main theme is based on that life is generally treasurable but not most people appreciates what it offers.

The literacy work should not stay for the course because based on its literature elements it does not conform to the concept of modernity. This is not a correct literature genre for the course not because it fails to offer knowledge but on the ground that it is a fictional story that addresses a social and naturalism issue that has little to do with the concepts of the modern era. The story generates a personal rather than a general conflict. Hardly, no one notices the presence of this old woman in the woods. Anderson notes’’ but no one noticed her, it must be quite a load on such an old body’’ (Gale 6). Grimes lives with her unkind husband and thankless son miles away from the nearest town. It is evident that grimes refers to dirt that is covered by unhygienic stuff. The woman’s past that is full of sadness forces her to commit to ensuring that everything is fed including her animals (Gale 6). The story mainly addresses an issue about naturalism and human suffering and therefore can be excluded from the learning. This will help in focusing on the stories that mainly addresses the most suitable issues that regard to modernity. The conflict raised by the story from the narrator’s point of view is a naturalistic one.

A passage in India by EM Forster

EM Forster addresses the theme of friendship in the novel titled ‘’ A passage in India.’’ Forster presents to the readers a more societal issue rather than modernity through the story by highlighting some of the pressing issues that are fueled by the society particularly with respect to the colonized nation (Sarker 14). The theme of friendship is mainly explored through the story’s protagonist from the Indian origin Aziz who in the course of living attempts to create fake associates with some people from Britain. In all the cases, even though at the start of the friendships the relationships seems promising, problems dominate which are not exclusively conquered. This best illustrates that the story is more centered on a social issue that has nothing to do with contemporariness. The story lacks some elements of addressing modern era concepts by focusing on societal based problems. He notes ‘’ India is not a drafting room, you should understand how people feel’’ (Sarker 14). In that, the conflict based is related to colonialism. The story starts and ends by creating the query on whether Indians and Englishmen can ever create positive and lasting relationships.

Forster utilizes the notion of colonialism as the outline in the exploration of the general problem of political control by Britain political rulers in India through a rather personalized state through friendship. The author allows the leader to understand that the struggles of such relationships are natural because Aziz is subjected to suffering based on the set standards by their cultures. In other words, he illustrates that suffering is at times an optional thing that is generated by mentality since English tolerance and rationalism makes Fielding suffer as this pride obstructs him from understanding the actual nature of Aziz’s real feelings thus running their relationships and affecting their confidence. Based on the focus of the novel it should thus be excluded from the reading list so that a more modernistic focus can be acquired.

Conclusion

In summing up, from the up analysis it is evident that the current course’s materials cover a wide breadth of literary works and provide a comprehensive overview of the Modern era; however, the course materials could be improved through reducing the number of works and specifically focusing on the elements of the best works of each week. It is recommended that the literacy works ‘’ Things fall Apart’’ and ‘’ Heart of Darkness’’ be included to the course but ‘’ A Passage in India’’ and ‘’Death in the Woods’’ be eliminated. This is based on the fact that the two that should stay by Conrad and Achebe is more focused on the concepts of modernity or the modern era while the other two focuses more on societal and naturalistic challenges faced by the human race. 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

 

Abu-Snoubar, Tamador Khalaf. "Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness: Debunking the Two Basic Imperial Clichés." European Journal of English Language and Literature Studies 5.5 (2017): 1-11.

Gale, Cengage L. Study Guide for Sherwood Anderson's "death in the Woods.". Detroit: Gale, Cengage Learning, n.d.. Print.

Ogede, Ode. Achebe's Things Fall Apart. London: Continuum, 2007. Internet resource.

Sarker, Sunil K. E.m. Forster's a Passage to India. New Delhi: Atlantic Publ. & Distributors, 2007. Print.

Song-cun, Z. H. A. N. G. "On the Three Themes of Heart of Darkness." Sino-US English Teaching 14.2 (2017): 116-119.