Lecture Notes: What Is Literature?

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Introduction: The Central Question

The question of what makes something literary has persisted throughout the history of literary criticism without a simple answer. By examining different critical approaches, we discover that defining literature involves three interconnected factors: the world, the text, and the reader.

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Literature vs. literature: A Key Distinction

We must distinguish between “Literature with a capital L” and “literature with a small l.” Lowercase literature refers to any written text—we can discuss medical literature or scientific literature without difficulty. Literature with a capital L designates a select subset of all written texts, raising the central question: what criteria separate these works from ordinary writing?

The term “literature” comes from Latin, originally meaning “the use of letters” or “writing.” In Romance languages, it evolved to mean “knowledge acquired from reading or studying books,” suggesting that Literature consists of writing worth studying. But this raises another question: which texts deserve such attention?

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The Canon and Its Problems

Many critics define Literature through canonicity—when cultural institutions like schools, universities, or prize committees classify works as having lasting artistic merit. However, the canon proves problematic as a measure of literariness. The gatekeepers have traditionally been white and male, only opening to diverse authors in recent decades.

Additional problems emerge: if canonical inclusion defines Literature, then contemporary works cannot qualify since they haven’t stood the test of time. Furthermore, critical reception doesn’t predict lasting value. Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick received poor reviews in 1851 but became a cornerstone of American literature, demonstrating that canonicity provides an unreliable measure of literariness.

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Alternative Approaches

A subjective approach—”if you love it, it’s Literature”—proves too personal for academic study. Deep affection for The Very Hungry Caterpillar doesn’t make it literary, and emotional attachment to reading carries historical baggage tied to middle-class cultural politics.

Other critics locate literariness within texts themselves. Derek Attridge identifies three qualities of modern Western Literature: inventiveness within the text, the reader’s sense of the writer’s unique vision, and a quality of “otherness” that challenges readers to see the world differently. Notably, this framework places no limits on content—Literature affects readers through style and construction rather than subject matter.

Some critics emphasize irony and multiple meanings as essential to Literature. Literary texts create layers of meaning that demand slow, attentive reading and reward careful attention to language complexity. Related to this, other critics argue for “defamiliarization”—literature forces readers to see the world differently than before.

Roland Barthes distinguished between the “text of pleasure” (comfortable, everyday reading) and the “text of jouissance” (Literature that makes greater demands and creates feelings of strangeness and wonder that can be disorienting). This framework balances objective textual qualities with subjective reader response.

However, if Literature must always be innovative, then conventional genre fiction can never qualify, creating artificial boundaries that exclude potentially worthy works.

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The Three-Factor Framework

As we examine these various approaches, one insight emerges: what counts as Literature depends on three interrelated factors working together dynamically.

The World includes the context and expectations surrounding a text or author—what we’ve heard about the work and the cultural circumstances that shape our approach to it.

The Text contributes its own qualities: how it’s presented, its style, structure, and intrinsic characteristics.

The Reader brings receptiveness to the text’s demands, individual interpretation, and critical frameworks that influence the reading experience.

No single factor determines literariness; instead, their interaction creates the conditions under which a text becomes literary.

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The Test of Time Reconsidered

The “test of time” theory retains some validity—only a small percentage of published works continue being read decades later, suggesting enduring value. While the mechanisms determining textual longevity aren’t neutral and remain influenced by power structures, individual readers may still influence what stays in print and develops cultural relevance.

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Conclusion

The only way to truly understand Literature involves continued reading. As long as engaged readers exist, literary texts will emerge from past, present, and future that challenge, excite, and inspire us. Rather than seeking a final definition, we might approach “What is Literature?” as an ongoing process of discovery where every reader contributes to literature’s evolving definition through careful reading, critical analysis, and open dialogue about transformative texts.

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