Erika Schoene
Humanities 220-02
Professor Beyazit Akman
Assignment 1: Due January 23, 2013
Literature offers the chance to view the inner workings of
history, culture, and belief without the restrictions of travel. If I felt the curiosity
to understand the ancient Babylonians, I could pick up the Book of Gilgamesh
and glimpse their religion, code of honor, and daily lives from the comfort of
my overstuffed armchair. It is not that what I learn will not be biased, most
likely it will. I would not become an expert either. But, it would give me “the
opportunity to expand [my] literary and cultural horizons far beyond the boundaries
of [my] own culture.” (How to Read World Literature, pg. 46)
The Humanities are a general description of a very broad field
of study. It encompasses oral traditions, mythology, religious texts, wall writings
and hosts of other forums of speech. While it is valuable to learn, it is not a
subject that needs to be learned to live a valuable life. But, for those that
do chose to indulge, it can bestow the ability to see the more value in what they
can offer the world and what the world can offer them. There is so much beauty
in the world that it can provide irreplaceable joy to be able to experience it,
even if indirectly.
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