Literature: A Broader Definition

Abstract

In view of the increasing interest in the use of literature in the ESL classroom, this article attempts to provide a broader definition of literature in order to make it more accessible to students. It would be difficult to suddenly expose students to literary studies without any form of prior preparation. In most instances, literature has been put on a pedestal and is appreciated and understood only by the few who have undergone special training and instruction to decode the hidden messages inherent in literary works. With respect to this, Durant and Fabb (1990: 2) indicate that" . . . when faced with the spectrum of academic subjects dealing with questions of history, society and communication, they are likely to see studying literature as a remote and apparently confused activity."

One of the aims of the Class Reader Programme (CRP) in the Malaysian English language syllabus at the secondary level is to prepare students for literary studies at the upper level. The use of class readers in this programme could provide an initial platform that would enable students to proceed to higher levels of literary appreciation. However, class readers alone are insufficient. As such, we need other forms of literature that are accessible to students in the Malaysian classrooms. Hence, this paper would like to suggest a more liberal outlook of what literature constitutes-one that would focus on: (1) our ESL classroom situation; (2) the students' cultural contexts; and (3) the act of reading rather than the text.