It is this paper’s aim and purpose to argue against a decline of literature from a metaphysical perspective, emphasizing the social dimension on the basis of Rita Felski’s modes of textual engagement.
To attempt such reasoning, it will at first be introduced an own definition of literature. The main focus will be put on rather psychological and metaphysical approaches to literature from Rita Felski, Daniel Albright and Derek Attridge. Their approaches to literature will be discussed to be able to deduce an own definition of literature that is appropriate to answer this paper’s main question of what the potential of literature and also its value can be in the 21st century. To do this the Felski’s four modes of textual engagement recognition, enchantment, knowledge and shock will be taken a closer look at.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Working assumption of ‚Literature‘
3 Literature as an act of social engagement
3.1 Recognition
3.2 Enchantment
3.3 Knowledge
3.4 Shock
5 Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This paper explores the enduring relevance of literature in the 21st century by challenging the narrative of its decline. Rather than viewing literature merely as a static object, the study employs Rita Felski’s modes of textual engagement to analyze literature as a dynamic, metaphysical force that facilitates social interaction, meaning-making, and cultural development.
- The intersection between literature and its social dimension.
- Application of Rita Felski’s four modes of textual engagement: recognition, enchantment, knowledge, and shock.
- A metaphysical redefinition of 'literature' beyond traditional textual boundaries.
- The relationship between readers and texts as an active, event-based process.
- The potential of literary engagement to foster societal progression and self-actualization.
Excerpt from the Work
3.2 Enchantment
Another mode of textual engagement identified by Felski is ‘enchantment’. Requoting Joseph Boone, Felski refers to enchantment as being “about learning to surrender, to give oneself up, a yielding that is not abject or humiliating, but ecstatic and erotically charged.” Furthermore, it is supposed to happen “[t]hrough the act of reading […] [when] we can experience a condition of ‘absolute powerlessness, enacting the intense human desire to let go – to be released, to yield to an ‘other’’” (Felski 51).
She criticises that “[p]opular art is often accused of disorienting and bewitching its audience, calling up an association of art with magic that stretches back to antiquity […] like a dangerous drug” (Felski 52). Vischer Bruns describes enchantment as “the delight we experience when we are magically transported to another time and place, another reality, through the words on the page” (20). Just as Felski, Vischer Bruns also criticises that enchantment is often associated with something negative: “But the good of such experiences [of enchantment] and the human need they meet usually remain obscure” (20).
Vischer Bruns linking enchantment with the fulfilment of – or at least meeting or addressing a – “human need” is of particular interest for this paper: because “we seek opportunities to ‘dwell in imaginary worlds’, we therefore need them” (20). When translating this need identified by Vischer Bruns into Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Kaur 1062) the self-fulfilment needs or the needs of self-actualisation would be most relevant.
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the perceived decline of literature in the digital age and introduces the author's intention to argue for its ongoing importance via a metaphysical perspective based on Rita Felski’s reading modes.
2 Working assumption of ‚Literature‘: The chapter establishes a foundational definition of literature, moving beyond the concept of "textual art" toward a more flexible view of literature as an "act" that facilitates communication and cultural value.
3 Literature as an act of social engagement: This core section analyzes how literature facilitates social connection through the specific modes of reading experience.
3.1 Recognition: This section investigates how the act of recognition allows readers to integrate texts into their existing mental schemes, facilitating self-reflection and connection with the "other."
3.2 Enchantment: This section explores how enchantment serves a fundamental human need to inhabit imaginary worlds, fostering potential self-actualization and reflection.
3.3 Knowledge: This section examines how literature serves as a prism for understanding, arguing that fictional texts are active sources of worldly insight rather than merely static objects.
3.4 Shock: This section analyzes shock as a powerful, jarring reader response that challenges moral and aesthetic boundaries, emphasizing its role as a social product.
5 Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes the main arguments, reaffirming that literature is a vital metaphysical event that must be understood through the active relationship between the reader and the text.
Keywords
Literature, Social Dimension, Rita Felski, Textual Engagement, Recognition, Enchantment, Knowledge, Shock, Singularity, Literary Event, Cultural Value, Metaphysics, Reader-Text Relationship, Aesthetics, Cultural Assimilation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the social dimension and ongoing relevance of literature in the 21st century by analyzing reading as a dynamic, metaphysical event rather than a static process of consumption.
What are the primary themes discussed in the text?
Central themes include the social value of reading, the definition of literature, the interaction between reader identity and text, and how literary experiences contribute to societal progression.
What is the main research question?
The work seeks to answer what the potential and value of literature can be in the 21st century by investigating how texts engage with and affect the reader.
Which scientific framework does the author apply?
The primary theoretical framework utilized is Rita Felski’s "modes of textual engagement," specifically: recognition, enchantment, knowledge, and shock.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section investigates the four modes of textual engagement, identifying how each mode functions as a form of social engagement and how they contribute to the reader's understanding of themselves and the world.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Core keywords include Literature, Social Dimension, Textual Engagement, Reader-Text Relationship, and Cultural Value.
How does the paper redefine the concept of literature?
Drawing on theorists like Daniel Albright and Derek Attridge, the author redefines literature as an "act" or a "machine" that generates cultural value, rather than simply defining it as a collection of written artifacts.
What role does 'Shock' play in the reader's experience according to the text?
Shock is presented as a transformative, jarring experience that defies bourgeois complacency and is deeply rooted in the moral and aesthetic boundaries of a specific culture and time period.
In what way does the author suggest literature serves as a 'machine'?
By citing Daniel Albright, the author describes literature as a tool that allows for "cultural assimilation," enabling readers to gain insight into the thoughts of others and experiment with different sensibilities.
Why is the reader's identity important to the process of 'Recognition'?
The paper argues that recognition depends on the reader's existing mental schemes and cultural background, making the act of connecting with a text a fundamentally social and individual event.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2021, Why Literature? Literature’s social dimension on the basis of Rita Felski’s modes of textual engagement, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1225314
