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English 121: Humanities Literature — Writing Assignment: Literature Definition

Reading Assignment

Read the following 3 short online articles that explain what literature is:

Writing Assignment

After completing the reading above, type your responses to the questions below (it’s probably easiest to copy and paste the questions below into Microsoft Word):

  1. How would you personally define the term “literature”?
  2. Of 3 online articles you read, which one did you agree with the most? Why?
  3. Does Shakespeare’s famous play Romeo and Juliet, about star crossed (doomed) lovers, fit your definition of literature? Why or why not?
  4. Would Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, about a young boy who learns he’s really a wizard, fall into the category of literature? Why?
  5. How about Stephen King’s novel The Stand, about what happens after a deadly virus nearly wipes out human kind? Why?
  6. How about Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress? Why?
  7. What about a book like Chicken Soup for the Soul which has lots of very short stories (a page or so in length) that tell you how to live a happy life? Why?
  8. What about the book you’ve chosen to read individually for class? Is that literature? Why or why not?
  9. What about the book you’ve chosen to read for your book club? Is that literature? Why or why not?
  10. Given your answers to #’s 3-9, revise your definition of literature to make it better OR explain why your definition does NOT need to be revised.
  11. What is “art”?
  12. Are literature and art the same thing or are they different? Explain your answer.

Writing Assignment Formatting Requirements

  • Use this title: “Literature Definition”
  • Be sure to put your full name, your email address, the date, and English 121 on the paper in the upper right hand corner.
  • Your written assignment must be word processed (typed)–do NOT hand write it or you will lose some points
  • Staple your assignment if it is more than one page.
  • Double space your assignment
  • Use a 12 point standard font
  • Copy and paste the questions into your assignment. Then type your answer to each question after the appropriate number. You are not writing a paper, you are just writing answers to these questions.