Women's Literature Reflection

This year has started off with a focus on literature and Alice Munro's short stories. These past four lessons have really allowed me to understand the values of studying literature. When studying literature, young adults like us students can learn not only language aspects such as vocabulary items but also open our minds to the power of "meaning." Great literature is able to resonate with audiences all across the world. Literature helps us know the world around us and allows us to be more mindful and aware of other cultures and their struggles. It allows you to empathize and sympathize with characters who are not real and yet mirror the lives of many humans around the world. After being able to empathize with characters and books, that feeling extends far beyond literature. You gain a better understanding about human beings and their feelings and allows you to communicate and connect more efficiently.  Once you look at pieces of literature with an open- you open a sort of portal to the most available knowledge about humanity--our beliefs, our self-perception, philosophies, assumptions and interactions with the world.  We were also introduced to the concept of "women's literature" during  our first four lessons. Although there is no one definition for this concept, I personally believe woman's literature is writing that discusses the daily lives of women and what they go through with their families, and personal relationships. It is very relevant to study this type of literature as it gives us a chance to explore the perspectives and issues that often confront women. It's certainly true that gender roles have been changing in the last 35 years and Alice Munro is certainly the one to depict that in her writing. Though she is not exactly a feminist writer nor does she express political thoughts in her writing, she does express the daily struggles of women being trapped in their conventional roles and dealing with their daily struggles with those assigned roles. This was very significant especially during the 50''s to the 80's as this was a time of women empowerment and  "a generation of adjustment." By expressing these daily feminine struggles, Munro is able to express them in a certain way that impacts the reader to create a sense of understanding for the character. The part I enjoyed most in reading Munro's work was her ability to document small details in the story that related to the main character. Not only does this present the reader with a better visual and atmospheric sense of what  is happening, but it allows the reader to empathize withe the character and imagine themselves in that situation. This is a great way as making the moral meaning of the story more impactful and effective.