The Role Of Literature In Developing Wisdom
                     The Role Of Literature In Developing 
Wisdom
Chaitanya Kumari
Writes informational articles on common ethics, 
cultivating wisdom, being sensible, duties common 
to all along with others on finance, health and 
cultivating wisdom.
Literature reflects societal affairs, and society develops literature. They have a 
synergic relationship, and as a student of literature, I always felt that I could 
understand my society better through the literary works of various writers 
through time and age. The psyche of people is influenced by culture, and an 
individual from that society only writes a narrative focusing on one aspect of the 
society. It is interesting to note that this process when carried on for a long 
period can help an individual gain wisdom for life.
The Relevance of Classical and Modern Literature:
The classical literature is still relevant today because of its timeless themes. The 
timeless themes of classical literature, like love, family values, and social morals 
are still relevant today, and we can learn significant life lessons from them. Both 
the comedies and tragedies serve as life lesson providers by exploring the 
struggles of life and offering redemption. Classical literature also serves as a 
reminder that people have struggled through ages and that nobody is alone in 
his/her journey. For example, a novel like Les Miserables talks about social 
divide and injustice, and a book like 1984 explores the theme of blind acceptance 
without speculation.
In the space of modern literature, various books and autobiographies are offering 
amazing life lessons. In the book called “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” had 
life lessons to teach. The autobiography explores the life of a rich and successful 
man who left all his riches in search of inner peace. It offers an insight into the 
rich journey of a soul that has fulfilled his desires in the mortal world and feels 
lost until he discovers that there is peace and understanding outside the material 
world. There is an entire gamut of self-help books in modern times that are 
positively transforming our lives.
Modern life is so complicated, and people are so confused with their emotions 
that they need the guidance of a wise soul to reach a deeper understanding. 
Emotional intelligence among people is decreasing daily, and these self-help 
books come as a rescue. They can help us to teach the importance of emotionally 
expressing oneself positively, making our life easier. Some books teach various 
skills vital to survival, and books explore humor that teaches us about having a 
funny perspective on different life problems and solving them.
Love is a common theme in books from the classical world and the modern era. 
Its beauty, problems, joy, and suffering have all successfully taught us something 
great about love. One such book is “All About Love”. It explores the theme of 
love in its myriad forms, including self-love. Another enlightening and thought-
provoking book is “The Sapiens”. It is authored by Yuval Noah Harari. One of 
the bestsellers of its kind, it explores the evolution of humankind, the milestones 
and challenges, and the impact of those challenges on our psyche and lives as a 
whole.
However, reading books from same or similar civilizations is important as the 
value systems can differ in other civilizations. For example, it is better if Indians 
first read inspiring literature from their civilization before reading foreign books. 
We are not recommending to avoid foreign books. However, not reading the 
inspiring literature from Indian context first can give wrong context and not be as 
helpful. Many times, such focus on only reading foreign books it creates 
individuals of booking knowledge who cannot fit in real life in their country.
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