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OF COURSE literature was originally intended for pleasure. . . (enjoyment) and entertainment. It still provides the two human needs. But nowadays it is a profound area of examinable study demanding special skills of CONCENTRATION, OBSERVATION, UNDERSTANDING, IMAGINATION, REFLECTION and JUDGMENT.
As I meet with more and more teachers and students of Literature who invite me to provide my consultancy guidance and orientation in the subject, I get to learn critical challenges they meet as both teachers and learners. The following are only a few of them:
First, I notice that most of the candidates do not even know what Literature is and hardly understand what they are expected of in their pursuit of Literature studies at both Ordinary and Advanced levels.
It is critically important to know that at O- level knowing the story (the plot) well, the sequence (chronology) of events, the lessons derived or learnt(themes) and understanding the characters’ and their roles in building up the story is enough. But at A-level candidates are expected to exhibit a much higher and independent level of understanding, imagination and reflection far beyond what issues are, but also what they ought to be and even what they must be. This involves a much more profound sense of comprehension, personal appreciation and criticism. At advanced level,unlike ordinary level, a candidate displays a deeper sense of comprehension and sensitivity. In doing so a candidate displays powers of OBSERVATION, DISCRIMINATION, REFLECTION, IMAGINATION and JUDGEMENT by critically followingor reading the poem, the prose story (novel), drama,short story. . . whatever literature type(genre).
Second, while the O-level students of literature find it difficult to understand simple themes and meanings of action and character, A- level students scrap on the surface failing to appreciate and understand the deeper implications of technique, action and behaviour. They lack the sensitivity to make intelligent personal discrimination between what is trivial or simply sensational (melodramatic) and what is profound (literary deep) and philosophical.
They fail to emotionally see or feel what writers of literature set out to achieve (their intentions) and fail to establish whether they (the writers or poets) succeed in their purpose of writing ordismally fail. A lot of candidates do not have the knowledge or courage to say the for example, ‘The poet, writer. . . whoever, is a dismal failure because of one, two, three, four.” Or “The poem, story etc. is rich in meaning, communicated passionately and effectively.” This ‘verdict’. . . this judgment is necessary in all “A-level answers. If you do not reach this point, you have failed as ‘a lawyer in-waiting.’
It all boils down to having no special CRITERIA to follow. . . lack of guiding principles or skills of literary appreciation or practical criticism. Candidates simply have no idea what to look for in a text and how to do it. THAT IS THE CHALLENGE. You cannot intelligently analyze. . . criticize a piece of text, whether a poem, piece of drama or prose passage without following a specific criteria of analysis. There are special stages of guidance to follow. THIS IS WHAT I LABOUR TO SET OUT TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF LITERATURE as I meet with them in their schools or colleges and even during their vacations. And now in
The challenges stem from the ignorance students have about the validity and place of literature as a task in their general scheme of knowledge and education. They only know that Literature is an important requirement in the pursuit of a legal career. Ask them, “How does literature now, today, develop you to become a lawyer?” You will not get an answer. The cleverest will tell you, “A lawyer should be analytical. . . and literature trains you to think that way.” Well, good answer. But what skills does literature sharpen and how? Not only READING WIDE but also WILDLY. Lawyers are wide readers.
They read everything and all that makes them knowledgeable about any subject even far beyond LAW itself. They read everything and anything that keeps them abreast with almost all aspects of human experiences. I am talking about good lawyers. I believe there are bad ones too. . . lazy ones who always lose cases because they are not knowledgeable about certain subjects and issues of life.
A poor lawyer will easily lose a case against a medical doctor who has committed a crime in his or her practice because he has no idea of medical ethics. A good one will read even for only one month what the doctor read in seven years and be able to defend or prosecute. . . even judge such a case wisely and knowledgeably. Within a short time of concentrated and critical reading he comprehends enough to know better than the doctor and be able to cross examine him wisely and intelligently enough to win the case.
It is my task as a literature teacher of significant experience to illustrate to the students how as a literature candidate you are already a lawyer in the making. Your magistrate or judge is your examiner/marker who instead of listening to/hearing a moot legal case, he is reading your written analysis of facts and situation to decide whether or not you win or lose the case after THE LONG HOURS OF CONSIDERATION AND THOUGHT OF THE FACTS BROUGHT BEFORE THE ‘COURT’.
Like the real court magistrate or judge, the marker considers your power of observation, your concentration of presentation of both internal and external evidence, the way you follow the development leading to the final ‘judgement’ through clear systematic criteria, analyzing the techniques of communication, the choice of words, their meaning and various connotations, even the placement and relation of all clauses and sentences. You are indeeda lawyer in the making. And only literature can best prepare you to become one.
I move around in the schools and colleges illustrating how Literature is not a burden but a fascinating task of critical thinking and systematic engagement of reason and comprehension to judge writers of literature beyond what they have written, what they ought to have written and even what must have been written.
The best answer is one that clearly and systematically leads to a sound judgement based not only on ‘fact’ but also on a deep sense of sound speculation and sensitivity of the reader/student.
As I continue to render consultancy as an independent literature resource person,(do not forget English Language speech and writing skills) I discover lots of interesting challenges in the teaching and learning of this deeply engaging subject. I want to share these with you and help you force the syndrome of failure into retreat. CALL ON ME WHENEVER YOU CAN. I WILL NEVER TIRE TO ASSIST YOU TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN WELL. Until next week, remember literature can be enjoyed far beyond examinations:
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