Summary of ch. 1: Why Read?
Mark Edmunson is trying to argue that literature is, in general is something vital for human culture and
the individual life. By quoting William Carlos Williams he stresses that not even the media around us
today like TV journalism or popular music will help us learn to live our life as does poetry and literature.
Though reading literature is indispensable for human knowledge it is important to state that as the
author insists it is also crucial for our creative and imaginative area, this way being essential for human
satisfaction, spiritual development and furthermore success.
The author emphasizes the importance of literature for man in his journey towards self-discovery. He
employs various examples from famous literary works to remind us of how these excerpts can cause the
reader to identify themselves with what is being said. Edmundson condemns the way in which many
view literature as outdated and claims that literature is an immortal art. He urges his audience to
embrace this view of literature as a window into one’s self.
Edmundson argues that reading has a greater value than most people, even scholars, think. At first, he
explains, reading takes your world and expands its possibilities. However, he also proposes that in
reading you encounter yourself, and even though it fails to sustain a spiritual life, it can introduce one.
Thus, reading is an act of self-discovery. Finally, as Edmundson alludes to a liberal arts education, he
proposes that reading can help create identity and purpose through constant questioning.
Edmunson reflects the importance of literature and poetry through depicting these as cultural sources
of imagination, hopes, and rebirth. Also, he feels identified with various characters in literature, and
thus, the reader discovers himself. This sense of identification, and rebirth, as Edmundson depicts it,
enhances his argument on the importance of good reading. Furthermore, he elaborates that a good
book doesn’t answer a question, but leaves it open for one to find the answer in life. To him, we find
those answers by exploring ourselves, not the book, and asking ourselves, not the book. These craft our
spirit.
In the first chapter of his book, Marl Edmundson introduces his opinion that literature does what
nothing else does in the modern world: it teaches us values and a way to live. Citing authors like
Socrates, Emerson, Marcel Proust, and William Carlos Williams, Edmundson backs his point and
emphasizes this idea that was shared by these great characters. He also includes his own experience
with literature and says ‘Reading woke [him] up’ and gave him another reason to exist, expanded the
limits of the physical world. Edmudson manages to expose opposing arguments to his point of view, but
succeeds in rising triumphant over the ‘dismissive attitude[s]’ he mentions.
In his book “Why Read”, Edmunson reminds us of the importance or reading despite what most people
may think. He emphasizes the cathartic appel of literature citing great authors like Shakespeare and
Proust. He divides the personal value in two. First, he argues that through literature, you as a reader
discover more of who you are . Second, he establishes that it allows you to get a glimpse of yourself and
ultimately, the world.
Edmundson is justifying the great importance of reading. He mentions William Carlos Williams,
by reaffirming that there may not be anything that can help us learn to live our lives as well as
poetry, and literature overall. Edmundson supports Proust and Emerson and how they touch on
two related activities that are central to a true education in the humanities. First the activity of
discovering, oneself as great in writing, and second is to see glimpses of a self and of a world.
Edmundson expresses the importance of literature on our daily lives. Throughout his article,
Edmundson claims that literature creates so much for our world today. Edmundson emphasizes,
through the thoughts of William Carlos Williams, if we didn’t have literature, there would be no other
way to live our lives the way we do. Edmundson agrees with Williams and with that, he knows that
reading expands one’s mind that reality won’t allow. With his own personal view, he believes that
others should hold literature to the high standard that it deserves.
In this excerpt from his book The Importance of Literature to Our Lives, Mark Edmundson argues that
literature, a journey of self discovery is often times underrated. He begins by mentioning a poem of
William Carlos William’s, and uses it to support the following claim: poetry, and literature overall, are
the best medium when it comes to learning how to live our lives. Edmundson then shares with the
reader the impact literature has had in his life and proceeds by stating that other literature professors
like him would consider William Carlos William’s poem to be “overstating and idealizing.” The author
also mentions other ways in which colleagues refer to literature. While some of them would be
embarrassed to talk about poetry, others would consider it vague and useless.
Throughout this text Mark Edmundson argues for literature’s importance. Despite how even the most
prestigious scholars discard its usefulness as a mere aesthetic beauty, he emphasizes literature´s
capability to give purpose to our existence. Still, he observes that because of the very nature of writers
such truth remains concealed. Ultimately, Edmundson advocates a more extensive use of literature to
understand one’s self by first, realizing one´s own writing skills and second, by seeing a grater world
through the exploration literature implies.
Mrs. Thomas’s attempt…
In “Why Read?” Mark Edmundson asserts that only through creative reading of literary works will we be
able to see ourselves and our world in a new way. Because literature allows us to begin to ask—and
answer—important questions such as “Who am I?” and “How can I change the world for the better?” he
claims that literature still has value for all of us. Edmundson deplores those who would say otherwise,
especially his fellow literature professors who do not speak out for the value of poetry for fear of being
mocked or derided. He also rejects the notion that literature’s main value is to “cultivate sensitivity” or
“augment imagination”—saying these are too easily dismissed by cynics. Finally, Edmundson refutes the
common belief that today, literature is too removed from everyday experience, contending instead that
literature provides us with an opportunity for self-discovery and a chance to name and describe aspects
of our souls and our world that we had been unaware of before.