why study literature // what your degree *actually* teaches you

hiiiii guys, in today's episode we're just chatting through... the basics I guess: why read and why study what you're reading. What do you read for? Why do you read what you read? What do you want to get out of a book? What was the point in taking Comparative or any literature for three years? - EA x
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[@MissWatson4]

Me actually pausing the video to go get a cup of warm tea xD

[@sarcastic_fish]

the only influence i have an interest in having

[@sanamir9886]

Awwwww

[@rafservez1136]

As a student of literature, I fully agree with what you're saying in this video. I almost use the same exact same arguments when someone asks me why I study literature lol I love how you and your mum discuss literature so casually and playfully, that's some real family goals right there

[@josie.s.2553]

Why I read and what book I read depends on my mood or my aims. Sometimes I read for a bit of escapism. Other times it’s to learn. Sometimes it’s both. I love it when a book teaches you something that you never realised or expected, and it stays with you and even changes your way of thinking.

[@CharlesJosepDelDotto]

Emma, you have the best non-book channel book channel on YT!

[@juliah4887]

“I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. If the book we're reading doesn't wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading for? So that it will make us happy, as you write? Good Lord, we would be happy precisely if we had no books, and the kind of books that make us happy are the kind we could write ourselves if we had to. But we need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. That is my belief.” This quote by Kafka perfectly illustrates why we need books to challenge and disrupt us cerebrally. If we’re reading only for entertainment, where else in our lives are we finding that sector of learning and stimulation that phenomenal books provide us with?

[@aisling8308]

I think it's down to your mindset. There are some truly trash novels in existence, but you can read something like Normal People and take something away from it, like what your mum said about her crime novels. If you have a philosophical/analytical/learning mindset then any book or even trash reality shows can be good places to apply and challenge your thoughts about other people and contemporary society. A literature degree is a good place to "learn to learn" and really develop that analytical mindset and how to write essays, but this can be accomplished through so many other degrees also.

[@kyrichr4656]

English Language and Literature major at UCY here. Been watching your videos for quite some time now. Keep up the great content!

[@josie.s.2553]

Ooh, second comment. Love the video. I’m doing a literature module next year. Thanks for your thoughts x

[@angie3502]

Would love to watch a reading vlog from you! Like, start to finish. It’s always so interesting how an opinion on a book forms and changes as you read it, and the different stages of learning from it.

[@dodofeathers3960]

I had forgotten about what it feels like reading a good book, since it's been awhile- I haven't taken a English class this semester. But your thoughts made me remember. All the reasons you talked about reinvigorates my curiosity to think about the human experience, question the beliefs/mindsets I currently have, and, well, to study literature!

[@circemarden-rull4408]

Loved this video!! Planning on studying comparative literatures and cultures at Bristol in September! You've inspired me to be interested in comp lit :)

[@milannovotny6575]

This is the first video of yours that I found and I absolutely loved your energy and personality! :) I can just see myself talking to you all night long about books and ideas and not getting tired one bit haha. I really wish there were more people like you around... If you ever come to Prague, definitely let me know and let's hang out if you're not busy. Take care, M.

[@MissWatson4]

I usually pick up a book for two reasons, either because I like to see what it would be like to live in a different reality (and that is why I read a lot of fantasy and horror) or because I want to know how it is like to live and think as a certain person or in a certain place and time (for that is when I go to classics and more international literature). Also I totally agree with the "people should read classics" thing, it's so cool when you read a classic and finally get this book that keeps being referenced everywhere and you understand why that book has been read for generations.

[@EmmaSophieChannel]

As you mentioned Defoe: I think I remember you haven’t gotten to Moll Flanders? I just finished that and my god, I’ve never read a more fast-faced book. Very dynamic. I wonder if she would’ve added another layer to the thoughts you discussed in your dissertation in that she doesn’t really have that much power in her relation to men at all but is more powerful because of her mental agility. Or so I would argue, it would be interesting to hear your perspective when you come round to it!

[@lilyyeoman7778]

I did make a cup of tea. Your videos make me feel calm :)

[@lukasrodrigues5833]

Albert Camus caught up my attention in The Plague in the the beginning of pandemic. Camus portrayed the human behavior in way much similar to our when the city of Argelia was hit with a huge plague infested of rat and the uncertainty about the life face to the death. The literature make us remember that the human nature is the same thing today like was to hundred years ago or thousand years ago, and that from time to time the humankind pass for crise. The literature becomes us more human and warns us of our eternal transience.

[@iconsonscreen7291]

Hi emma! I am quite sure that the reasons have changed during time but one that has always remained with me, its because i want to learn! Like you! I really aim to learn stuff and be open minded to that point that i can be able to understand myself and others deeply! I disagree with you though about big structures because i do believe in universal "laws" and i think without them we just make ourselves lost between the dichotomies of life itself! I also love deeply philosophy and historical fiction! I find them fascinating! Btw this is maybe one of the most loved videos from your content! Thanks for making it!

[@soundslikeknee]

I read mostly non fiction books on random topics that interest me. Currently reading a book on artists and architects. Since lockdown been watching a lot of documentaries on artists and galleries. So I got a book on the topic unfortunately it’s about 700 pages. Which almost put me off but out of pride I couldn’t give up. Only to become fascinated by how all these buildings that were built for people, are no longer there. So who do these objects serve? This book was written in 2017 with an international look as these creators (to encapsulate both artists and architects). In a series of interviews have to explain their method. Some are coy but those willing to share open up this view of how they see the world in relation to the notion of space. If I understood correctly each creator seeks to capture and reflect this moment in time for future generations to understand their time.

[@ay-qe9pk]

Hey, what's the book called?

[@soundslikeknee]

@@ay-qe9pk Lives of the artists, lives of the architects by hans ulrich obrist

[@morningdewacademic]

Books are so amazing and I've always felt knowledge is power and the best way to learn is through books. Thanks for sharing this, I was not aware of the difference between literature and comparative literature. Quite interesting. Most of the Universities here in the US offer Literature or English lit degrees, I'll have to see if any have comparative literature as I would like to pursue this down the road. I have my degree in education but I never stop learning, I'm always taking college courses plus hours spent on my research for my novels, and of course, I read loads! Keep learning, it's a life-long journey! :)

[@sky-sb5jp]

I study English Literature and I have to say the course is very diverse, I’ve been exposed to so much world literature that I wouldn’t have read/known about before, like Zitkala-Sa, Achebe, Ta Nehisi Coates etc. It’s definitely not just old white men and the Romantics! But maybe that’s just my uni

[@euzumaki8293]

sounds like queen mary

[@darlington9738]

you are literally everything that i want to become, you inspire me💗

[@leonardovidal8029]

English Literature allows the reading of any text in any language, as long as they are related to your object. They just can't be your main focus. But in the example you mentioned, yes, you absolutely can use other works in other languages to understand English Romanticism, for instance.

[@sarahscott409]

I just read 'A Journal of the Plague Year' and OH MY FUCKING GOD SAME SAME, like that book was worth it purely for Daniel Defoe calling astrologers "oracles of the Devil" I fucking cHOKED

[@sarcastic_fish]

THAT SHIT. IS SO. FUNNY.

[@wingcastlereads5657]

And now I have to read it. These are the kind of recommendations we need more of

[@travissayre6783]

When you read a novel, how much do you focus on the text vs the background of the author? For instance, one of my favorite books is The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. If you read it by itself, it is such an interesting novel, however, learning the history of its writing in the background of Stalin's Russia makes it even more interesting. How much time should we dedicate to looking beyond the four corners, if at all?

[@zoewilliamson4034]

This video was v visually pleasing 🤗

[@wingcastlereads5657]

What you said about it being linear and a vacuum, is also what I think about the way a lot of people reconstruct history. As an European that studies non-european history... It gets old fast

[@danni.phantom8184]

As a Literature Graduate whose undergrad life was ALL about dissecting paragraphs and their meaning (who also enjoys Sci-Fi): "I feel attacked." As a human who wants to grow, "hmmm, fair point..." *furiously googles 'comparative literature reading lists' and starts making personal reading list* : ) Edit: spelling (ha!)

[@AndalusianIrish]

Hi. I am 42 and it's great for me to see someone younger who is so passionate about books. I have a relative who is a science teacher who couldn't understand why I would want to leave my call centre job to become a librarian. (I haven't achieved that yet) and she doesn't even read science. I just despair of that mindset. The Anglocentric thing is massive. I from Northern Ireland and I did my GCSE English Lit exam in 1996. The only American we studied was Robert Frost and the only poet from Northern Ireland we studied was Louis MacNeice and it was just the one poem. I had discover to discover Steinbeck through my history teacher. (Fortunately I had teachers who made history vibrant and interesting!) You and your mum talked about empathy and for me that's why I adore Steinbeck, especially Cannery Row. He shows us life as it is not as it should be and teaches us that people have intrinsic worth whether or not they make an economic contribution to society. In 1996 Michael Chabon and Donna Tartt had already been published and I feel robbed that just because of my teacher's bias we weren't made aware of these. I have had to wait about 25 years to find out about local writers like Forrest Reid from Belfast who used to be as popular as J.M. Barrie and was lauded by Forster but because of bias towards English writers we had lost him. I also think of Walter Scott who wrote a colossal amount of poetry and is really like Scotland's Shakespeare. Not one of his poems did we study nor was he mentioned. It's an appalling betrayal of our students. We did Hardy who I found dreary but years later I discoverer his friend and mentor Dorset dialect poet William Barnes who is so winsome and funny but making points about landgrabbing of public spaces for economic use. Press on sister!

[@chloedile9769]

NEVER CLICKED SO FAST

[@sheissarahg]

same liked before watching

[@josie.s.2553]

Also, your mums awesome x

[@epilegein-ludovic6275]

All you said about the interest of reading make me think about what Kundera describe in the unberable lightness of being. If you haven't read this book, i'm sure you would love it.

[@sophiapostma4057]

23:19 I just read a book like that! It's called The Charlatans by Bert L Taylor and it was published about 120ish years ago. I found it an antique shop and bought it just because I liked the cover. Turns out, the main character is LITERALLY me! She is about my age, loves classical music, plays an instrument, and loves reading. I could rant on and on about how much I enjoyed this book, but I won't do that to you 😂.

[@thatskums]

Questions like why do you like reading or why reading is important are stupid questions. I can't tell you why. When I read a book for fun for the first time, I got sucked into the story. That feeling was magic. That's why I love reading. I don't like it because I somehow think it's an intellectual activity. I don't think reading is important, but it is important for me.

[@morningdewacademic]

Oh do more videos with your mom, she's a delight and I'd love to hear her thoughts on some of the great classics. Is she a professor?

[@lewessays]

And I never understood people who never enjoy history lol I get your point though. I think it's the way history is written and the way we are told to approach it in academia. But, I view history as a story and I read history the same way I read a novel. But, I do love both lit and history.

[@henryomorodion]

l recently wanted to know why l should read literature books. l had ti listen to different tedx speakers. l also listened to a professor today who spoke about literature. what draws my attention is communication and power of words. l am currently reading Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.l find it quite interesting .literature helps one become a good writer. l love reading, lts just part if my nature because l like learning

[@melissasnotsureaboutthis]

The part where you say, “Yeah. Show me what your birth chart is.” That’s my favorite. Because it’s beyond true. Even a year later.

[@spiderjump]

I am one of those people who hardly read . I studied Julius caesar for o level English literature and that was the last time I read a proper book. For my a levels I studied sciences and maths. In university I only read course materials .after graduation, I keep up with advancements in my profession by attending seminars and some reading. I don’t read for leisure. I exercise and keep insects .

[@zlzlzl2]

To read is to live another life, if you are too poor/lazy to travel the world, then go read a book.

[@robertavassallo7880]

Don't know if you will ever see this, but as a brazilian (that very much relates to you in regards to reasons to read a book), I beg you please give another chance to brazilian literature with authors other than Paulo Coelho. For us who read for more than entertainment, he's considered a bit, well... not thrilling. Authors like Machado de Assis, for some non-contemporary reading, and Itamar Vieira Junior for a more recent publication, though, have great books that are completely worth it

[@sarcastic_fish]

I’ve read Machado de Assis fear not!! And ooooo I’ll look into Itamar Vieira Junior thank you!!!

[@luiscarlos-mn5rk]

Im considering studying double majors: journalism and literature, but I want to know about the literature major and this video helped me

[@luiscarlos-mn5rk]

I just read what comparative literature is, and im interested in studying it, I already read books on a daily basis

[@lilmzkittens3354]

Love your video. What do you think of an English-Philosophy degree?

[@BruceWayne-fs8ty]

Does Emma remind anyone of Lou Andreas-Salomé ? In the book "The Art of Seduction", 'The masculine Dandy' it writes of a girl who is well educated with big eyes who loves to talk about Philosophy and had a wide array of intellectual interests. It also seems, from a notable quote (which I won't say as I don't want to get flagged) that was really into sex (Ie ✨ seggsy girl talk ✨ hoe phases, consent & biphobia). Seems like they share the same type of seductiveness which is pretty interesting as Lou had broken some pretty famous hearts lol.

[@lauramartens30]

Is there a difference in the importance of history in the UK versus the US? Because I've noticed not all but a lot of british youtubers tend to say things like "I don't know anything about history" or "I never did much history in school," whereas where I come from history is probably one of the most important classes in school. You have to take it every single year in middle school and high school and there are lots of requirements for college. America's history is really messed up, to the point where if we didn't talk about it in school I honestly wouldn't believe people if they told me (unfortunately this is the case for some people...) How is history handled in different parts of the world?

[@ciscl]

It depends on what you study. For GCSEs only maths, English and science are what you HAVE to study. The rest of the subjects you study are your choice. You also decide yourself all of your A-Levels. So for me, I took history for GCSEs and a level and enjoyed it, but depending on your choices, you might stop learning history in school at the age of 15.

[@muqset1563]

I used to like reading when i was younger and now I'm studying English language and literature as my degree. But I'm losing the passion for it. Just want some motivation or tips please.

[@squilliamfancy]

proud to say i am the 100th like haha

[@RobinPalmerTV]

Oh cool you’ve got hypermobile fingers like me!

[@mithilareshmi5712]

To come ❤ 🤲 together ❤

[@alexthoms3382]

I'm American, so it's coffee for me. 😁

[@lukasrodrigues5833]

Why not include the Bible? Northrop Frye one of major literary crictics claim that the Bible is founding myth of western civilization and it is the background of all our comprehension about ourselves and of all our actions possibilities, all the scheme narrative known in literature and the art of western are nothing but variations on biblical plots. Frye said the Bible is the redent of history. What you think about of the Bible?

[@Anhorish]

Homer and Hindu Texts are several millennia earlier than the Bible and although most of the world has never seen a bible they still have their own narratives and oral traditions. At best your claims apply to the western world.

[@lissadawes4243]

@@Anhorish yeah, he kinda did say that it was about western civilization in his comment. Also those texts are not a thousand years older than the Bible. You see there is the Old Testament part and Homer’s epics were written at the time ancient Israel.

[@jvblanc9532]

Emma be like WOULD YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T READ ME: Yessssss ma'am and I'm the proof. I've been avoiding literature at all cost, but now that I'm in uni, I'm forced to take at least one literature course.

[@andreluiscoteroman3933]

My suggestion, from brazil: read / search Machado de Assis!!!!! (Paulo Coelho, no! Lol).

[@tamzinlittle5295]

If you are not a book channel then what type of channel are you? 🤔

[@RobinPalmerTV]

ASMR ofc..!

[@yj6118]

Lifestyle? 😂

[@tylerfish6206]

There is no money in a lit degree

[@user-oo5ps8ik5z]

You are such a beautiful girl

[@cocobeary1711]

my future wife

[@aliali-ce3yf]

no reason for this video to be this long

[@luisaoc7378]

Oh, to be young, white, and with access to grad school.