English learning through literature with reference to language skills,areas, and more. (Research Paper)

Name : Himanshi Parmar.

Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University.

Title :

English learning through literature with reference to language skills,areas, and more.

Abstract :

   How does literature help in English language learning? How is literature related to language? Why should literary texts be used in language classes? What kind of literature helps to develop language skills? This paper aims to emphasise this sort of  question. Literature and language are interlinked.Literature can be written in language only, and if one wants to learn any language, then there is no better option than literature. Literature helps to teach language skills as well as language areas like vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation,  format of writing etc. Literature can make learning the English language interesting through various genres. Sometimes learning a language becomes boring, and that detaches learners from learning English. but when one can learn it with poetry recitation, delightful short stories and novels it increases enthusiasm for learning. In ancient era, skill of writing was not developed, at that time, the best way to learn foreign language was to listen songs, stories, fiction from someone's mouth.Literature is considered authentic material, However literature are not written with purpose of teaching language, it still useful to learn language in real life contexts. Reading literature also helps to understand cultural differences which helps to understand native speakers. And according to Collie and Slater, through literature, learners become familiar with different linguistic forms, communicative functions and easily understand words that have various shades which create different meanings depending on the context. Language skills,language areas,difficulties to understand culture and native language, literary genre and its usefulness, and reference of ancient English learning. All these aspects are covered in detail in the paper.

Key words :

Literature, language skills, Classroom, native language, literary genre, Drama.

Introduction :

  

   Teaching English through literature is one of the best authentic materials. Literature provides features of language as well as aesthetic beauty of language. Literature plays an important part in English language learning. But it is not the main aim of literature to teach language, yet literature helps to teach language skills, grammar, vocabulary, and many more. Language learning is at one point a quite boring activity,as it is similar to an activity which one can do for the first time. But literature makes it interesting. There are many various genres in literature like poetry, novel, fiction, short story, autobiography etc, which provide variety in learning and increase interest of learners. Also learning through literature is a very ancient idea, when there were no sources to write, like paper,technology,typewriter,nothing was available. At that time people learn English orally by listening to songs, stories,riddles etc, which all are part of literature. 

     Without language, literature can not exist. Similarly, literature is an integral part of language. Not only in English, but in all languages. Literature helps to understand native speakers and also English proverbs, idiomology and metaphors. In my research paper, I have tried to ponder all the above points in detail.

Connection between Literature and Language :

   According to the Oxford Dictionary, "Literature is pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially novels, plays and poems." And "Language means the system of communication in speech and writing that is used by people of a particular country or area". Language and literature are interlinked. Without language, literature cannot be possible. And literature is an integral part of language. Literature is one of the best authentic sources to learn English.  Collie and Slater in 1987,  Johnson in 1981, And Widdowson, 1983, conducted research to find the role of literature in language classes.and they proved that literary text should be used for English language teaching for many reasons. Also Lazar (1993) gave some reasons to use literary texts in language classrooms, for example,

1. It is very motivating. 

2. It is authentic material. 

3. It has general educational value. 

4. It is found in many syllabuses. 

5. It helps students to understand another culture. 

6. It is a stimulus for language acquisition. 

7. It develops students’ interpretative abilities. 

8. Students enjoy it and it is fun. 

9. It is highly valued and has a high status. 

10. It expands students’ language awareness. 

11. It encourages students to talk about their opinions and feelings.

Language Skills  :

   Literature is very much important in teaching Language skills like, Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. It not only teaches the skills but also enrich Confidence of learners.here, the detail information is given below,

1- Reading Skill : 

   The very first thing is literature can help to enrich reading skills and speed up reading. And when learners learn to read, discussion moves forward at another level, like they start reading, discussing plot, characters, settings, themes, symbols etc, Which provide a perfect environment to discuss about all this cultural things, and expand their views and imagination for culture of English people that helps to understand native language as well as variation in reading and writing forms. Also reading literature makes learners think about plot, structure, symbols, characters and themes,so that the more they think the more they learn.Reading literature also gives them variety to read, like Novel, Short stories, Fiction, Autobiography, Prose and many more to maintain their interest. Reading literature Will raise questions in their minds, and that provokes their problem solving ability which again is very important to learn English.

2- Writing Skill :

   Literature has various forms, like novels, Short stories, fiction, Prose etc, and all the types are written differently. Which diversifies our writing style. Writing should be learned in two ways, first by writing literature or writing criticism on it. Both can help to learn how different sentences and words are used in writing. Also writing literature can also help to learn different spellings, and structures in sentences. Literature provides a variety of themes to write which automatically increase one's interest towards learning English. 

3 - Listening Skill :

   Literature helps to enrich listening skills. In language class, if the teacher reads literary texts or sings a song or poetry then it will be very easy and interesting to learn English for learners.it will also help them to understand differences while writing and speaking. Although it not just enhances learners interest but also their knowledge about English Language. Scientifically also Listening is better than reading and writing to learn something. Literature is the best source to listen and read.

4 - Speaking :

   Literature plays a major role in learning how to speak. Speaking can be learned with various activities like drama performances, by recording videos and audios, by stage performances of Solo acting, and monologues, and by Group activities and class activities, and oral reading. Below is the provided detailed information about it.

English Learning by Drama : 

   Performance of any literary text as a drama is the most amazing activity for speaking skills, as well as for learning English. It helps to learn tonation, flow and speed of dialogues, expressions while speaking English. Also if one wants to perform any dialogue, it is very important to understand the dialogue fully first, then only they become able to perform it well. And for that they have to think in depth, to understand meaning and pronunciation that helps them learn well. Along with that students can write scripts on their own and will prepare dialogues and perform that build their confidence in English Language speaking. Learners can learn how native speakers are supposed to speak and write or read, what difficulties they used to face while writing and speaking, where learners are lacking to understand the language and grammar etc.

Group Activities and Class activities :

   Various activities related to literature are useful to explore English language skills. For example, activities like in which a group of students prepare charts of characters, symbols, themes of any literary texts, that helps make them think so much about text which is written in English. And the more they think, the more they learn. Along with them activities like debate on any topic related literature, build learners confidence while speaking. This is one of the most influential way to teach language, 

Video and Audio Recordings : 

   Video and audio recording are best preserved proofs of our improvement, one who regularly does videos and audios, like video / audio of any poetry recitation, poem singing, storytelling, is able to judge his past speaking skill and present improved skills. That's how technology helps us to learn language along with the help of literature. Sometimes movies based on literature can also help to learn.

Grammar / Vocabulary / Pronunciation : 

   Literature can help to improve grammar, vocabulary and Pronunciation. In all the literary genres writing style,Structure and size of text are different, Which helps to learn various kinds of sentence patterns and structure. Also Literature is a treasure trove of words.for example one novel, fiction and short story contains hundreds of new words, and reading literature, discussion on literature in English classroom enriches vocabulary of Learners. Also Literature is one of the best authentic material, which is also a notable thing, so preparation from it is trustworthy. Literature can also help to improve Pronunciation. If we read poems, we find lots of tongue twister words, also rhyming words, words that are hard to speak, and if we practice it everyday, it will be easy to pronounce. Literature is all in one. We can learn figures of speech, metaphors, pronunciation, vocabulary, and different sentence patterns in all novels, stories, poems, prose, and fiction, all of this are written in different style so it is good source to learn that which kind of word, sentence or structure, used in which kind of writing while write or read English. 

Problems in understanding native language : 

   The best way to learn English, or we can say not only English but any language is to visit that country or place from where it originated.And stay there for quite a long time and learn English and Native Tone of that Language. But it is not possible for all to visit England and stay there, as specially foreign learners, for them it is close to impossible. So the best replacement of this idea is reading or learning literature.Literature was written by native writers and by foreign writers in the same language, and when we compare and study both together, it will help to learn not only a simple language but also native language. One can easily understand native people or speakers after reading literature written by native speakers.

Ancient way of teaching / Learning : 

   If we look at history, we find that in ancient times, no writing facilities were available, like paper, typewriters, technology, nothing was available. At that time people used to learn orally,  and memorise Various languages. The main source they preferred to learn was to listen to regional stories,songs, and poetries. And that's how they learn with fun. And all these Stories, poetries, and songs are part of literature now. So teaching English through literature was a very old custom.

Conclusion :

   So, by these observations, we are able to interpret that Literature is one of the most useful and authentic sources in English Language Teaching (ELT). As it was a very ancient idea also. Along with it, literature provides variety in learning, with differences of genres And keeps learners interested in learning. Literature can also help to explore Vocabulary and Knowledge of the English Language. And teach sentence structures and pronunciation. Also activities related to literature can also help to teach the English language.

Works cited :

Murat, H. (2005, April 1). Teaching English through literature Marut H.pdf. Google Drive. Retrieved March 28, 2022, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B07bsmb1gS38NVhobzVMQ0lLV0E/edit?resourcekey=0-AU-Jz-4LdZlvLwzp9qRlxg

Patricia, Tehan, et al. “The Place of Literature in an English Language Teaching ...” The Place of Literature in an English Language Teaching Program:  What Do Students Think About It? , 2 Sept. 2015, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Banu-Inan-Karaguel-2/publication/306065199_The_Place_of_Literature_in_an_English_Language_Teaching_Program_What_Do_Students_Think_About_It/links/57ad893108ae0932c9757dc4/The-Place-of-Literature-in-an-English-Language-Teaching-Program-What-Do-Students-Think-About-It.pdf.

Patricia, Tehan, et al. “The Place of Literature in an English Language Teaching ...” The Place of Literature in an English Language Teaching Program:  What Do Students Think About It? , 2 Sept. 2015, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Banu-Inan-Karaguel-2/publication/306065199_The_Place_of_Literature_in_an_English_Language_Teaching_Program_What_Do_Students_Think_About_It/links/57ad893108ae0932c9757dc4/The-Place-of-Literature-in-an-English-Language-Teaching-Program-What-Do-Students-Think-About-It.pdf.

Modernism in 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Modernism in 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Himanshi Parmar 

P.G Student

Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

Abstract :

This research paper aims to emphasise reading of 'The Great Gatsby' through the lens of Modernism. M. H. Abrams states that, "The term Modernism is widely used to identify new and distinctive features in the subjects, forms, concepts and styles of literature and the other arts in the early decades of the present century, but especially after World War I." Modernism in simple words is breaking traditional norms. Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby' is the most prominent example of Modernism. It includes many modernist techniques like Alienation, that is reflected in the character of Jay Gatsby, loss of control, corruption of American dream, Jazz Age, loud music,moneycentricism, Industrial revolution or Industrialism as post World War I effect, breaking of society's rules,feeling of restlessness, stream of consciousness technique introduced by narrator Nick Carraway along with Fragmented writing technique of Fitzgerald. All these points are covered in this research paper.

Keywords - American Dreams, Jazz age, Industrialism, Narrative Technique, stream of consciousness.

What is Modernism and Literary Modernism?

   According to Oxford Dictionary, 'Modernism is a movement in the arts that aims to break with traditional styles or ideas'. While literary modernism has a different meaning. Literary modernism is a literary movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a response to the rapidly changing world of the Industrial Revolution and the subsequent technological and scientific advancements. It marked a break from traditional ways of thinking and storytelling, and sought to capture the complexity and fragmentation of the modern world.

Characteristics of Modernism -

  Literary Modernism includes various characteristics such as rejection of traditional narrative forms and the use of new literary techniques, including stream-of-consciousness, fragmentation,non-linear storytelling and multiple perspectives. Other characteristics are Experimentation with language : Writers use techniques such as free association, wordplay, and non-standard grammar to create a sense of disorientation and reflect the complexity of the modern world,Exploration of inner experience,Use of symbolism and imagery to convey deeper themes and meanings, Emphasis on individualism means emphasizes the subjective experiences and individual perspectives of its characters, rather than adhering to a single, objective point of view.

Themes of Modernism - 

  Modernist literature deals with themes like societal decay, disillusionment, moral ambiguityFeeling of ,Alienation and isolation in a rapidly changing world,The individual versus society often questioning the traditional values and institutions that shape our lives, The search for identity,The role of the past - Many modernist works explore the relationship between the past and the present, often highlighting the ways in which the past shapes our understanding of the world, The nature of reality,The impact of technology and science and the impact of technological and scientific advancements on society, The role of art that questioning the traditional notions of beauty and representation.

Modernist Writers and their Works -

   Some most prominent modernist writers are, James Joyce - Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, T.S. Eliot - The Waste Land, Ernest Hemingway - The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms, Samuel Beckett - Waiting for Godot and Molloy, William Faulkner - The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, D.H Lawrence - Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow and Women in Love, F. Scott Fitzgerald -The Great Gatsby. Etc.

'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald -

   The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, set in the 1920s in the fictional Long Island town of West Egg and East Egg. The story is narrated by Nick Carraway, a young man who has just moved next door to the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a wealthy and enigmatic figure who throws extravagant parties every weekend.Gatsby is in love with a woman named Daisy Buchanan, who is Nick's cousin. Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan, a wealthy, white man who is having an affair with a woman named Myrtle. Gatsby, who is believed to have made his fortune through illegal means, is determined to win back Daisy's love and convince her to leave her husband. He invites Daisy to his house and they begin a secret relationship., but their happiness is short-lived.

   Tom finds out about the affair and confronts Gatsby. Nick becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the lifestyle and morals of the wealthy elite.Tom takes Nick and Daisy to New York City, where they run into Gatsby at a hotel. Tom taunts Gatsby, revealing that he knows about his past and that Daisy was never in love with him. Gatsby is devastated, and Daisy accidentally kills Myrtle while driving Gatsby's car. Gatsby takes the blame for the accident and is shot and killed by George, Myrtle's husband.The novel ends with Nick reflecting on the events of the summer and the tragedy of Gatsby's life. He realizes that Gatsby's longing for the past and his pursuit of the American Dream ultimately led to his downfall.

   The novel explores themes of love, wealth, class, and the search for identity in the modern world.  The novel is a commentary on the moral and social decay of the wealthy elite in the 1920s, and the characters in the book struggle to find their place in this new world. Gatsby's longing for the past and his pursuit of the American Dream ultimately leads to his downfall. The novel explores themes of love, wealth, class, and the search for identity in the modern world.Fitzgerald's writing style is characterized by a stream-of-consciousness narration and the use of symbolism, which adds layers of meaning to the story and helps to convey the themes of the novel. The Great Gatsby is considered a classic of modernist literature and continues to be widely read and studied today.

Modernism in 'The Great Gatsby' -

   'The Great Gatsby' was written after world war 1. So it covered various modernist aspects. The novel is considered a quintessential work of modernist literature. It includes many modernist techniques like Alienation, that is reflected in the character of Jay Gatsby, loss of control, corruption of American dream, Jazz Age, loud music,moneycentricism, Industrial revolution or Industrialism as post World War I effect, breaking of society's rules,feeling of restlessness, stream of consciousness technique introduced by narrator Nick Carraway along with Fragmented writing technique of Fitzgerald. These points are described here.

1- Alienation -

   The characters in the novel are all struggling with feelings of isolation and disconnection from the world around them. Jay Gatsby, the novel's protagonist, is perhaps the most alienated character. Despite his immense wealth and popularity, he is unable to connect with those around him and is ultimately alone at the end of the novel. Gatsby's alienation is driven by his unrequited love for Daisy and his inability to fully understand or be understood by the people in his social circle.He has spent years pining for Daisy and has built his entire identity and lifestyle around the hope of winning her back. However, when he finally does reconnect with Daisy, he finds that he is unable to fully understand or connect with her.

   He is also unable to bridge the gap between their vastly different social classes and backgrounds.Gatsby's isolation is also reflected in his relationships with the other characters in the novel. He is unable to fully connect with his party guests, who see him as a mysterious and somewhat comical figure. He also has few close friends, and his only true confidant is Nick, the narrator, who is an outsider in the world of the wealthy elite.Furthermore, Gatsby's past is an enigma, he is a self-made man and his background is shrouded in mystery, which added to his isolation. He is also not able to fully attain his dream and his longing for the past, which leads to his alienation. Here is the dialogue that showing Gatsby's longing for his past and isolated situation,

"That's my Middle West—not the wheat or the prairies or the lost Swede towns, but the thrilling returning trains of my youth, and the street lamps and sleigh bells in the frosty dark".

Many other characters are also isolated and alienated in the novel. Such as Daisy Buchanan, she too is alienated from her own life. She is trapped in a loveless marriage and feels unfulfilled by her wealthy lifestyle.She is also unable to fully connect with her daughter, Pammy, and feels distant from her.She is also isolated by her social class, she is a part of the wealthy elite, but unable to find authenticity and genuine connection among them. Her longing for the past and her inability to move on from it, further contributes to her isolation.Nick Carraway, the narrator, is also an outsider in the world of the wealthy elite and is often uncomfortable with their excesses and moral decay.

2 - corruption of American dream.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby," the idea of the American Dream is portrayed as being corrupted by the wealthy elite of the time. The characters in the novel, including the titular character Jay Gatsby, are all obsessed with wealth and status, and will stop at nothing to attain it. Protagonist of the novel Jay Gatsby himself a bootlegger. The novel portrays that the American dream is not about hard work and upward mobility, but about using wealth and power to manipulate and control others. How Daisy and Tom left Gatsby die and don't even feel guilty for it is  a perfect example of this. this dialogue by Nick is showing corruption of American dream in Tom and Daisy's character,

I could forgive him or like him but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. They was all very careless and confused.They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.

 Those who have money have power all the way. Representation of 'Valley of Ashes' is reflecting the negative side of American dreams and the worst condition of poor, black people. But Ultimately, this corruption of the American Dream leads to tragic consequences for the characters in the novel.

3 - Jazz age -

The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is set in the Jazz Age, a period in the 1920s characterized by the rise of jazz music, flapper culture, and economic prosperity. The novel depicts the excesses and decadence of the era, as well as the moral decay and disillusionment that accompanied it. In the novel we find several references of Jazz age such as 1) The parties at Gatsby's mansion: Gatsby throws extravagant parties at his mansion, which are filled with jazz music, dancing, and alcohol. These parties are a reflection of the excesses and decadence of the era, 2) The flapper culture: Characters such as Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker embody the flapper culture of the 1920s, characterized by their short hair, short dresses, and liberated attitude towards sex and alcohol. 3) The rise of jazz music: Jazz music is mentioned throughout the novel, and it serves as a symbol of the cultural changes taking place during the 1920s. 4)The decline of traditional values: The novel depicts a decline in traditional moral and social values, as characters engage in extramarital affairs and other forms of immoral behavior. 5)The economic prosperity: The 1920s were a time of economic prosperity, and this is reflected in the characters' lavish lifestyles and their preoccupation with wealth and status. 6)The disillusionment of the era: The novel also explores the disillusionment that accompanied the excesses of the era, as the characters struggle with feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction despite their wealth and status.

4 - Industrialism and money centrism -

'The Great Gatsby Focuses on the rapid industrialization and economic growth of the era affected the characters and their relationships.The novel depicts the rise of a wealthy class, as characters like Jay Gatsby amass great wealth through various means, including bootlegging and stock speculation, Industrialization create new class in society called 'Newly Rich' people. Along with it characters in the novel are preoccupied with wealth and status, and they use their money to indulge in lavish lifestyles and conspicuous consumption.This pursuit of wealth and status leads them to abandon traditional values and engage in morally questionable behavior. Money is in the centre of the novel. Most of the rich class is shown as materialistic people, as characters are driven by their desire for wealth, status, and material possessions, rather than by more noble or meaningful goals.

5 - Stream of Consciousness technique -

As per Merriam Webster dictionary 'Stream of Consciousness' is the continuous unedited chronological flow of conscious experience through the mind. In other words 'Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a character's extended thought process, often by incorporating sensory impressions, incomplete ideas, unusual syntax, and rough grammar.'

'The Great Gatsby' employs the stream of consciousness technique to give insight into the thoughts and emotions of the characters. This narrative technique allows the reader to experience the character's mental and emotional states as they occur, rather than the author simply describing them. Through this technique, Fitzgerald is able to reveal the innermost thoughts and motivations of the characters, adding depth and complexity to their personalities. For example, the narrator, Nick Carraway, uses a stream of consciousness to reveal his own thoughts and feelings about Gatsby. Jay Gatsby himself uses a stream of consciousness to convey his longing and love for Daisy. Overall, the stream of consciousness technique in The Great Gatsby adds richness and nuance to the characters and their relationships, making the novel a deeper and more engaging reading experience.

6 - Fragmented writing technique of Fitzgerald in the novel -

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald also employs a fragmented writing technique. This technique is characterized by short, choppy sentences and abrupt shifts in time, place, and subject matter. This style reflects the fragmented and disjointed nature of the characters' thoughts and emotions, as well as the fast-paced and frenetic lifestyle of the Roaring Twenties.The novel is also full of symbols and imagery for example The green light,The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg etc. Which are often presented in a fragmented or disjointed way, adding to the sense of dream-like unreality.Fitzgerald also uses this technique to create a sense of disorientation and uncertainty in the reader, mirroring the confusion and disillusionment of the characters. The novel's structure, which jumps back and forth in time, also adds to the sense of fragmentation, as well as the sense of nostalgia and longing that pervades the book.

Conclusion -

To sum up, the novel 'The Great Gatsby' serves as a shining example of modernism. The novel also includes aspects like Loss of control, feeling of restlessness etc. Fitzgerald not only used fragmented writing technique but also chose to write a novel in stream of consciousness, the novel was also written with various perspectives and might that's the reason why the novel came as the best example of modernist literature.

Citation -

Fitzgerald, F. Scott (Francis Scott), 1896-1940. The Great Gatsby. New York :C. Scribner's     sons, 1925.

Frisella, Emily. "Stream of Consciousness." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC,  5 May 2017. Web. 22         Jan 2023.

“Stream of consciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stream%20of%20consciousness. Accessed 22 Jan. 2023.