How does literature inspire you?

Question

It started when my mom took me to the Mother Goose story time at the library when I was just a baby. From there, my fascination with literature took off. Ask anyone who knows me; literature is my inspiration. The bookshelf in my bedroom ran out of room years ago. There are now stacks of books building up on my floor, all of which I have read and absorbed. I've always had a passion for books. Literature has always inspired me. I'm just amazed how people can grasp the concept of a character, or a setting, and develop it so fully. Every story has something to offer, s'long as it's written well, you should never walk away feeling nothing.

So I'm curious, how does literature inspire you?

Answer 1

Simple: it the reason I wake up in the morning.

Literature is my life; words are my lifeblood. Without the composition of prose and poetry, life would be worthless.

Literature is what inspires us to be great. Every great person has at one point cited a work of literary greatness as a source of inspiration (my favorite being U2 citing William S. Burroughs and his works).

Speaking of which, I need to get back to reading Philip Roth's "The Human Stain."

Answer 2

Really good literature is often affirming and validating. What happens with the characters tells me I am not alone, often helps to clarify my thoughts and feelings, and often validates my feelings.

I must add, really good literature with a less than optimistic point of view also affects me. So I am not only "inspired" by uplifting literature, I am also "inspired" by literature that can be depressing.

I guess the net affect is that when it is written well it can put me in a sort of mood, positive or negative or neutral. But I never walk away feeling nothing from "good literature."

Answer 3

Three ways.

With a realistic and ethical hero, the inspiration stems from his being a 3-dimensional embodiment of he right philosophy, a living example who talks, acts, considers, refuses negatives, evaluates people and has a specific purpose that he seeks by categorical--the right sort of--means.

There's also the profession of a man that can interest someone who admires or hopes to follow that trade.

And there are the locales, sorts of people, types of action, and dangers and milieu--costumes, historical period, economic level, arts, physical and transportation details, buildings, foods,, etc. Sometimes these can bring an era to life.

I teach history by having people study a map and talk about climate, ways of getting about, technology, warfare, government, houses etc. Then I have them read a book about the topic--then see a well-made movie about the era. If they do not want to read more books after that--I miss my guess.

I have read a thousand books in one year; so like you I seem to be a "bibliophile"...Thanks for the great question.

Answer 4

good question.

i've never given it much thought but i'd say a fairly good piece of literary art often ignites my imagination and inspires me to the outer stars with the burning urge to know what then happened . . . and after that then what happened etc.

it all started when my grandma narrated this creative funny story about this guy who sympathized with a female buffalo in pain while giving birth. the good samaritan was warned by his friend against getting close to such beast in the deep jungle but he insisted and proceeded to help pull out the calf. whereupon the beast suddenly closed its birth-canal with the poor fella's both hands inside! then the animal rose to its four feet and started racing at high chilling speeds through thick jungle with its prisoner being whipped and whacked by sharp twigs and sticks, wounded and bleeding all over. he was eventually freed only when the beast attempted a long jump across a small stream and loosened its birth-canal muscles!!
the poor fella retraced his steps back to his friend where the ordeal had began. but lo! he found his friend had seen his ordeal and had burst out into a rib-bursting laughter and had laughed to death! the friend's ribs had literally bursted open!!

Answer 5

Literature doesnt quite inspire me as much as life does. I mean it can inspire me a littel but i need life around me to put the body into my work adn help me write from the heart