#在头条看见彼此#
作者： Esther Lombardi 翻译：锐智多谋
Updated on January 30, 2020
Reading this article attentively and thoughtfully, you will be allured to an impulse of reading something special. It is time to have your mind and spirit sublimated and deepened. A tranquil corner, a small desk and a cup of warm tea are transformed into your soul mate. Utilitarianism and formalism are to be forsaken now.
仔细、多加思索地阅读这篇文章，你会有一种特别的冲动，你突然想读点什么了。是时候让你的思想和精神得到升华和深化了。一个安静的角落，一张小桌子，一杯热茶，都会成为你的灵魂伴侣。现在应该抛弃功利主义和形式主义了。
The article is a little lengthy, and warm patience is considerately required.
这篇文章有点长，敬请付诸温和的耐心。
Simply put, literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people. The concept is difficult to precisely define, though many have tried; it's clear that the accepted definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving.
简单地说，文学代表一种语言或一个民族的文化和传统。这个概念很难精确定义，尽管许多人已经尝试过；很明显，公认的文学定义是不断变化和演变的。
For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a page doesn't necessarily equate to creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of works for a given author. Some works of literature are considered canonical, that is, culturally representative of a particular genre (poetry, prose, or drama).
对许多人来说，文学一词意味着更高的艺术形式；仅仅把文字放在一页上并不一定等同于文学创作。作家代表作是特定作者公认的作品集。一些文学作品被认为是文学范式，也就是说，在文化上代表了一种特定的体裁（如诗歌、散文或戏剧）。
Some definitions also separate literary fiction from so-called 'genre fiction,' which includes types such as mystery, science fiction, western, romance, thriller, and horror. Think mass-market paperback.
一些定义还将“文学小说”与所谓的“通俗小说”区分开来，后者包括神秘、科幻、西部、浪漫、惊悚和恐怖等类型。这让我们想起大众市场的平装书。
Genre fiction typically does not have as much character development as literary fiction and is read for entertainment, escapism, and plot, whereas literary fiction explores themes common to the human condition and uses symbolism and other literary devices to convey the author's viewpoint on his or her chosen themes. Literary fiction involves getting into the minds of the characters (or at least the protagonist) and experiencing their relationships with others. The protagonist typically comes to a realization or changes in some way during the course of a literary novel.
类型（通俗）小说通常不像文学小说那样具有更多的人物性格发展，并且是为了娱乐、逃避现实和情节而阅读的，而文学小说则探索人类共同的主题，并使用象征和其他文学手段来传达作者对其所选主题的观点。文学小说包括进入人物（或至少是主角）的脑海，体验他们与他人的关系。在文学小说的过程中，主人公通常会以某种方式实现或改变。
(The difference in type does not mean that literary writers are better than genre fiction writers, just that they operate differently.)
（文学作品类型的不同并不意味着文学小说作家比通俗小说作家更好，只是他们的写作风格大相径庭而已。）
Works of literature, at their best, provide a kind of blueprint of human society. From the writings of ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China to Greek philosophy and poetry, from the epics of Homer to the plays of William Shakespeare, from Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte to Maya Angelou, works of literature give insight and context to all the world's societies. In this way, literature is more than just a historical or cultural artifact; it can serve as an introduction to a new world of experience.
文学作品，在最好的情况下，提供了一种人类社会的蓝图。从埃及和中国等古代文明的著作到希腊哲学和诗歌，从荷马史诗到威廉·莎士比亚的戏剧，从简·奥斯汀、夏洛特·勃朗特到玛雅·安杰洛，文学作品为世界所有社会提供了洞察力和写作时的社会背景。这样，文学就不仅仅是一种历史或文化制品；它可以作为一个新的体验世界的介绍。
But what we consider to be literature can vary from one generation to the next. For instance, Herman Melville's 1851 novel 'Moby Dick' was considered a failure by contemporary reviewers. However, it has since been recognized as a masterpiece and is frequently cited as one of the best works of Western literature for its thematic complexity and use of symbolism. By reading 'Moby Dick' in the present day, we can gain a fuller understanding of literary traditions in Melville's time.
但是，我们所认为的文学在不同的世代中可能有所不同。例如，赫尔曼·梅尔维尔1851年的小说《白鲸》被当代评论家认为是失败的。然而，它被公认为一部杰作，并因其主题的复杂性和象征意义的使用而被频繁引用为西方文学的最佳作品之一。通过今天阅读《白鲸》，我们可以更全面地了解梅尔维尔时代的文学传统。
Ultimately, we may discover meaning in literature by looking at what the author writes or says and how he or she says it. We may interpret and debate an author's message by examining the words he or she chooses in a given novel or work or observing which character or voice serves as the connection to the reader.
最终，我们可以通过观察作家所写和所说以及他或她是如何说的来发现文学的意义。我们可以通过观察作者在给定小说或作品中选择的词语，或者观察作品人物或声音与读者构建的联系，来解读和辩论作者的信息。
In academia, this decoding of the text is often carried out through the use of literary theory using a mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or other approaches to better understand the context and depth of a work.
在学术界，对文本的解码通常是通过使用文学理论，使用神话、社会学、心理学、历史或其他方法来更好地理解作品的背景和深度。
Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze it, literature is important to us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us on a deeply personal level.
无论我们用什么样的批评范式来讨论和分析文学作品，文学对我们来说都很重要，因为它对我们说话，它是普世的，它在深刻的个人层面上影响着我们。
Students who study literature and read for pleasure have a higher vocabulary, better reading comprehension, and better communication skills, such as writing ability. Communication skills affect people in every area of their lives, from navigating interpersonal relationships to participating in meetings in the workplace to drafting intraoffice memos or reports.
学习文学作品和为娱乐而阅读的学生拥有更高的词汇量、更好的阅读理解能力和更好的沟通能力，如写作能力。沟通技能影响着人们生活的各个领域，从人际关系导航到参加工作场所的会议，再到起草办公室备忘录或报告。
When students analyze literature, they learn to identify cause and effect and are applying critical thinking skills. Without realizing it, they examine the characters psychologically or sociologically. They identify the characters' motivations for their actions and see through those actions to any ulterior motives.
当学生分析文学作品时，他们学习识别作品中因果关系，并运用批判性思维技巧进行阅读。在没有意识到这一点的情况下，他们从心理或社会学角度审视人物。他们识别角色的行为动机，并洞察这些行为的潜在动机。
When planning an essay on a work of literature, students use problem-solving skills to come up with a thesis and follow through on compiling their paper. It takes research skills to dig up evidence for their thesis from the text and scholarly criticism, and it takes organizational skills to present their argument in a coherent, cohesive manner.
当计划撰写一篇关于文学作品的论文时，学生使用解决问题的技巧来打磨论文，并完成论文的最后成稿。从文本和学术批评中为他们的论文挖掘证据需要研究技能，以连贯一致的方式表达他们的论点需要组织技能。
Some studies say that people who read literature have more empathy for others, as literature puts the reader into another person's shoes. Having empathy for others leads people to socialize more effectively, solve conflicts peacefully, collaborate better in the workplace, behave morally, and possibly even become involved in making their community a better place.
一些研究表明，阅读文学作品的人对他人更有同理心，因为文学会让读者站在他人的立场上。对他人有同理心会让人们更有效地进行社交，和平地解决冲突，在工作场所更好地合作，表现得更道德，甚至可能参与到社区的建设中。
Other studies note a correlation between readers and empathy but do not find causation. Either way, studies back the need for strong English programs in schools, especially as people spend more and more time looking at screens rather than books.
其他研究注意到读者和共情之间的相关性，但没有找到因果关系。无论哪种方式，研究都证明了学校需要强大的英语课程，尤其是当人们花越来越多的时间盯着电子屏幕而不是阅读纸质读物时。
Along with empathy for others, readers can feel a greater connection to humanity and less isolated. Students who read literature can find solace as they realize that others have gone through the same things that they are experiencing or have experienced. This can be a catharsis and relief to them if they feel burdened or alone in their troubles.
随着对他人的同情，读者可以感受到人与人之间需要建立更多联系，而不是彼此孤立。阅读文学的学生意识到其他人经历了他们正在经历或已经经历的相同事情，他们可以在这种情形中找到慰藉。如果他们感到有负担或独自面对困难，这对他们来说是一种宣泄和解脱。
Here are some quotes about literature from literature giants themselves. 以下是文学巨擘自己对文学的一些经典语录。
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