It’s weird to think ink on paper can make something as complex as humans think and feel so much. But I think that is what’s so important about it–no matter how hard it is to understand the human mind, it always comes back to the emotions that we can all identify because we all feel it in some form. And that is what literature does for us, they put those emotions into words, spill it onto paper, and alter the way we view the world. That’s why the pen is mightier than the sword. The power it holds is able to create vivid dreamlike realities that are only possible in the shape of ink woven into paper. There is something special about that, I think, in the ability to create these connections that are so real but fictional at the same time.

I think that everyone believes that anyone can write–and of course, that’s true. But the ability to write with the effect of provoking human imagination is something that feels so special, it’s hard to realize it’s almost in every crevice in the world. Everywhere you turn, writing stands in front of you. It’s hard to appreciate it, but whether you acknowledge it or not, there is a portal to another world staring right at you every time you pass by a library or bookstore.

The biggest part of literature are books–books that shape the way our world grows and leaves a footprint on the surface of culture. There is so much to learn in the world, and books seem to be able to touch our minds in a way that we could subconsciously learn these things while having a great time. The books that are made to be entertainment, just an easy getaway from the reality we live in everyday, can teach us things that relate back into the space we live in and the world we grow up in. 

One of the books that comes easily to my head is the Powerless trilogy. A trilogy about a girl who has no powers in a world of everyone having powers. Everything that I could imagine was  a part of this book, and I remember being so engrossed in the story and the characters, I would only be able to think about them. I was so into this world, the characters feeling so real to me, it made me get up and realize that this is what literature can do. Physical ink on paper woven into realities and embodying characters that become a part of us, who shape who we are, and who we become.

And I have realized that literature–good literature–can do so much more than just entertain us. Take The Hunger Games for example. This story has taught me things that I think schools are too afraid to teach, and the world cannot face bravely. It’s so much more deeper than a girl in a battle arena, forced to kill everyone until she is the last standing. It’s about the parts of society that are buried beneath skyscrapers and the stars in the sky. Books like this are entertaining, yes, but also have messages hidden in them that shout and scream to be heard. That’s the possibility that words have reached. Simple letters, making up words that make up who we are.

I have laughed and cried in happiness, anger, disgust, and sadness because of the complexity of written culture. I have thrown books across rooms in a surge of emotion. I have punched multiple books to express anger. And I have written. I have written in so many books, so many pages, spilling my thoughts and feelings next to the printed ink as if I were a part of the world too. As if I were there right next to my favorite characters, learning and growing with them. And it sounds so sappy, saying it aloud, it sounds almost childish, but I think it’s the truth. And I genuinely feel sorry for the people who refuse to experience these same things because they are scared to try something new.

What frustrates me is the fact that it doesn’t seem that important anymore, although it’s a hidden base structure in culture. It seems to be brushed off to the side and made into something that many people dread. For example, the books that kids are forced to read during school. Don’t get me wrong, forcing children to read sounds great to me, but it’s the books that they choose that I have an issue with. I think out of all the books I’ve read starting from 6th grade, I’ve only enjoyed reading two: The Outsiders and The Hate U Give. Although it’s clear that I’ve read many books in my life, I barely remember actually reading the books that schools give us to read. Of course, I would put it on audiobook on 2x speed or skim through the chapters, but I was never fully engrossed in the stories and I honestly dreaded turning the page every time. I think that if you take books that are more enjoyable to kids but still have the same story structure and morals, it would encourage people to read. I saw something like this happen when the book Hatchet changed to Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief for the 6th graders a year ago.

I think reading has taken a backseat in the hobbies a person can have. I think reading is something that nobody really thinks to do whenever the phrase “I’m bored” leaves their lips. I think reading is something that’s become hidden in society, but there’s something that’s magical about it–almost otherworldly. Quite literally, otherworldly, in fact. And I think that there’s always a piece of literature for someone out there. There will always be literature in every turn you take in life, and it’s important to be able to acknowledge it, understand it, and enjoy it every step of the way.