The Relation of Literature to Life

"The Relation of Literature to Life" by Charles Dudley Warner is an insightful essay from the late 1800s that looks at how books and life are linked, saying that literature is more than just art because it's a key part of being human. Warner believes that literature grabs what it means to be human and gives people a way to think and find moral direction. He uses symbols, like comparing writers to builders of ships (books) to show that most books don't last, and only a few become very important. Warner shares how great books help us understand life better, give us hope, and make us feel better. By using examples that include the Bible and poetry, Warner explains how literature fills an important need in people, changing who we are and how society grows. In the end, the exploration explains how important literature is in forming our sense of right and wrong and joining cultures through feelings.