Literature 7

Literature

• What is Literature?

Most definitions of literature have been criterial definitions, definitions based on a list of

criteria which all literary works must meet. However, more current theories of meaning

take the view that definitions are based on prototypes: there is broad agreement about

good examples that meet all of the prototypical characteristics, and other examples are

related to the prototypes by family resemblance. For literary works, prototypical

characteristics include careful use of language, being written in a literary genre (poetry,

prose fiction, or drama), being read aesthetically, and containing many weak

implicatures.

People may perceive a difference between "literature" and some popular forms of written work. The terms "literary fiction" and "literary merit" serve to distinguish between individual works. Critics may exclude works from the classification "literature," for example, on the grounds of a poor standard ofgrammar and syntax, of an unbelievable or disjointed story-line, or of inconsistent or unconvincingcharacters. Genre fiction (for example: romance, crime, or science fiction) may also become excluded from consideration as "literature."

http://www.und.edu/dept/linguistics/wp/1997Meyer.PDF

• History of Literature

Literature and writing, though obviously connected, are not synonymous. The very first writings from ancient Sumer by any reasonable definition do not constitute literature—the same is true of some of the early Egyptian hieroglyphics or the thousands of logs from ancient Chinese regimes. Scholars have always disagreed concerning when written record-keeping became more like "literature" than anything else; the definition is largely subjective.

Moreover, it must be borne in mind that, given the significance of distance as a cultural isolator in earlier centuries, the historical development of literature did not occur at an even pace across the world. The problems of creating a uniform global history of literature are compounded by the fact that many texts have been lost over the millennia, either deliberately, by accident, or by the total disappearance of the originating culture. Much has been written, for example, about the destruction of the Library of Alexandria in the 1st century BC, and the innumerable key texts which are believed to have been lost forever to the flames. The deliberate suppression of texts (and often their authors) by organisations of either a spiritual or a temporal nature further shrouds the subject.

A stone tablet containing part of the Epic of Gilgamesh

Certain primary texts, however, may be isolated which have a qualifying role as literature's first stirrings. Very early examples are Epic of Gilgamesh, in its Sumerian version predating 2000 BC, and the Egyptian Book of the Dead written down in thePapyrus of Ani in approximately 250 BC but probably dates from about the 18th century BC. Ancient Egyptian literature was not included in early studies of the history of literature because the writings of Ancient Egypt were not translated into European languages until the 19th century when the Rosetta stone was deciphered.

Many texts handed down by oral tradition over several centuries before they were fixed in written form are difficult or impossible to date. The core of the Rigveda may date to the mid 2nd millennium BC. The Pentateuch is traditionally dated to the 15th century, although modern scholarship estimates its oldest part to date to the 10th century BC at the earliest.

Homer's Iliad and Odyssey date to the 8th century BC and mark the beginning of Classical Antiquity. They also stand in an oral tradition that stretches back to the late Bronze Age.

Indian śruti texts post-dating the Rigveda (such as the Yajurveda, the Atharvaveda and the Brahmanas), as well as the HebrewTanakh and the mystical collection of poems attributed to Lao Tze, the Tao te Ching, date to the Iron Age, but their dating is difficult and controversial. The great Hindu epics were also transmitted orally, likely predating the Maurya period.

Other oral traditions were fixed in writing much later, such as theElder Edda, written down in the 12th or 13th century.

There are various candidates for the first novel ever written.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_literature

• The Kinds of Symbol

Color Symbolism Chart

Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, aggression, violence, all things intense and passionate.

Pink symbolizes love, romance, and excitement

Beige and ivory symbolize unification. Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity.

Joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard.

Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.

Turquoise symbolizes calm. Teal symbolizes sophistication. Aquamarine symbolizes water. Lighter turquoise has a feminine appeal.

Royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning.

Lavender symbolizes femininity, grace and elegance.

Energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention.

Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor.

Earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.

Security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring. Silver symbolizes calm.

Reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage (Western cultures), death (Eastern cultures), cold, clinical, sterile.

Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical color, mourning, death (Western cultures).

Eastern World:

Marriage: White and pink are favorite just as in the western world.

Green: Eternity, family, harmony, health, peace, posterity

Happiness: Red

Helpful: Gray

Wealth: Blue, gold and purple

White: Children, helpful people, marriage,

mourning, peace, purity, travel

Gold: Strength, wealth

Evil or sadness- Just like in the western world- black.

ALL-SEEING EYE: A universal symbol representing spiritual sight, inner vision, higher knowledge, insight into occult mysteries. Look at your $1 bill.

EYE in top Triangle of the PYRAMID: Masonic symbol for the all-seeing eye of god - an mystical distortion of the omniscient (all-knowing) Biblical God. You can find it on the $1 bill. See triangle, Eye of Horus, the Franklin Institute website, and the symbol for the U.S. government's new Total Information Awareness (TIA) System. See also The Revolutionary Roots of the UN

ALCHEMY 1: This simple 17th century "sign" illustrates the blending of geometric shapes, elemental symbols and astrological signs. Each part representing the various "elements" and forces needed for magical work in the quest for physical transformation and spiritual illumination and immortality. Many medieval alchemists based their philosophies on mystical traditions rooted in the Kabbala (Jewish mysticism),Hermetic magic and the occult practices of ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China. See Philosopher's stone and phoenix. Compare it with the next symbol:

ALCHEMY 2: This compound "magical-alchemical symbol" replaces the above triangle with a hexagram and adds more shapes within the magical circle: a cross [in this context it become an occult counterfeit) and an additional circle with the Hindu "Bindu" (dot in the center) at the bottom of the hexagram.

AMULET: A magic charm (such as this little Navajo bear earring), worn to bring good luck and protection against illness, accidents and evil forces. Don't believe it! [See Establishing a Global Spirituality]

ANARCHY: Popular among school aged children today, this symbol for anarchy fits the message that pervades the most popular video games, role-playing games, movies and television. The lines of the "A" often extend outside the circle. To many satanists and other fast-growing occult groups it represents their slogan, "do what thou wilt." A former occultist explained that it represents the ASMODEAS: a demonic force driving teenagers toward sexual perversion and suicide.

ANKH: An Egyptian cross symbolizing a mythical eternal life, rebirth, and the life-giving power of the sun.

ANGEL: Symbol of good and evil spirits in religions around the world. This picture shows a Tibetan guardian angel. For a comparison between Biblical angels and occult angels read Chapter 8 in A Twist of Faith. For a summary, see Touched by an Angel.