Why study Literature?

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If you were a college student in another country and wanted to study English you would find very few schools that offered English Language. Most schools offer the major of English Language and Literature. When I was in Korea I often wondered why the English teachers couldn't speak English, then I found out they didn't study English Language in college, they studied literature. I guess in the U.S. we study English Literature, but that is because we already speak English. People in another country learn to analyze Tolstoy and Shakespeare, but they don't learn to understand Shultz and Sachar. They learn to write a dissertation on classics, but they can't understand children.

I know many people that can write English, but can't speak it. The teachers in other countries don't teach how to speak English, just how to read or write it. It gets worse when you find out that college students study books that were written centuries ago, but they can't understand books that are written recently. Think about reading and understanding Tale of Two Cities, but not being able to read and understand 50 Shades of Gray. I think the best way to learn English is to read children chapter books. It helps improve vocabulary, helps understand culture, and helps gain confidence that it is possible to read a book and just enjoy it without analyzing it.

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