What Is Literature (Persian Edition)

Key Themes and Concepts:

1. Literature and Existentialism:
   • Freedom and Responsibility: Sartre posits that literature is a manifestation of human freedom. The act of writing is a demonstration of the writer’s freedom, while the act of reading involves the reader’s engagement and interpretation, reflecting their own freedom.
   • Commitment (Engagement): Writers, according to Sartre, have a responsibility to engage with the social and political realities of their time. Literature should not be an escape but a means of confronting and addressing the world’s issues.
2. The Writer’s Role:
   • Creation and Communication: Sartre argues that the writer’s primary function is to communicate ideas and emotions. This communication establishes a relationship between the writer and the reader, where the writer’s freedom meets the reader’s freedom.
   • Authenticity: Authentic literature arises from the writer’s genuine engagement with their own experiences and the world. Writers must be sincere and true to their own vision, avoiding inauthenticity or pandering to popular tastes.
3. The Reader’s Role:
   • Active Participation: Reading is an active process where readers engage with the text, interpret its meanings, and respond to its challenges. Sartre emphasizes that readers are not passive recipients but active participants in the creation of literary meaning.
   • Co-Creation: The reader’s interpretation completes the literary work. Without readers, a text remains incomplete, as it requires their engagement to bring its full meaning to life.
4. Literature and Society:
   • Social Function: Literature has a social function, serving as a tool for social critique and change. Writers should use their works to question, challenge, and transform societal norms and injustices.
   • Cultural Context: Sartre emphasizes that literature is deeply embedded in its cultural and historical context. Writers and readers must be aware of the socio-political conditions influencing literary production and reception.
5. Prose and Poetry:
   • Prose Literature: Sartre views prose as the primary medium for existential and social engagement. Prose is direct, communicative, and suited for expressing ideas and influencing readers.
   • Poetry: While acknowledging the value of poetry, Sartre believes that its indirect and often ambiguous nature makes it less effective for social engagement compared to prose.
6. Literary Creation and Criticism:
   • Creative Process: Sartre explores the creative process, highlighting the writer’s struggle with language, meaning, and the demands of authenticity. Writing is seen as an act of self-discovery and self-expression.
   • Criticism: Literary criticism should aim to understand and elucidate the writer’s intentions and the text’s meanings. Critics play a crucial role in the literary ecosystem by helping readers navigate and interpret complex works.

Writing Style: Jean-Paul Sartre’s writing in “What Is Literature?” is intellectually rigorous and deeply philosophical. His arguments are presented with clarity and precision, though they often require careful and thoughtful reading to fully grasp. Sartre’s existentialist framework underpins the entire discussion, providing a coherent and compelling perspective on the nature and function of literature.

Conclusion: “What Is Literature?” by Jean-Paul Sartre is a seminal work in literary theory and existential philosophy. Sartre’s insights into the roles of writers and readers, the social function of literature, and the principles of literary creation and criticism remain influential and relevant. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the philosophical underpinnings of literature and the ethical responsibilities of literary engagement. Sartre’s exploration of literature as a space of freedom, commitment, and social transformation continues to inspire and challenge readers and writers alike.