I have been discussing literature with two people whom I consider very knowledgeable on the subject. My brother is currently finishing his Masters degree in English at BYU and Michelle did her undergraduate in English and is writing a novel. I on the other hand have a degree in Humanities. Which basically means that I dabbled in English among other things (mostly art) and could never really commit to one subject.
The main thread of our conversation ultimately came down to the idea that the only good literature is depressing literature. Of course it was the two English majors who felt this way. As the only sensible person in the group I argued most strongly for the happy ending. Well, this continued for several different conversations. My brother ultimately claimed that depressing literature was the only literature with depth and intellect. Michelle, of course, agreed completely with him! I finally did what I always do when I seem to be at a conversational loss, I quoted Jane Austen. I think that her philosophy of literature is one of the finest. She begins the final chapter of Mansfield Park with this delightful thought:
"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery. I quit such odious subjects as soon as I can, impatient to restore everybody, not greatly in fault themselves, to tolerable comfort, and to have done with all the rest."
Of all of her novels, I find that Mansfield Park is one of the most moralizing. I feel it is a tale of meekness and weakness and the vast difference between the two. There is great depth in her characters and the struggles they face. Yet ultimately, there is a happy ending. As Mary Poppins says, "A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down." Hooray for the optimists in literature! Thank heavens for Jane Austen!
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