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I found Mario Vargas' interview enlightening as he discussed his early journey with literacy. It gave me a better understanding of literature. He stated that he used to read plenty of books about adventure, which in return made him more adventurous. This statement exhibits the impact of literacy on a life of an individual wherein literature can serve as an escape or it can also serve as an eye-opener to reality. "The real world is less rich than the world that we can fantasize or invent" - Mario Vargas. In "Why Literature?", it is stated that literature gives off pleasure, and without literature in society, society is condemned to become spiritually barbaric and jeopardize its freedom. Literature is like its language starting from nowhere in the consciousness of a person to be adopted by other people in society. As Vargas discussed his literary beginnings, he also stresses the fact that at face value, reading and writing don't just serve as entertainment. Mario Vargas stated, “The subject of literature is vast and expansive". In literature, everyone can always have something to relate to. As aforementioned, there is value within literature as it links people with mere words whether fictional or non-fictional to enrich the livelihood of individuals through several thoughts and ideas.

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In Mario Vargas’ interview, I discovered and realized the importance of books not just in literature but their roles in our lives. Mario Vargas said that books made him bright, adventurous, and creative. Reading or understanding literature impacts everyone on a different level but has one main objective, and that is to be appreciative.

In “Why Literature”, Literature has admittedly been ignored and put into shadows for the past years. Primarily because people don’t want to, but also because it lacks attention and awareness especially in our country. The education system teaches literature up until tertiary levels however it has never really been of interest to the majority. Literature, just as important as other humanities subjects, play an important role in society. It makes up one’s vocabulary, intellect, creativity, and most importantly, their soul. As stated in the article, the world would not progress without its inclusivity. We would have not acquired such achievements in certain fields without the aid of literature's colors. While studying the course Literature, as we spread awareness on this subject, I also hope to learn and discover more of its interesting knowledge and its impact on my mind and actions.

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“I think that if you were completely in accordance, in agreement, with the world as it is, you wouldn’t write novels, and probably wouldn’t read novels.” As what Mario Vargas Llosa said in his interview, he believes that novels can be a source of an imaginative experience, which may be different in our reality as of today. Novels are just a part of literature, how much more if we consider reading other literary works with fresh and wider perspectives?

As he said, reading good literature makes one more critical, making one discover the possibilities and knowledge that a language has, which I agree with. This made me realize that literature can surely be a way to express oneself, socially or politically.

In "Why Literature", a statement by Proust picked my interest. "Real life at last enlightened and revealed, the only life fully lived, is literature." This leads me to my conclusion that, literature is what we need in order to live fully as a human person in this society. It is through literary works that we experience pleasure and learning at the same time, making our vocabulary, intellect, and imagination broader for better understanding of our own lifes, and even the lives of others. Even though literature can drastically increase our expectations regarding our experiences in a dangerous way, I realized that this is also the major cause for the progress of humanity. Nevertheless, people at this time primarily focuses on other things such as technology or physical activities, which I acknowledge, are valuable for our society, but buries the benefits and contributions literature has made. The question is, how can we convince and bring back the interest of people in literature, knowing that it needs to be preserved and be reached by the next generations?

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At the beginning of Llosa's interview, I was captivated when he stated that words became images, and I became more invested when he started to talk about how literature can change a life. Literature is not only an artistic exercise but is also a powerful weapon to protect freedom in political and social factors. It can broaden, change, and affect one's perspective in a better aspect because they will have a glimpse and grasp of other people's adventure, which is different than reality can offer. The teachings and morals picked up in the fantasy world can make one more critical.

"But literature has been, and will continue to be, as long as it exists, one of the common denominators of human experience through which human beings may recognize themselves and converse with each other," Mario Vargas Llosa stated in his article. He believes that nothing teaches us better than literature, and I agree. There is a saying that experience is the best teacher, yet we cannot experience everything in a lifetime. With the help of literature, we gain experiences and lessons on human integrity and our human imperfection.

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Literature is a way to indulge in a different world. It is a world wherein it represents what different cultures, experiences, fantasies, and realities are to the eye of the author. It tackles about any topic and it can give an effect to the reader. Literature is a strong weapon for expression. It upholds an immeasurable importance in the 21st century. Mario Vargas Llosa's interview, for me, is a reminder for everyone. It is a reminder that literature is what we make it to be.

Many centuries has passed and we are slowly losing the value of literature. We must never forget that these are our way of expression. It brings change. It is now our challenge and obligation to preserve it.

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The interview of Mario Vargas Llosa made me realize that literature is so vital to our society that it can change the course of one's life. It helps people in ways such as an escape from the real world, a breath of fresh air as an experience, or just a simple hobby to pass time.  Mario had mentioned that he read adventurous books earlier on in his life which changed his views and actions like how often he participates in events, or how he appreciates things more. Thus is the power of literature. It is sad to say that people have not realized how powerful it can be.

“Of course I like to read, but I am a very busy person.”. I quote from the article "Why literature?" because it describes how most people on Earth feel and it is one of the common reasons why people don't read. People don't have much time but what they don't understand is that luxuries come in many forms. Time, love, and even interacting with literatures is one of them. It is something precious because we can see the writer or composer's works and feelings that are put into it. Maybe we can even understand it from a different perspective compared to what the writer wanted to create. Literature is a vast and wild creation to express or communicate with others, what you normally can't through simple conversation. In a sense, it may bring people together. So grabbing a book isn't all that bad. In reading, you might think you are losing time, but you are not wasting it.

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In accordance to the interview of Mario Vargas that I recently watched, I realized how important literatures are in our lives. He said that when he started to learn how to read, many opportunities have opened up for him. It made his life more fun and exciting. He refer to the real world as plain and boring and that reading literatures colored the white canvas of his reality. For example when he read books about adventure, it made him an adventurous person. I can agree to what he said because I also believe that what I read can also influence that things that I want to do. Literature can make a great impact on how we live our lives, it changes our perspectives and how we see things. Sadly, not everyone realize how valuable literature can be.

Based on the article "Why Literature", it seems that women has more time to read than men because, according to the text, men has less time due to work and other things. Also, a lot of people choose not to read even if they have adequate time. It was also mentioned by Bill Gates that the evolution of technology can replace papers, books, and other traditional reading materials. Personally, I think that he was wrong. I learn more when I read the actual book rather than reading from an electronic screen. Moreover, literature can unite people despite having social differences such as racism, etc. It can give us lessons that will bring us, humans, closer together.

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Shekinah Marielle P. Pangan - 11 STEM 08

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Shekinah Marielle P. Pangan - 11 STEM 08

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After watching Mario Vargas’ interview, I was inspired and motivated to what he said that “The critical spirit of citizens is something that in great part will be resolved by this experience of different worlds that you have reading good literature. ” His statement implies that literature enables us to see and discover human realities thoroughly. There are a lot of terrible depths in this world and without literature, this world would be partly blind with these circumstances.

Literature improves our vocabulary and makes us practice precision and clarity. Through reading literary pieces, it could affect us beneficially in terms of language. Moreover, Llosa considered the readers of literature as ’free’ because literature increases the possibility of human enjoyment. It enables us to express ourselves freely. It allows readers to speak well, to have a rich and diverse language, to be able to find the appropriate expression for every idea and emotions. It also prepares us to think, teach, learn, converse, and to fantasize, dream, and feel.

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Growing up, I have yet to discover the beauty of literature, and I realized that the literary world is powerful and vast.

Mario Vargas Llosa talked about his life and his literary journey. He inspired me to read more literary works. His words gave me a reason to explore new learnings through literature.

Llosa stated, “I think that if you were completely in accordance, in agreement, with the world as it is, you wouldn’t write novels, and probably wouldn’t read novels.” He made me realize different things. For example, I realized that people indulge in literature due to their dissatisfaction with the real world. Literature has the power to make people aware of another world or another reality, which is why reading novels and stories gives people comfort. With literature, we can travel around the world, learn something new, sharpen our minds and discover new experiences. The literary world is vast, diverse, and different from the real world, making us realize that the world we know seems far less good than the world literature has.

Though technology seems to overpower literature nowadays, this interview serves as an eye-opener to everyone that we must not disregard literature in our lives. We still need to love and embrace the beauty and value of literature.

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"They didn’t trust literature. They thought that literature and gender a kind of threat to the society they wanted to control. " This line of Mario Vargas Llosa caught my attention while watching his interview. This line shows the power of literature that even dictators and colonizers tried to prevent the publication of certain books in order to maintain their power. Looking back on Philippine history, Dr. Jose Rizal’s most famous novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, were considered a threat by our Spanish colonizers that they decided to ban them from our country. These books inspired the hearts of our heroes to fight the oppression of the Spaniards in order to free our country.

As for "Why Literature," it made me realize that literature too has its benefits. It provides us a portal to another world, a world that we may never experience in reality. It can make us feel emotions or feelings that we have never felt before. It helps us learn many things in a matter of days, even hours. However, literature is easy to overlook and forget as time passes by. Most people have no time to read books anymore. With the rise of e-books and more advancements in science and technology, books may become obsolete. Mario Vargas Llosa asks us to keep on reading, as it is only us that can save this dying art.

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“ And there is no better means of fomenting dissatisfaction with existence than the reading of good literature; no better means of forming critical and independent citizens who will not be manipulated by those who govern them, and who are endowed with a permanent spiritual mobility and a vibrant imagination.” - Mario Vargas Llosa

Truly it is fascinating how literature can wield the past, present, and future of a nation. We have experienced this phenomenon with the impact of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo written by the respected national hero, Jose Rizal. Through the power of literature, Rizal enlightens his readers of the different social injustices during the Spanish colonization.  His works were merely a single match that blazed justice within the hearts of Filipinos. United, Filipinos became a conflagration—seeking to eschew the injustice ingrained within the country. Literary works have become a beacon of hope in times of darkness and a source of wisdom in times of uncertainty. Our ancestors gifted these blessings for future generations to utilize yet, many take these blessings for granted. Our history has not changed. It continues to haunt us as our past social issues continue to plague the present Filipino society.  Unfortunately, ignorance continues to poison the mind of Filipinos.  This shows that literature alone is not enough to generate change. Alongside it, people must have the willpower to integrate these values and wisdom into their lives. Consuming various literary works is simply reading a few pages. However, putting these into practice is finishing the whole book.

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In both the article “Why Literature?” and Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview, we can realize how powerful literature can be.

I believe, everyone has experienced a realization because of literature – be it a fantasy passage or an academic passage. As someone who has experienced how tiring this world could be, the feeling of wanting to detach myself from the real world, being in a fictional world can relieve my reality’s stresses. Take into example the Harry Potter series of J.K. Rowling or the Demigod series of Rick Riordan – it completely takes you into a different world, completely shows you a world you’ve never seen before. Like in the Percy Jackson series, have you ever seen a centaur or a satyr in real life? – the answer: no, because they are fictional beings only Mr. Riordan has brought them alive in your heads. Through reading and writing, it helps you envision the impossible, unrealistic things.

Not only is literature a getaway destination from the real life, but it also became an inspiration to many people. Let’s take Jose Rizal’s famous books: Noli Mi Tangere and El Filibusterismo as an example – these two novels awoke the sense of nationalism to the proud Filipinos, urged them to fight for their motherland. Although, I read that Rizal did not write his two novels to urge Filipinos to fight, rather he wrote them to let the world know how the Spaniards treated his motherland. In this way, we can see that literature does not only inspire people, but literature is like a story with open endings.

Literature is not just about creative writing; we’ve used many literatures in our research subjects. Therefore, literature is not only a getaway destination from the real life, not only an inspirational medium to people, not only an open-ended story, but it is also an informative medium. Journalists write articles to inform people of current issues and makes sure release the truth in all issues, scientists write their research findings to help humanity’s development progress and also to help other scientists with their research, politicians or lawyers write to create republics acts or senate bills, and many more.

So, to conclude, I believe literature can be anything and everything – from technicalities to fiction. The only thing required in literature is your randomness. They say that the best things are always unplanned, and most of the famous literatures today are written unconsciously, through personal experiences and through passion. #ThroughLiteratureYouCanExpressYourselfFreely

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Francis Angelo H. Dinglasan - 11 STEM 08

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Francis Angelo H. Dinglasan - 11 STEM 08

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Following the interview on Mario Vargas Llosa, I also agree with him that literature has a big impact on our society. Not only because it can serve as an escape from the reality of this world that we live in but it is also through literature that we get to see different views or perspectives that we might have not seen or even thought about. We learn so much just from reading literature which makes it significant in each crucial part of our lives. It affects how one might think and possibly act. Hence, leading to changes in different paths that we choose for our lives to course through.

Similarly, the article “Why Literature” is also basically portraying the same message as to what Mario Vargas Llosa said. I think all of us can already agree that it is in literature that we get to experience it for entertainment purposes but mostly for the knowledge that we seek for as human beings. Understanding life that surrounds us and making it as a better shared experience; including the origin of our relationships that we get to establish as humans is what literature offers us. However, it is in our hands whether we fully accept it as a gift or neglect this opportunity in fulfilling the prosperous qualities it can give us. Without literature, the world wouldn’t have progressed as to how it came to be right now.

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Mr. Mario Vargas Llosa's literary adventures caught my interest, and I became even more motivated to begin this new habit of reading books and falling in love with literature. You may be an instrument to affect someone's life if you become a person who would participate in literature. This interview taught me that life is also a work of writing since we all have tales to tell. “A Novel gives you a different experience of the world. This attitude of writing or even reading of novel there is this basic dissatisfaction of the world as it is” – Mario Llosa. I agree with Mr. Llosa's statement since I am lacking something in myself and I want to discover it through reading, and by reading, I can find the missing piece, new learnings and experiences. Thus, I believe this proves that we already have a notion of how literature may affect our lives; perhaps we only need some time and experience to understand the true beauty of it.

Why literature?

“As a result of literature life is better understood and better lived; and that living life more fully necessitates living it and sharing it with others.” This line made me smile because we are human beings who are designed to relate to one another, and literature allows us to exercise this role as we learn or strive to be involved in literature. We may be critical thinkers and participate in our society by simply dedicating time to reading in order to discover what dissatisfies us. A world rich in literature is rich in values, experiences, truths, and cultures. Literature improves our standards by shaping our imaginations and demonstrating the deficiency of our society, and we may be the ones who can fill it.

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The interview of Mario Vargas made me realized about the beautiful and adventurous world of literature. That it is not only for the use of pleasure or to pass time but it is also essential to the way we learn and experience. As he said in the interview, "When you read a good literature, you become much more critical of the world." I agree with his statement since I do think that the reality we have is different from the various worlds of literature. With this, we become dissatisfied with the way we live and we end up criticizing our present world. That even with a great work of literature will make us think of one's life. Furthermore, another notable statement that he said is, "You discover through literature what you like and dislike in the real world." I think that's the beauty of literature. We become more conscious about our dislikes in this world and we end up wanting to improve it and make changes for us to like it.

Likewise in the article, "Why literature?" we see that literature is important to humanity. It is in literature where we learn how to speak in the right way and to even explore different scenarios such as love and desire through the artistic way. As stated in the article, the greatest thing about literature is that it allows us to open our eyes and see how the world is in need of change. It does not only benefit the contemporary but it also contributes to the political and social world. Lastly, the last part of the article is what struck me the most. It made me understand what I can do and what part I can take.

"If we wish to avoid impoverishment of our imagination, and the disappearance of the precious dissatisfaction that refines our sensibility and teaches us to speak with eloquence and rigor, and the weakening of our freedom, then we must act. More precisely, we must read."

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“Why Literature” perfectly describes how society, especially in this constantly progressing technological age, slowly turns its back on literature as an essential part of daily existence since reading its works, namely novels and essays, is seen to be time-consuming and overwhelming. Consequently, the privilege of free accessibility to such an enriching activity has continuously been taken for granted by the plurality, oblivious to the power that literature possesses.

To put it out there, literature allows both personal and collective growth given that it is the backbone of societal development. It opens our eyes to explore more about the wonders of human condition through the revelations of truth and shared experiences— a kind of enlightenment that science can’t offer to the table. As an individual, reading expands our vocabulary for ameliorated self-expression, serves food for our thoughts to promote critical thinking, and  even stretches our imagination to the fullest. Genuine literature frees us from the confinement of life’s limitations, granting us “a challenge to what exists”.

Furthermore, it has given me a deeper understanding that it contributes to the formation of critical citizens, in which we examine situations around us more tediously and through the application of learnings, we can either repeat history or create a better one for our generation and the next to come. As the election day is fast approaching, I, as a new voter, am reminded of the importance of literature in choosing the right leaders who will be governing our nation for the next few years. Contrary to the common notion, I wholeheartedly perceive that reading is an indispensable action, allowing each one of us to be a productive member of society. Truly, what we will become rests on our hands.

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Not a lot of people indeed read books or other literary pieces. Especially today that social media exists. Social media almost replaced literature when it comes to entertainment. But when it comes to enhancing one's vocabulary, knowledge, or logic. For me, literature is still the best tool for strengthening the said skills. Sadly, we can see how literature slowly fades away as technology advances. Literature has so many things to uncover to be able to see the definition of the literary piece. It may also be the reason why people don't read literary pieces. Literature is indeed difficult. But what I like about literature is that you are free. You are free to express yourself. You are free to be creative and all. Literature may be difficult. It may be fun since it tests your creativity through words.

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A fantasized reality beneath the depths of the pages. In “Why literature”, Mario Vargas Llosa said that through the written intimacy of the writer’s consciousness, we get an artificial world to ravel in to escape the often disappointing reality. But literature cannot only be deduced to just entertainment. It teaches the complex summation of knowledge that, Llosa argues, may only be found in literature. He also states that to live life fully means engaging in a meaningful dialogue towards the ultimate consciousness of man; cultivating our knowledge to better express ourselves with clarity and diversifying our intellect and imagination to challenge what is. The totality of a wise community is much more progressed than of the technologically advanced. It is certainly remarkable how science has improved our state of living, but history shows that even with these advances there will always be an underlying problem rooted within the wisdom of the people. Ignorance ignites the cycle of conflicts that divides a community, ensuing in a larger fire to the nation. Literature provides man the learnings of history, with the hopes of opening our eyes and breaking the cycle of chaos and uncertainty. To act with wisdom and unitedly fight injustices is, in my opinion, the ultimate purpose of literature.

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When watching Mario Vargas Llosa's interview and reading the article "Why Literature?", I realize how important and powerful literature in our daily live.

Literature helps us to travel back in time and learn about life on Earth from those who have gone before us. We can have a deeper grasp of cultures and appreciate them more. We learn from the ways history is documented, such as manuscripts and oral history. Literature is a potent narrative tool that connects us across place and time. Literature documents and preserves the ever-changing human story. It inspires us to pause and reflect on our lives, as well as to join others in the investigation of eternal human topics. Literature causes us to ponder.

I also like the way how he connects literature in political field. “There is a danger always in literature as becomes evident in all dictatorial, authoritarian, totalitarian regimes. Immediately literature becomes an instrument of resistance, of criticism.” This phrase from Mario Vargas Llosa's interview stuck with me because it exemplifies the relevance of it in the political arena and why it is such an important tool for defending freedom. Literature is important in politics because it allows people who don't have one a voice, a name, and especially to those who political discourse ignores or seeks to marginalize. Literature is an ear that can hear more than Politics; Literature is an eye that can see beyond the chromatic scale that Politics is sensitive to.

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Mario Vargas Llosa's interview made me aware of the importance of literature in our society. In the interview, Llosa went over how he fell in love with literature and how literature influences the world around us. One line from the video that stuck with me is that "literature is the way to know your own language and to effectively describe your emotions". Literature can serve as a gateway to a person's language and how it developed over time since literature is always a part of one's culture. Literature can also be a means to express one's feelings and ideas and make it known to others. In a way, literature can make others feel or empathise with your thoughts and emotions.

Another line from Llosa's interview that inspired me was that "literature is an instrument to defend freedom and to fight against the lack of freedom". From the Spanish colonisation of the Philippines to Communist China's Cultural Revolution, totalitarian governments had always attempted to silence any form of opposition, including literature. Literature had always been a means of defending freedom since it allows the spread of ideas that aims to preserve our independence. Literature ensures us that such ideas would be protected and never lost. All in all, literature plays a key role in our society. Ever since humankind learned how to write, literature made sure to preserve our culture, language, ideas, and history. Some people may not enjoy reading and understanding literature nowadays, but we cannot ignore it's importance to our society, and I am thankful for it.

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Mario Vargas Llosa's interview made me fall in love with literature again and reconnect with it. His story about how he started to read at 5 resonated with me; I remember reading short sentences and kids' storybooks as each word started transforming into images, as Mario described. Moreso, his opinions on literature made me realize its impact on us as individuals and society as well. He said that novels give us an experience that doesn't happen in the real world, like fantasy and sci-fi books. As a result, we become critical and dissatisfied with the world as it is, otherwise, we become simply contented with what we live in. His words made me go back to times when I would be upset after finishing a book, because I've finally reached the end of my utopia and I have to go back to reality.

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of literature on society, adding that literature is more than just an artistic exercise but also a social and political one. It is an instrument of freedom and resistance as people exposed to literature will become not only critical but also educated and thus becomes a danger to authoritarian and totalitarian regimes.

Moreover, in his article, he demanded that people not just treat literature as a luxurious pastime that is barely given priority, but something of utmost importance. In this world of specialization, as he quoted, people become more self-centered and secluded and unity is slowly dying in the society. With good literature, people, in spite of differences, connect with each other because of their love in the extraordinary world.

To sum it up, literature is more than just words in pages. It brings us to places the world cannot give us and knowledge the schools don't teach us. When you don't appreciate literature, your knowledge and imagination become limited, or, as Mario Llosa said, "it is a poverty of thought."

#heykidsreadingisfun

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After reading the article, “Why Literature?” by Mario Vargas Llosa, I managed to grasp the significance of literature to an extent. Most of us view it as a hobby or a pastime; however, it is more substantial and beneficial for us. Literature can help us escape current dilemmas in our reality, but it can also be an eye-opener about the tragic events that may happen to each one of us. Furthermore, it can aid in knowing ourselves more through the emotions or concepts that a literary work presents to us. Literature can also build our social and verbal communication skills by drawing ourselves closer to people who appreciate the same works as us. Hopefully, more people can recognize the true value of literature in their lives.

Llosa mentioned in the article that Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, intends to replace paper permanently using the advanced technology that society has today. Having the same thought as Llosa, this should not be carried out. If Bill Gates’ plan would be fulfilled, the following generations would not witness the true origins of literature. I read novels on my phone most of the time because buying physical books would cost me money. However, if I am given a chance, I want to read actual books than reading in front of a screen.

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Because of Mario Vargas's interview, I became more aware of the lovely and daring world of literature. The fact that it is not just for our enjoyment or to pass the time, but it is also critical to the way we learn and experience things. The author stated in the interview that "when you read good literature, you become much more critical of your world." I agree with his remark because I believe that the reality we live in is distinct from the numerous worlds of literature that we have come to know. As a result, we become unsatisfied with the way we live and find ourselves condemning the state of the world in which we find ourselves. In addition, he made the following noteworthy statement: "You discover through literature what you like and dislike in the real world." That, in my opinion, is the beauty of literature. With increased awareness of our dislikes in this world, we end up desiring to improve it and make adjustments so that we can come to appreciate it more fully.

Furthermore, the essay "Why Literature?" demonstrates that literature is crucial to humanity. The arts of writing and reading teach us how to communicate effectively and even how to explore different scenarios such as love and desire in a creative manner. A major benefit of reading literature, according to the piece, is that it allows us to open our eyes and observe how the world is in desperate need of improvement. It not only benefits the modern, but it also has a positive impact on the political and social environment. In conclusion, the last part of the piece was the most striking to me. It helped me realize what I was capable of and what role I could play in the process.

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Upon reading the article "Why Literature?" and watching Llosa's interview, I've come to realize that as humans, we are somehow bound to it. In it, we can see our flaws, our differences and commonalities, and our being ultimately imperfect beings. Through literature, we can preserve our cultures, our pasts, and even express and analyze our predictions of the future. It is where we can escape from the crushing realities of living, and where we can live the life of our dreams in order to lessen our burdens. Besides from it expanding our vocabulary, it also helps us find new and improved ways to express ourselves. If not for literature, I am positive that my own way of life would not be as it is today. The feeling of love would perhaps feel dormant, the feeling of excitement might be handled poorly, and the feeling of regret may end with me carrying more burdens. Literature has helped design our way of life with exquisiteness, with precision, and with intensity.

As I continue to read the article, I've come across the part of it wherein Llosa talks about Bill Gates' declaration of the soon-to-be disappearance of books and newspapers in favor of electronics, and I can't help but agree with the former's opinion. I, too, believe that electronics can never replace the feeling, the experience, and the knowledge a book can give. It is something irreplaceable and priceless, because getting immersed in a book—actually printed on paper— is like forgetting all of your problems. Becoming one with the characters, plotlines, settings; painting a perfect picture of it with our imaginations; creating additional details and scenarios for our own little enjoyment; it is this experience that makes physical books far better than any electronic one.

Literature makes us feel free, confident, and rebellious. It helps us challenge the world, to step out of our comfort zones, to change our lives in order to match those we dream of. It reminds us of how bad our own reality is, and makes us realize how we need to do better in order to satisfy ourselves. It helps history move and also makes history what it is. I would like to point out one example of literature that has changed history— the books of Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Through Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, the mistreatment of the Spanish Empire to Filipinos what exposed. Rizal fought violence with words, and though it all ended with his execution, his writings remained in history and has inspired Filipinos to fight for our independence.

Furthermore, I would like to say that Llosa's passion for literature impressed and inspired me greatly; to read numerous books, to analyze them critically, to write numerous books with the threat of it becoming 'extinct' as said by certain people, to have freedom in your writings —his passion for this very profound subject amazes me and makes me think of how much more interesting literature could actually be.

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Mario Vargas Llosa has imparted to me that works of literature are so much more than just texts and letters. Literature transforms letters into images that allow us to see not only what is happening now, but also what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future. Similarly how Llosa's participation in an exciting life was influenced by adventure books.

Literature also assists us in expressing our feelings and thoughts. As a result, literature can be a tool for defending our freedom and combating oppression. However, according to Llosa, some individuals consider literature to be dangerous because they are terrified of losing control of society because, once again, literature can be used to resist and critique. This has been seen in dictatorial, authoritarian, and totalitarian regimes, according to Llosa.

In the article “Why Literature?”,  I imagined the world as if everyone was illiterate. It would have been an animalistic world indeed. Literature teaches us to be critical and radical thinkers; in other words, literature teaches us to be wise. I suddenly realized that we had survived to this day because of literature. Literature is the reason we have freedom, technology, and the ability to communicate. Literature teaches us what the world teaches us, which is why it must not perish because the world does not stop teaching. In a sense, we must also continue to educate ourselves.

These are some of the reasons why it is important to keep literature alive. Good and creative writing has an impact on people's lives on a personal, societal, and political level in today's society. It's far past time for us to acknowledge the value of literature in society.

#LongLiveLiterature

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I definitely agree with Llosa's words and insights on the value and significance literature has on our society. To me, literature is a medium for a writer's emotions and perspective to be turned into a tangible object. As a kid I enjoyed reading books and comics because I got to know all sorts of characters. Now that I'm older, I can't help but notice the political, rebellious, and almost anarchic aura that literature exudes.

MVLL's interview and article continued to inspire me keep on reading and appreciating literature. He has put into words the thoughts that I had and did it wonderfully. Literature has done so much for us; from revolutions to social unrest, we would have never gotten here without the bravery of the authors and publishers that preceded us. I feel as if the arts are shafted as just hobbies with no societal significance, and him opposing this idea is very important and timely. I deeply appreciate that I get to study literature and get to know insights from others, and I'm sure I will enjoy my time in SHS_LIT.

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I agree with Mario Vargas Llosa that literature has a huge impact on our culture after listening to his discourse. Literature not only allows us to escape the realities of our daily lives, but it also allows us to see and contemplate different point of views that we may not have seen or considered previously. Reading literature teaches us a lot, which is why it is so vital in our daily life. It affects how one thinks and behaves. Literature allows you to immerse yourself in different things. It's a thought in which the author imagines many civilizations, experiences, wants, and realities. Literature is a strong means of self-expression. In the present time, it is extremely valuable.

Literature aids in the expansion of our vocabularies. Reading literary works has the potential to improve our composing skills. Readers of literature, according to Llosa, are "free" because it expands the domain of human joy. It gives us the ability to freely express ourselves. It helps readers communicate effectively, develop a large and diverse vocabulary, and discover the perfect words to convey their thoughts and feelings.

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“When you read good literature, you become much more critical of the world as it is. And this is something that is good not only for literature but also for society.” This line from Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview is what caught my attention the most. Through literature, different perspectives and fantasies introduce us to new ideas and make us aware of the flaws of reality. Literature is something needed to improve humanity and society. It brings forth awareness of what is happening in society and ignites the critical thinking of people. Moreover, in my opinion, it is a way of communication. Literature is a mirror of one’s culture and through literature, we get an insight into one’s ideas and history.

In “Why Literature?”, based on my understanding, women dominate those who read and involve themselves in literature because they have more time to do so due to their less time-consuming jobs, but I think this is not true because I believe that it is not about having the time to do so, considering that women also are occupied by their duties, but more of having an interest in literature itself. Additionally, I think this also touches on social class issues because it shows how lower-class people have less access to literature compared to those in the higher class of society. This gives reason as to why those in the lower class have limited access to knowledge which is a cause for the poverty of thought. However, social class is not the only reason for the poverty of thought and illiteracy but also the intentional lack of involvement of oneself in literature. Another thing I can conclude after reading was that literature is important in building a good society. It entices critical thinking which leads to people becoming more critical of society. Literature also tells us more about different cultures and the history of society. It is used to voice out people’s opinions, thoughts, ideas, and can also be an instrument for our freedom of speech.

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Upon reading the article “why literature?” written by Mario Llosa, he immediately captured my attention and ignited my imagination through his use of imagery, metaphors, and references from different works of literature. It made me vividly see the world from his standpoint as if I was lurking inside his head. This same feeling is what makes literature enchanting and captivating. It takes us to a world we never knew before or reflects something strange yet commonplace to our nature and instinct. Being born once again in a different time and space becomes possible, may it be in the past, future, different culture, or different universe. This magical phenomenon is what gives its readers the ability to sympathize with the characters depicted in a book no matter how different their backgrounds are. It transcends any barriers and hones us to realize that there is inherently something that binds us together. For once it helps us to become united and free from the mentality of judgment and sometimes things are not what it seems to be. Provided by the interview that Llosa participated in, he says that literature trains us to investigate for ourselves and find the hidden meaning behind the words, allowing transparency between the minds of the reader and the author because most of the time there’s something more to it that we could’ve missed.

Since the decline of readers and a rise in disparities between men and women, it has alarmed the author of the consequences that may arise from a society that lacks integrity, wisdom, and emotional intelligence. Literature is the language of the soul that helps each one of us to communicate with clarity and to be in tune with our similarities. This reminds me of those articles that enlightened me about cultural sensitivity. Without those articles, I wouldn’t have the words to point out the things that have caused wars. A pattern that has continued for centuries wiping out innocent lives such as the root of the Filipino-American war and the war between the Afghans and the British soldiers.

Literature has become a form of creation that breathes through every aspect of life never experienced before and brings it to life. The words “Orwellian” and “Kafkaesque” gained their own soul from literature, pulling people out of the dark that traps and perpetuates their lives. It gave everyone enlightened the chance and power to have authority over their lives. For centuries it has reformed a lot of the flaws found in our system. Even though we can never attain perfection even in our pursuit for it, it is better than being stagnant and living in a dystopia masked by our ignorance.

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I recently watched an interview with Mario Vargas Llosa, which made me realize how important literature is in our society and how it may enhance one's life. He stated that after having the ability to read, it transformed his life completely by allowing him to have new experiences and many opportunities. It made his life more interesting and enjoyable, he describes the real world as bland and monotonous, and says that reading literature has colored the white canvas of his reality. He explained that he used to read a lot of adventure literature, which made him more adventurous. This statement demonstrates the importance of literacy on an individual's life, where books can serve as a getaway or an eye-opener to reality.

As a person who loves to read books, I completely agree with him because there are numerous ways on how books influence our lives — it provides us insight into how people live, it widens our perspective, and it helps us to feel less alone. This interview made me appreciate the beauty of literature even more.

According to the article "Why Literature," I figured that literature is increasingly becoming a female occupation since thousands of men have so many important things to do, so many obligations and responsibilities in life that they have insufficient time to read literature. Moreover, literature teaches us how to think critically and boldly. Literature is the sole reason why we have freedom, technology and the ability to communicate. It enables readers to communicate effectively, to have a broad and diversified vocabulary, and to be able to find the right words to convey their thoughts and feelings.

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Subsequently viewing Mario Llosa's interview, I foremost commend literature and education for creating people with diverse minds reaching vast lengths of comprehension and creativity. From the interview, I have realized the force that literature encompasses, which proffers influence and opportunities to communities regardless of social standing or situation. Furthermore, I have been driven to appreciate literature more deeply not only as an art, field, or course but also as an opportunity that impacts lives through simple yet profound written works. In my understanding, contextually, literature is a connecting force swiftly propagating as well as swaying people with knowledge, critical thinking, and hope. It inspires people to think literally and far beyond.

From the essay, entitled "Why Literature?, " Llosa quotes  "Literature says nothing to those human beings who are satisfied with their lot, who are content with life as they now live it. Literature is the food of the rebellious spirit, the promulgator of non-conformities, the refuge for those who have too much or too little in life." In the composition, I have assimilated about literary prejudice and falsified dispositions on literature and its range of influence. I have learned how it is taken for granted and limited to people of certain capacitated situations. However, by perusing the essay, I realized how literature practices diversity and encourages and aids people of distinctive backgrounds. Although there are indeed curbs such as lack of time to traverse a composition, there is a wide selection which could favor people's different specific lifestyles. To sum up, Llosa's essay establishes literature as a field not openly and prominently taken, yet proffers opportunities and understanding exceedingly beneficial and far less intimidating than people's initial sight of it.

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As someone who began reading at an early age and has recently developed an interest in writing, I found Mario Vargas' interview and article "Why Literature?" to be quite relatable.

There's one section in "Why Literature?" that I liked the best, it stated that. “Literary works are born, as shapeless ghosts, in the intimacy of a writer’s consciousness… It exists only when it is adopted by others...”

I think this particular section could answer the question “Why literature?” “Why waste our time reading instead of working” “What benefit does reading/writing do?”  Because as said in the article, surveys have shown that there are very few people that read and the majority of them are middle-class women who work a few hours. This clearly shows that, in general, and up until now, people believe that reading is a waste of time when, in fact, it is not.

Literature provides us with more than just the pleasure of reading; it also provides us with experience and knowledge, may it be situations from the past or analysis of the future, it gives us a sense of freedom where we can share our thoughts and stories with others.

Knowing that not everyone can appreciate the beauty of literature is a little frightening because we can only imagine what life would be like without it. Literature has been with us since the beginning, and I hope it will continue to be so.

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“Why Literature?”, is a question often asked by people too lazy to pick up a book or people who complain too much about reading a few pages for their homework or people who are always “busy” to bother with reading. I personally know some people who love reading and writing and I am quite sure that if I ask them that question, I will definitely be called stupid from a very irritated literature lover. I may not be a certified “bibliophile” but I am deeply aware of how important and fascinating literature can be.

The article helped me clearly understand that a community without literature will be a poor excuse for a community. As said in the article, “A community without written literature expresses itself with less precision, with less richness of nuance, and with less clarity than a community whose principal instrument of communication, the word, has been cultivated and perfected by means of literary texts”. It will be a community without reading and afflicted by alarming problems of communication.

After reading the article, I have gained a new level of understanding about the field of literature. So why literature? With the magic of literature, the ink on paper becomes words, words become sentences, sentences become paragraphs, paragraphs become stories, and gradually gives life and meaning to a whole other world crafted by the writer’s imagination. This is what we call a literary work. Literature can take you from one world to another, from different generations, each uniquely made by a writer’s consciousness. Literature can also help us become better individuals equipped with the proper and correct way of communication. And better individuals, means a better community.

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Llosa's Interview reminded me of this quote from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 36 stating "It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be."

Flaubert inspired Mario Vargas Llosa. His talent was a result of perseverance, Flaubert did not start out as a genius. We see people like Shakespeare, Dickens, Hemingway, and so many others while wondering "is that something a mere student of UST SHS could someday achieve?" According to Llosa, definitely. Correlating with the quote stated above, we can be born whatever race, gender, wealth, and still be the person we want to be in the future.

Literature is significant in our lives since it may benefit us in learning new skills. It's like a narcotic that makes us feel euphoric as pictures flash through our minds despite the fact that we're looking at words on paper. Literature is a portal to a different world. Unfortunately, the majority of people would rather watch a movie than read a book that contains details that moviegoers would never know. This is really lovely, and it's a shame that it's becoming less and less recognized as time passes.

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I was initially intrigued by literature because of how Mario Vargas Llosa manifested the importance and benefit of an excellent literary piece. Honestly, I am not a fan of reading poetry or novels, unlike him, who has had a passion for reading and writing since childhood. I think his statements from the interview somewhat encouraged me to learn from different literary works and have fond for literature. One passage from the interview stated that literary works offer readers an experience of a different kind of world where we can appreciate the imagination of writers. Therefore, it is clear to me that literacy is a tool to acquire knowledge and ensures pleasure. I suppose Llosa’s introduction to literature gave me a reason to put myself in a situation where I earned an opportunity to indulge the same experience he felt when he had read a novel in terms of his liking. I could perhaps start reading more books and hopefully be interested in some literary works in this sense.

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Mario Vargas' interview was eye-opening since he talked about his early struggles with literacy. It helped me to grasp literature better. He explained that he used to read a lot of adventurous novels, which made him more adventurous. Flaubert had an influence on Mario Vargas Llosa. Flaubert's genius was the result of years of hard work.  In the piece, Llosa stated that Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, intends to permanently replace paper with today's modern technology. This, too, should not be carried out, as Llosa believes. If Bill Gates' idea is carried out, future generations will not be able to witness the genuine roots of literature.

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"Literature does not begin to exist through the work of a single individual. It exists only when it is adopted by others and becomes a part of social life—when it becomes, thanks to reading, a shared experience." A line from Mario Vargas Llosa that I personally love. This line made me cheer up as Literature can be shared to everyone and can be really enjoyable when we share our experiences to others. I really like sharing my experience to my friends as it is also a way for me to talk to them. Sharing is caring as sharing experiences can make a conversation longer. Some literature works are created not by one person but as a group.

I love a lot of things in some literary works, some have weird desires, some have unimaginable imaginations and some does possess things that are really not true but very intriguing to read. These kind of literary works intrigues me as it can really develop me an imaginable mind. Some fantasies like magic or some fiction like Scientific technologies can truly make our minds to wonder and can create an imaginative and innovative mind. I would read some literature works and just let my mind do the work of imagining things because it is fun and creative.

Literature can be really beneficial to all of us when it comes to vocabularies or expanding our vocabularies. I realize that when I was reading some literary works, I began to see some words that I do not understand. These give me an idea that Literary can really gain me a way to really expand my vocabularies.

Literature works can really help us along the way. We can be really innovative and imaginative to ourselves. We can share our experiences when we read books to others as it can also motivates others to read. Literature really is something special not only for us students but to all of us.

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I found the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa to be both very interesting and informative. He explained how his experiences with his life and his journey in reading has had an effect in him becoming a writer and i found his story fascinating because such an effect happened to him just because he had found reading. I agreed with what he was saying because I too have recently picked up on reading and it has shown me a world of adventure while teaching me different morals, values and other knowledges that I did not know yet.

It is also explained how literature is important in our society because it shares experiences in people's lives may it be personal or even political. It has also become  a tool to spread out important knowledge that some people may not even know about. Literature can also impact your point of view because acquiring new knowledge can shape the way you think and how you voice out your opinions. So it is important for our generation to now lose track of literature because of our advances in technology and try to pick it up so we can try and maybe become better members of our society.

With all these considered, The interview and the article has made me realize how important Literature is especially to our society and how it must not be erased from our history.

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Upon reading the article “Why Literature?” and watching Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview, I’ve come to understand that literature shapes us—our culture, dreams, views, opinions, etc. In Llosa’s interview, he mentioned that he mostly read adventurous books, which influenced him to live an adventurous life; literature impacts who we are.

In the article “Why literature?” Llosa said, “Literary works are born, as shapeless ghosts, in the intimacy of a writer’s consciousness, projected into it by the combined strength of the unconscious, and the writer’s sensitivity to the world around him, and the writer’s emotions,” and this passage allowed me to appreciate literary works more. Many people have used literature as a medium to express themselves, and some even made history with their works (e.g. Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo).

To sum it up, the literary world is vast. It’s not just writings with flowery words—it’s deeper than that. Llosa’s interview and article helped me reflect on a lot of things and motivated me to reconnect with the literary world. Literature is amazing, and it's a shame that a lot of people don’t have the time to indulge in it.

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What hit me most in all the 22-minute interview of Mr. Llosa, is the way he pointed out the pros and cons of the effect of literature it has in our society up to this day. Literature becomes an instrument to defend freedom yet also an instrument to criticize.

#realizationHasDawnedUponMe

Llosa's "Why Literature" had definitely spiked up my opinion towards literature. And with my love for fictions, it did piqued my interest towards understanding and agreeing that fictions do exist because of a mere imagination of a writer far from reality. Perhaps they create fantasy to take a break from reality and in this way we became aware of the existence of something, thus, literature is born.

#iHartFictions

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Literature is often viewed as a collection of made-up stories meant to entertain, amuse, or just provide us with an escape from reality. Literature may be viewed as a tool for exploring and learning our surroundings and the society in which we live. We can have a deeper grasp of cultures and appreciate them more. Reading tends to be unpopular these days. Teenagers will never confess how much they appreciate reading, no matter how much they enjoy it. "Why Literature?" asks Mario Vergas Llosa, who feels that while it may not be cool, it is essential for successful communication. Mario Vergas Llosa does this by cultivating a strong ethos and focusing on a specific audience. Reading is vital not just for oneself, but also for the rest of the world. As he mentioned in his response, it's not only about the leaf or the person, but about viewing the world in new ways and being able to study and learn about a variety of things. In his work, he provides a number of persuasive reasons why reading literature is crucial for individuals of all ages and genders all over the world. He attempts to demonstrate the importance of literature and how it should not be disregarded.

The article made me understand that literature should be a part of everyone's life. That reading helps us to see the world through the eyes of others. It trains the mind to be creative, to respect other people's viewpoints, and to set aside one's own preferences in order to see life through the eyes of someone of a different age, status, or ethnicity.

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On the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa, i have found how important and informative literature is. He told us about hes struggles and problems in literature. He told us about his journey, about how he started in literature. I remember when he mentioned about le miserable because it was one of my favorite topic when i was grade 9 in junior highschool. I am not a reader my self but i like enjoying and treasuring literature because for me literature is art, and Mario Vargas Llosa helped me open my eyes and make me like literature more.

#LiteratureIsArt

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My thoughts and insights on the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa was that I do think that Literature can open up your View and Horizons. Because when I read stories and novels, I always loved being able to imagine that I was there in that story, being able to understand the different cultures and life that the author wanted the reader to see when reading his stories. Another thing that he said was that it widens your vocabulary when you get to read books, and that is true, there are always words in novels and books that you would come across without knowing it. So, to help you understand it, you would use context clues which makes use of your ability to analyze the text, which could also be used in your everyday life.

Now for the article, Why is Literature? There was a paragraph that talked about phasing out books written with paper, and I think that yes it would greatly help in keeping our environment clean and safe, however when reading a book online it just doesn’t feel the same when holding a literal book in your hands. That Literature isn’t just a woman thing but can also be a man thing, literature is essential despite having little or many hours in a day, because there is knowledge that you can obtain from reading well written novels, stories, or books.

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In an interview, Mario Vargas Llosa stated, "I think my life completely changed when I learned how to read" because of his mother's family side, he learned how to read and began a new chapter in his life, but there were struggles and problems that he encountered because there was no Peruvian writer and being a writer in the society means that it is not considered a job. Despite this, he did not let it get the best of him because of his love of reading and writing. Personally, I do not enjoy reading or writing since it is not my cup of tea, but I will make an effort to enjoy literature because there is always place for new things and information.

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Mario Vargas Llosa's interview and 'Why Literature?' gave me a valuable insight on how society views reading - as a leisure.  When one tells others that they are an avid reader, or that they enjoy reading, it tends to create an image of a smart, learned person. Even then, reading itself is still seen as non-essential, and sometimes even a waste of time. "There are better things to do in life", some may say.

Literature is not only for those who wish to become erudite. Bodies of text are not reserved for the intelligent. I believe that society immensely discredits and undervalues reading and the impact it provides. Throughout history, reading and literature have served as a powerful means of spreading a message or catalyzing transformation, so powerful in fact that many writers have been prosecuted for their literary works, and in the same vein many have also been celebrated for them. Authors throughout history shared bits and pieces of themselves with the ink flowing from their pens and bleeding into the paper, this creates a connection between reader and author; the musings of a stranger that a reader so graciously let into their hearts and minds plant seeds and bloom. Take Russia's Fyodor Dostoevsky, who in his death was mourned by tens and thousands of people, hardly any of whom knew him personally, but they all knew him well through his writing.

All forms of literature, in all genres impart to their readers all sorts of emotions, knowledge, and realizations. They are gateways to another world, may that be a fantasy or a peer into someone else's life, at times astonishingly superhuman, and at other times unsettlingly human and relatable. This, however, like Llosa said, is not always positive. Literature may sometimes cause detriment. Authors have the capability to weave in propaganda in their work; “There is a danger always in literature as becomes evident in all dictatorial, authoritarian, totalitarian regimes. Immediately literature becomes an instrument of resistance, of criticism.”

With all this said, I believe that literature is a part of life. Not some accessory to make someone seem smarter or fancier than they truly are, but an experience that should be shared across all human beings.

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Mario Vargas Llosa was an eye-opener for someone who doesn’t really know what literature is in one person's life. He explains how literature helps people understand different things. He explains that literature will not only help you but also let you realize things that you don’t really understand. For me, a teenager who really looks up to literature I can say that it can change your perspective on one thing.

Literature is literally an important thing for us because it helps us to learn and to see more. To educate and learn from things both reality and fiction. It helps us to be creative and to be free from negativity. Literature also lets us know things in different ways. We can see other people's ideas from different perspectives. As a person who loves reading and writing, I see literature as a guide into creative freedom— a love for words and to help us in a better way ahead of us. #LiteLOVEture

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After watching the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa and reading his article “Why literature?” I’ve

come to realize the influence of literature in our lives. Basically, it revolutionized our world. Literature changes our perspective. We get to travel to different places or time even beyond reality if we wanted to. This is because reading transports us to a completely unfamiliar world - which may be a setting from the past, modern or future. It enables us to broaden our horizons, and we get to learn from the experiences we acquire in reading literature. Moreover, it is a way of getting in touch with different cultures, customs, and languages which greatly helps in understanding the ethnic and cultural differences of people. Most importantly, through reading good literature, we become more critical of the world around us, just like he mentioned in the interview. We’re reluctant to accept our world as it is because we’ve gone through different places in literature which helps us gain knowledge. Thus, we become dissatisfied with our reality as it is and end up criticizing it.

On other hand - In his article, there’s this passage that was memorable to me which was “Literary works are born, as shapeless ghosts, in the intimacy of a writer’s consciousness, projected into it by the combined strength of the unconscious, and the writer’s sensitivity to the world around him, and the writer’s emotions”. When I read that, I had goosebumps. Something about it just hits right through me as I recall the books written by Anne Frank and Dr. Jose Rizal. The two authors’ aforementioned commonality is that they both used literature as their avenue of expressing themselves. Moreover, Dr. Jose Rizal's novel - namely, Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo was written because he wanted the world to know about the abuse that his motherland had to endure because of the Spanish friars and officials in the Philippines. And of course, the Spaniards were furious when Noli me Tangere was published. This truly supports Mario Llosa's statement "They didn’t trust literature. They thought that literature and gender were a kind of threat to the society they wanted to control". Above all, literature is an instrument of resistance and criticism.

In conclusion, literature helps us discover what we like and dislike in the real world. Just like what he mentioned in the interview, we need to have exposure to good literature because it gives us knowledge that is unique to you. Lastly, literature can also be a medium for us to express ourselves and to have sensibility and imagination.
#LiteratureisRevolutionizing

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Writing and reading are two interconnected factors that genuinely change and shape the world's perspective and the person itself. Consequently, it is evident that these fields extremely lead to an innovative and developed present and future. However, based on the video titled as 'Mario Vargas Llosa Interview: Literature Makes Citizen Critical', it discusses the various essential points of Mario Llosa, a Peruvian Nobel Prize winner, in which he mentioned how literature became part of his journey as well as the development of the world.

Way back in his childhood, his life was changed by reading wherein he was encouraged as his mother was an excellent read which he calls this practice an extraordinary pleasure. "Not only contemporary things, but also in the past or future. Literature was something that changed my life completely." Clearly, his statement shows the audience how literature could be part of the change and even the human person's life.

As he stated, "Literature is extremely important. Literature is an instrument to defend freedom and to fight against the lack of freedom," wherein I agree since literature is as significant as our life wherein this is one of the numerous things that will help us to fight, be open and mindful, and most importantly, to be proud and bold no matter what the odds are.

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“A person who does not read, or reads little, or reads only trash, is a person with an impediment: he can speak much but he will say a little, because his vocabulary is deficient in the means for self-expression. “ – Mario Vargas Llosa

In his article “Why literature?”, he quoted that “But even though I enjoy surfing the Web in search of world news, I would never go to the screen to read a poem by Gongora or a novel by Onetti or an essay by Paz, because I am certain that the effect of such a reading would not be the same” and I definitely agree with it. Reading just isn’t the same without the actual pages and the covers, as well as the texture and smell of them. Majority of the people would still prefer physical copies because they feel more connected to it and have better reading experiences. #ReadingIsFundamental

After listening to his discourse, I’ve come to realize how vital Literature is in our life. Living in our physical world is tiring itself but reading can help us escape from it. Not only does it assist us in escaping from it, but also discover new insights about our reality that we were previously unaware of. The author’s creativity can take us to different realms and immerse us in them. It can allow us to learn about life in different ways and as well as from new perspectives, especially when it comes to our own history.

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At the speed of evolution, we tend to lose sight of the importance of literature. In this sense, we disregard such a great contribution to ourselves and our society such as justice should be served, discrimination must not be tolerated, and truth should always be heard.

Literature as a defining moment in our lives. Its insights inspire us to think beyond the box, urge us to think differently, and explore out of our zone. According to Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview, he stated that “Literature should be committed to not only to be artistic but also a social one” and what makes literature beautiful is that in most written works, we can relate to them even in a few words. It provides us reassurance and comfort that we are not the only ones who are dealing with these issues. It makes us feel less alone in our ordinary lives; thus, in words, we can find a companion. In addition, I can compare literature to an abstract painting that is likewise a piece of art. It is beautiful when we view it with our own bare sight, but when we look at it closely despite its twists and turns, it always has a beautiful hidden message.

Literature is a way of expressing a desire to travel to other realms. It plays a significant role on how we construct our world view. As the interview is coming to an end, this caught my attention, “When you read good literature, you became much more critical of the world.” As a human being, I completely agree with what Llosa stated. Because of this, we are able to convey our thoughts, feelings, and arguments in a way that is both personal and reasonable. We can have a greater understanding and appreciation of the world in which we live.

Then again, what is the point of literature in the first place? To sum up, I believe that literature is born in our hearts, that reading is a way of escape, that we can change the world, and that literature is needed in the present and future. With these ideas, we declare our freedom and immerse our souls in literature.

#WordsToChangeTheWorld

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Mario Vargas Llosa’s Interview was meaningful as he made me look at a different perspective on how literature is critical to us. Novels present us with a distinct kind of universe, one that is not the real world. For him, the world is nothing but a plain sphere full of people. However, literature gave color to his life and inspired him to become a writer. Reading and writing enabled him to grasp and relish every text he could read and apply it to his day-to-day existence. Whatever book we read has a significant impact on how we view our lives. Hence, Mario Llosa professed that good literature teaches us sensibility and imagination, which we cannot learn in any school or institution.

"Why Literature" by Mario Vargas Llosa covers the functions of literature. Many people regard literature as a pleasurable pastime that keeps them from being unsatisfied or bored in life. Reading provides us with the opportunity to reflect on ourselves, who and what we are, and our flaws as human beings. These readings originated from the minds of different writers and left an indelible mark on each of us. For us to express ourselves, we have to engage with others. And to do that, we must start reading. It is said that the level of our language depends on reading that will allow us to express ourselves clearly and thoroughly. Then, the world can be refined by the kind of world we wish to live in.

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Watching Mario Vargas' interview made me realize how important literature is in our lives. He claims that once he learned to read, a plethora of opportunities became available to him. It made his life more interesting and enjoyable. He describes the real world as bland and monotonous and says that reading literature has colored his reality's white canvas. When he read adventure stories, for example, he became more adventurous. I agree with what he stated because I believe that what I read has an impact on the things I wish to do. But this realization may not be open to anyone

"Why Literature," on the other hand, made me realize that literature has its own set of advantages. It gives us access to another world, one that we may never get to see in real life. It has the ability to make us experience emotions or feelings that we have never experienced before. It enables us to learn a great deal in a few of days, if not hours. Literature, on the other hand, is simple to miss and forget as time passes. Most individuals no longer have time to read books. Books may become outdated as e-books grow more popular as science and technology develop. Mario Vargas Llosa encourages us to keep reading since we are the only ones who can salvage this dying art form.

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Upon reading the piece entitled “Why Literature” and upon watching Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview, the following points are the insights and realizations that came into my mind. Literature is not just about thousands of words carefully constructed and written on a piece of paper, that is later bound and formed into a book.  More than that, literature is an eye-opener, a great transformer, and a part of who we are.

It is an eye-opener to the delights and horrors of the world we inhabit. For instance, when reading de Sade’s novels, horrendous events narrated seem familiar as it made us realize that these are also happening in our society.

Literature is also a great transformer to a better world - a world that we envision, through the imaginations good literature offers. On a personal level, it also shapes the readers to be the critical citizens the society badly needs which I believe, is affected by the experiences readers encountered in different worlds of literature. Not only that, literature likewise allows us to transform into the better versions of ourselves for it permits us to express our feelings and emotions aptly, as well as connect with others, through the wonders of language.

In addition, literature is a part of who we are. It comprises our history, our culture, our personal experiences, our diversity, our morals, and our freedom. Without literature, we would not be able to look back and improve our lives; not be able to share our personal experiences and learn from it; and not be able to experience freedom.

However, in today’s society, people tend not to notice the real essence of literature. It is slowly being controlled, reformatted, and outweighed by science and technology; and we should not let this happen. With all these wonders literature offers, we must continue to act and let reading be part of our day-to-day activities, not just a luxury pastime. Just like Mario Vargas Llosa, let us also allow ourselves to be instruments not only for the preservation, but also the creation of good literature that could be of great impact to our society.

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Literature is one of many arts that is not being noticed by many. They see it as only as a past time, or it is something they cannot fit into their busy schedules, but for others it is a type of art that enhances us as a human being. In the interview with Mario Vargas Llosa, he tells us that if we follow what the world is doing, then we do not read or write novels since literature offers us a way to escape the chains of the real world and experience a world where imagination or the true realness of the world run wild. That is the impact of literature on us, we get to learn various aspects of life as we read it

The article shows us that literature lets us experience various cultures and see different ethnicities just by reading. emotions and values can be learned through literature, the true manifestation of a human being can only be seen through literature and that is something that made me think, if everyone spend their time reading and understanding literature at the same time, what will our world look like?

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Samantha Danielle B. Advincula - 11 STEM 10

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Samantha Danielle B. Advincula - 11 STEM 10

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After recently watching Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview I found it very intriguing and enlightening especially for someone who has grown up with reading and has a fondness for literature. I shared a lot of the same sentiments with Llosa as he continued to talk about the wonders and the underlying importance of literature, I found myself nodding to almost everything he said. The way he conveys his feelings about reading and literature is exactly how I feel and he couldn’t have said it any better.

There are so many lines that struck me during the interview but one particular line definitely stayed etched into my mind: “reading good literature makes you much more critical of the world as it is”. I completely agree with this and it’s probably one of my favorite quotes that he said. I’ve never closed my mind to the possibility that the world is not only black and white, I never stick to just one reason why the world is like this. Instead, I look for various perspectives and pick up what I can learn, and adapt it to the way I think of the world. That is all thanks to reading good literature. In literature, we may find all these different ideas yet despite that, it pushes us to ponder and be critical about how we think.

All the more reason why literature needs to continue to exist in our lives: to be able to convey and evolve these ideas as it shapes the mind of generations to come. The existence of humanity right now is proof that “reading can change lives” as quoted by Llosa himself. Over the years, we’ve learned how to express our feelings and hone our imagination which allowed us to move forward and face the world head-on. It’s the comfort that literature exists and takes us to all these different worlds. It’s like one big adventure no matter what age you are that dispels the fear you have of the real world. Literature is very beautiful and it is one of the biggest comforts I have. I sincerely hope people will give it a chance as it has so much to offer.

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“When you read good literature, you become much more critical of your world”

The interview of Mario Vargas Llosa is a realization for us that literature gives us different perspectives and imaginations of the world. With good literature, it makes us more apprehensive about accepting and discovering the realities of the world. It provides us the knowledge and sensibility and can be an instrument for our society’s pursuit of freedom and diversity.

The progress in technology has led to the decline of people’s interest in literature altogether, thus, people tend to neglect its importance. Literature has always been something that can be used to connect with others, even withstanding their difference in ideals, ethnicity, race, gender, or sexuality. It has been a source of inspiration in humanity’s development as a whole. A lot of today’s development was inspired from pieces of literature found throughout the years.

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I’m a student who dislikes reading literary works. I keep asking the same question over and over in my head questioning the purpose of these things. The repetitive answer I get whenever I answer it myself is that its only purpose is to provide history from the author; their past experiences, and solely for entertainment. I never looked at it any other way. Although the things I mentioned above are one of their purposes (as I perceive it), subjectively, I think literary works are tedious to read. Moving on, we are also told that literature had a great impact on humanity, and that’s true. By observing, I somehow see the influence of literature on the people who lived and those who are alive on our planet today. This then concludes to me how a piece of paper with writing greatly influences a person.

Since we were given a task to read and watch Mario Vargas Llosa’s outlook on literature, maybe I’d give reading literature a try or two again. That’s because Mr. Llosa explained that literature was more than just entertainment, I then realized that the thing I’m lacking in reading literary works was looking at the perspective the authors were expressing in their writing. I got this simple answer when I read the article and read a short passage about “literary works born as shapeless ghosts of a writer’s consciousness...,” so, as I finished reading and watching the interview, something at least changed from my point of view. Although my opinion wouldn’t change because of that one answer, just like I said, I might give it a try or two again, but even if I say that, it doesn’t matter since I will eventually read one as it’s one of the courses I’m attending to hahaha

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While watching Mario Vargas Llosa's interview, I became very touched as to how literature became a big impact on his life. The different connections, adventures, and discoveries that he experienced and were made possible because of literature. The importance of literature on the lives of many because of the freedom it gives to all of us.

I was interested on how literature helped him portray his personality through novels. He mentioned that certain experiences led to works that were rich in literary terms. Which made me think that our own different experiences might help in unlocking the potential of our literary creativity. He also stated that the critical spirit of citizens plays a big role on the view of people of different worlds. It helps us move forward as this mindset gives us the trigger to move on because of dissatisfaction.

From the article, I agree with his advice that we should enjoy while writing. This gives us the possibility of creating good literature. We should treat this work as something that we like as it can give us this different feeling of satisfaction or reward whenever we complete a certain piece.

#LiteratureRelivingthePastMoldingtheFuture

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Upon reading the excerpt from 'Why Literature' and watching Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview about his take on literature and its impact on society, I am in complete awe of his statement’s eloquence. He has put into words the feeling and experiences of consuming good literature, his words were an ode to avid readers such as I. Reading literature has its benefits as well as debatable shortcomings, but it has always remained to be a powerful weapon to feed one’s critical spirit.

I share the same sentiments as Llosa, as I have been exposed to literature at such a young age as well, it has become a part of who I am and who I will become in the future. I might say that, indeed, literature can be an escape from the dissonance of reality and it may cause readers to be reluctant to welcome the real world after the story’s conclusion but it leads them to reflect on real life events and it plants a seed of hunger for change, and freedom. Reading transforms people and one is never the same person after finishing a book, a story’s overall message will take shelter in one’s heart, plague one’s thoughts, and finally reflect on one’s actions.

While reading and watching the material, one of my favorite book quotes came to mind. It is taken from Erin Morgenstern’s ‘The Night Circus' :

“You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words.”

I may not go out slaying dragons or take part in some quest to restore a kingdom’s magic, but these kinds of experiences only read in good literature always relay a moral lesson. A lesson that can be discovered along the lines of a novel and will make an impact on a person, an impact that can transcend through time. A lesson that will move not only myself but move a whole generation to take a stand for freedom and to fight for what is right. A lesson that will equip a person to face the hardships of life. All of which can only be possible if one has enough courage to read a book.

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Going into watching Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview, I had the expectation of learning about how literature can affect its readers. Though for me, this was given light due to how I can relate myself as a reader to Llosa’s experience about being a reader himself and why he went into writing.

The interview addressed as well how literature has a bigger affect on society than we think it does. He mentioned that what comes with reading is the reluctance to accept the world as it is and that this way of thinking itself may be one of the reasons why society keeps of pushing to improve.

Llosa said, “You discover in literature what you like and dislike about the real world.” As a reader myself, I can very much testify to this. Though only through hearing this from him that I realized that this had happened to me. I am someone who had a reading phase where it was one year of reading around 10 books. Nowadays I rarely read anymore but through hearing and listening to Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview, it has once again sparked my interest of reading.

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In both the interview and "Why Literature", I've picked up a few things that seemed quite interesting to me. Literature is something that affects a person to quite a degree. Literary works immerse us in a world different compared to that of ours. Sometimes these works are quite fantastical, and sometimes they're more rooted in reality but the fact remains that it is a different world from ours and as such has some details in it that we can't find in the real world. It's quite beautiful to see these worlds come to life even though it is merely text. But alas, it is but a temporary escape from the real world; a place full of insignificant details, boundaries, and such. It may be rough but it helps us realize a few things, namely how badly the real world was actually made. But seeing all these other worlds found in literary works help free a person in a way. All the satisfaction and dissatisfaction found in the different worlds are what make things go round in this world. That is why the people who weren't dealt a good hand in life are usually the ones that incite change in this world, to a world that suits them better while those who are dealt great hands in life, those whose world fits them so well do not partake in this much. It is this disconnect and discontent that sparks things within a person. Although sometimes just a mere hobby, literature is something that affects a person to quite a degree, but it is up to us not just as an individual but a collective consciousness with the same vision and the same will to change that will make the future, so we must act or as he says "More precisely, we must read".

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Upon watching the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa, I find it very interesting as I learn how literature affects his life. I realized that reading any book will help us know a different culture and understand society more. As Llosa stated, reading good literature will help readers become much more critical of the world, which means that we become more aware what the differences between the world from our imagination and the real world.

Learning through the words of Mario Vargas Llosa could help the people to take action in improving society, as he said that reading could be helpful not only in literature but also in the community.

The article explains why literature is important itself. Learning literature goes hand in hand with reading. Although, as the article stated, people will most likely prioritize more critical tasks than reading. Some people read not because they like the book but because they want to learn and understand many things. But of course, different readers have a different purpose in reading. Others might say that it is for pleasure or entertainment. In conclusion, reading will provide us with ideas, knowledge, joy, and creative imagination.

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The two resources, such as the interview of Mr. Mario Vargas Llosa and "Why Literature?", both describe literature as something purposeful in shaping society. It gives its citizens the liberty to experience different worlds and adventures. As Mr. Llosa said, " Literature is made out of experience, and literature gives us experience." Literature equips one with eloquence and rigor as it shapes his opinion and perspective when it comes to an issue. It widens our vocabulary and makes our minds more critical with every bit of information we digest. As the book says, "A person who does not read, or reads a little, or reads trash, is a person with an impediment: he can speak much, but he will say little, because his vocabulary is deficient in the means for self-expression." We were able to understand, make appointments, and stand up for ourselves with vast knowledge because we read more. That is one of the importances of literature we failed to notice as most of us perceived it as only an entertainment. After seeing Mario Vargas Llosa's interview, I discovered that literature allows us to have a new sort of experience through reading. It is a great way for us to develop our creativity and imagination. In his interview, he said, "Novels provide you with an experience of a different sort of universe." Through literature, it allows us to discover what we value and despise in the real world. In this way, we grow more analytical about the world. Language, on the other hand, is a component of literature. Literature is a form of communication as well. "A humanity without reading, untouched by literature, would resemble a community of deaf-mutes and aphasics, afflicted by tremendous problems of communication due to its crude and rudimentary language." It is essential for humans to be familiar with literature since we use literature to convey our thoughts and feelings. At the beginning of the interview, he stated that reading provided him with new experiences, notably traveling to different places. It is a method to connect with diverse cultures, languages, and adventures, both in the present and in the past and future. He also stated that literature had transformed his life, which inspired me to learn more about it.

However, it is more than that. It makes one understand other’s culture, language, and more. I agree with Mr. Llosa that the critical spirit of citizens has something related to the different experiences they’ve encountered through different words from literature. It helps society to progress and develop because it is inclusive for all. It removes the line of discrimination but unites and seeks freedom for all. It is open to all individuals, not just certain groups. Moreover, literature makes you easily accept the world as it is, but at the same time, it also encourages you to take action to make a difference. Most importantly, both the interview and the book agree that literature is interrelated and will always affect the social and political situation in one country as it reflects the truth, despite all the flattery words. In the end, I understood that literature is important to society because it not only opens your eyes to different groups of people and significant situations in your world but also enriches your knowledge as a human being who must speak for himself and drive action to create positive change in the world.

Aside from that, literature has a significant influence on politics. Literature has always been a powerful weapon in the battle against oppression and for individual liberty. A look at Philippine history shows that brave Filipinos have used their literary talents to fight for the country's independence. Furthermore, he added in the interview that officials tried to restrict publication and literature since it was a tool to expose their wrongdoings, especially during dictatorial rule. In this sense, we can see why it is so important in politics and why it is such an important tool for defending freedom. Literature also has a social and political impact on our society.

Overall, what makes literature a fascinating topic to study? I understood that literature will always be a part of our lives. It improves our comprehension, and exposure to good literature enhances our sensibility, imagination, and creative thinking. Literature is more sophisticated than we think, and we should learn to appreciate it more. That is what captivates my interest in learning about literature.

#LiteratureChangesTheWorldForBetter

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Literature can be a powerful factor in helping us view the world and ourselves more clearly. We must never ignore the beauty of literature. For several years, it has served as a means for humans to express their thoughts, feelings, and desires. In this sense, I believe that literature is an excellent way for us to have a deeper understanding of every walk of life. It provides us with a unique perspective on our lives and the lives of others. I came to understand the hidden beauty of literature when I saw Mario Vargas Llosa's interview and read his book "Why Literature."

"Novels offer you an experience of a different kind of world. You discover very rapidly that the real world is always less rich, less profound, less diverse than the world that we were able to fantasize, to invent." This was one of the lines from Mario Vargas Llosa's interview that piqued my interest. Reading good literature enables us to become more critical of the world. This is not only beneficial to literature; good literature advances society. It teaches us to become knowledgeable about matters that we cannot learn in school or in an institution. On the other hand, as the proverb goes, there is no rose without a thorn. They believe that literature may be a threat to society, as shown in all dictatorial, authoritarian, and totalitarian regimes. They aimed to control and manipulate literature in order to brainwash people's minds. Immediately, literature becomes a weapon of resistance, of critique. In contrast, literature can be used to defend freedom and against oppression. One example is Jose Rizal's novels, which were written during the Spanish occupation of the Philippines. He battled for his motherland's independence by writing novels that exposed the ills of Philippine society during the Spanish colonial era. This demonstrates the importance of literature in politics.

According to Mario Vargas Llosa's book "Why Literature," people used to believe that literature was exclusively for the upper class or those who could afford it. Literature, in reality, is for everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic level. We may develop empathy, good manners, and imagination through literature. Furthermore, nothing educates us better than literature to appreciate the richness of the human legacy in ethnic and cultural diversity and value those differences as manifestations of humanity's multifaceted creativity. On the other hand, one of the good impacts of literature on us is through language. According to his book, "A community without written literature expresses itself with less precision, with less richness of nuance, and with less clarity than a community whose principal instrument of communication, the word, has been cultivated and perfected by means of literary texts." Literature, I believe, is essential for us since it is a form of self-expression and a means of communication. We learn how to talk effectively and thoroughly from good literature. No other branch of the arts can replace literature in creating the language that people need to communicate. This indicates that there is still a lot to learn about literature.

To sum it up, we discover about what we like and dislike in the actual world through literature. Furthermore, this is significant for literature, as well as for the world and society. Literature is about more than just reading; it also profoundly impacts the political and social worlds. Watching Mario Vargas Llosa's interview and reading "Why Literature" gave me the impression that literature is always associated with freedom, possibilities, diversity, and a sense of ideas, attitudes, and societal customs. As he emphasized in his interview, we should strive to preserve literature and emphasize the necessity of having good, creative, and unique literature for future generations and society.

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First of all in "Why Literature", I don't disagree with the statement that literature became more of a female activity than a man one since I have experienced somethings that made me consider that this is true. One of my classmates said that he prefers to watch rather than read, which is very understandable on my part as back then, I found reading kind of boring. But as time goes by, I came to the realization that the world of literature is wonderful but unfortunately, I don't have the eyes to see it yet. It made me see that there are other worlds created by different persons and the journey that I have embarked on made me who I am through reading. I also came to the conclusion that literature will always be a part of our living as humans as this is one of the primary reasons why we are able to see how it changed history and the changes it took. Through literature, writers are now able to share what they learn, and through reading their good works, pleasure, and learning take place. As the writers put their emotions into words, artificial life takes form and this only exists if we made this a part of our social life. It is very true that without written literature, we won't be able to express ourselves with clarity, richness, precision, and instead, we'd resemble aphasics. In literature, we can think, teach, learn, converse, fantasize as the words that were entailed are reflected in the actions we do. Even words can express love and sexual desire. I don't really agree that TV programs consider literature boring since they are two completely different things. TV programs are simply the ones that try to make us see the words that were written, nothing more. Bill Gates also said that books are now old fashioned and prefers electronics because of ecological reasons, which is kind of true in a way but, being efficient doesn't mean that it should always be implemented. People are subjective, what may work for others may not work for them. It is best to just accept the opinions of others and move on from there. I agree that computers can never replace books and without them, literature will suffer. Literature can make us see the world as it is and the views that people get will only vary from what they see. Reading is the key for us to see, imagine, to make us free and wild from reality.

In Mario Vargas's interview, I am interested in why he had started to write and how he changed his life through reading. He said that reading lets us see cultures, live on adventures, go back at the past and, travel to the future. He found that good novels are long and it interests him when it has adventures. I also like long novels as long as it keeps me engaged throughout. He became a writer and started to base his novel on political philosophies. He discovered that conflicts with morals and politics create violence from other people and as his experience builds up, he subconsciously used this to write stories. He differentiated drama and plays and said that good literature can make us unsatisfied with reality and with this, we learn to be more critical of what state we are in. Being critical can make a society a better one. By this point, I cannot absolutely deny how literature has made many changes throughout history, and the way we express ourselves, diversify our language, constitutes us being free.

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I find the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa quite inspiring. He shares his story and his insights on literature as a whole. He says that learning how to read changed his life completely and states that literature/writing is somewhat linked to moral and political responsibility in our society. Literature makes you open to accepting reality as it gives you a different experience of different worlds, which makes you unsatisfied with the real world. This effect makes society think critically.

Similar to what Mario has experienced with books, he said that he read a lot of adventure books which made him more adventurous, most readers could also relate to this, including myself. I agree with what he said that by reading, you find out what you like and don't like. By reading philosophy books, I became more interested in these. Up until now, I still read books.

In the article, Mario Llosa said something about literature helping you overcome the limited perspective of life. This caught my attention as I truly agree with this statement. By reading books, you learn about the different takes and understanding of different people.

#LiteratureForTheFuture

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Mario Vargas Llosa clearly accentuated that literature is significantly needed in our life and in our society. His journey in literacy inspired many in engaging in the beauty of literature. From his interview, I get to know how literature fuels our imagination, encourages critical thinking that is essential for life. Moreover, human nature as well as a means of learning and relating to others, is reflected in literature. We can thoroughly immerse ourselves in a new mindset and find out how others think and feel by knowing their perspectives.

Furthermore, in "Why Literature?" it became an eye-opener to all us that literature allows us to explore more and experience things that our beyond our limit. It also opens us to a bigger opportunities and provide us a better understanding the power of words holds. In addition, as mentioned in this article reading can take us into different realms and see other people's creative thought processes. Novels also benefit our lives in a variety of ways including providing of information, entertainment, creativity, and it also offers an escape for readers.

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I admire how Mario Vargas Llosa used his love for reading to fuel his skills for writing. We can see how great of an impact this did not only to the writing community but also to our society. His insights as a writer, journalist, and a politician show us how literature can be one of the most influential things that can effect the masses’ views and beliefs. Literature can be easily considered as very crucial eye-opener, since, according to Llosa, good literature is what moves society forward.

Although at most times the message literature brings to us is subjective, it always works towards one goal, which is to to highlight things the ‘real world’ has failed to give attention to. Most people consider reading as an escape from reality, as I am guilty of thinking this way as well, but it is nice that throught this we get to immerse ourselves to a whole different point of view, one that can help us learn more and how to improve the world through our own little ways.

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I’ve honestly always thought there was something bigger; that there was something important to see in anything, even thought it may not exactly seem as important to some people. Sometimes philosophy, sometimes mundane things. Sometimes even literature. As I listen into the interview of Mario Llosa about his insights regarding literature as a key to being critical in daily life, as well as reading them through an excerpt of his, ‘Why Literature’, it genuinely helps me have a glimpse into the bigger picture that literature has made to be revealed to us, and this not only applies to me. It too can help anyone see the bigger picture that it aims to show us.

Within his excerpt, he expressed how important literature is within society. He had expressed how it helps us communicate, to be creative; be more open-minded. Genuinely, I would say the same, considering the different series of events that had happened over the course of time. If not for literature, some people would not be able to open their eyes, and free themselves of the suffering that they are currently experiencing. Yes, I am talking about the negative events that happened during the colonization of our country, and perhaps even other countries. We would not be able to learn love, and we wouldn’t be able to even comprehend what freedom meant if literature hasn’t existed, just as Mario Llosa expressed in the excerpt.

Knowledge too, wouldn’t have been preserved if it weren’t for literature. It has kept several pieces of information and knowledge over the years. With it, many other fields have advanced to a higher level over the course of time, like the sciences and technology that have been integrated in our society. And again, it helps us be able to communicate with one another. To be open, as well as to comprehend what everyone would like to express. It too can help us comprehend the weight of the things that are happening in the present society’s time, such as the politics running around. It can help us describe things in many ways, whether it be eloquently, or well, as casual as most things usually are.

We’ve also got to listen to Mario Llosa’s interview and got a hop into his past. To me, it was fascinating and inspiring how reading immediately got him to aspire as a writer, despite the troubles he had to face. A writer back in the day apparently really seemed to not have any social standing, and even so, he was able to persevere to become one, and all paid off in the end. I find it interesting how diverse it can be sometimes, as it can be expressed in different ways to be read. I found how he expressed his way of writing interesting, and well, later I found out it was usually what I found many other writers that I’ve seen do in their works – the use of experiences in their writings, which, at least in how I see it, would be able to make a written work filled with richness and soul. Surely, I’d love to see and learn a lot more. This was truly a fruitful tackle upon how we should perceive literature.

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"Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is poverty. Ignorance is devastation. Ignorance is tragedy."

- Jim Rohn

Some people say that ignorance is bliss; that the idea of not knowing something cannot hurt you. But come to think of it, isn't it more painful to not know about it? To not know about something? Isn't it saddening that some people are contented into being called ignorant and being viewed as an illiterate? If I were to answer the question, "Why Literature?" I would simply answer, "literature makes me feel things. It makes me whole. It teaches me. It lets me experience."

I agree that literature is a BIG part of society. It could be the key to a democratic society, Llosa even stated. I'll quote from the book, "Why Literature?":

"We live in the era of the specialization of knowledge... it is the very engine of progress... but specialization leads to a lack of social understanding."

For in literature, we could understand and relate to one another, which I believe is the essence of a society. Not only we could understand one another but we could also understand and know ourselves further with literature. Llosa said, "nothing teaches us better than literature to see." Just imagine this, reading is different from just the mere act of viewing or watching. Personally, to read is to feel. To read is to experience... and eventually, to read is to see. Again as Llosa stated, "we would not have been able to understand the impotent feeling of the isolated individual." When a person reads, the tendency is that the person's mind is adjusting and putting him/her self on the shoes of the writer. It's as if every word, quote, or passage in a book would be your OWN and can be too! It's as if you, yourself is feeling that... and experiencing it. Not like in soap operas that the images are already seen. Sometimes, we just see and watch their emotions... but are we seeing it with our heart? With reading, people are pushed to imagine and put themselves into that position. And eventually moving not just their minds but their souls. This is why some people use it as an escape of their reality.

But really, what is the use of literature? I have mentioned earlier a certain passage from Llosa stating that we are in an era where knowledge is a must. We progressed as species and together, we learned about technology, rights, and science. I want you to put yourself back in the past and try to remember, what are one of the things that pushed people to fight in the first place? For example in regards of their freedom, aren't the writings and books of their own heroes the thing that pushed people to fight? With literature, a person is pushed to experience and with that experience, a person is pushed to try. "It is the effect of the personality they formed from reading," Llosa wrote.

In my opinion, our society right now is very uptight. You learn. You read. You listen. You work. Technically, I feel like I just live to work. This society and the science it brings is already scary... it could be "soulless" eventually. As Llosa described it, an "over-development." People might lose themselves in the process. We are slowly turning back to what made us whole in the first place--- literature. Without it, we are nothing. Without it, society isn't even progressing now. Without it, freedom would be just a question mark and a dream for us. And our society right now is slowly turning into that, people are letting go of literature... some people are giving up reading which is why they become ignorant and blind. So think, is ignorant really bliss?

With all these questions, think, is it all worth it? Letting go of literature eventually?

That is why, "we must act. More precisely, we must read." - Mario Vargas Llosa.

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His interview was an eye-opening experience for someone who doesn't particularly like literature that much. Because while I was watching the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa, I couldn't help but be fond of it and agree with what he said. All of it had a proper explanation, as well as sufficient reasoning. He mentioned that literature is a way to get in touch with all sorts of cultures, languages, and adventures. And speaking of getting in touch with adventures, reading literature made him more adventurous after reading adventure novels because normally, the things we read are not akin to what we are used to seeing. Hence, it gives us a new feeling and kind of lets us experience things that we usually wouldn't—it's just like going on an adventure by ourselves. Another thing that he mentioned that I agree with was that literature could be a way for us to know what we like and what we don't. In a way, literature can help us discover ourselves and provide us with different perspectives on life.

And as I finished the interview with Mario Vargas Llosa, I didn't just watch the whole twenty-two minutes of his interview without gaining anything from it. It further led me to believe that literature is much more valuable than it seems, and not only that but it also inspired me to read as there is much to learn and see from the different kinds of works that come from various writers. Its importance should be evident as it promotes creativity, critical thinking, and freedom. And especially in a society like ours where creativity is lacking and freedom isn't properly utilized, would we throw literature aside when it could be our hope in making the world a much better place?

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"Literature makes you more reluctant to accept the world as it is."

Seeing a Nobel Prize-winner talk about what their craft is to them so clearly is amazing. Mario Vargas Llosa reminds me of a man who saw their calling in life early on and never strayed from it. Though he didn't think about becoming a writer at first, he did still study humanities, which showcases just how much he wanted to have an influence on the social and political climate. And I think that decision ultimately worked out for the better in the end because as he said, experiences give memories that become literatures. I also find it exciting how literature, or at least the writers, are connected even through time. Just like how Sartre and the other writers of the books he read gave us Mario Vargas Llosa, I am excited to see who Llosa gives our children in the future.

But let us look at the main point of the interview. Llosa says himself clearly that writing cannot be differentiated from a social and political responsibility. I also believe that. No matter how much you try and hide them, people will learn your views. That's why authors like J.K. Rowling who, well let's just say isn't really the most progressive person, has lost their credibility and trust from the people due to the things she tried to subtly include. Literature should change things for the better. To phrase that better, literature should always strive for a better world because again, like Llosa said, if you're content with the world, you wouldn't read or write novels. When I heard him say that, I immediately thought of how our technological advancements always seem to echo sci-fi stories. Things like galactic travel or time travel. It wasn't because the writers were prophets, it's because the world they made that was richer became a goal rather than a simple text. And just like how richer worlds become our goal, novels who show dystopias also act as a guide. Books like Fahrenheit 451 and Nineteen Eighty-Four. They fight a fictional brutal regime that echoes our own world's. But different people will have different views on the same work. For example, some might view Mein Kampf as a learning experience while some might actually idolize Hitler. But I believe that in just like Llosa said, good literature would always achieve one thing. It would make the citizens more critical.

#LiteratureBirthsSociety

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At the beginning of the interview, Mario Llosa stated “My life changed completely when I learned how to read”. As a kid who wasn’t funded in reading, I used to question the importance and benefits of reading books. I never liked reading but when I started to read some novels of John Green and poems of Pablo Neruda, I can agree with what Mario Llosa said. It’s amazing how reading literature turn phrases and sentences into a picture of possible places, scenarios, and other realities. I do believe that literature can change our lives because it is influential in our rational decisions and emotions.

“I think that if you were completely in accordance, in agreement, with the world as it is, you wouldn’t write novels, and probably wouldn’t read novels.” I think Llosa was saying that if we accepted our reality as is we wouldn’t understand the perspective of others. It’s like staying in our comfort zone, we don’t want change to happen. We are not aware of the problems and their answers because we can only perceive what is inside the box. If there is no dissatisfaction in the world, progress will not occur. We wouldn’t see our mistakes, the things to change and to improve. I think the only way for progress is new perspectives that can be found in reading literature. As we read, we are gaining not only knowledge but also wisdom that can be used to have a better life and society.

According to the article “Why Literature” literature has become more and more a female activity than men because they work fewer hours than men. For me, it is a lame excuse because if you want to read, you’ll always find time to read literature. Work shouldn’t limit anyone to gain knowledge from literature. Literature is not only limited to long novels because even short poems like haikus are considered literature. It is stated in the article that “Gates argued that computer screens can replace paper in all the functions that paper has”. For me reading books on paper is far much better than reading books on screen because my eye hurts after long exposure to screen radiation. Despite being convenient (Technology) I cannot say it would be better due to the health of my eye.

To sum it all up, Literature can change our life, open a new perspective and help to change for a better society. It will only require dedication and will to read.
#LiteratureIsTheKey

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I found Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview very interesting and intriguing. He had a lot to say about literature and there were notable quotes that I really liked that he said. He first said, “It (literature) was a way to be in touch with different cultures, different languages, with different adventures.” I found this quote to be true. Literature helps us get in touch with the many different cultures and languages of our world and it helps us understand our world better. Literature helps us to know more about others and how we can truly relate to them in order to gain peace. “If you were completely in accordance, in acceptance of the world as it is, you would not write novels and probably you wouldn’t read novels,” “You discover very rapidly, that the real world is always less rich, less profound, less diverse than the world we are able to fantasize, to invent.” It’s true that literature helps us satisfy our needs, to satisfy what our world (reality) lacks. It helps us create a world which is rich with what we want and what we need. It helps us create a world in which reality does not have and helps us satisfy ourselves by having what we deem a perfect world. Lastly, these words of Mario Vargas Llosa were the ones that I loved the most, “You discover the possibilities of describing the world, express your emotions is through literature,” “When you lost freedom, literature is an instrument to defend freedom and to fight against the lack of freedom.” For us Filipinos, Mario Vargas Llosa perfectly describes the history of our literature in our country. When we were occupied by the Spaniards literature was our greatest weapon against them. The most notable literature that helped us gain freedom was Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo by Dr. Jose Rizal. Literature helped us express our true feelings and helped united our country in order to gain the freedom we desired. From the interview that was done, I realized that indeed literature truly helps us a lot. It helps us express our emotions and feelings. Helps develop our imagination and satisfy our needs of an “ideal” world that we want. Most of all the interview helped me realize that literature is truly powerful.

#LiteratureEffectsOurSociety

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After watching the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa and reading his article about “Why literature”. I’ve learned the importance of literature in his life not only its importance but at the same time the significance of it to him. Literature is not only fun indeed but it also gives us new ideas, new perspectives, and new knowledge. This makes me more interested with the topics about literature because I want to also know until what extent would be the importance of literature in my life. This made me understand that all of us have different perspectives about literature but it does have only one goal it is the benefit of literature to the society. His article and interview gives us additional background not only about himself and on how does literature affects him but at the same time this give us an eye-opening on what could be the positive effects not only to oneself but also to the society of literature. While on the other hand his saying “Literature does not begin to exist through the work of a single individual. It exists only when it is adopted by others and becomes a part of social life—when it becomes, thanks to reading, a shared experience.” This saying of his really hits me that one of the most important thing to know in literature is reading, exploring and widening of imagination. With the means of exploring as he said, this improves his writing and we can apply this in our lives by the means of no just exploring but also widening our imagination so that we can indeed improve our writing like Mario Vargas Llosa. This are the key to have an effective learning about literature so that we can enjoy what we are doing and at the same time love literature itself. Lastly, his interview and article simply explains the effect of learning literature around the world and also on how can we expand our thinking and perspective about literature.

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The interview with Mario Vargas Llosa helped me understand that literature can provide us with a different perspective on the world than the one we now have. "I think that if you were completely in accordance, in agreement, with the world as it is, you wouldn't write novels, and probably wouldn't read novels." Vargas Llosa said in the interview. I was able to understand that writing or simply reading novels can give you a different perspective on the world as it is. When reading a good literature, it can make a person much more critical of the world. And this is vital for literature as well as the society.

I was enlightened by Llosa's remarks, which reminded me of the importance of literature. That literature is immense, and it has the potential to make us more aware of or critical of the world we live in today. It's also a way to say things to others that you wouldn't ordinarily say in conversation, which can bring people together and make us civilized.

This subject fascinates me, and I'm excited to learn as well as immerse myself in literature.

#LiteratureIsAdventure

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Reading is a lost art in today’s era of technology, I cannot deny that phones, ipads and computers are very efficient. But, they will never be able to truly replace the sensation of reading. When we read novels, poems and etc. we feel relaxed and it feels like these literatures are very powerful that transports us to the past. Through these literatures we tend to become a creative-thinker because we imagine and dream all of the texts that are written on it.

We can become more expressive, especially in our thoughts, by reading literature. It aids us in expressing ourselves in a sensitive and profound manner. "As a result of literature, life is better understood and better lived; and that living life more fully necessitates living it and sharing it with others," stated in 'Why Literature.' I agree with this, because our true selves can be seen and reflected by the way we express our ideas and opinions in life. It’s impossible for people to live without literature. They are the bearers of wisdom. If we ignore literature, we won't be able to fully comprehend other people, learn to consider their different points of view, and understand the complexity of human nature. In literature, we can get a sense of what the writer is thinking because their ideas are a representation of their thoughts in words. I believe that literature can mold a person’s behavior and only literature, people will realize their dreams and have wisdom in every step of their lives.

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Upon watching the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa, it has made me come to realize the importance of literature. In truth, I used to be a very active in reading, nowadays not so much but this has given me interest to take up reading great literatures again. It made me realize the bigger picture in which literature holds on the roots of our modern world. He emphasizes the profound significance of literature throughout nations that upon reading and understanding a country's literature do we comprehend it's traditions and culture without even the need for physical personal experience. I agree to the idea that literature can take us to places we could never have gone in real life. As he has said, exploring does improve writing which we can do simply by reading even for a little span of time to improve our writing ever so slowly but surely. Ultimately, he shows us Literature's effect on the world and how we can use Literature as to break boundaries from our everyday life.

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Before watching the interview and reading the article i really didn't pay much attention to literature. Or in short, i tend to overlook it. But after watching and reading the article and interview about Mario Vargas Llosa, i was enlightened. I realized that there are so many wonderful things that literature can bring us.

Like improving our language, through good literature we are able to learn good words and language that we can use to express ourselves. Imagination is also another thing that literature can give us, it immerses us in different worlds where fantasies and ideal worlds or even a flawed world exist. While being immersed may give us dissatisfaction in the real world by showing it's flaws, let us also not forget that by knowing the flaws it will help us improve and strive for a better world. But probably the one that stood out to me is when Mario Vargas' said that literature can be used to fight against injustice or for freedom.And he was right because it happened in our history when Dr. Jose Rizal wrote the two novels called Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

In conclusion Literature isn't just for entertainment and leisure. But it can also be for improvements, learning, expressing yourself and probably unity.
#TheBeautyofLiterature

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Through watching the interview of Mario Vargas Llosa, I was reminded of my own experiences as a reader. Before I was not really a fan of reading books, I found it boring and unnecessary because even if I did not read, I could still have a passing grade. However, when I first read a book, I was amazed by how it could change how I perceived things just like what Mario Vargas Llosa said that reading changed his life.

Similar to his country, the Philippines is also colonized by the Spaniards, and I remember how they stop us from writing and reading literature. They are so afraid of what a person could become if they have an opportunity for literature. Freedom is what they wouldn’t want for the people they colonized because they cannot do what they want if that’s what’s happening. Despite their constraint to them, the people did not stop their will for freedom from being oppressed and one way they did that is from the writings of Jose Rizal. Through this I realize how literature shaped our civilization for as Mario Vargas Llosa said that if we are satisfied in our world, we wouldn’t have written a literature. The world is not perfect, but our mind could create worlds without limit.

Through literature we express ourselves and the world we wish we have. By reading or writing literature, our certain experiences show uniqueness for our understanding and our writings would be different from someone else's. Our identity reflects how we see the world, but
good literature could help us see something in a different or clearer view of
something. I could relate myself to Mario Vargas Llosa as a reader but not yet
as a writer. He loves literature and I realize what knowledge I could gain
through it.

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When we look around nowadays, we can see that most people are engrossed in their phones, and iPads with only a few holding a book. Children these days with technology are a common sight, and I'm struck by how different their childhood lifestyle is from ours when I see a toddler carrying a tablet. With so much emphasis on technology, this has substituted toys and even storybooks. We recognize that technology offers advantages, but it can also have a negative impact on our social and intellectual aspects. As I read Mario Vargas Llosa's article "Why Literature," I believe that the adage "the medium is the message" still remains true, since reading books embodies a far deeper connection, even just by the sensation of carrying a book and the aroma of pages when reading, and the medium we choose to express ourselves is just as essential as the message itself. Literature "binds human beings together," according to Llosa, allowing them to connect over space, time, political, religious, and cultural barriers. The power of literature tends to bring out the best in people, forming bonds between people who may otherwise have little in common.

Consider how enormous the world of books is in and of itself. Books are a lifeline for some people. Reading literature provides enormous joy and a sense of completion, propelling our imagination to new heights. Llosa believes that literature leads readers to a timeless world in which practically everything is delightful. When these people are returned to reality, they have an overpowering desire to recreate the alternate dimension that they may have read about in a poem or a book in the real world. There are various misconceptions about literature; some people believe it is a waste of time, while others believe it is irrelevant. But, can you picture a world without literature? It's as if the world is devoid of color; everything is grey. Literature adds color to our lives, and every piece of literature can alter our outlook on life. Life is more than what you expect when it comes to literature. Literature is beautiful for a lifetime, not just a season or two.

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Both Mr. Mario Vargas Llosa's interview and "Why Literature?" indicate that literature has a tremendous influence on society. It allows inhabitants to travel and experience new things. "Literature is built up of things we have done and provides us things to do," Llosa stated. Literature gives individuals a means to express themselves and think clearly about a topic. We increase our thoughts and our vocabulary by learning new things. "A person who cannot talk because his vocabulary is too little for self-expression is an obstruction," the book says. His vocabulary is limited, therefore he can say little. We could comprehend, plan, and fight better because we read more. For most of us, literature was simply for enjoyment, so we didn't notice that.

But it's not just that. This helps one better comprehend another's culture, language, and other aspects of life. So, I agree with Mr. Llosa that citizens are more critical of their own lives because they have had so many varied literary experiences. It helps society develop since it is open to everybody. It reduces prejudice and aims to bring everyone together in freedom. Not just particular groups, but anybody. It helps you accept the world as it is while inspiring you to improve it. Both the interview and the book agree that literature will always transform a country's social and political circumstances because it tells the truth. Most importantly, literature helps you develop as a person who must speak for himself and act to make the world a better place.

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After watching the interview, I have learned a lot about Literature and its importance and how it can help us experience a different world. He said in the interview that if we were entirely in agreement with the world, we wouldn’t write novels and wouldn’t read them. I agree with what he said because Literature can be a way for us to imagine a different world. I also learned that good Literature would make citizens critical and, in turn, will move society forward.

In the article “Why Literature?” I have learned that, unlike science and technology, Literature permits men and women to co-exist, communicate, and feel a sense of solidarity with one another. He said that Literature allows people to express their thoughts and emotions creatively and improve one’s imagination. I agree with the article about Literature and its importance to us. It helped me realize that Literature is not just a luxury pastime but an irreplaceable activity that helps us express ourselves and communicate with one another regardless of where we are from.

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In the said interview and article, Mario Vargas Llosa speaks of how a book, constructed of thousands of thoughts and ideas,  paves way for mankind to be aware of another reality. As the well-known writer says, “What we call civilization is a process that started with this dissatisfaction with the world as it is.” Literature is the food of the rebellious spirit, the promulgator of non-conformities, the refuge for those who have too much or too little in life. It has come in a form in which it is an instrument to defend freedom and to fight against lack of freedom.

However, as the rapid growth of technology and science prospers, mankind has consequently became divided. Lost of the seeming thirst to get its hands in a book has become more evident with surveys across the globe. Like Llosa, I am deeply convinced that a society without literature is a society jeopardize of its freedom. No matter how far the world of invention has gone, the art of literature has greatly aspired and contributed as it shape how and who we are as citizens and a civilization.

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Both Mario Vargas Llosa's interview and "Why Literature?" proved the importance of literature in our lives. It educated us on how reality works and how literature can be used as a defense mechanism in the face of a cruel world.

The interview with Llosa made me realize how important literature is. I recall him saying that learning to read opened up new doors for him and provided him with new experiences influenced by literature. It made me realize how literature can affect one's life, how we act and respond, and how our points of view and opinions are influenced by it. Not only in the world of literature but also in real life, the simple act of reading can influence our own thinking, revealing our likes and dislikes.

Another aspect of his interview that piqued my interest was how literature might save our lives. We discover a hidden hope in entertainment literature when we realize that it saves us from anxiety, tension, and depression. Distress is caused by stress. The stress literature provides ways to distress sometimes. It also expresses feelings we are unable to articulate verbally. We learn how to control our own ideas and emotions through reading.

"Why Literature?" covers the same ground as the interview. Literature has helped us to learn and understand society better, particularly how we are all distinct, emphasizing our cultural diversity and viewpoints. We are confronted with human flaws, dreams, and the relationships we form through literature. It made us more aware of our surroundings and how we interacted with others.

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The interview made me realize that literature really has a huge impact on an individual. It helps us escape the boring reality, experience new reality, and add colors to the perception of people in life and the surroundings. It adds excitement and thrill to our minds while enhancing our understanding and imagination. I fully agree on these as I know literature is exciting and timely based on my experience, though numerous people do not see the same way. A lot of people do not realize how powerful and valuable literature can be.

Literature helps an individual in numerous ways. As Mario Vargas Lorsa said, it is an escape from reality and adds color to life. Literature allows us to understand more things, see the perception of different people on the things around us, it enhances our vocabulary, creative thinking, reading, and writing skills. To conclude, literature is about everything. Everyone is encouraged to discover more about literature as it is really important and exciting at the same time.

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In Mario Vargas Llosa's interview, opened my eyes to how literature is truly essential in one's life. The impact that literature has in Llosa's life from basic reading as a young child to inspiring him to be a writer. The books he read broadened his perspective and enabled him to experience adventures himself. Personally, the stories I read as a child influenced the way I think and help build who I am now.  Literature intertwines us with the past, present, and future. It amazes me how words can have such an effect to readers. As I read, a lot of the writings leave a lasting impression on me that made me want to keep on reading because of that euphoric experience it gave me.

Llosa also emphasized on the importance of Literature in the society. As a way to share to each other the experiences and opinions of one's self, where we acquire new knowledge about current lives. We open our minds as we read different stories by different people who have diverse belief, cultures, and minds that can help us be more accepting of others.I can say that Literature is an immense part of human nature and we should learn to give it the appreciation it is worthy of.

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The interview of Mathew Vargas gave me a realization that Literature is part of us human beings in many aspects such as Entertainment, Politics, Freedom of expression.

He also discussed his journey in being a writer and inspired me on being more interested in literature because when I read I only focus on what I want to read not what I need to read to improve myself.

Literature makes us a better version of ourselves by having a larger vocabulary, having a greater understanding of complex and simple events in our life. This also allows us to have a better way to express our emotions and ideas. It also builds our mind to be strong by adapting the books you have read and implementing them in our daily lives.

In conclusion, literature is crucial for us not just because it gives us entertainment or helped regain freedom but because it is how we share our ideologies and understand what is inside another human being's head is whether it is fictional or non-fictional.

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Varga Llosa is well-known for his depiction of power institutions and trenchant depictions of individual resistance, insurrection, and failure, for which he was given the Noble Prize in Literature in 2010. Only people who have time for leisure can afford literature. It is a necessary activity, noble and useful for cultivating sensitivity and good manners, but it is primarily an entertainment, an adornment. When one "prioritizes" the activities and duties that are necessary in the battle of life, literature may be squeezed in between sports, movies, a game of bridge or chess, and it can be surrendered without scruple.

It's fascinating to see how he uses a variety of narrative strategies, including numerous points of view. The reading of Vargas Llosa is more critical than definitional.

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Throughout the centuries, literature have always been something that not everyone would waste their precious time on. This treasure of art becomes relevant only to those who truly appreciate it, when everyone should and need to do the same for the sake of our future generations.

According to the article "Why Literature?" it was said by experts that women dominates the population of those who favor reading and supporting literature works. This is due to the fact that most men would be too occupied to indulge in reading because of their works and jobs in the society. The undervalued literature has been discarded only as a minority and just a hobby for some. But as they downgrade the true value of reading literature, they go further away from achieving the ideal society which they've been working for.

A food for the mind. Reading different literature works becomes a food for not only our minds but also our souls. Each page and word included in a novel or piece of writing lets our imagination run wild and gives us a moment of peace in our own worlds. Running along with our own conscience, reading literary works could help us support in making our own ideas and interpretations. After watching Mr. Llosa's interview, I think that a man thinking is a great pillar to support our society growing in diversity. With plentiful knowledge comes one's deep connection and meaning through a work of art. Through reading, we come to realization that we can be more perceptive than we thought. It starts with the flow of ideas streaming from our own interpretations that gives a bigger look on our fixed concepts. If most of the people in our society comes to appreciate literature more, we might just become suitable people for change. Suitable individuals to obtain the true key to freedom, as what Mr. Llosa mentioned.

I believe that just like stepping stones, literature is just part of the journey that we need to take. As a literary writer by hobby, I think appreciating is one thing but it still depends on ourselves on how we will nurture and release unique creativity to make our own thoughts and understanding.

#ReadAndLiveYourFreedom

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The interview with Mario Vargas Llosa showed me what literature truly is and how essential it is to one’s life. According to Llosa, literature helps a lot in overcoming the very limited perspective of life. Exposure to good literature is essential at every phase of life as it enriches us in more ways than one. Literature possesses lessons in life. Some works are made entirely for entertainment, and some are just intriguing. Numerous works in literature reach their audience with the message they have. Readers often become connected with the story and associate themselves with the events and realistic portrayal of emotions and become attached to them. Literature thus has a deep impact on people’s lives.

I firmly believe that what distinguishes literature from any other medium is that pieces of literature are works of art that are rooted in written language that gives form to the world. The most important reason to engage with literature is that it makes us better people. How we make sense of the world around us is formed by our experiences. We, humans, are quite literally some total of our life experiences, the highs, and lows, and the love and pain and everything that we experience are what makes us who we are because we can only have our own experiences. We can’t live someone else’s life unless we read. Literature is the playground of our moral imagination, it broadens our perspective and makes us more empathetic. Actively engaging with a philosophical question in the stories that we read helps us to transform those fake notions in our head into thoughts that we can articulate. Literature enhances our thoughts and actions that help us become better people making it possible for us to leave a significant and timely change in our world.

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“Why literature?” an infamous query among students, it is most likely that we heard this not just once or twice in our lifetime. Nevertheless, questioning isn’t really that much of a bad thing either, I myself am guilty of questioning the “what” and “why” in life. So, was I one of those who asked the million dollar question of “Why literature?” The answer is yes. What is so important about literature that we have to study it? Well, Mario Vargas Llosa has just the right answer for that. After reading “Why Literature”, it came upon me that it is through literature that we disconnect with the hard-to-swallow reality. Literature is such an important vessel that many people miss out on as it is normally viewed simply as a pastime activity, in which Llosa clearly opposes to as he said “I wish to offer a few arguments against the idea of literature as a luxury pastime, and in favor of viewing it as one of the most primary and necessary undertakings of the mind, an irreplaceable activity for the formation of citizens in a modern and democratic society, a society of free individuals.” There is more to literature than just a hobby; literature transcends the human experience. It is through literature that we get to live out the past. However, some tend to overlook literature as a bunch of fancy words clumped up together, as Vargas said “do not focus too much on the branch or the leaf, lest you forget that they are part of a tree, or too much on the tree, lest you forget that it is part of a forest”. Literature is like a treasure hidden beneath the abyss, and only those who seek for it are worthy of experiencing the unfathomable things in reality.

Personally, I’ve been wanting to get myself inclined with reading various books but haven’t really gotten into it yet. Watching Llosa’s interview inspired me to go further into the rabbit hole of literature, especially when he mentioned that his interest in literature simply started by learning how to read. This encouraged me that it’s as easy as that to enter the vast world of literature. He conveyed how life-changing literature is, which can be considered over exaggerated for someone who doesn’t read literature. But, in reality words really does carry weight, it has the power to create great impact.

#LiteratureIsLIT🔥

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After reading the article, I was able to gain some personal insights regarding literature. I felt bad how people are treating literature as it is just something that can be neglected. Indeed, they are missing out to it's pleasures because aside from providing knowledge, literature also enables us to live in our own fantasies, away from the problems of the real world. It came unexpected that women readers outnumber their men counterparts because women does have more patience, reading books take a lot of time. I understood the role of literature in social change and human knowledge. I saw how famous literary artists are able to be immortalized by their legendary works. I learned how fiction arouses our imagination.

Literature is a core part of who we are today. It has played a big role in history, be it fiction or nonfiction. It helped us to create and be on our own story, or to see and be part of others'. It imparted us with timely and relevant knowledge that has greatly benefitted us. As the world constantly changes and approaches the future, I hope that people will have a greater awareness and interest in literature as it has been the catalyst of humanity's progress.
#LiteratureToTheFuture
#PastToPresent
#ToTheFutureAndBeyond

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Before reading Mario Vargas Llosa’s article “Why Literature?” and watching his interview, my knowledge and understanding of literature was just a tip of the iceberg. And after watching and reading it, it gave me a better understanding about literature and how important it is in our lives. It made me realize how it can affect one’s life. That it is not just for fun or just a way to pass time, but it is also crucial to how we learn and experience things. “When you read a good literature, you become much more critical of the world,” he added in the interview. I completely agree with his statement since I believe that reality is much more different than the narrative in the literature. With literature, it changes our perspective. We become more aware on our preferences and changes our standard on our world and end up making adjustments to improve it in order to satisfy ourselves. Moreover, we become more critical of the world around us as he noted in the interview. With that statement, it made me realize just how beautiful, powerful and how influential it is to the people. It also made me realize that the literatures that are written from the past and also those that created an impact on our society and influenced the people and the entire country now makes sense because it became a medium to allow us to connect on basic levels of desire and emotion.

Furthermore, his outlook about literature made me realize how important literature is to our society, that literature serves as a tool for both resistance and critique.

Moreover, his outlook on literature taught me to think critically about complex topics from different perspectives and enabled me to better understand social situations, history, one’s own emotions, and various cultural practices. It amazes me that Literature is more than just written words and that it is vast and diverse. Llosa’s understanding about literature brodened my knowlege in literature. He impressed and inspired me to read books to know more deeply about literature.

#LiteratureIsTheKey

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The interview with Mario Vargas Llosa broadened my perspective, I now have a deeper understanding of the significance and value of literature in our daily lives. Reading literature allows us to gain knowledge about diverse cultures and experiences, as well as develop new ideas. Furthermore, it helps us better understand others because it enables us to view the world from a variety of perspectives. It is an excellent way to get an understanding of another person's way of life, language, and other aspects of their being. We had to acquire a great deal of knowledge in order to better comprehend.

Literature is challenging, sometimes it is difficult to read and comprehend, but it also offers us with a chance to express ourselves creatively via the use of words. Reading literary works aids in the development of our vocabularies, which in contribute towards achieving in our ability to be a better speaker and interact effectively with others. Literature assists us in growing as individuals who must be able to speak for themselves.

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"Why Literature?" is a good question to ask after reading the article. I was able to appreciate the relevance of literature to some extent after reading " by Mario Vargas Llosa. Most of us regard it as a hobby or a pleasure, yet it is far more significant and useful to us. Literature can help us escape current problems in our lives, but it can also serve as a wake-up call about the awful events that may occur in our lives. It can also help us learn more about ourselves through the feelings or notions that a literary work offers to us. Literature can also help us improve our social and verbal communication abilities by bringing us closer to people who share our tastes in literature. Hopefully, more people will see the actual worth of books in their lives.

Literature is demanding. It can be tough to read and comprehend at times, but it also allows us to express ourselves creatively through the use of words. On the other way, It enables readers to communicate effectively, to have a broad and diversified vocabulary, and to be able to find the right words to express their thoughts and feelings.

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“I think that if you were completely in accordance, in agreement, with the world as it is, you wouldn’t write novels, and probably wouldn’t read novels.” This line from him really caught my attention in the interview. Because of what it meant for us and the things that our minds can think of. This line shows how bland and uninteresting life would be and how literature can have a major effect on a person’s life and give them a realization that would change their life or an idea that would be helpful to our society. And without it, we would not be able to experience a more diverse and different world than the real world that would give us ideas that would ultimately help our society move forward.

The article “Why Literature” is also similar to what Mario Vargas Llosa said in the interview. Because in literature we get entertainment not only that but also the knowledge that would help us in our day to day lives. Books that give the entertainment of experiencing a different world and a different life, Books that make us feel emotions that we don’t normally experience, Books that would ultimately aid in advancing our studies and learning, and so much more. literature can give us so much yet we overlook them most of the time. So, let’s not forget that literature is the reason that we developed this far and that it can still offer us a lot of things that will be worth our time.

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Mario Vargas Llosa’s Interview or “Why Literature?” was very inspiring especially for us youth, who’s taking literature or even reading for granted. He shared in his interview how much literature or how much did reading changed his life. This would serve as an inspiration for all of how how can simple letters to words, words to sentences, to paragraphs until it would make up a whole literature. Just like how we read, we start from small portions, until it becomes bigger, the bigger literature we read, the more knowledge we gain, not just from our present lives but also from the past and future. We can gain not just knowledge but also will and courage to fight for change and to fight for the oppressed with just simply being inspired by a book.

This has just been few of many things I’ve learned from Llosa’s interview. It is a 22 minute interview and yet, his words would remain in me as my inspiration to keep reading and to keep enjoying literature and also to keep on fighting for a change through writing literature. This interview has been very inspiring and especially motivating, the more knowledge we gain from literature, the more opportunities are waiting for us in the future.

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Timothy Richlann F. Abesamis - 11STEM  08

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Timothy Richlann F. Abesamis - 11STEM  08

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After watching the 22-min. interview of Mario Vargas Llosa, it became apparent to me that literature is not just a simply an activity you do when you have free time, it was more than that.

In the interview Llosa stated, “I think that if you were completely in accordance, in agreement, with the world as it is, you wouldn’t write novels, and probably wouldn’t read novels.” This statement sparked my mind because I felt that his idea was true because growing up, I never really liked reading. For me, it was boring and a complete waste of time, and compared to other things you can do in your past time like playing games, or playing sports, it was incredibly underwhelming and it did not give the rush and the ecstatic feeling that I felt when I was playing games and sports. But as I grew older, I became more aware of the world and a bit dissatisfied in how it works, and to escape my dissatisfaction I began reading mangas and manwhas, where I could escape reality and use my imagination.

After hearing this statement of Llosa, it became apparent to me that literature as a whole is extremely important in our world, it was an integral part of the development of our society, it can act as watchdogs guarding the move of anyone who used their power to oppress others, and most importantly, it assured us freedom.

As we move forward in the future, more and more of the new generation neglect literature, they mostly focus on games and technology. For me, this is extremely sad, since they don’t know the value of literature and what it can do for us. We must educate people and must make them realize that we need to give importance to literature and its marvels.

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Gran Richard Peter M. Enguero - 11STEM-8

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Gran Richard Peter M. Enguero - 11STEM-8

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At the beginning of Mario Vargas Llosa’s interview, he talked about his journey on how he became a writer. Back when he was a child, learning how to read and write made a huge difference on how he perceives things in life. He even quoted how “revolutionary” it is for him. He enjoyed reading, mostly adventure books, which influenced him to become an adventurous person. He mentioned his interest in visiting other countries to experience their culture. A thing that he once just read in his books.

Upon watching his interview, I learned that whatever it is that you feed your mind, has a great influence to change, reshape, or remodel our perspective of the real world. Literature writing is a form of art, that opens our minds to the thoughts of the ones who wrote it. An amazing experience that gives us a visualization; of what the writer wants us to see through the use of words. Literature unlocks new doors to new knowledge, and fresh perspectives.