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Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

By Izza Rauf
10 January, 2025

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

COVER STORY

What if Uncle Tom’s Cabin had never been published? What if John Steinbeck had never written his revolutionary novel, The Grapes of Wrath? And imagine if The Jungle by Upton Sinclair had never gained the popularity it did when it was first published.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

Would the practice of slavery have persisted longer in America? Would the injustices of the Great Depression have continued unchallenged, leaving many to silently suffer?

Would the horrendous conditions of the meatpacking industry have remained shrouded in secrecy, forever hidden from the public eye? A world devoid of these pioneering works could only be described as dull, hindering the progress of countless social and political reforms.

In 1848, a wave of young radicals gathered in meeting halls, dimly lit pubs, and bustling cafes, their perspectives forever transformed by the powerful and provocative words of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf

The Communist Manifesto had just hit the press, igniting a fire of revolutionary ideas that spread far beyond European borders. In cities such as London, Berlin, and even far-off urban centers in Latin America, intellectuals, activists, and workers alike embraced Marx’s vision of a transformed world.

Time and again, literature has not merely chronicled struggles for justice—it has actively sparked them, lighting the match that fuels revolutions and reshapes societies. Literature has the power to transcend boundaries, as stories and ideas possess the unique ability to ignite hearts and minds.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

Writers have historically been known to be commentators of the societies in which they live or have lived, frequently using their craft to expose the harsh realities of injustice plaguing their communities.

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958), for instance, is more than a novel—it is a critical indictment of the devastating effects of colonialism. Achebe not only critiques British rule in Nigeria but also counters colonial narratives that depicted African societies as primitive and reliant on European governance.

Similarly, Khaled Hosseini delves into the impact of societal injustices, particularly war and displacement, in his novel The Kite Runner (2003).

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

Like Achebe, Hosseini offers a nuanced portrayal of his homeland, Afghanistan, capturing both its beauty and the devastating effects of foreign intervention.

Both authors illuminate the struggles faced by their societies, celebrating the richness of their cultures while advocating for compassion and change in the face of injustice. Through their works, they challenge stereotypes and inspire readers to reconsider entrenched biases, making literature a powerful tool for social commentary and reform.

Karl Marx
Karl Marx

In a parallel context, the feminist movement has found its voice through literature. Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own serves to encapsulate the struggle many women faced to gain creative expression and intellectual freedom using vivid metaphors.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

Woolf famously argues that in order to write, women need financial independence and a space of their own—an idea that challenges the societal structures that have historically denied women such privileges. Woolf’s artful exploration of the social constraints that have been imposed upon women depicts how these limitations have stifled their voices and creativity throughout history.

By deftly articulating these frustrations, Woolf emphasizes the undeniable importance of granting women the right to freely express themselves and reinstates the fact that literature is not only a reflection of societal injustice—it is a powerful catalyst for change.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

Moreover, literature has allowed marginalized groups to keep their cultural identities and assert themselves while claiming a place in society. In the United States, writers such as Langston Hughes used literature to celebrate Black culture and confront the racial inequality faced in a country that still practiced segregation. Hughes’s poetry underscored the long and rich history of African Americans and positioned their contributions to culture and society as central, rather than peripheral.

Beyond issues of race, gender, and colonialism, literature has also been a force for economic justice. Eduardo Galeano’s The Open Veins of Latin America (1971) critiques the repeated exploitation of Latin America by foreign powers, laying down a framework for understanding economic inequality and imperialism, which, in turn, sparked leftist movements across the continent.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

Comparably, in Russia, classic geniuses such as Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy both shed light on the growing divide between the rich and poor in their work.

Leanne BetasamosakeSimpson
Leanne Betasamosake
Simpson

Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment (1866) traverses the psychological effects faced by many individuals living in poverty, while Tolstoy’s works such as Anna Karenina and War and Peace highlight the vivid contrast between the opulence of aristocracy and the hardships faced by peasants. Both authors criticized the economic imbalances of their time and contributed to the reforms they pushed for.

In more recent years, some modern writers have been wielding literature as a means to challenge climate-related grievances and environmental degradation. Indigenous authors such as Canadian writer Leanne Betasamosake Simpson have used fiction in their works to propel the understanding of the devastation environmental destruction has caused to Indigenous communities.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

The role of literature has consistently evolved alongside social movements and struggles, particularly in the realm of environmental sustainability. Writers have continually used their platforms to assess and critique governmental policies and practices that have contributed to ecological suffering.

Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebe

Arundhati Roy’s Field Notes on Democracy (2009) emphasizes the need for grassroots activism, illustrating the destructive impact of government policies on overlooked communities in India.

Similarly, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale has become a powerful symbol of resistance against authoritarianism and environmental decline. These contemporary works demonstrate how literature has been used to address global issues and galvanize movements, encouraging readers to engage in activism.

Throughout history, literature has regularly served as a lightbringer on societal injustices and a catalyst for change, with its impact on humanity transcending time and geography. Across a wide range of urgent topics, literature encompasses the struggles of many and pushes for change.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

The written word gives voice to the disempowered, challenging the normalized status quo and having an irrevocable impact on advocacy. In today’s increasingly complex and divided world, where social media often oversimplifies complex issues, the much-needed nuanced insights offered by literature can serve as a reminder to engage with the world around us and recognize the transformative power that the pen wields.

Literature’s role in shaping social ideals

The writer, a high school student in the United States, is a poet, who is also deeply fascinated by international affairs and global politics. She can be reached at a_sheikh90@yahoo.com