Defining Literature and Civilization

Literature:

• Written works that tell a story
• Writing that has been published and widely accepted by groups of people
• Putting our thoughts and feelings into words

Civilization

• A group of people living together and reproducing
• Voluntary cooperation of a group of people to create a larger society
• Kinda like society

I personally enjoyed this exercise, because I was able to completely put people on the spot and have them define complex ideas off the top of their heads. I tried to note the speed in which they responded and how much thought they had to put into their explanations. As a general trend, it seemed that my interviewees had a more difficult time defining civilization in comparison to literature, in that they spent more time thinking and weren't as confident in their answers. These words are complicated and are not easy to put a singular definition to. I am excited to form my own definitions throughout the coming semester.