Why read literature?

“Built to Last”, a recent article in the NY Times Book Review asked an important question: “Why study literature?” Here is one of the responses that most resonated with me.

 “Life without literature is a life reduced to penury. It expands you in every way. It illuminates what you’re doing. It shows you possibilities you haven’t thought of. It enables you to live the lives of other people than yourself. It broadens you, it makes you more human. It makes life enjoyable.”