‘Words and ideas can change the world.’

As John Keating (Robin Williams’ character in ‘Dead Poets Society’) told us all those years ago, ‘No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world’. This must always be one of our core beliefs, because literature is imagination, inspiration, and nonconformity. In this post-modern world, literature is our biggest weapon, although it may also be the most overlooked one.

The belief that English Literature degrees are economically futile and inherently selfish is becoming increasingly common around the world. However, in my opinion, studying humanities subjects actually develops our empathy and critical thinking skills. While it can arguably not be profitable, literature encourages passion. It can be seen as a means of protest, which is more crucial than ever in today’s misinformation epidemic.

Some might insist that in our globalised, competitive economy, science-oriented jobs pay better; they are necessary for moving forward into our inevitably technological future. Moreover, as a result the cost of living crisis that we are experiencing, many students are choosing STEM degrees over Literature ones due to their profitableness. Nonetheless, one could argue money is not the main indicator of success - knowledge and critical thinking skills are. These are more valuable than ever as they protect us from deception in an age of mass media where we are constantly bombarded with false facts and misleading headlines. It is the study of language that teaches us how to think for ourselves. We must remember the importance of forming opinions, a skill that is declining due to the loss of culture and the lack of young writers. In an incredibly polarised era, where we are pawns in the tech giants’ game, true power lies in the ability to speak out against corruption and falsehood.

In addition to these skills, English Literature teaches empathy, which is crucial in the mental-health crisis that we are experiencing right now, with more and more teenagers struggling with anxiety and depression. The only way to combat the hyper fixation on productivity that is stressing thousands of students around the world is through indulgence in the arts. The articulateness and literacy that English Literature helps us develop is essential to make up for the widespread loss of writing skill caused by the ‘bitesize’ content epidemic - it increases our concentration span while encouraging passions. The decline of enrolment rates in English Literature courses is much more worrying than we think. Where is our next generation of writers coming from? Who will speak out against tyranny and injustice? These concerns might seem trivial to us now, but if we let this loss of culture continue we will soon see the loss of freedom and self-determination.

To conclude, it is imperative that we fight against the closure of English Literature courses in order to preserve creativity, empathy and critical thinking in society in future generations, just as previous generations have done for us.

By Cayetana Rica (Year 13)