'Till America has learned to love literature not as an amusement, not as a mere doggerel to memorize in a college room, but for its humanizing and ennobling energy, my dear reverend president, she will not have succeeded in that high sense which alone makes a nation out of a people. That which raises it from a dead name to a living power.'
In "The Dante Club," Matthew Pearl emphasizes the importance of literature in shaping a nation's character. The quote highlights the need for America to appreciate literature not just as entertainment or a superficial academic exercise, but as a vital force that enriches the human experience. This deeper understanding of literature is essential for the development of a truly unified nation. It suggests that literature possesses the transformative power to elevate society,...
