By Jennifer L. Williams | 01/28/2026
The study of literature has long been recognized as one of the chief hallmarks of a well-rounded education. Studying literature provides us with a snapshot of the human condition and teaches empathy, which is helpful in many career fields. Literature also teaches us about the challenges to our lives and our own experiences as we navigate personal relationships in the working world.
Literature is an art form, but a writer does not need to be an artist. Taking a creative writing course, for example, has several benefits. For instance, it:
- Hones our written communication
- Improved our knowledge of the writing process
- Allows for the expression of our own values in everyday life
Studying literature matters beyond just gaining a deeper comprehension of cultural, social, and political ideas as expressed by writers. Our own lives are enriched through masterful storytelling as we wrestle with the ideas presented in great novels and poems.
Four Reasons Why the Study of Literature Is Beneficial
There are four reasons why reading literature goes beyond just English courses:
- First, the various themes of literature teach us about being human and the various aspects of life.
- Second, a narrative helps us develop empathy with other people. It also provides insights that we may take into the workplace as we recognize similar qualities among our coworkers and leaders at our workplace.
- Third, reading great literature develops our vocabulary and gives us the ability to develop regular reading habits.
- Fourth, we gain emotional experience from stories. We measure civilizations by their literature and the inheritance that they have passed down. If we do not study literature, then we lose this understanding.
What Literature Teaches Us
When we read short stories, novels, or plays from English literature or other genres, literature helps us to better comprehend what it means to be human. Human beings are part of an ongoing story. The pages of literature serve to connect us to people, and we better understand our own humanity.
We can apply critical thinking skills to literary works of the past to grasp how we relate to each work. These complex texts require our full attention to learn about the themes expressed in these collective works and they help us to develop and strengthen our critical thinking skills. Literary studies open us to new ideas and may alter the perspective on the world we know through rich, descriptive fictional work.
Written works transport us through time periods that we cannot visit as we seek to appreciate different cultures and experiences. When we read about a character who faces personal difficulties, literature helps us understand their fictional lives in relation to our modern values and situation.
Business Skills Gained from Reading Literary Works
Do we gravitate toward people that are like us or different from us? We learn as much about our differences as we do the similarities of the human condition when reviewing the motivations of different literary characters.
By reading A Christmas Carol, how do we react to Bob Cratchit’s miserly boss, Ebenezer Scrooge? What do we feel about Elinor and Marianne Dashwood when they lose their father and their home in Sense and Sensibility?
Is there a co-worker going through a situation that requires empathy? While we may not read a novel to understand the human condition, it is a way to learn that many themes of life transcend time.
Literature increases our emotional intelligence and provides insights into the human mind of another person. We identify with these people from literary fiction and quickly see their plight in others around us. We may find a way to make a connection with someone who is very different from us but reminds us of our humanity.
Reading literature may support the development of transferable skills such as empathy, critical thinking, and communication, which are valued in many professional settings. Reading literary works can also be useful with:
- Navigating challenging situations – Life inevitably has challenges. By seeing how a fictional character overcomes challenges and triumphs, that provides inspiration for our own lives.
- Understanding ambiguity – Sometimes, business situations can be complicated, and it’s hard to know how to act in the right way. Literature shows us that life isn’t always black or white, and it can offer a guide on how to act.
- Solving problems – In many business environments, knowing how to solve problems in a satisfactory way is a skill sought by many employers. According to Compunnel, “Employers seek individuals who can analyze complex problems, evaluate solutions, and make data-backed decisions.”
Vocabulary Development from Studying Literature
The reading of great literary works develops our understanding of new words and writing skills. We can understand how language usage has changed over time. The study of literature requires mental effort to review and analyze the perspectives, themes, and ideas expressed in great works, whether they are fiction or creative nonfiction.
When we know how to write and speak well, that demonstration of our knowledge reflects positively on us. Literature exposes readers to well-written works and different communication styles, expanding our understanding of the written word. Regular reading on a weekly or even a monthly basis is essential to the development of language skills and the full expression of ideas in any field.
Communication Skills Improve When We Study Literature
The written language, whether it’s in a supply chain analysis or stock report, demands excellence in construction and form. Any strong narrative must be developed and organized to communicate information to others. With practice, students develop good writing skills.
Most businesses have collective stories to tell stakeholders and customers. In business storytelling, a writer needs to not only inform an audience but also engage and even persuade the reader.
Strong communication skills and the importance of the written word to society cannot be underestimated. Now that most of us seek written content online through the aid of technology, communicating well and maintaining digital media literacy is essential.
Literature as Cultural Inheritance
Finally, literature is our cultural inheritance and a way to broaden one's horizons. For instance, James Fenimore Cooper is widely considered the first great novelist in the United States. The Last of the Mohicans, a groundbreaking story for its time, included Native Americans as major protagonists and antagonists.
In this work of literacy fiction, Cooper opens a window to a time of frontier conflict. There are various relationships that take the reader into that work to see it from the protagonists’ and antagonists’ perspectives.
As one of the first American novelists to make a living from writing literature, Cooper created a model for other writers, such as:
- Henry David Thoreau (On Civil Disobedience and Walden’s Pond)
- Herman Melville (Moby Dick)
- Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter)
These works are distinctly American, much as Jane Austen’s works are distinctly British.
For students of literature, great works that have survived over time show the universality of many themes that we would recognize today. Shakespeare’s stories that offer a deeper understanding of political and social corruption, love, betrayal, and broken relationships – as much as Hawthorne’s scathing literary review of Puritanical society – are relevant to the human race today.
In our lives, haven’t we known someone like Shakespeare’s Iago from Othello, a jealous character who delights in emotional manipulation? Similarly, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Nick Carraway from The Great Gatsby is an observer of social class, the decadence of Jazz Age society, and the effects it has on the achievement of the American dream. Carraway is a relatable character as he goes through the novel and ultimately returns to the Midwest in pursuit of a better life.
Written works transport us through time periods that we cannot visit, as we seek to understand different cultures and experiences. We can explore new worlds and broaden our horizons through literature.
Reading is in decline as podcasts and audiobooks take over as sources of entertainment and to fill our time. However, these passive experiences do not involve much literary analysis. Although they entertain, they are less likely to engage our minds completely.
No matter what your academic discipline is, the study of great works is beneficial. This literature will not only expand your horizons but also enliven your mind.
The Bachelor of Arts in English at AMU
For adult learners interested in studying literature and improving their critical thinking and communication skills, American Military University (AMU) provides an online Bachelor of Arts in English. Taught by experienced instructors, students in this degree program can take courses in topics such as research, analysis, and writing, British poetry, American poetry, and linguistics
To suit their personal and professional ambitions, students can choose one of three concentrations:
- General
- Literature
- Writing and communication
For more details about this bachelor’s degree in English, visit AMU’s arts and humanities degree program page.