Books are a wellspring of knowledge for those who are taught to read them correctly, but so is life.
One could state that every subject has to do with discovering patterns, it's just that the method in which we address them that differs. Mathematics is about searching for patterns in the numbers, science in the mechanics of the universe, history the past and geographics the natural environment; literature is no different. By seriously deconstructing some of the best books to have ever been composed, you are training yourself to notice patterns in character and meaning, a skill that is just as beneficial off the page as on. Patterns are everywhere, they underpin our community, our history, our behaviour-- literature attempts to comprehend and communicate these patterns in a manner that is almost inexpressible. In fact, they require entire books with built worlds to attempt to speak about them. Possibly novelists do it automatically, but for academics, it is their job to unpick these patterns and utilize them to provide a higher insight on books, life, and the universe.
Common wisdom can split humankind into 2 kinds of people-- the left-brainers and the right-brainers. In the left corner, we have those whose methodical and systematic minds are perfectly fit to subjects like mathematics or the sciences, whilst the more creative thinkers in the right corner usually tend to go towards the humanities, like literature or drama. Be this the modern-day equivalent of an old-wife's tale is beside the point, anybody can keep in mind the clear partition in school in between those that enjoyed English and those that were mad for maths. Both equally mystified by the appeal of the other, however with wildly distinctive future chances, it's maybe more difficult to understand why studying classic books is so important. After all, even those who deal in books, like those that work at the hedge fund that owns Waterstones or impact investor with a stake in World of Books, are mathematically apt. So, simply what is the point in reading English literature?
Perhaps the essential misconception relating to the study of literature is that its end goal is reading and grasping the best books of all time. Whilst this might be the means, it is not the end. Truly, all one would have to do is pop down to one of the shops supported by the association that backs Bookshop.org to organize that, a pastime to be taken pleasure in whilst studying a more practical topic. No, the study of literature is the research of human idea, a method of comprehending our state and the world that we have produced through the words of some of mankind's biggest ever thinkers. More than that though, it has to do with seeing, noticing, and comprehending symbolic patterns, the often-overlooked currents of significance hidden in every corner of life.