Why Study Literature? by Dr. Thomas Jordan 

It's crazy to think that I graduated 5 years ago now as an exercise science major and one of the courses that I remember most is Dr. Jordan's American Literature course. So much that I still have his critique on one of my essays saved and read it often! Dr. Jordan was a once in a lifetime instructor that I'm extremely grateful to have had the pleasure of learning from and definitely brought out the best in me. If I could go back in time I definitely would have thought about majoring in English!

I personaly loved this video. It reminded me why I'm at Graduate School and the importance of becoming a Literature professor. I know that the effort this journey involves will be very rewarding.

Watching this in 2018, it's frightening to see how much of his concern about the future of literature courses has come to pass.

Thank you, you have just made me realise, that seriously - English literature is for me.

Dr. Thomas Jordan has done a fine job...

Literature class is no cake walk, however is a course that a student can be feed bit by bit in order to become efficient, also depending on that student previous experience in other literature classes and his learning level.

Some great ideas presented here.

The problem, for me, with this idea that the value of studying literature derives from the sensitivity with which it teaches us to handle real-life narratives, is that one could just skip literature then and study law or politics or sociology directly.

I sensed some sort of virtue signaling when he said a Nigerian woman is her favorite authors.

"I realize many of today's television programs don't match up to Shakespeare" -- this guy teaches literature at university. This is the worst defense of literature I've ever heard.

speaker claims all politics are Marxist politics. nope! and his story about his handicapped sister is a bad choice. how can you study literature and not be able to express the power and feeling of storytelling?? Crash Course Literature is way ahead of this video

Yes, sir! Yes, sir! This preaching you're doing is called literary nonfiction? This is clinical propaganda, dull, whiny, cliche, anti-life, with an inflexible and woke tone. Tritely, you're looking for villains, trying yourself to be a victim as well. Why not count your blessings? Why not highlight what's good? By highlighting good, you indirectly teach what's bad and at the same time teach hope. You're preaching revolutionary bleakness, not empowerment. Even at 19:35 you sound bored of your own voice and talk. At least in the end (in a stunning example of talking from both sides of your mouth) you claim literature is NOT propaganda, but of course you are teaching that it most certainly is. This class should be called An Economic Analysis of Literature: Power and Morality, Contesting Narratives and Preparing for a Life of Antagonism While Dividing the Nation.

Worst presentation ever.

23 minutes......this is way too long. I'm not watching it, I had to find another video that is less than 5-10 min.

Probably one of the worst lectures I have heard!

It's bullshit 😲