The IAFOR Journal of Literature and Librarianship
Volume 3 – Issue 1 – Winter 2014

The IAFOR Journal of Literature and Librarianship
Volume 3 – Issue 1 – Winter 2014

The IAFOR Journal of Literature and Librarianship
Volume 3 – Issue 1 – Winter 2014

The concept of “world literature” can be viewed as insisting on returning to reading a text
without the mechanical use of literary theory. This means, as Zhang Longxi notes, referring to
Kermode, “tak[ing] whatever theoretical help you fancy, but follow[ing] your nose” (Zhang
2010, 7; Kermode 2004, 85)
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and reading literature through multidimensional
interpretations. If I can regard the reading of a text put in the framework of literary theory as a
kind of paternalistic and dogmatic “check-up,” then I will label the alternative, reading
literature in a kind of follow-your-nose way, Rogerian empathy—the understanding of the
“voice” of a text from its internal framework of references. However, this raises a simple
question: How should we read literature from a certain area from the viewpoints of other
language-speaking areas? “The deconstruction,” Paul de Man says, “constituted the text in the
first place” (1979, 17), but if so, meanings of sentences are defined on the basis of a reader’s
socio-cultural background—such as traditions, ways of thinking, and laws—and emotion. A
person’s reading of literature in another language might always result in misreading in a sense.
However, we cannot simply call it misreading, because “I feel, therefore I am.” From a
neurological perspective, intelligence and emotion are united. Intelligence and feeling link to
the faculty of reason, and emotion has a critical role in enhancing one’s faculties.As brain scientist Antonio R. Damasio mentions, “Emotion, feeling and biological regulation all play a
role in human reasoning” (2005, 8). In our global society, we should empathize with and
understand voices, or interpretations, in the world, and discuss them together on a world scale
in order to cross-culturally understand each other and promote peace.

Keywords: world literature, comparative literature, literary theory, cross-cultural

Richard Donovan