In 9th grade, I was obsessed with Ancient Egypt, and used King Tut as the subject for a research paper I was required to write for Honors English. I checked out over a dozen books from the library, consumed
In Defense of Literature
Literature is one of the few places where we can safely practice curiosity, intellectual humility, and empathy toward lives we haven't lived. When we reduce it to a vehicle for validation, we lose the opportunity to practice engaging with disagreement, or to recognize that a story, idea, or person can offer something worthwhile without aligning with us on every point.