The Relationship between History and Literature

I think that Literature cannot be separated from History, and vice versa. What is History? It is you and me, it is our parents and our ancestors. And throughout time humans have had the need to record History whether that may be world changing events, or the story of how they found their significant other. History and Literature affect and transform each other. Each is a reflection of the other. Bret Easton Ellis’ Less Than Zero can be considered by some to be an incredible example of upper class teenagers living in California during de 1980s. It represents pop culture and its effects on young people during a specific time. It represents the repercussions of human action. Ultimately, this is part of History, and it is communicated through a novel; through literature. This is just a small and simple example of millions that can link History and Literature to one another.

It is easy to realize how much History is part of a literary work when you see that it was written by someone living in a historical context, and the book itself is happening inside a historical context as well. It is influenced by that context. I believe that Literature is a great representation of History. We can know about ancient civilisations, and of the 1960s thanks to literary works that have represented those times. Literature works that later become a part of History. It is hard for me to think independently of these terms since they seem completely intertwined to me. Whatever the purpose of a writer or a historian is, in the end I think you can find History in Literature, and Literature in History.