At its most powerful, literature creates empathy, a vital spark to help us feel and understand the experiences of others distant from our own.
We are able to grasp their joy, pain, or sorrow. Reading a book that mirrors your own life experience can validate that what you are going through or who you are has meaning — without the burdens that society can impose.
At a recent PEN America discussion, two distinguished authors pointed to the importance of empathy and affirmation in literature.
The event in New York City celebrated PEN America’s centenary with a conversation among literary luminaries that included Margaret Atwood, Ayad Akhtar, Dave Eggers, Jennifer Finney Boylan, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.