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Activity 11.1 xploring the concepts of aesthetics and values in literature

(a) Read and act out the following dialogue involving Prof. Pondamali, Maganga
and Fatuma. Professor Pondamali is a university professor in literature, whereas
Maganga and Fatuma are High school students.
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY

Prof. Pondamali: Good afternoon, Maganga and Fatuma. Would you mind if
I joined you?
Maganga: Not at all, Prof. Please, have a seat.

Fatuma: It’s always worthwhile to spend time with you, Prof.
Prof. Pondamali: Thank you. As I was passing by, I heard you talking about
literature. What particular aspect are you two delving into today?
Fatuma: Well, we were just exchanging thoughts on aesthetics and values
in literature. How different eras and styles shape our perceptions
and understanding.

Prof. Pondamali: A fascinating topic indeed! Literature, being a mirror to society,
reflects not only the aesthetics of its time but also the prevailing
values and ideologies. Take, for example, the Romantic era
with its emphasis on individualism and nature’s sublime beauty.
Literature, at that period, was influenced by the political and
economic atmosphere.
Maganga: Yes, the Romantics truly celebrated the emotions and the awe-
inspiring power of nature, didn’t they Prof ?. Their works often
carried themes of rebellion against societal norms and a quest
for authenticity.
Fatuma: Contrastively, in the modern era, we see a shift towards
experimentation and fragmentation in storytelling. Writers
challenged traditional narrative structures, exploring the
complexities of human consciousness and perception.
Prof. Pondamali: Precisely! The modernists shattered conventional forms to
capture the fragmented reality of the post-World War I era.
Their emphasis on subjectivity and the stream-of-consciousness
technique revolutionised the literary landscape. Let me say
this at length. Basically, modernism in literature was a literary
movement that focused on contemporary elements of that time.
This movement was influenced by the rise of capitalism and
with the rapid industrialisation. Authors in that era used multiple
narrators, nonlinear plots and introspection. Themes were

Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) 153 Form Five

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ENGLISH FORM 5.indd 153