What is Literature?
Literature is any piece of knowledge in written or verbal form that exposes Man, reforms the readers and listeners, and serves as a source of entertainment.
Firstly, the literature will expose Man. Man is bad or good or mixture of both so the literature will unveil the evils, misdeeds, weaknesses, errors etc. as well as it will show the virtue, good deeds, strength of character also. Man has mind and heart so the feelings, emotions, passions as well as thoughts, ideas, plans etc are the subjects of discussion in literature. Man can't live isolated that's why Man's relationship with Man on the one hand and on the other his relation with the environment where he lives, is under discussion. Everything about Man is exposed in Literature. Man is the center of discussion.
Secondly, the literature reforms us. For example, when we watch a drama, a movie or any story we find some characters villainous, bad and evil. We try to refrain us from developing those evils in ourselves. In fact, we don't think the wrong deeds as bad when we practice them rather we consider them evils when we observe them in others. So we reform us when we look at the villains considering them immoral and harmful for humanity. On the other hand, we adopt the virtues preached by heroes and good characters as well. So it is obvious that literature reforms the masses by showing what is good and what is bad.
Thirdly, the literature amuses and entertains us. When we watch a movie, we are engrossed by the story, the plot, the suspense on the one side and on the other songs, the dance, scenes of beauty allure us, making us attentive the literature keeps on entertaining us.
In a nut shell, the literature exposes Man, reforms Man and entertains Man.