The Philosophy of Life in Literature and Art
Life—its messy, complicated, often confusing mess—is something we all try to make sense of. And guess what? Literature and art has been trying to do the same thing, probably since humans first figured out how to draw on cave walls. You see, when we read a novel or stare at a painting, we’re not just looking at words or colors; we digging into what it means to be. The feelings, the struggles, the little moments of joy and despair—they’re all there, laid out like a messy diary that speaks directly to the soul.
One thing that gets me every time, is how characters in books or figures in paintings often shows us the contradictions in ourselves. Like, why do we crave connection but fear being vulnerable? Why we chase happiness but sometimes find more comfort in sadness? Literature and art don’t just give answers—actually, many times they don’t give any clear answers at all. Instead, they forces us to sit with our uncomfortable feelings, to face those questions without easy fixes. Maybe that’s the point? Maybe life isn’t about solving everything, but about learning to sit with the questions, like art asks us to do.
And it’s not just the big stuff, either. Sometimes its the smallest details that reveals the biggest truths. A worn-out chair in a painting, or a simple conversation in a book. These details remind us that life’s philosophy isn’t always found in grand speeches or dramatic moments, but in the ordinary, often overlooked scenes. Like how a single glance can say more than a thousand words, or how a paragraph can make you rethink what you thought you knew about love or pain.
So next time you picking up that book or looking at a piece of art, try not just to enjoy it like background noise. Think about what it’s telling you about life, maybe more than you’re ready to hear. Because under all the beauty and the chaos, art and literature are like mirrors—they show us not just what is, but what could be, and what maybe should be if we only brave enough to listen.
