Objectivity in Literature

We're often familiar with the thought process that adamantly proposes that literature is highly subjective and by nature is hard to analyze and difficult to possess qualities that can be ranked and could be criticized.

I disagree. Literature, if it's been done with class, taste and intelligence, if the written proposed pages are true literature can be discussed maturely, accurately, intelligently and objectively. It can be analyzed, criticized and can be redeemed bad or good without being subjective.

Sure, when it comes to reading we all have our own preferences. I dislike harlequin novels, romance novels and novels written with formula fictions, with 1 or two dimensional characters and a plot that's obvious from the title and the book cover, an ending I can guess from the first sentence of the book. That is my own prerogative and my taste. Can I judge the person who reads those books? Absolutely not. It's his or her own choice. But can I define, analyze and judge the written word and deem if it's written well or badly? Absolutely! Now, don't get me wrong. People are free to write whatever they like, people are also free to read whatever they like. But this does not exempt the text from to be analyzed and given a bad grade, just because it's their prerogative to read that book. It is what it is. Literature is meant to be objectively analyzed, and not all books written actually possess literature. Just because it's written, been published and sells well does not make that book a piece of literature or even a good book. People may like it, but it does not make it a good, comprehensive, superb book. So, what do I like? I like classics, I like modern books that are insightful and real, outside of the consumerist carnivorous culture that seems to create a gaping hole in the middle of my soul and brain. Books that can make me think about the modern world and take me to the lives of people who are very unlike me in every aspect possible.

Literature, is highly objective in my eyes. Allow me to explain. Writers, inspired by different generational authors, styles and topics write differently according to their education, experience and mind processes. Most pronounced and widely anthologized writers, most widely analyzed and discussed writers have different and unique styles, with different literary theory school techniques, and the said writers usually focus in one or two similar genres, sub-genres, with certain topics in mind that the author would like to investigate, delve in and discover.  A true writer, will not only captivate you with his or her writing style, different literary techniques used (from symbolism to metaphor, from alliteration to onomatopoeia, from foreshadowing to narration style) but with original characters and a breathtaking world that will make you rethink your own life up to thus far and make you recognize the emotions that you've felt all these times, all these different times but were unable to define and embrace them, the recognition of your own thoughts and emotions in depth, with the addition to the ones you will discover in the said good book (for example, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad). A good book, meaning literature, will make the topic being discussed no matter how mundane or fantastical to appear real, relevant, significant and interesting, even if you're not particularly interested in the topic the writer has written about.

Style, techniques, elements, logic, characters, these can and should be judged without harming the objectivity of the reader or the criticizer. It does not make that person a bad person, a depressed person, a person with a cold heart or without a heart at all. Sure, not many people will like similar topics. For example, topic X could be well liked by audience A while audience B may hate it, but instead like topic Y and it's sub-genres. These are normal as no two fingers are the same in our two hands, yet they belong to the same person, us.

So, is there objectivity in literature? Absolutely yes! Can it define and break books into different categories of books such as good books and badly written books? Yes, it can and it should.