Evolution and Literary Studies: Time to Evolve

This essay has two aims: first, to reexamine the assumption that literature is evolutionarily beneficial, and second, to argue that, rather than focusing on the alleged biological base of literature, we should examine the similarities and differences between biological and literary evolution. To illustrate the usefulness of such examination, I briefly discuss terms such as “survival” and “lineage.” The article concludes with the suggestion that literature is good for us, not necessarily because it contributes to life but because it contributes to a life worth living.