New, Yet Still Familiar

Northrop Frye stated that though literature may be new, yet is "recognizably the same thing as the old". I found his comparison to a human child profound- though each is an individual, it is still very similar to those that have come before it. Each piece of literature may bring something new into the world, but they are building on what has come before them. I find it interesting to analyse how similar themes or structures are between very different pieces of literature. Yet despite the similarities, the plot, characters, emotions, and many other factors can make it unique and interesting. We can read many books with the same theme yet find each one new and refreshing. Even though we may think a book or play is dissimilar from anything else we have read, does not mean that the general structures and themes have not been written about before. The way literature is presented is what changes it and allows us to see things in a new light.