Just a pile of books...

"Is it possible to get, in however crude and sketchy a way, some bird's eye view of what literature as a whole is about: considered, that is, as a coherent subject of study and not just a pile of books?" (pg. 26)

I only think some parts of this quote hold true. I do not think it’s possible to fully understand what literature as a whole is about. However, I do think it is possible to have some “crude and sketchy” birds eye view, but then again, not as a coherent subject of study. As much as we may try to completely understand literature, we cannot. It is too vast of an area to cover. You can sail the seven seas, but you will never know every inch of its waters. Meaning, yes we can crudely take a birds eye view on the whole matter, but that doesn't teach us anything. I believe you have only truly understood something when you can relate it to a bigger idea. To begin to understand literature we must go back to the basics. Maybe if we understand how literature started we can then better understand it on a whole.

Throughout the book, “The Educated Imagination”, Frye often comes back to the deserted island metaphor. I think what he is trying to do here is explain things in simple terms. What’s simpler than being stranded on an island? But if we do go back to the beginning, there’s no guarantee we’ll get to the end. In conclusion, I do not think it is possible to have an absolute understanding of literature, as much as we may try.