Kasi Kaye Iliopoulus, author of Living in Light, Love and Truth, once identified in one of her novels that “knowledge without application is simply knowledge. Applying knowledge to your life is wisdom – and this is the supreme virtue. Iliopoulus is saying that without the application of knowledge in the world, knowledge is simply useless. In my last year of high school, I voluntarily and involuntarily had the pleasure of recalling the memories I gained from my high school experience. I have made fond memories with friends, I have gained an education that will advance me in the world, and I have been taught truths that will remain manifest in my mind. Many writers and authors of the past have included a central message in their works to instill a better vision of the world in the minds of readers. Furthermore, does the study of literature have any value in the world? Why should literature be taught in school? Do these truths add meaning to this study? Over the course of these last four years of English, through the many works that have been studied and through all the knowledge that has been taught, the reader has learned many lessons that will likely impact his or her life, whether or not he or she chooses to listen. or less. ; however, all in all, readers owe many of the universal themes to the works I have read. Our Town, written by Thornton Wilder, closely follows the lives of Emily Webb and George Gibbs as the audience and characters travel from their school days, to their wedding day, to the day of Emily's funeral. There are many universal truths that La Nostra Città offers to the reader; however, one of the main themes is not to let life slip away, but to live it to the fullest while at...... middle of paper...... Without the reader the works would simply be text on a page; the reader brings these words to life in their mind to reveal the secrets of life and the truths of the universe. So, all in all, it is clear that the value of literature is evident within society and deserves to remain a role in it over time. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things fall apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print.Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.Douglass, Frederick. An account of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Cambridge, MA: Belknap, 1960. Print.Hemingway, Ernest. The old man and the sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.Iliopoulos, Kasi Kaye. Living in light, love and truth: You can positively change your life by living in light, love and… Sl: Balboa Pr, 2012. Print.Wilder, Thornton. Our city. New York: Harper, 1957. Print.