The role of literature in humanities teaching

The ignorance and lack of reading is a matter of much concern nowadays in the information society. Reading books in foreign languages is even more important for students learning those languages. In teaching English literature we want students not only enjoy aestheticically but also perceive the text and understand it as a philologist, a specialist in cross-cultural relations, which is a pure cognitive activity. Understanding cultural differences and similarities in British and Russian societies can be taught using good examples of contemporary British literature, analyzing and commenting on and interpreting some specific information.