SOME REMARKS ABOUT THE RELATION BETWEEN SOCIOLOGY AND LITERATURE

The aim of this essay is to draw the attention of sociologists to literature as one of the possible sources of inspiration for sociological analysis. Because of the fact that this area is often neglected by sociologists, it is important to remember about it as a sociological phenomenon. Not only are potential relations between sociology and literature brought to attention here, but also the ways in which sociologists may deal with literature in their research. Therefore some 'perspectives of sociology and literature' are brought to mind. This text, conceptual in assumption, refers to theoretically established ways of looking at a literary work as a basis for sociological interpretation. It is a problem, however, how the sociological research on literature ought to be done. This issue has also been mentioned and it has been emphasized that contact with literature, being an artistic material, could not be limited to precisely defined methods, which are usually used in a sociological study. Furthermore, questions of social and ideological engagement of literature, the social role of a writer and literary communication have also been raised. It is also brought up that research on sociology of literature also concerns the social context of formation of these works, their meaning to the target reader and historical factors connected with their creation. The subject matter for a sociologist can be the content of a work of art, because it is possible to deduce rules which create a certain model, on which a literary and social world is based. It has been strongly highlighted that a sociologist may treat fictional realia in the same way in which he treats the real world.