1.

Asian Literature and African Literature

The fundamental truth of life and human nature represented in the stories is that we
humans are accountable for our own actions and must be responsible in facing possible
consequences from them. Humans can easily be blinded by greed and selfish desires.
Living is the most difficult but fundamental aspect of life; there are numerous
temptations, opportunities for making poor judgments, and influences that are all around
us in the form of other people or situations that we are currently in. The place that we
lived in is not cruel as we think it is, but as we grow older, we are exposed of different
dilemmas in life. Our choices can rather have a good outcome or the other way around.

To live is not just for ourselves but for other people as well. Let us teach ourselves to be
kind at any circumstances in life because it can inspire other people to do the same.
Power and money are not the only things that matter in this world but unity and respect to
one another. As someone who’s making a significant contribution for the future, let us
dream and hope to live a much more comfortable and better place wherein old mistakes
of our forefathers are no longer bound to repeat again, and equality and justice can speak
louder than it has been.

2. The Japanese Literature

The characteristics of Japanese literature frequently focus on subjects such as love,
hardships in life, poverty, social and economic issues, etc. Most are constructed in
structural form, use emotional expression, and use figurative language.

3. The Indian Literature

Savitri (Excerpt from Mahabharata)
In the poem, Satyavan is depicted traveling with Death into the utter silence beyond,
while Savitri sheds her sheaths and sinks into the trance of her soul in order to remain
with Satyavan. Princess Savitri marries Satyavan, an exiled prince who is foretold to pass
away young. She convinces the god of death, Yama, to give her husband back his life,
thus saving him from the god of death. It has a heroine of exceptional talent, is written in
blank verse, has a noble theme, exquisite language and style, and Satyavan, the story's
hero, is the embodiment of truth. The epic also includes references to the gods and their
proxies Yama and Narad.

Unending Love (Rabindranath Tagore)

Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore is a heartfelt poem about a speaker's devotional
love for his beloved. Love is the most wonderful thing in life—for people to love or to be
loved. There are various kinds of love and ways to express it. Being able to feel and
experience love can have a significant impact on someone’s life. We may not be able to
forget these people we shared our lives with. But sometimes, love is not just being with
someone special but comes in various forms, such as from friends, colleagues, family,
pets, hobbies, etc. In love, it requires trust and loyalty. Love is not just about making
yourself comfortable with it; it can also take the form of pain and letting go. No matter
what love may let us feel and experience, in the end there are always beautiful lessons
 from it: to grow as an individual and to not forget those people who made you feel like
someone who was loved by them.

4. The African Literature

The Search for Everlasting Life
In this epic, we are taught that death is inevitable. We cannot avoid natural things in life
because we are just someone created by God. The everlasting life can only be attained by
humbling ourselves and accepting God in our life, that He is in control of everything;
both living and non-living things.

The Story of the Flood

The story of the flood conveys the message of God’s promise of salvation. To believe in
him and follow his steps in everything that we encounter in life. In this world that we live
in, which is consumed by earthly desires, temptations, and a lack of faithfulness, we are
bound to bear the consequences of our decisions and actions. People commit sins, but
God never despises us; instead, before we ask for forgiveness from Him, He has already
shown us mercy because He has an unwavering love for us.

The Dress the Sang (Folktale)

In this folktale, it shows that you reap what you sow. Comparing ourselves to what other
people have can result in jealousy and discontent. It is no good that we don’t know how
to appreciate what we have in life; it affects not only your life but you as a person. The
two characters represent how we handle the mundane things that are present in our lives.
To take revenge is not an option to make a person realize that he hurt you or wronged
you; instead, doing the right thing will reward you in the end.

A Thousand and One Nights/The Arabian Nights

Being betrayed by someone you love is painful, as someone left you for a natural cause.
In this story, it tells us how fidelity is important when in a relationship with someone. To
commit and value each other is more likely to build a foundation for being with that
person in the long run, but sometimes our love for someone can betray us more if we are
no longer in control of our own feelings and emotions. It is important to set boundaries so
that we are not left with none at the end.

5. The Hebrew Literature

 The Prodigal Son
In life, perhaps, we encounter experiences where we think highly of ourselves that
apparently were caused by greediness and inferiority. The famous parable of the
prodigal son relates to what I personally experienced when I was in a relationship
with someone of the same sex. In those moments of my life, I made my darkest
and most regrettable decision. Up until now, I was ashamed and pitied myself for
all the poor decisions that affected me in the long run. The relationship I had with
my parents was ruined because I broke their trust. I was a disappointment, and I
am disappointed in myself. No matter how hard I tried to justify my actions, I
knew deep in my heart that they were immoral. Our relationship lasted for almost
three long years and ended with the same conflict that we had all those years. The
 breakup was actually a blessing in disguise. He knew what my heart and soul
were weeping for: to be saved from the person who was no good for me. After
that, it felt like the weight on my shoulder was finally lifted, and I knew right then
that there was still hope to change and repent for what I had sinned. Now, I
learned my lessons. I acknowledge my mistakes and still trying to forgive myself
because I know that God was with me all throughout my life, and He was the
reason why I have the strength to overcome my shortcomings and the desire to
live the life that He intended me to live.

 Psalm 91
Psalm 91 conveys the message that, in the midst of our hardships in life, God has
always been with us. As a college student and as someone whose future is not yet
decided, I often feel anxious about what will happen to me in the future—if I will
be successful, pursue my professional career, get financially stable, or, moreover,
if I am still someone who’s not capable of fulfilling her life goals. Who knows?
When I am having mental breakdowns about this kind of stuff, I tend to feel
occupied, drained, and exhausted. The emptiness I feel inside affects how I handle
and function with my responsibilities. In these times of my life, I asked for
strength and guidance from God through prayers because I knew that He already
had plans for me, and with God, there were no impossibilities. If you let God
enter your life and feel Him in your heart, you will feel rest assured that all things
that are happening in your life are under the control of God, and everything will
be put in its place where it should be.

 The Book of Ruth

I can relate the Book of Ruth to my life experience in friendship. To have friends
is like having a second family—not by blood but by heart. You welcome these
people around you and let them be part of your life. In friendship, we are taught to
be loyal, to care wholeheartedly, to learn how to give without expecting anything
in return, and to simply be there with them through happy and difficult moments
in life. We are not taught to get envious and compete, because these two things
are the reasons for jealousy and hatred, and they are much scarier because they
are capable of ruining everything in between and even our own selves. Instead,
we do things in the best way we can for love and sisterhood, for these are the
foundations of true and genuine friendship.