In order to become well-rounded individuals, all college students  should be required to take courses in which they read poetry novels, mythology and other types of imaginative literature.

A solid foundation in education of its citizens  is one of the prerequisites for the socioeconomic development of a nation.  The educational process  as whole has a lot of potential for improvement and efforts to revamp the system are called for . In order  to increase its ability to develop and nurture  well-rounded individuals, some people argue that all college students  should be required to take courses in which they read poetry novels, mythology and other types of imaginative literature. I do not agree with this argument. Though options of pursuing imaginative literature should be widely available in the curriculum, I do not think that it should be made a mandatory requirement.

Every individual is unique in terms of their talents, passions and style of learning. Not everyone shares the same level of appreciation for poetry, mythology and fiction. It is  unreasonable to force some one to take courses in imaginative literature  if they loathe the same. A student who is  passionate about science, one who aspires to be a lab scientist or researcher, one who wants to be a mathematician, all  may prefer to spent their time and efforts  in college where they can build their skill sets for a solid career in their chosen field. They may find the mandatory literature courses tedious and boring, and a unrewarding distraction for from their focus of interest. A college education is expensive, and in these trying economic times,  such mandatory courses may not provide the value to the money spent. Even worse some students may just not complete their college education if forced to take courses they have no interest in, there by jeopardizing their future.

Poetry, novels and other types of imaginative literature, all help to widen a person’s imagination. They  take them to a different realm of experience. Depending on their topics, these works of art have the potential to educate and  inspire students, motivate them and  may also play a role in developing  into them into well rounded individuals. However,  more than a few courses in college, several other factors help to mould the character of a well rounded individual . Practical experiences in one’s life, active participation in sports and other activities, volunteering in the community , all may contribute to personality development. By the time a students completes high school, they should have adequate exposure to the field of imaginative literature. If this is not the case the curriculum in schools may be modified to achieve this goal. Once out of high school, students  who have decided on a strong career  path should be given the option of focusing more on their chosen field on interest. For all others, the option should of taking courses in various other disciplines including imaginative literature can be encouraged.