IN A TIME WHEN SYSTEMATIC KNOWLEDGE AND SPECIALIZATION ARE ON THE ASCENT, PARTICULARLY WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THOSE WHO VALUE LITERATURE BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE EFFECTIVELY ITS PROPER PLACE IN EDUCATION AND IN LIFE. WHILE MULTITUDINOUS ARGUMENTS CAN BE ASSEMBLED IN THE DEFENSE OF LITERATURE AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF A NATION'S CULTURAL LIFE AND EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM, THEY SOMETIMES DEFEAT ONE ANOTHER OR IGNORE WHAT LITERATURE CAN UNIQUELY CONTRIBUTE TO HUMAN LIFE. THUS, LITERATURE IS SAID, ON THE ONE HAND, TO EMBODY OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND, ON THE OTHER, TO BE A SHAPING FORCE IN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE. TO SOME IT SEEMS TO PROVIDE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL INSIGHTS, WHEREAS OTHERS VIEW IT AS THE SOURCE OF "EMOTIONAL SURGES AND TONES" WHICH BEAR NO RELATION TO EVERYDAY REALITY OR THE ANATOMY OF THE HUMAN PSYCHE. SOMETIMES IGNORED, HOWEVER, IS THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WHICH THE INFORMED AND SENSITIVE READING OF LITERATURE CAN GENERATE--AN EXPERIENCE OF DISCOVERY, COMPLEXITY, AND INSIGHT WHICH HEIGHTENS THE INHERENT AND UNIQUELY HUMAN QUALITIES OF PERCEPTION AND REFLECTION. IT IS AT THIS EXPERIENCE THAT THE LINES OF DEFENSE MIGHT BEST BE DRAWN. FOR THE OPENNESS, SENSITIVITY, IMAGINATION, AND ENERGETIC INTELLIGENCE NECESSARY FOR AND INTENSIFIED BY THE RESPONSIVE READING OF LITERATURE ARE THE VERY QUALITIES NECESSARY FOR ENRICHED HUMAN LIFE. (DOCUMENT ALSO AVAILABLE FROM NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH, CHAMPAIGN, ILL., ORDER NO. 36357, $1.00.) (DL)