Pleasure in Reading

In Peter Barry's Beginning Theory, there is one particular quote that stuck in my mind. On page 24, in the first full paragraph of the page, Barry explains that, "The notion of literature giving pleasure will now seem an unremarkable sentiment, but Sidney’s aim was the revolutionary one of distinguishing literature from other forms of writing, on the grounds that, uniquely, literature has as it primary aim the giving of pleasure to the reader.” (Barry 24) It is also explained that works of fiction and the like were thought of as works of the devil. (24). Why do you think that fictional works, poetry, and representation works were thought of as works of the devil?

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