Literature as an Educational Tool in Cultivating Human Values

Abstract

The article aims to highlight, as comprehensively as possible, the essential role that literature plays in the formation and cultivation of human values, with a particular focus on its impact within school education. Literature is approached not merely as a form of art or entertainment, but as a valuable tool for shaping moral consciousness, fostering empathy, and developing critical thinking among students. Through an interdisciplinary analysis that integrates perspectives from fields such as ethics, developmental psychology, and pedagogy, the article provides an overview of the theoretical foundations of values and of the ways in which these can be transmitted through literary works. Relevant examples from both world and Romanian literature are also examined, emphasizing how literary texts can offer models of behavior, stimulate reflection on good and evil, on individual and collective responsibility, and encourage a deeper understanding of human character.

Keywords: literature, human values, moral conscience, empathy.