There are many fields in the world. However, I believe studying history and literature should be mandatory contrast to studying science and mathematics. History enhances the understanding of the cultural and social context and literature helps gain new insight in various topics on living whereas science and mathematics only focus on formulas not much about life.
First of all, history teaches a chronological order of the country's formation, adversities and how the country overcomes. This information aids in understanding the current cultural and social context. To take a personal example, when I first came to Australia, I knew nothing about the Australian history. As I attended the history classes, my vague understanding in Australian culture elucidated. I gained knowledge of development of interaction with Aboriginal peoples from the age of white policy and saying sorry day and Australian role in Vietnam War. This example illustrates that history is a necessary subject.
Moreover, learning literature widens one's perspectives on oneself, the society and the world. Since literature plays with a vast range of issues, students naturally gain new views and opinions through different type of texts such as feature articles, biographies and novels. For instance, in English classes, students are to read the same book, discuss, evaluate their own ideas by writting. During this process, students endow different ways of looking at the same material, skills of effective communication and writing. Since all of these skills are indispensable in professional world, students benefit a lot from literature.
In brief, in fact, in many countries literature and history are compulsory whereas science and mathematics are optional. Does not it clearly prove that even though every subjects are important in its own way, the advantages of literature and history far outweigh studying for science and mathematics.
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