What is the role of literature in man's life?

This may seem obvious but for literature to have an influence it must be read. If not, it is as Wordsworth says "as is a landscape [is] to a blind man's eye ("Tintern Abbey" line 25). Literature has no influence on the lives of those who do not read,

That being established academics constantly try to justify the study of literature--we know it is good for people to read, but we hate admitting the central fact that literature exists not for the high purposes of influencing people for good, but for -- first and foremost -- to give pleasure. Literature entertains.

Now while entertaining it can do all sorts of things for the reader. It can, for example, expand the reader's understanding of those around him or her. For those who read, literature offers the lives and perspectives of thousands of others, alike to the reader in their humanity yet different and expanding in their uniqueness. How can a man understand the thoughts of women? Read what women write. Can a Christian understand a Jew or a Muslim? Read what they write.

But in all this there is a problem which exists in the question asked. Literature as C.S. Lewis writes in An Experiment in Criticism, should not be used for any purpose other than to draw an individual out of him or herself. Art (and literature is art) should not be valued for what it can be used for (like influencing for good) but for its ability to cause the one who is experiencing the art (by viewing or reading) to forget him or herself.