Literary instruction as a central element of language instruction for non-language majors at the secondary and college level is advocated to remotivate American students to learn languages. This approach is not directed at those who need oral skills, such as prospective language teachers, interpreters, and translators. It is suggested that more could be accomplished by teaching less: students would be taught just to read in the foreign language, using interesting and significant texts. Nonfiction texts and literary texts, including poetry, short stories, novels, and opera libretti, could impart an immediate historical and cultural knowledge and could provide the teacher opportunities to introduce information that would increase the understanding of the text and of its significance. A sensitivity to foreign culture is helpful not only for reading but has its own value and becomes a motivating factor in the language learning process. This concept of literature is broad enough to include an area of individual interest for every student and may result in a habit of reading that will continue beyond school years. The author's personal experiences as a student and the German language are used as examples. (SW)