This analysis considers the intricate relationship between "literature" and critical modelling within the framework of the EXC 2020 Temporal Communities research agenda. It asserts that the term "literature" relies on intricate, often unacknowledged modelling operations in literary studies, necessitating explicit scrutiny. The Insight posits literature as a consequence of non-representational modelling, underscoring the importance of making these practices explicit in a global context. The Insight invites further exploration of temporal communities, which seeks to offer alternative perspectives on "literature" and challenges existing models by emphasising literature as a fundamentally social and performative practice.