diff --git a/rewrite-java/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/java/trait/Literal.java b/rewrite-java/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/java/trait/Literal.java
index 8302740949b..07c8715eeed 100644
--- a/rewrite-java/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/java/trait/Literal.java
+++ b/rewrite-java/src/main/java/org/openrewrite/java/trait/Literal.java
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ public boolean isNotNull() {
         return !isNull();
     }
 
+    public String getString() {
+        return getValue(String.class);
+    }
+
     public <@Nullable T> T getValue(Class<T> type) {
         return getValue(mapper.constructType(type));
     }