Evaluating Literary Merit LEQ: How can I evaluate the literary merit of a text?

1. Evaluating Literary MeritLEQ: How can I evaluate the literary merit of a text? Mrs. West

2. What is “Merit”? Synonyms: value, credit, worth that entitles recognition, greatness. Merit is usually the excellence of something that makes people realize how great it is: a person of great merit. Basically, “merit” describes the greatness of something.

3. Try it! The President Washington, D.C. Football Expensive Steak Bald Eagle Name a person of great merit. Name a place of great merit in the United States. Name a sport of great merit. Name a food of great merit. Name an animal of great merit.

4. Literary Merit Literary Merit When we talk about great writing like stories, articles, and poems, we say that they have This just means that they are really well-known great works that have been popular for a long time!

5. Art Let’s view example of art that has great merit. See if you recognize it!

6. Mona Lisa Painted: 1500’s By: Leonardo da Vinci Artistic Merit? Absolutely!

7. Your Turn! It means the painting is an example of great art. It means the painting is really well-known and has been popular for a long time. Let’s recap… If a painting has artistic merit, what does this mean?

8. Your Turn! It means the book is an example of great writing. It means the book is really well-known and has been popular for a long time. Let’s recap… If a book has literary merit, what does this mean?

9. Evaluating literary merit in a text. So how do you know when writing has literary merit?

10. “Theme” to thank. We already know that when stories last a long time, they have their theme to thank. Many times, authors use themes again and again because they relate to the human experience.

11. Themes that last a LONG time and that travel across time and culture are called reoccurring themes. “Reoccurring” just means that it happens over and over – like a reoccurring dream. When a text is a famous work, has stayed popular for a long time, and has a reoccurring theme, we can say that it has literary merit.

12. Literary Merit Checklist If you can answer “yes” to these questions, the text has literary merit. Is it a famous work? Has it stayed popular for a long time? Does it have a reoccurring theme?

13. Your turn! Turn to page 261 in the textbook. “Annabel Lee” is a famous love poem, written after the poet’s young wife died of Tuberculosis. She was laid to rest in New York, near the Hudson River, in a sepulcher – or a burial vault that stands above the ground.

14. Your turn! Across time, poets, storytellers, and songwriters have written about the many faces of love. As you read Edgar Allan Poe’s tribute to his wife, look closely for the theme. Then, you can answer the three questions on your graphic organizer to determine whether or not the poem has literary merit.

15. “Annabel Lee” Does the poem have literary merit? Is it a famous work? Does it have a reoccurring theme? Has it stayed popular for a long time? Yes!

16. Evaluating Texts for Literary Merit Get out graphic organizers about theme from past lessons to use as resources. You will be assigned a text and will evaluate the text for literary merit.

17. Assignment • Make a Frayer-foldable for evaluating your text: • Count off by 6’s and pair with someone in your group.

18. Texts 1’s – The Highwayman, p. 247 2’s – Hearts and Hands, p. 239 3’s – Duffy’s Jacket, p. 5 4’s – Rikki Tikki Tavi, p. 15 5’s – Girls, p. 131 6’s – Antaeus, p. 175

19. Assignment • Complete your Frayer-foldable for your assigned text to determine if it has “Literary Merit”.

20. Summarizing Strategy • Find someone who…has different colored eyes than you. • Answer LEQ #5 on your Student Learning Map.