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ENGLISH
Quarter 3 - Module 4-Lesson 1:
Critiquing a Literary Selection
(Formalism/Structuralism and Moralism)

Department of Education
2
- MIMAROPA Region
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 What I Need to Know

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

✓ know what literary criticism is

✓ tell what structuralist/formalist and moralist approaches are

✓ identify the elements of the structuralist/formalist and moralist

approaches to literature

✓ critique a literary selection based on structuralist/formalist and

moralist approaches

What I Know

To start off, let’s see how familiar you are with the moralist and

formalist approaches already.

Directions: On your paper or notebook, write TRUE opposite the statements

you believe are correct and FALSE opposite those you think are not correct.

1. Literary criticism is examining a piece of literature using

different approaches.

2. Elements of the selection help the readers develop a deeper

level of understanding about the text.

3. Works that have “bad moral” is praised.

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 4. Formalism is the study of form.

5. Formalists disregard the structure in analyzing a text.

Structuralist/Formalist and Moralist Approaches

Lesson
to Literature

Literature is written to serve a purpose but sometimes, that

purpose is hardly achieved because the readers do not know what they read,

why they read, and how to read. Being familiar with the different approaches

to literature will help you interpret and understand literary works better. You

will be able to judge and criticize the soundness of the text and extract the

meaning that the author intends to relate

What’s In

Directions: Read the lyrics of the song “What a Wonderful World” by Louis

Armstrong. Or if you have internet access, you may listen to it on YouTube thru this link:

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/i/loius+armstrong/what+a+wonderful+world_2

0085347.htm.

Afterwards, answer the questions that follow.

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 What A Wonderful World

By Louis Armstrong

I see trees of green…red roses too

I see them bloom…for me and for you

And I think to myself…what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue…clouds of white

Bright blessed days…dark sacred nights

And I think to myself…what a wonderful world.

The colors of rainbow…so pretty…in the sky

Are also on the faces of…of people…going by

I see friends shaking hands…sayin’…how do you do

They’re sayin’…I love you.

I hear babies cry…I watch them grow

They’ll learn much more…than I’ll ever know

And I think to myself…what a wonderful world.

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 The colors of a rainbow…so pretty…in the sky

Are there on the faces…of people…going by

I see friends shaking hands…sayin’…how do you do

They’re really sayin’…*spoken* (I love you).

I hear babies cry…I watch them grow

*spoken* (you know they’re gonna learn

A whole lot more than I’ll ever know)

And I think to myself…what a wonderful world

Yes, I think to myself…what a wonderful world.

Guide Questions: (Answer on your notebook)

1. By merely looking at the title, what do you think is the song's tone

and mood? (Is it happy, sad, hopeful, positive, etc.)

__________________________________________________________________

2. According to Louis Armstrong, what are the things that make the

world wonderful?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

3. (SUGGESTION: What do you think do the following words/phrases

symbolize?

a. Green trees and red roses _____________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

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 b. Bright blessed day, dark sacred night __________________________

_______________________________________________________________

c. Rainbow ______________________________________________________

d. Friends shakin’ hands

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

e. Babies ________________________________________________________

4. What are the rhyming words that you see? ________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

5. What are the phrases repeated in the song? How many times are

they repeated? __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

6. What images in mind do you see as you read or sing the song?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

7. What do you think is the message of the song? ____________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

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 What’s New

Literary criticism is a way of examining pieces of literature

using different approaches. These critical approaches are also called lenses.

Two of these approaches are the structuralist or formalist and the moralist.

Formalist/Structuralist approach analyzes the ‘form’ or

‘structure.’ It purely examines the literature elements like characters, setting,

conflict, tone and mood, point of view, theme, and plot. It may also investigate

the text's literal meaning, writing style, and language, including the literary

devices and imagery used, the symbolism, and the genre.

However, this approach set aside the social or historical context

of the literature, the social setting where and when it was written, and the

possible influences of the author’s background to the text.

On the other hand, the moralist approach judges the literature

based on moral lessons or ethics. Also, it analyzes philosophical issues.

Moralists believe that for literature to be praised, it should

encourage good out of the readers and instruct them in some way. Otherwise,

if it misleads or it is corrupt, it will be condemned. Therefore, it considers the

maturity, sincerity, honesty, sensitivity and courage of the text.

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 What Is It

Read the story below and then answer the questions that follow.

A Day in the Country

by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904)

Between eight and nine o'clock in the morning.

A dark leaden-colored mass is creeping over the sky towards the

sun. Red zigzags of lightning gleam here and there across it. There is a sound

of far-away rumbling. A warm wind frolics over the grass, bends the trees, and

stirs up the dust. In a minute there will be a spurt of May rain and a real

storm will begin.

Fyokla, a little beggar-girl of six, is running through the village,

looking for Terenty the cobbler. The white-haired, barefoot child is pale. Her

eyes are wide open, her lips are trembling.

"Uncle, where is Terenty?" she asks everyone she meets. No one

answers. They are all preoccupied with the approaching storm and

take refuge in their huts. At last, she meets Silanty Silitch, the sacristan,

Terenty's bosom friend. He is coming along, staggering from the wind.

"Uncle, where is Terenty?"

"At the kitchen-gardens," answers Silanty.

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 The beggar-girl runs behind the huts to the kitchen-gardens and

there finds Terenty; the tall old man with a thin, pock-marked face, very long

legs, and bare feet, dressed in a woman's tattered jacket, is standing near the

vegetable plots, looking with drowsy, drunken eyes at the dark storm-cloud.

On his long crane-like legs, he sways in the wind like a starling-cote.

"Uncle Terenty!" the white-headed beggar-girl addresses him.

"Uncle, darling!"

Terenty bends down to Fyokla, and his grim, drunken face is

overspread with a smile, such as come into people's faces when they look at

something little, foolish, and absurd, but warmly loved.

"Ah! servant of God, Fyokla," he says, lisping tenderly, "where

have you come from?"

"Uncle Terenty," says Fyokla, with a sob, tugging at the lapel of

the cobbler's coat. "Brother Danilka has had an accident! Come along!"

"What sort of accident? Ough, what thunder! Holy, holy, holy….

What sort of accident?"

"In the count's copse, Danilka stuck his hand into a hole in a

tree, and he can't get it out. Come along, uncle, do be kind and pull his hand

out!"

"How was it he put his hand in? What for?"

"He wanted to get a cuckoo's egg out of the hole for me."

"The day has hardly begun and already you are in

trouble…."Terenty shook his head and spat deliberately. "Well, what am I to

do with you now? I must come… I must, may the wolf gobble you up, you

naughty children! Come, little orphan!"

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 Terenty comes out of the kitchen-garden and, lifting high his long

legs, begins striding down the village street. He walks quickly without

stopping or looking from side to side, as though he were shoved from behind

or afraid of pursuit. Fyokla can hardly keep up with him.

They come out of the village and turn along the dusty road

towards the count's copse that lies dark blue in the distance. It is about a

mile and a half away. The clouds have by now covered the sun, and soon

afterwards there is not a speck of blue left in the sky. It grows dark.

"Holy, holy, holy…" whispers Fyokla, hurrying after Terenty. The

first raindrops, big and heavy, lie, dark dots on the dusty road. A big drop

falls on Fyokla's cheek and glides like a tear down her chin.

"The rain has begun," mutters the cobbler, kicking up the dust

with his bare, bony feet. "That's fine, Fyokla, old girl. The grass and the trees

are fed by the rain, as we are by bread. And as for the thunder, don't you be

frightened, little orphan. Why should it kill a little thing like you?"

As soon as the rain begins, the wind drops. The only sound is the

patter of rain dropping like fine shots on the young rye and the parched road.

"We shall get soaked, Fyokla," mutters Terenty. "There won't be a

dry spot left on us…. Ho-ho, my girl! It's run down my neck! But don't be

frightened, silly…. The grass will be dry again, the earth will be dry again, and

we shall be dry again. There is the same sun for us all."

A flash of lightning, some fourteen feet long, gleams above their

head. There is a loud peal of thunder, and it seems to Fyokla that something

big, heavy, and round is rolling over the sky and tearing it open, exactly over

her head.

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 "Holy, holy, holy…" says Terenty, crossing himself. "Don't be

afraid, little orphan! It is not from spite that it thunders."

Terenty's and Fyokla's feet are covered with lumps of heavy, wet

clay. It is slippery and difficult to walk, but Terenty strides on more and more

rapidly. The weak little beggar-girl is breathless and ready to drop.

But at last, they go into the count's copse. The washed trees,

stirred by a gust of wind, drop a perfect waterfall upon them. Terenty stumbles

over stumps and begins to slacken his pace.

"Whereabouts is Danilka?" he asks. "Lead me to him."

Fyokla leads him into a thicket and, after going a quarter of a

mile, points to Danilka. Her brother, a little fellow of eight, with hair as red

as ochre and a pale, sickly face, stands leaning against a tree and, with his

head on one side, looking sideways at the sky. In one hand, he holds his

shabby old cap, the other is hidden in an old lime tree. The boy is gazing at

the stormy sky and apparently not thinking of his trouble. Hearing footsteps

and seeing the cobbler, he gives a sickly smile and says:

"A terrible lot of thunder, Terenty…. I’ve never heard so much

thunder in all my life."

"And where is your hand?"

"In the hole…. Pull it out, please, Terenty!"

The wood had broken at the edge of the hole and jammed

Danilka's hand: he could push it farther in but could not pull it out. Terenty

snaps off the broken piece, and the boy's hand, red and crushed, is released.

"It's terrible how it's thundering," the boy says again, rubbing his

hand. "What makes it thunder, Terenty?"

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 "One cloud runs against the other," answers the cobbler. The

party comes out of the copse and walk along the edge of it towards the

darkened road. The thunder gradually abates, and its rumbling is heard far

away beyond the village.

"The ducks flew by here the other day, Terenty," says Danilka,

still rubbing his hand. "They must be nesting in the Gniliya Zaimishtcha

marshes….Fyokla, would you like me to show you a nightingale's nest?"

"Don't touch it; you might disturb them," says Terenty, wringing

the water out of his cap. "The nightingale is a singing-bird, without sin. He

has had a voice given him in his throat to praise God and gladden the heart

of man. It's a sin to disturb him."

"What about the sparrow?"

"The sparrow doesn't matter, he's a bad, spiteful bird. He is like

a pickpocket in his ways. He doesn't like the man to be happy. When Christ

was crucified, it was the sparrow who brought nails to the Jews and called

'alive! alive!' "

A bright patch of blue appears in the sky.

"Look!" says Terenty. "An ant-heap burst open by the rain!

They've been flooded, the rogues!"

They bend over the ant-heap. The downpour has damaged it; the

insects are scurrying to and fro in the mud, agitated, and busily trying to

carry away their drowned companions.

"You needn't be in such a taking, you won't die of it!" says

Terenty, grinning. "As soon as the sun warms you, you'll come to your senses

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again...It's a lesson to you, you stupid’s. You won't settle on low ground

another time."

They go on.

"And here are some bees," cries Danilka, pointing to the branch

of a young oak tree.

The drenched and chilled bees are huddled together on the

branch. There are so many of them that neither bark nor leaf can be seen.

Many of them are settled on one another.

"That's a swarm of bees," Terenty informs them. "They were flying

looking for a home, and when the rain came down upon them, they settled. If

a swarm is flying, you need only sprinkle water on them to make them settle.

Now if, say, you wanted to take the swarm, you would bend the branch with

them into a sack and shake it, and they all fall in."

Little Fyokla suddenly frowns and rubs her neck vigorously. Her

brother looks at her neck and sees a big swelling on it.

"Hey-hey!" laughs the cobbler. "Do you know where you got that

from, Fyokla, old girl? There are Spanish flies on some trees in the wood. The

rain has trickled off them, and a drop has fallen on your neck—that's what

has made the swelling."

The sun appears from behind the clouds and floods the wood, the

fields, and the three friends with its warm light. The dark menacing cloud has

gone far away and taken the storm with it. The air is warm and fragrant. There

is a scent of bird-cherry, meadowsweet, and lilies-of-the-valley.

"That herb is given when your nose bleeds," says Terenty,

pointing to a woolly-looking flower. "It does good."

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 They hear a whistle and a rumble, but not such a rumble as the

storm-clouds carried away. A goods train races by before the eyes of Terenty,

Danilka, and Fyokla. The engine, panting and puffing out black smoke, drags

more than twenty vans after it. Its power is tremendous. The children are

interested to know how an engine, not alive and without the help of horses,

can move and drag such weights, and Terenty undertakes to explain it to

them:

"It's all the steam's doing, children…. The steam does the work….

You see, it shoves under that thing near the wheels, and it…you see…it

works…"

They cross the railway line and, going down from the

embankment, walk towards the river. They walk not with any object, but just

at random, and talk all the way…. Danilka asks questions, Terenty answers

them…

Terenty answers all his questions, and there is no secret in

Nature which baffles him. He knows everything. Thus, for example, he knows

the names of all the wildflowers, animals, and stones. He knows what herbs

cure diseases; he has no difficulty in telling the age of a horse or a cow.

Looking at the sunset, at the moon, or the birds, he can tell what sort of

weather it will be next day. And indeed, it is not only Terenty who is so wise.

Silanty Silitch, the innkeeper, the market-gardener, the shepherd, and all the

villagers, generally speaking, know as much as he does. These people have

learned not from books, but in the fields, in the wood, on the riverbank. Their

teachers have been the birds themselves, when they sang to them, the sun

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when it left a glow of crimson behind it at setting, the very trees, and wild

herbs.

Danilka looks at Terenty and greedily drinks in every word. In

spring, before one is weary of the warmth and the monotonous green of the

fields, when everything is fresh and full of fragrance, who would not want to

hear about the golden may-beetles, about the cranes, about the gurgling

streams, and the corn mounting into ear?

The two of them, the cobbler and the orphan, walk about the

fields, talk unceasingly, and are not weary. They could wander about the

world endlessly. They walk, and in their talk of the beauty of the earth, do not

notice the frail little beggar-girl tripping after them. She is breathless and

moves with a lagging step. There are tears in her eyes; she would be glad to

stop these inexhaustible wanderers, but to whom and where can she go? She

has no home or people of her own; whether she likes it or not, she must walk

and listen to their talk.

Towards midday, all three sit down on the riverbank. Danilka

takes out of his bag a piece of bread, soaked and reduced to a mash, and they

begin to eat. Terenty says a prayer when he has eaten the bread, then

stretches himself on the sandy bank and falls asleep. While he is asleep, the

boy gazes at the water, pondering. He has many different things to think of.

He has just seen the storm, the bees, the ants, the train. Now, before his eyes,

fishes are whisking about. Some are two inches long and more; others are no

bigger than one's nail. A viper, with its head held high, is swimming from one

bank to the other.

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 Only towards the evening our wanderers return to the village. The

children go for the night to a deserted barn, where the corn of

the commune used to be kept, while Terenty, leaving them, goes to the tavern.

The children lie huddled together on the straw, dozing.

The boy does not sleep. He gazes into the darkness, and it seems

to him that he is seeing all that he has seen in the day: the storm-clouds, the

bright sunshine, the birds, the fish, lanky Terenty. The number of his

impressions, together with exhaustion and hunger, are too much for him; he

is as hot as though he were on fire and tosses from side to side. He longs to

tell someone all that is haunting him now in the darkness and agitating his

soul, but there is no one to tell. Fyokla is too little and could not understand.

"I'll tell Terenty to-morrow," thinks the boy.

The children fall asleep thinking of the homeless cobbler, and, in

the night, Terenty comes to them, makes the sign of the cross over them, and

puts bread under their heads. And no one sees his love. It is seen only by the

moon which floats in the sky and peeps caressingly through the holes in the

wall of the deserted barn.

Activity 1: Connect and Kinnect

Directions: Use the chart below to analyze the short story “A Day In the

Country” by Anton Chekov. Use the questions as your guide. Answer this on

your notebook.

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Title: __________________________________________ Genre: _______________

Element Description

1. Character(s): Who

2. Setting: Where

Place/time, environment,

atmosphere of the story

3. Conflict: What is the main

problem in the story?

4. Plot: What is happening in

the story? What is the story

about? (look at the exposition,

the rising action, the climax,

the falling action, and the

resolution)

5. Tone/Mood: What was the

author’s attitude towards the

subject? What kind of

emotion or feeling did you get

after reading the story?

6. Point of View: Who is

telling or narrating the story?

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Is one character acting as a

narrator (first person) or

someone telling what is going

on (third person)?

7. Theme: What is the

message of the story? Does

the story promote something

good, or is it corrupt and

bad?

What’s More

Activity 2: Feel and React

Directions: Go back to the story once again and fill out the chart below.

Write your answers opposite to each question.

Questions Answers

A. Why do you think

Terenty helped the

orphans?

C. Why did Danilka say that

there is no secret in nature

that baffles Terenty? Cite

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 some situations in the story

that prove your answer.

D. The author compares a

nightingale to a sparrow. To

whom can you compare

these two birds?

E. How does Terenty

recognize the gift of nature?

Give some details from the

text that will support your

answer.

What I Have Learned

Critiquing a short story is usually in the form of an essay. It is an

in-depth evaluation of the story for the purpose of giving the readers insight

into the story.

Writing critics requires you to resemble the elements in such a

way that your intended audience has a better understanding of the story’s

flaws and highlights.

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SAMPLE CRITIQUE
Lee, published by Crime Factory
Posted in Short Story Reviews, tagged Cameron Ashley, Crime
Factory, Eric Beetner, fiction, Lee Marvin, publishing, reading, short
story. The Dirty Dozen, writing on May 28, 2013.

I recently finished a fiction anthology called, Lee. The book features

seventeen short stories, all written by crime writers, and inspired by Lee
Marvin – his life, his movies. The stories flow in chronological order with
the first taking place in 1944 and the last in 1987, just after Lee died.
Frankly, I thought the concept was a little goofy, and I didn’t really expect
the book to be that good. I bought it only because its publisher, Crime
Factory, had published two of my short stories. I liked what they’ve done
in their journal, and figured I’d check out what else they’ve brought to the
world.
I’m happy to admit that I was very wrong. Not only is every story in
the collection really good, but it turns out that the concept really worked.
In a word, the book rocks! It was fun to see how the different authors
tackled the task of writing a Lee Marvin-inspired story. I particularly liked
the stories: “1966: Just Swell,” Cameron Ashley; “1967: The Gun Hunter,”
Eric Beetner. Beetner’s novel The Devil Doesn’t Want Me has now moved
up to number three on my reading list, which hopefully means I’ll get to
it in June.
I feel good that in my own little way I’m associated with these
writers, at least tangentially.

Finishing Lee has also made me more interested in Lee

Marvin’s movies. I watched The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence during a
film class in college and was blown away by his performance, but I don’t
think I’d seen another one of his movies. And I consider myself something
of an old film buff. I took a step toward correcting this oversight last night
by watching The Dirty Dozen – awesome!
- CC Roy Jacob
Posted by Abdulat 8/10/2008 12:46:00 PM

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 What I Can Do

Activity 3: The WRITE Way

Directions: Fill out the chart with the information from the story “A Day in the

Country” by Anton Chekov. Do this on your notebook.

Paragraph 1 - INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION: Start your essay Write your INTRODUCTION here:

by getting the attention of your
readers. You can use a thought-
provoking question, a startling
statement, a quote, or an anecdote.
One to two sentences that give Write your BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND INFORMATION INFORMATION here:
about the story, “A Day in the
Country.”
MAIN ARGUMENT: In the (type of Write your MAIN ARGUMENT here:
genre) (title of the literary work)
plus (two reasons why the literary
element is used)
Ex.: In the novel “War and Peace,”
the author Herman Hesse uses a
flashback to present a clear
explanation of what war is and how
hard it is to achieve world peace.
Paragraph 2 - BODY
TOPIC SENTENCE: Should start Write your TOPIC SENTENCE here:
with transition words like: To start
with, At the beginning, Initially,
etc.

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REASON: Specify why the author Write your REASON here:
uses the literary element.

EVIDENCE: Supply with evidence Write your EVIDENCE:

from the text to support your
reason.

EXPLAIN: Your evidence. What Write your EXPLANATION here:

does it say? What does it mean?
Why is it important?

CONCLUDE: Do this with thoughts Write your CONCLUSION here:

that connect to the next paragraph.
(for succeeding paragraphs for the
body, repeat this process)
CONCLUSION
RESTATE: Present your main Write your RESTATEMENT of
argument again using the same ARGUMENT here:
ideas but different words. It should
also start with a transition like: To
end, Finally, In conclusion, To
conclude, To Summarize, In
closing, etc.
EXPLAIN in general why it is Write your EXPLAINATION here:
important for the author to use all
those literary elements in writing
his text. Pick one technique:
1. CONNECT your personal
experience/s
2. PREDICT what will happen

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3. RELATE the elements by
describing it using simile or
metaphor
END with a catchy statement (leave Write your ENDING here:
something that will make the
reader think)

What I Can Do On My Own

(Performance Output)

Directions: Using the information you wrote on Activity 1, 2, and 3, write

a critique of the story “A Day in the Country” by Anton Chekov. Be guided

by the following rubric. Write on a whole sheet of paper.

Outstanding Exceeds Meet Approaching Unacceptable

Expectations Expectations Expectations
5 4 3 2 1
Introduction - - Introduction -Introduction - Introduction - No
and Conclusion Introduction ignite some shows basic and conclusion introduction
is interest to the and obvious are not tied up to and/or
meaningful readers and arguments the arguments conclusion
______ and grabs presents
attention powerful
argument
______ - Introduction
and/or
- - Conclusion - Conclusion conclusion are
Conclusion restates restates the vague which
restates arguments in arguments needs revision to
arguments paraphrased verbatim be clear
and wraps form as with
the essay to clear
leave the understanding
readers with
meaningful
insight

Argument - Argument - Argument is - Argument -Argument shows - Argument is

is clearly reasonable, is good and confusion or missing, not
stated, clear and on- fair but wide misunderstanding clear, or is
______ convincing point and yet of the context of misplaced
and original simple or the text
basic

Topic Sentence - Topic - Topic - Topic - Topic sentences - Topic

and Transitions sentences sentences are sentences are not related to sentences are
are clear reasonable, are available the topic (shows missing
and original somewhat but obvious misunderstanding
______ clear, and has and simple of the text
a point or basic concept)

Evidences or - Evidences - Evidences - Evidences - Evidences are - Has no or

Supporting are the best are are not related to the very minimal
details options to trustworthy arguments evidences

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 support the and introduced
argument. convincing but shallow
______ which are
-Evidences related to the
are highly arguments
convincing but don’t have
and enough
powerful examples

Comments - Unique - Related and - Ideas back - Ideas need to be - Ideas do not
ideas and convincing up the developed for support the
views which ideas but argument them to be logical topic
________ go beyond some but obvious
the simple examples are and simple
and obvious missing or basic

Writing Style - Seamless - Adequately - Smooth - Sentences are - grave

transitions, blends the blending of either not clear or problem with
sentence elements but elements but redundant and logical
_______ variations, needs more short of struggles with presentation
and well- advanced sentence vocabulary and of ideas,
combined vocabulary variations sentence variation writing clear
elements with sentences and
through struggles making
rich incorporating smooth
vocabulary advanced connection
vocabulary between
sentences

Unity and - Expert! -Competent - Sufficient - Beginning - Major

Coherence (or with 1 to (close to Little Various problems problems are
3 minor expert) problems are evident which evident
errors) with writing, affect the
grammar, meaning of the
_______ spelling, and writing
punctuations
which do not
affect the
meaning of
the essay

Comments:

Grading Scale:

38 – 40 = 100 23 – 25 = 83

35 – 37 = 95 20 – 22 = 80

32 – 34 = 90 16 – 19 = 75

29 – 31 = 88 11 – 15 = 70

26 – 28 = 85 10 below = 60

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