Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
CARAGA REGION

SCHOOLS DIVISION OF AGUSAN DEL SUR

Learners’ Activity Sheet

English 10
Quarter 3– Week 4
CRITICAL APPROACHES TO LITERATURE

D.O Plaza Government Center, Patin-ay Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur

depedagusandelsur@deped.gov.ph
(085) 839-545

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 Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
CARAGA REGION

SCHOOLS DIVISION OF AGUSAN DEL SUR

English – Grade 10
Learner’s Activity Sheet Quarter 3 - Week 4: Critical Approaches to Literature
First Edition, 2020

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Development Team of the Learner’s Activity Sheet

Writer/s: Fraulin Leslie S. Irisari

Editor/s: Ivy I. Naparan, Ardelyn L. Glodobe

Illustrator:
Layout Artists:
Lay-out Reviewer: Ruth Cuesta
Management Team: Minerva T. Albis
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D.O Plaza Government Center, Patin-ay Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur

depedagusandelsur@deped.gov.ph
(085) 839-545

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS in ENGLISH 10

QUARTER 3: WEEK 4

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Name: _______________________________________ Grade & Section: ___________
School: ______________________________________ Date: _______________________
Teacher: _____________________________________ Score: ______________________

I. Title: Critical Approaches to Literature

II. Learning Competency: Critique a literary selection based on the following

critical literary approaches:
 Structuralist/Formalist
 Moralist
 Marxist
 Feminist
 Historical
 Reader-response

III. Instructions:
After going through this lesson, you will be able to understand and interpret
literary works and write down your views on what a particular work of literature
means using different approaches and lens. You will answer series of activities to
make value judgments on a work, explain your interpretation of the work, and
provide other readers with relevant information to enrich your understanding of the
literary work.

IV. Activities

Lesson Guide/Concepts #1

A. Critical Approaches to Literature

Literary criticism is the comparison, analysis, interpretation, and/or

evaluation of works of literature. Literary criticism is essentially an opinion,
supported by evidence, relating to theme, style, setting or historical or political
context. It usually includes discussion of the work’s content and integrates your
ideas with other insights gained from research. Described below are nine common
critical approaches to the literature.

1. Structuralist/formalist – This approach regards literature as "a unique

form of human knowledge that needs to be examined on its own terms." All
the elements necessary for understanding the work are contained within the
work itself, without taking into account any outside influence. Of particular
interest to the formalist critic are the elements of form—style, structure,
tone, imagery, modes, genres, discourse, and etc.—that are found within the
text. A primary goal for formalist critics is to determine how such elements
work together with the text's content to shape its effects upon readers.

2. Moralist – Moralist criticism is a type of literary technique that judges the

value of literature based on its moral lessons or ethical teachings. It
determines the worth of literature by seeing if it encourages good out of the
reader. The literature that is ethically sound and encourages virtue is
praised, and literature that misguides and/or corrupts is condemned. Thus,
moral criticism evaluates maturity, sincerity, honesty, sensitivity and
courage.

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 3. Marxist – According to Marxists, and to other scholars in fact, literature
reflects those social institutions out of which it emerges and is itself a social
institution with a particular ideological function. Literature reflects class
struggle and materialism: think how often the quest for wealth traditionally
defines characters. So, Marxists generally view literature "not as works
created in accordance with timeless artistic criteria, but as 'products' of the
economic and ideological determinants specific to that era".

The Marxist critic simply is a careful reader or viewer who keeps in mind
issues of power and money, and any of the following kinds of questions:
a. What role does class play in the work; what is the author's analysis
of class relations?
b. How do characters overcome oppression?
c. In what ways does the work serve as propaganda for the status quo;
or does it try to undermine it?
d. What does the work say about oppression; or are social conflicts
ignored or blamed elsewhere?
e. Does the work propose some form of utopian vision as a solution to
the problems encountered in the work?

4. Feminist – Feminist criticism's roots are in women's social, political,

economic and psychological oppression. By seeking to view women in a new
perspective and discover women's contributions to literary history, feminist
criticism aims to reinterpret the old texts and establish the importance of
women's writing to save it from being lost or ignored in the male-dominated
world. It also seeks to establish female perspectives as being of equal
importance relative to male perspectives.

5. Historical – This approach “seeks to understand a literary work by

investigating the social, cultural, and intellectual context that produced it—a
context that necessarily includes the artist’s biography and situation.” A key
goal for historical critics is to understand the effect of a literary work upon
its original readers.

6. Reader-Response – This approach takes as a fundamental tenet that

“literature” exists not as an artifact upon a printed page but as a transaction
between the physical text and the mind of a reader. It attempts “to describe
what happens in the reader’s mind while interpreting a text” and reflects
that reading, like writing, is a creative process. According to reader-response
critics, literary texts do not “contain” a meaning; meanings derive only from
the act of individual readings. Hence, two different readers may derive
completely different interpretations of the same literary text; likewise, a
reader who re-reads a work years later may find the work shockingly
different. Reader-response criticism, then, emphasizes how “religious,
cultural, and social values affect readings; it also overlaps with gender
criticism in exploring how men and women read the same text with different
assumptions.” Though this approach rejects the notion that a single
“correct” reading exists for a literary work, it does not consider all readings
permissible: “Each text creates limits to its possible interpretations.”
ACTIVITY 1. CHOOSE THE BEST!

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Directions: Read each question or statement carefully, and encircle the letter of
the best answer.

1. What approach to literary criticism requires the critic to know about the author's
life and times?
a. Moralist b. Historical c. Formalist d. All of these

2. One of the disadvantages of this school of criticism is that it tends to make

readings too subjective.
a. Reader Response Criticism c. Historical Criticism
b. Formalist Criticism d. These are all equally subjective

3. A critic examining John Milton's "Paradise Lost" focuses on the physical

description of the Garden of Eden, on the symbols of hands, seed, and flower, and
on the characters of Adam, Eve, Satan, and God. He pays special attention to the
epic similes and metaphors and the point of view from which the tale is being told.
He looks for meaning in the text itself, and does not refer to any biography of
Milton. He is most likely a ____ critic.
a. Reader Response b. Formalist c. Marxist d. Feminist

4. A critic of Thomas Otway's "Venice Preserv'd" wishes to know why the play's
conspirators, despite the horrible, bloody details of their obviously brutish plan, are
portrayed in a sympathetic light. She examines the author's life and times and
discovers that there are obvious similarities between the conspiracy in the play and
the Popish Plot. She is most likely a _________ critic.
a. Marxist b. Moralist c. Feminist d. Historical

5. One of the potential disadvantages of this approach to literature is that it can

reduce meaning to a certain time frame, rather than making it universal
throughout the ages.
a. Historical b. Feminist c. Formalist d. Structuralist

6. What is the function of literary theory?

a. To understand the importance of the formal elements of literary structure
b. To formulate relationships among an author, a reader, and a literary work
c. To understand the role of sexuality, gender, race, and ethnicity in literary
study
d. All of the above

7. What is the main goal of a Marxist critic?

a. To examine how gender affects a character's life
b. To examine how war affects a character's life
c. To examine how economics affect a character's life
d. To examine how feminism affects a character's life

8. Which of the following descriptions best defines formalism?

a. An approach that emphasizes racial issues in a text
b. An approach that emphasizes literary devices in a text
c. An approach that emphasizes the historical context of a text
d. An approach that emphasizes the biographical intent of a text
9. Which school of literary theory is associated with the phrase "to make the stones
stonier"?

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 a. Moralism b. Formalism c. Feminism d. Marxism

10. Which of the following is not a purpose of feminist theory?

a. To advocate for women's rights
b. To create literary subjects with which female readers can identify
c. To critique women in literature
d. To counter stereotypes about women

ACTIVITY 2. ASK ME

Directions: Choose the appropriate question for each of the following literary
theories to evaluate the characteristics of an orange fruit. Choose your answer from
the box and write the letter on the space provided.

Upon Seeing an Orange

https://bit.ly/2NIzlKE

_____1. Feminist asks: a. What is the shape and diameter of the

orange?

_____2. Formalist asks: b. What does the orange taste like? What does
the orange remind us of?

_____3. Marxist asks: c. What possibilities are available to a woman

who eats this orange? How about to a man?

_____4. Moralists asks: d. Who doesn’t fit to own the orange? Who
best deserves the orange?

_____5. Reader-response e. Are we satisfied and grateful to the orange?

theory asks: Are we worthy for the orange?

f. Who took the orange? When was it taken?

_____6. Historical Theory asks:

ACTIVITY 3. WHIP IT!

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Directions: Read the short story “The Plague” by Albert Camus and answer the
comprehension questions that follow.

The Plague
By Albert Camus

In the town of Oran, thousands of rats, initially unnoticed by the populace,

begin to die in the streets. Hysteria develops soon afterward, causing the local
newspapers to report the incident. Authorities responding to public pressure order
the collection and cremation of the rats, unaware that the collection itself was the
catalyst for the spread of the bubonic plague.

The main character, Dr. Bernard Rieux, lives comfortably in an apartment

building when strangely the building's concierge, M. Michel, a confidante, dies from
a fever. Dr. Rieux consults his colleague, Dr. Castel, about the illness until they
come to the conclusion that a plague is sweeping the town. They both approach
fellow doctors and town authorities about their theory but are eventually dismissed
on the basis of one death. However, as more deaths quickly ensue, it becomes
apparent that there is an epidemic. Meanwhile, Rieux's wife has been sent to a
sanatorium in another city, to be treated for an unrelated chronic illness.

Authorities, including the Prefect, are slow to accept that the situation is
serious and quibble over the appropriate action to take. Official notices enacting
control measures are posted, but the language used is optimistic and downplays
the seriousness of the situation. A "special ward" is opened at the hospital, but its
80 beds are filled within three days. As the death toll begins to rise, more desperate
measures are taken. Homes are quarantined; corpses and burials are strictly
supervised. A supply of plague serum finally arrives, but there is enough to treat
only existing cases, and the country's emergency reserves are depleted. When the
daily number of deaths jumps to 30, the town is sealed, and an outbreak of plague
is officially declared.

The town is sealed off. The town gates are shut, rail travel is prohibited, and
all mail service is suspended. The use of telephone lines is restricted only to
"urgent" calls, leaving short telegrams as the only means of communicating with
friends or family outside the town. The separation affects daily activity and
depresses the spirit of the townspeople, who begin to feel isolated and introverted,
and the plague begins to affect various characters.

One character, Raymond Rambert, devises a plan to escape the city to join
his wife in Paris after city officials refused his request to leave. He befriends some
underground criminals so that they may smuggle him out of the city. Another
character, Father Paneloux, uses the plague as an opportunity to advance his
stature in the town by suggesting that the plague was an act of God punishing the
citizens' sinful nature. His diatribe falls on the ears of many citizens of the town,
who turned to religion in droves but would not have done so under normal
circumstances. Cottard, a criminal remorseful enough to attempt suicide but
fearful of being arrested, becomes wealthy as a major smuggler. Meanwhile, Jean
Tarrou, a vacationer; Joseph Grand, a civil engineer; and Dr. Rieux, exhaustively
treat patients in their homes and in the hospital.

Rambert informs Tarrou of his escape plan, but when Tarrou tells him that
there are others in the city, including Dr. Rieux, who have loved ones outside the
city whom they are not allowed to see, Rambert becomes sympathetic and offers to
help Rieux fight the epidemic until he leaves town. 7

In mid-August, the situation continues to worsen. People try to escape the

town, but some are shot by armed sentries. Violence and looting break out on a
small scale, and the authorities respond by declaring martial law and imposing a
Comprehension Check

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Directions: Evaluate the selection by answering the questions below. Write your
answers on the space provided.

1. How original and inventive is the work?

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2. How effectively does the writing achieve the purpose?

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3. How vividly and believably are the characters, settings, dialogues, actions, and
feelings portrayed?
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4. How strongly did I react to the work? Did I identify with the character, situation,
or feeling? Did the work stir my memories and emotions?
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5. Does the message of the work have meaning for me? Will I remember it a year
from now?
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ACTIVITY 4. THINK TANK

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 “FEDERIGO'S FALCON”
from The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio
translated by G. H. McWilliam

Once Filomena had finished, the queen, finding that there was no one left to
speak apart from herself (Dioneo being excluded from the reckoning because of his
privilege) smiled cheerfully and said:

It is now my own turn to address you and I shall gladly do so, dearest ladies,
with a story similar in some respects to the one we have just heard. This I have
chosen, not only to acquaint you with the power of your beauty over men of noble
spirit, but so that you may learn to choose for yourselves, whenever necessary, the
person on whom to bestow your largesse, instead of always leaving these matters to
be decided for you by Fortune, who, as it happens, nearly always scatters her gifts
with more abundance than discretion.

You are to know, then, that Coppo di Borghese Domenichi, who once used to
live in our city and possibly lives there still, one of the most highly respected men of
our century, a person worthy of eternal fame, who achieved his position of pre-
eminence by dint of his character and abilities rather than by his noble lineage,
frequently took pleasure during his declining years in discussing incidents from the
past with his neighbors and other folk.

In this pastime he excelled all others, for he was more coherent, possessed a
superior memory, and spoke with greater eloquence He had a fine repertoire,
including a tale he frequently told concerning a young Florentine called Federigo,
the son of Messer Filippo Alberighi, who for his deeds of chivalry and courtly
manners was more highly spoken of than any other squire in Tuscany. In the
manner of most young men of gentle breeding, Federigo lost his heart to a noble
lady, whose name was Monna Giovanna, and who in her time was considered one
of the loveliest and most adorable women to be found in Florence. And with the
object of winning her love, he rode at the ring, tilted, gave sumptuous banquets,
and distributed a large number of gifts, spending money without any restraint
whatsoever. But since she was no less chaste than she was fair, the lady took no
notice, either of the things that were done in her honor, or of the person who did
them.

In this way, spending far more than he could afford and deriving no profit in
return, Federigo lost his entire fortune (as can easily happen) and reduced himself
to poverty, being left with nothing other than a tiny little farm, which produced an
income just sufficient for him to live very frugally, and one falcon of the finest breed
in the whole world. Since he was as deeply in love as ever, and felt unable to go on
living the sort of life in Florence to which he aspired, he moved out to Campi, where
his little farm happened to be situated. Having settled in the country, he went
hunting as often as possible with his falcon, and, without seeking assistance from
anyone, he patiently resigned himself to a life of poverty.

Now one day, while Federigo was living in these straitened circumstances,
the husband of Monna Giovanna happened to fall ill, and, realizing that he was
about to die, he drew up his will. He was a very rich man, and in his will, he left
everything to his son, who was just growing up, further stipulating that, if his son
should die without legitimate issue, his estate should go to Monna Giovanna, to
whom he had always been deeply devoted.

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 Shortly afterward he died, leaving Monna Giovanna a widow, and every
summer, in accordance with Florentine custom; she went away with her son to a
country estate of theirs, which was very near Federigo's farm. Consequently, this
lad of hers happened to become friendly with Federigo, acquiring a passion for
birds and dogs; and, having often seen Federigo's falcon in flight, he became
fascinated by it and longed to own it, but since he could see that Federigo was
deeply attached to the bird, he never ventured to ask him for it.

And there the matter rested, when, to the consternation of his mother, the
boy happened to be taken ill. Being her only child, he was the apple of his mother's
eye, and she sat beside his bed the whole day long, never ceasing to comfort him.
Every so often she asked him whether there was anything he wanted, imploring
him to tell her what it was, because if it were possible to acquire it, she would move
heaven and earth to obtain it for him.

After hearing this offer repeated for the umpteenth time, the boy said:
"Mother, if you could arrange for me to have Federigo's falcon, I believe I should
soon get better."

On hearing this request, the lady was somewhat taken aback, and began to
consider what she could do about it. Knowing that Federigo had been in love with
her for a long time, and that she had never deigned to cast so much as a single
glance in his direction she said to herself: "How can I possibly go to him, or even
send anyone, to ask him for this falcon, which to judge from all I have heard is the
finest that ever flew, as well as being the only thing that keeps him alive? And how
can I be so heartless as to deprive so noble a man of his one remaining pleasure?"

Her mind filled with reflections of this sort, she remained silent, not knowing
what answer to make to her son's request, and even though she was quite certain
that the falcon was hers for the asking. At length, however, her maternal instincts
gained the upper hand, and she resolved, come what may, to satisfy the child by
going in person to Federigo to collect the bird, and bring it back to him. And so she
replied: "Bear up, my son, and see whether you can start feeling any better. I give
you my word that I shall go and fetch it for you first thing tomorrow morning."

Next morning, taking another lady with her for company, his mother left the
house as though intending to go for a walk, made her way to Federigo's little
cottage, and asked to see him. For several days, the weather had been unsuitable
for hawking, so Federigo was attending to one or two little jobs in his garden, and
when he heard, to his utter astonishment, that Monna Giovanna was at the front
door and wished to speak to him, he happily rushed there to greet her.

When she saw him coming, she advanced with womanly grace to meet him.
Federigo received her with a deep bow, whereupon she said:

"Greetings, Federigo!" Then she continued: "I have come to make amends for
the harm you have suffered on my account, by loving me more than you ought to
have done. As a token of my esteem, I should like to take breakfast with you this
morning, together with my companion here, but you must not put yourself to any
trouble."
"My lady," replied Federigo in all humility, "I cannot recall ever having
suffered any harm on your account. On the contrary I have gained so much that if

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ever attained any kind of excellence, it was entirely because of your own great
worth and the love I bore you. Moreover, I can assure you that this visit which you
have been generous enough to pay me is worth more to me than all the money I
ever possessed, though I fear that my hospitality will not amount to very much."

So, saying, he led her unassumingly into the house and thence into his
garden, where, since there was no one else he could call upon to chaperon her, he
said:

"My lady, as there is nobody else available, this good woman, who is the wife
of the farmer here will keep you company whilst I go and see about setting the
table."

Though his poverty was acute, the extent to which he had squandered his
wealth had not yet been fully borne home to Federigo; but on this particular
morning, finding that he had nothing to set before the lady whose love he had
entertained so lavishly in the past, his eyes were well and truly opened to the fact.
Distressed beyond all measure, he silently cursed his bad luck and rushed all over
the house like one possessed, but could find no trace of either money or valuables.
By now the morning was well advanced, he was still determined to entertain the
gentlewoman to some sort of meal, and, not wishing to beg assistance from his own
farmer (or from anyone else, for that matter), his gaze alighted on his precious
falcon, which was sitting on its perch in the little room where it was kept. And
having discovered, on picking it up, that it was nice and plump, he decided that
since he has nowhere else to turn, it would make a worthy dish for such a lady as
this. So, without thinking twice about it he wrung the bird's neck and promptly
handed it over to his housekeeper to be plucked, dressed, and roasted carefully on
a spit. Then he covered the table with spotless linen, of which he still had a certain
amount in his possession, and returned in high spirits to the garden, where he
announced to his lady that the meal, such as had been able to prepare, was now
ready.

The lady and her companion rose from where they were sitting and made
their way to the table. And together with Federigo, who waited on them with the
utmost deference, they made a meal of the prize falcon without knowing what they
were eating.

On leaving the table they engaged their host in pleasant conversation for a
while, and when the lady thought it time to broach the subject she had gone there
to discuss, she turned to Federigo and addressed him affably as follows:

"I do not doubt for a moment, Federigo, that you will be astonished at my
impertinence when you discover my principal reason for coming here, especially
when you recall your former mode of living and my virtue, which you possibly
mistook for harshness and cruelty. But if you had ever had any children to make
you appreciate the power of parental love, I should think it certain that you would
to some extent forgive me.

"However, the fact that you have no children of your own does not exempt
me, a mother, from the laws common to all other mothers. And being bound to
obey those laws, I am forced, contrary to my own wishes and to all the rules of
decorum and propriety, to ask you for something to which I know you are very
deeply attached--which is only natural, seeing that it is the only consolation, the

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only pleasure, the only recreation remaining to you in your present extremity of
fortune.

The gift I am seeking is your falcon, to which my son has taken so powerful
a liking, that if I fail to take it to him, I fear that he will succumb to the illness from
which he is suffering, and consequently I shall lose him. In imploring you to give
me this falcon, I appeal, not to your love, for you are under no obligation to me on
that account, but rather to your noble heart, whereby you have proved yourself
superior to all others in the practice of courtesy. Do me this favor, then, so that I
may claim that through your generosity I have saved my son's life, thus placing
him forever in your debt."

When he heard what it was that she wanted, and realized that he could not
oblige her because he had given her the falcon to eat, Federigo burst into tears in
her presence before being able to utter a single word in reply. At first the lady
thought his tears stemmed more from his grief at having to part with his fine falcon
than from any other motive, and was on the point of telling him that she would
prefer not to have it. But on second thoughts she said nothing, and waited for
Federigo to stop crying and giver her his answer, which eventually he did.

"My lady," he said, "ever since God decreed that you should become the
object of my love, I have repeatedly had cause to complain of Fortune's hostility
towards me. But all her previous blows were slight by comparison with the one she
has dealt me now. Nor shall I ever be able to forgive her, when I reflect that you
have come to my poor dwelling, which you never deigned to visit when it was rich,
and that you desire from me a trifling favor which she has made it impossible for
me to concede. The reason is simple, and I shall explain it in few words.

"When you did me the kindness of telling me that you wished to breakfast
with me, I considered it right and proper, having regard to your excellence and
merit, to do everything within my power to prepare a more sumptuous dish than
those I would offer to my ordinary guests. My thoughts therefore turned to the
falcon you have asked me for and knowing its quality, I reputed it a worthy dish to
set before you. So, I had it roasted and served to you on the trencher this morning,
and I could not have wished for a better way of disposing of it. But now that I
discover that you wanted it in a different form, I am so distressed by my inability to
grant your request that I shall never forgive myself for as long as I live."

In confirmation of his words, Federigo caused the feathers, talons, and beak
to be cast on the table before her. On seeing and hearing all this, the lady
reproached him at first for killing so fine a falcon, and serving it up for a woman to
eat; but then she became lost in admiration for his magnanimity of spirit, which no
amount of poverty had managed to diminish, nor ever would.

But now that her hopes of obtaining the falcon had vanished, she began to
feel seriously concerned for the health of her son, and after thanking Federigo for
his hospitality and good intentions, she took her leave of him, looking all
despondent, and returned to the child. And to his mother's indescribable sorrow
within the space of a few days, whether through his disappointment in not being
able to have the falcon, or because he was in any case suffering from a mortal
illness, the child passed from this life.

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 After a period of bitter mourning and continued weeping, the lady was
repeatedly urged by her brothers to remarry, since not only had she been left with a
vast fortune but she was still a young woman. And though she would have
preferred to remain a widow, they gave her so little peace in the end, recalling
Federigo's high merits and his latest act of generosity, namely to have killed such a
fine falcon in her honor, she said to her brothers:

"If only it were pleasing you, I should willingly remain as I am; but since you
are so eager or me to take a husband, you may be certain that I shall never marry
any other man except Federigo degli Alberighi."

Her brothers made fun of her, saying: "Silly girl, don't talk such nonsense!
How can you marry a man who hasn't a penny with which to bless himself?"

"My brothers," she replied, "I am well aware of that. But I would sooner have
a gentleman without riches, than riches without a gentleman."

Seeing that her mind was made up, and knowing Federigo to be a gentleman
of great merit even though he was poor, her brothers fell in with her wishes and
handed her over to him, along with her immense fortune. Thenceforth, finding
himself married to this great lady with whom he was so deeply in love, and very
rich into the bargain, Federigo managed his affairs more prudently, and lived with
her in happiness to the end of his days.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Comprehension Check

Directions: Answer the following questions about the story. Write your answers on
the space provided.

1. What is the difference between saying that she "took no notice" of his love and
saying that she did not notice it? Why is this distinction important?
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2. Federigo decided to kill his falcon. Is it in a way similar to Monna’s decision to

ask him for it? Describe the sacrifice both of them had to make.
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3. What social and moral problems came up when Monna Giovanna's son asks her
to obtain Federigo's falcon? What characteristic of a mother and a woman does
Monna reveal?
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4. Can you say that the two main characters were models of behavior? In what
way?
What faults, if any, did they have?
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__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

5. How did you feel when Monna decided to marry Federigo in the end? How does
Monna Giovanna view Federigo’s love for her?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

ACTIVITY 5. TMT (TONE, MOOD, THEME) ALERT

Federigo’s falcon builds on a theme. The theme of the story refers to the
central topic of a text. Its tone and mood are also felt all over the story. Tone refers
to the attitude of the author toward a subject while mood is the atmosphere of the
story. It’s the feeling you get while reading the story. Fill in the graphic organizer
with appropriate information about the story.

Federigo’s Falcon

Main Theme
Tone

Mood

Sub-Theme

15
ACTIVITY 6. PRISMS OF POSSIBILITIES

Directions: Recall the story “The Plague” and critique it using the lens of the
literary approaches. Evaluate the story by answering the questions assigned for
each lens. Write your discussion on the table. (2 points each)

Reader-
Moralist Marxist Historical response

1. What aspects of the

story offers characteristics
and evidences to this
particular lens?

2. Cite specific textual

passage/s that supports
the theory.

3. What themes or
patterns this story has
that point to this lens?

4. If you look through this

lens, what probable
questions emerge?

5. Based on this
approach, is the story
believable? Why or why
not?

6. What do you think is

the most appropriate
literary theory or
approach to best evaluate
the story “The Plague”?
Discuss.
(5 points)

16
Lesson Guide/Concepts #2

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

in-depth evaluation of the story for the purpose of giving the reading public
insight into the story. Writing a critique requires you to reassemble the
elements in such a way that you intended audience has a better
understanding of the story’s strengths, weaknesses, and highlights.
"In-depth" Examination of the Text
1. Before reading the work, make sure to examine the title carefully. Often
the title is a clue to an important idea in the work.
2. Ask yourself the following questions:
 What is the geographical, historical and social setting? How does this
affect the story?
 Who is (are) the main character(s)?
 Who are the secondary characters, and how are they linked to the
main characters?
 Does the main character change? If so, how and why? If not, why
not?
 What is the conflict? Can you trace the development and resolution of
the conflict?
 Who is telling the story? How does this influence the story?

4. Following these questions which may help you discover deeper meanings
that will lead you to an interpretation.
 Can you summarize the author's meaning in one paragraph?
 Can you state a theme of the work in one sentence?
 Can you identify any symbols or metaphors? What do they mean?
5. How do you prove your interpretation?
You prove your interpretation by finding a pattern of examples in the
literature that support your idea. You find this pattern in the literary
elements, such as plot, point of view, character, setting, symbols, tone, and
style, and make use of the different literary approaches discussed in this
lesson.
Writing Guidelines:
 The 3-4 paragraph short story critique should be neatly written
in a long size bond paper.
 Choose your own title and write your name below it.
 Your essay should include the introduction, body, and conclusion.
 Read the sample story critique for your guide.

17
 Make Your Own Title
Shakespeare's Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
by (Your Name)
Introduction
Double tragedy in Romeo and Juliet - what to blame? Fate or bad luck?
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a play about fate and chance. It would seem
that coincidental occurrences may have been the only role in their demise, but this
is not entirely true. In the play Romeo and Juliet, the events leading up to their
deaths were also instruments of fate, and not just of mere "bad luck".

Of course, chance had a big role to play in the tragedy. For example, the
Montagues and Capulets were not always enemies, as there used to be peace in the
streets of Verona, before several brawls occurred. This shows that the bitter strife
that turned the families against each other was most likely due to a chance
misunderstanding, which evolved into a blood feud through the streets. This also
shows that chance events can be the cause of bitter, senseless hatred. In addition,
if Mercutio's untimely death had been prevented, Romeo's banishment would not
have happened. This shows that the events afterwards could most likely have been
avoided, including the deaths of Romeo and Juliet themselves. This also shows that
any random event is capable of starting a domino effect of events that can tilt the
scales of people's futures in one way or another. Chance events can change
people's lives forever. Sometimes they can be prevented, and other times it is
impossible to stop them.
Body
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet are not totally decided by chance though. It
is fate that decides their lives. For example, Juliet senses that her forbidden love
with Romeo may end up in some tragic manner. This shows that Juliet is
subconsciously aware that her love is bound by fate, and that despite her
happiness, it may end in a terrible way. This also shows that Romeo and Juliet's
fate is decided from the moment they met. In addition, when the two families
discover the bodies of their dead children, their hatred for each other is lifted, as
they realize what horror it has brought upon them. This shows that the fate of the
two lovers was used for a greater purpose in uniting their families. It also shows
that fate works in mysterious ways, using death to bring forth a new sort of life.
Romeo and Juliet were destined to die, in order for the shroud of bitterness to be
lifted from their two families.

Death is the ultimate fate of all people. It is the only sure constant. However,
there are events in life that are set beforehand. The paths people choose, whether
they are by chance or done deliberately decide how they get to these events. When
Romeo and Juliet met, their fates were bound together because of this choice.
Though it was through love that they sacrificed themselves, they were also fulfilling
a greater purpose, and sealing their destinies together.

Conclusion
Source: http://www.essaybyexample.com/free-essay-samples/english-lit-essays.php

18
ACTIVITY 7. QUICK WRITES

Directions: Write a critique of the story “Federigo’s Falcon” considering the

different literary approaches. You can also use the following guide questions in
writing your critique.

What genre is it? Adventure? Science

CONTEXT
Fiction? Fantasy? Literary?

What is the author trying to

accomplish with the story? If the
story is meant to be funny and isn’t,
AUTHOR’S INTENTION
or is meant to be a morality tale but
doesn’t quite pull it off, then it has
failed in at least one respect.

Note your reactions as you read.

YOUR REACTIONS Either keep a spare piece of paper
with you, or mark your reactions on
the margins of the text.

Figures of speech used in the story

LITERARY DEVICES
and their purpose.

Note your reactions as you read.

LITERARY DEVICES Either keep a spare piece of paper
with you, or mark your reactions on
the margins of the text.

Decide how the ending relates both to

LITERARY DEVICES the story as a whole and to its
beginning. Does the ending resolve
the plot and bring closure to the
crisis of the characters?

19
 Literary Analysis Writing Rubric

Skill Outstanding Exceeds Meets Approaching Unacceptable

Expectation Expectation Expectation

10 9 8 7 5
Meaning Offer insightful Offer accurate Convey an Convey a partly Convey a
Sound interpretations interpretations of accurate although accurate confused or
understanding, of the text with the text with somewhat basic understanding largely
interpretation, analysis that analysis that understanding of of the text and inaccurate
and analysis goes well beyond goes beyond a the text and offer offer few or understanding of
a literal level. literal level. partially explained superficial the text and offer
and/or somewhat interpretations unclear
literal with a tendency interpretations.
interpretations to retell

Development Develop ideas Develop ideas Develop some Develop ideas Contain textual
Specific and clearly, elaborate clearly, explain ideas more fully briefly or evidence that is
relevant on specific key textual than others, using partially, using vague,
details that textual evidence, evidence, and relevant textual some textual irrelevant,
support the reveal an reveal an evidence and evidence but repetitive and/or
thesis insightful understanding of reveal some w/o much unjustified and
understanding literary elements understanding of elaboration and show a confused
of the elements and the elements and reveal a vague understanding of
& techniques. techniques. techniques understanding the elements and
literary elements techniques.
and techniques.

Organization Contain a Contain a clear Contain a clear Fail to maintain Establish a

Thesis compelling thesis statement, thesis statement focus on the confused
statement and thesis statement use topic and but ideas thesis or irrelevant
organization of use insightful concluding within paragraphs statement. thesis. Exhibit
key elements analytical topic sentences, and may be Exhibit a basic some attempt
of support and and concluding make use of inconsistently structure but to provide a
paragraphing sentences, and transition words organized. Make lack coherence. beginning,
make skillful use and phrases. some attempt to Make an middle, and an
of transition use basic inconsistent end. Make little
words & transitions attempt to use attempt to
phrases. transitions use transitions.

Language Use language Use language Use appropriate Rely on basic Use language
Word choice that is precise, that is original language and vocabulary and that is
and sentence engaging, and and incorporate make some rely on a limited imprecise or
variety sophisticated some varied attempt to use range of unsuitable and
and incorporate sentence sentence variety syntactic reveal a
a wide range of patterns. but with uneven structures. confused
varied sentence success. understanding of
patterns. how to write in
complete
sentences

Conventions Demonstrate Demonstrate Demonstrate Exhibit frequent Exhibit frequent

Spelling, control of the control of the partial control, errors that errors that make
punctuation, conventions with conventions, exhibiting somewhat comprehension
capitalization, essentially no exhibiting occasional errors hinder difficult (e.g.,
usage errors. occasional that do not hinder comprehension subject-verb
errors only when comprehension (e.g., agreement agreement).
using (e.g., incorrect use of pronouns
sophisticated of homonyms). & antecedents,
language (e.g. spelling of basic
punctuation of words, errors in
complex verb tenses).
sentences)

20
V. CLOSURE

My Treasure!

Directions: Reflect on how you performed in this lesson, and make a plan on how
to develop your skills. Use the following sentence starters:

1. Parts of this lesson that I find most helpful are

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

2. Because they enable me to become

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

3. And they made me realize that

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

4. Hence, I commit myself to

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

21
REFERENCES:

Week 4

1. https://home.olemiss.edu/~egjbp/200/litcrit.html

2. https://www.slideshare.net/andreatiangco9/literary-theories-critical-
approaches-in-critiquing-literature

3. https://public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/marxist.crit.html

4. https://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz114239d16290.html

5. https://www.sierracollege.edu/_files/resources/student-services/academic-
support/writing-center/documents/LitCrit.pdf

6. https://www.edutopia.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/stw/edutopia-stw-yesprep-
rubric-literary-analysis.pdf

WEEK 4

ACTIVITY 1. ACTIVITY 2. ACTIVITY 3. WHIP IT!

CHOOSE THE BEST! ASK ME Comprehension Check
1. b 1. c Students’ answers may vary
2. a 2. a
3. b 3. d ACTIVITY 4. THINK TANK
4. d 4. e Comprehension Check
5. a 5. b Students’ answers may vary
6. d 6. f
7. c ACTIVITY 5. TMT ALERT
8. b (TONE, MOOD & THEME)
9. b Students’ answers may vary
10. c
ACTIVITY 6. PRISMS OF
POSSIBILITIES!
Students’ answers may vary

ACTIVITY 7.
QUICK WRITES
Students’ answers may vary

ACTIVITY 8. CLOSUE
My Treasure
Students’ answers may vary

22
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