The 7 Literary Standards

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T he seven literary standards

are: artistry, suggestiveness, intellectual value, spiritual
value, permanence, universality and style. These are a set
of characteristics to determine whether or not a work is literary.
The criteria was developed by writer William J. Long  in his
textbook “English Literature: Its History and Its Significance for
the Life of the English-speaking World.“

1. Universality
It appeals to everyone regardless of culture, race, sex, and time
which are considered significant. Universality  describes a piece
of writing  that appeals to the hearts and minds of almost any
reader. The appeal is considered universal due to its ability to
cross gender, racial and cultural barriers, regardless of the time
it’s written.

2. Artistry
It has an aesthetic appeal to everyone and thus possesses a sense
of beauty. Artistry  describes literature that is
aesthetically appealing and reveals or conveys hidden truth and
beauty. This type of literature appeals to broad audiences and
possesses a sense of beauty in the writing that could even feel
poetic.

3. Intellectual Value
It stimulates critical thinking that enriches the mental
processes of abstract and reasoning, making man realizes the
fundamental truths of life and its nature.

Intellectual value takes readers into a bit of a gray area as

they may have different opinions about what qualifies
as intellectual, but from an academic point of view, intellectual
works are relevant to society and thought provoking. Literature
with intellectual value promotes critical thinking that enhances
both abstract and reason-based thought processes and makes
readers focus on the fundamental truths of life and nature.

4. Suggestiveness
It unravels and conjures man’s emotional power to define
symbolism, nuances, implied meanings, images and message,
giving and evoking visions above and beyond the plane of
ordinary life and experiences. A suggestive piece of
literature relies on emotional power to convey nuances,
symbolism, implied meanings, imagery and messages. The power
of suggestion allows the work to inspire and provoke thoughts and
understanding beyond the actual words written on the page.

5. Spiritual Value
It elevates the spirit and the soul  and thus have the power to
motivate and inspire, drawn from the suggested morals or lessons
of the different literary genres.

Literature with spiritual value lifts up the inner spirit and soul

and has the power to motivate and inspire readers. It typically
draws on the suggested lessons and moral codes of society that are
depicted in various literary genres.

6. Permanence
It endures across time and draws out the time
factor: TIMELINESS , occurring at a particular time,
and TIMELESSNESS , remaining invariably throughout time.

Permanence is determined by a written work’s ability to

stand the test of time, which makes it impossible to determine
at the moment of writing. Novels that continue to be read over
and over again across decades, either for enjoyment or for fresh
insights and ideas, meet this criteria. Many novels enjoy initial
popularity but ultimately fade into obscurity with time, failing the
permanence test.

7. Style
Style refers to the distinct way the author expresses his
or her thoughts.  Words can be used in unique, creative and
entertaining ways that make the work memorable. Style is another
element that is subject to interpretation by readers in terms of its
appeal.

It presents peculiar ways on how man sees life as evidenced by the

formation of his ideas, forms, structures, and expressions which
are marked by their memorable substance.

A particular literary piece must possess these seven literary

standards in order to be called a peerless epitome of artwork
capable of enduring the inexorable gusty tides of alteration. To
criticize it is to consider the seven literary standards. Be critical.
Ask yourself once in a while.