Standards of Literature

Literary writing can be intellectual and contain a lot of cleverly hidden meanings which ensure
the writing can be enjoyed and studied on many different levels and often still enjoyed many
years after it was written. Many people believe that literature cannot be defined and literary
theory should simply be thought of as way of interpreting both texts and events.
The seven standards that a piece of literature usually contains to be considered literary are:

Permanence - An important feature of great literature is that it endures. Classic literature

such as Dickens is still enjoyed by readers today, generations after it was originally written
and in a completely different world to the one it was intended for. This is extremely
important because if a work of literature is not enjoyed 20 years after publication, it will
simply be forgotten.
Universal appeal - This is similar to endurance in the fact that literature must appeal to a
range of people across different age groups, nationalities, cultures and beliefs.
Artistry - The literature should be well written and appeal to our creative sides with
beautifully crafted phrases and sentences. Sentences such as these are often memorized
and can become famous phrases.
Style - The writer of literature will usually have a unique view of the world and will put
thoughts to us in a way we have never considered. It may be thoughts about the world or
it may simply be thoughts about the actual words used. Words may be used in a creative
and unusual way that is entertaining and interested.
Intellectually valuable - Literary work will usually inform us about our past, our present
or the world around us. It may not be in the form of facts and figures but it will help us
understand our lives and realize truths about humanity and life in general. Literature
should mentally stimulate us and enriches our thoughts.
Suggestiveness - Literature should carry many associations that lead beyond the surface
meaning. Underlying suggestions usually carry an enormous amount of emotional power,
often because it is not directly mentioned but hinted at through associations that can often
be more powerful. The reader is left to establish what the author is suggesting and this
captures the reader's imagination by making think about what they are reading and
engaging them into the story.
Spiritual Value - Great works of literature are often thought to have an underlying moral
message that can potentially make us better people. Moral values are often written
between the lines and can help us become better people.

(Source: http://arts-literature.blurtit.com/1120166/what-are-the-literary-standards-in-literature)

Worldview
A worldview is a theory of the world, used for living in the world. A world view is a mental
model of reality a framework of ideas & attitudes about the world, ourselves, and life, a
comprehensive system of beliefs with answers for a wide range of questions:
What are humans, why we are here, and what is our purpose in life? What are your goals for
life? When you make decisions about using time it's the stuff life is made of what are your
values and priorities? *
What can we know, and how? and with how much certainty?
Does reality include only matter/energy, or is there more?
Some worldview questions are about God: Can we know whether God exists? Does God
exist? If so, what characteristics does God have, and what relationship with the universe? Have
miracles occurred in the past, as claimed in the Bible, and do they occur now? Are natural
events produced and guided by God? Was the universe self-creating, or did God create it? Was
it totally self-assembling by natural process, or did God sometimes create in miraculousappearing ways? Does God communicate with us (mentally and spiritually) in everyday life, and
through written revelation, as in the Bible? What is God's role in history? Is there a purpose and
meaning in history, for each of us individually and for all of us together, or is life just a long string
of things happening? What happens after death?
We'll look at these questions and others, plus practical applications: how do worldviews
affect decisions and actions in everyday life, for individuals and societies? what should we teach
students about worldviews, and how, and why?
A person's worldview is affected by many factors by their inherited characteristics,
background experiences and life situations, the values, attitudes, and habits they have
developed, and more and these vary from one person to another. Therefore, even though
some parts of a worldview are shared by many people in a community, other parts differ for
individuals.
* Carol Hill says, "By worldview I mean the basic way of interpreting things and events that
pervades a culture so thoroughly that it becomes a culture's concept of reality what is good,
what is important, what is sacred, what is real. Worldview is more than culture, even though the
distinction between the two can sometimes be subtle. It extends to perceptions of time and
space, of happiness and well-being. The beliefs, values, and behaviors of a culture stem directly
from its worldview."
(Source: http://asa3.org/ASA/education/views/index.html)