If you were to ask me what a work of literary merit is, my answer would be simple: any work that is written in a way that makes great use of literary devices and possesses a meaning that does more than just skim the surface. I feel that works of literary merit should have some type of deeper meaning, or a theme that makes a reader consider the novel well beyond its final pages. When I think of literary merit, the first thing that comes to my mind would be classic books. They're all regarded as classics for a reason, their common thread being their literary merit. These novels are classics because they are well written, thoroughly intellectual, and timeless. For further convincing, see here.
Given this, the first book I will be blogging about will be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. In my opinion, this novel is an authentic example of "literary merit." Austen makes use of irony and witty diction, of metaphors and complex themes, of well developed characters and imagery. There are countless portrayals of literary merit throughout the novel, one can hardly keep track of them all. When looking at these devices as a whole, it becomes clear to readers that Austen is making an effort to criticize the social classes of the early 1800s, and she does so very well. This is evident from her very first line: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" (3). Upon completing the novel, this utterly ironic statement reveals the story for its critical nature. This, in my opinion, makes it the work of literary merit it truly is. How can such a commentary of the social classes ever be regarded as anything other than classic?
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