1. Understanding the
Stages of Literary
Appreciation
Nilsen,A.&Donelson,K.(2009).
Literaturefortoday’syoungadult.(8thed.).Boston:
PearsonEducationInc.pp.10-16
English 326
Prof. Shirley Santiago de Jiménez
Revised 2009

2. What
is
literary appreciation?

3. It is the ability to:
gain pleasure and understanding for
literature
understand the value and importance
of literature
esteem, honor, respect, and/or
admire the beauty and complexity of
literature

4. What is Literature?
Literature (Big L)
Classics that have been
read over and over again or
have been acclaimed
throughout the years
(literary awards)
Works that are considered
exemplary because they
provide knowledge and
understanding of the world
and man.

5. What is literature?
literature (little l)
Broadly, anything
that is written (such
as
novels, poems, plays
, and articles)
Written works
with popular appeal

6. What are the stages of literary
appreciation?
They are an approximation of
the different levels of “ how
individuals develop the personal
attitudes and reading, watching , and
listening skills that are a necessary
part of literary appreciation.”

7. Each developmental stage or level
(Nilsen and Donelson, 2009) is
characterized by :
•An optimal age (or grade level)
•Sample literary materials
•Sample actions or activities

9. Level 1: Understanding that Pleasure
and Profit Come from Literature
( Ages 0-5: Pre-School)
Literature can refer to oral
manifestations (songs and nursery
rhymes) as well as graphic or visual
depictions (picture books, television
programs, and appealing signs)

10. The literary experience is a social one
Adults sharing; going to bookstores
and libraries; talking about T.V.
programs and movies
Children have opportunities for
“talking stories" and “grand
conversations”

11. Level 2: Learning to Read (Decode)
(Ages 6-8: Grades 1-3)
Children are developing literacy (“…a
process that is never-ending for anyone
who is intellectually active.”)
One must not lose sight of those children
who are struggling with literacy and
subsequently lose sight of the search for
pleasure and enjoyment

12. Those children who learn to read easilyare
undemanding and in a stage of “unconscious
enjoyment” –becoming addicted to one particular
book or character (allowing for the development of
speed and skill)

13. Level 3: Losing Oneself in a Story
(Ages 9-11: Grades 4-6 )
Time outside of school for reading, less
television time, and uninterrupted
conversation is essential. (Distractions do
not help to develop appreciation for
reading!)
Children read while engaged in other
activities.

14. Reading can become a means of
“escaping.”
This developmental stage may not
occur until much later than the 4th or 5th
grades, or it may not happen at all.

15. Level 4: Finding Oneself in a Story
(Ages 12-14: Junior High) Adolescence
At this stage, the more experience young
people have with literature (books or
movies), the more discriminatingthey
become.
To receive pleasure, they have to respect
the story; it has to be real!

16. They want to know not what happened , but
why; stereotypes are no longer satisfying;
characters have to be believable.
They are reading to find out about
themselves, not simply to escape into someone
else’s experiences.

17. They are looking for lives as much like their
own as possible.
In addition, they are curious about other sides
of life ( e.g. the bizarre, the unbelievable, the
grotesque)
Their purpose is largely that of finding
themselves and where they fit in society.
The Bottom Line:
Reading is a means of discovering identity.

18. Level 5: Venturing Beyond Self
(Ages 15-18: High School)
The person goes beyond his/her
egocentrism and looks at the larger
circle of society (“going beyond me”).
Issues such as conformity, social
pressures, justice, and human
weaknesses and strengths

19. Teenagers are responsible for assessing
the world around them and where they fit
in.
This stage is more about
emotional, intellectual and physical
development instead of advanced reading
skills.

20. Reading at this level allows for focusing
on the person’s psychological needs in
relation to society. (Science fiction and
fantasy help to create new ideas about the
existing society.)

21. Levels 6 and 7: Reading Widelyand
Aesthetic Appreciation (Ages 18 -
Death)
At the college level, the young adult
reads best-sellers and is involved in
acclaimed literary works such as
novels, plays, and films, sharing these
experiences with peers.

22. Throughout adulthood, the avid reader
who has developed the skills and attitudes
necessary to enjoy literary experiences at
all the previous levels, is ready to embark
on a lifetime of aesthetic appreciation
(understanding the beauty and artistic
value).

23. What is the importance of understanding the
different stages of literary appreciation?
In order to appreciate literature, people at
any stage must experience pleasure and profit
from their reading, viewing, and listening.
As (future) teachers and parents, we must
meet young people where they are and help
them feel comfortable before trying to move
them on.

24. The Goal:
A society of adults who are
intellectually stimulated to read
for personal fulfillment and
pleasure and understand that it is
beneficial!