by Eunice E. OMONZEJIE, PhD
Visiting Professor, Dept. of Modern European Languages, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
11 May, 2024
Introduction: Creative Writing as a Cultural Transmission Tool
Literature reflects the socio-cultural conditions of society and must be passed down through creative writing. Understanding literature and its appreciation helps develop writing skills in prose, poetry, or drama.
Literary Appreciation: Literary appreciation involves evaluating written works intellectually and academically. It allows readers to classify works and discuss their merits.
Levels of Literary Appreciation:
Finding Pleasure in Reading – Typically social.
Decoding the Text – Understanding deeper meaning and author’s language.
Concrete Issues in Literary Appreciation
Context of the Text – Literal or metaphorical background; ideological viewpoint.
Structure of the Text – Format, diction, techniques.
Plot – Sequence of events.
Characters – Individuals in the text.
More Concrete Issues
Literary Devices – Literal vs. metaphorical meanings. Figurative language and diction are key.
Theme – Central message; distinct from the subject matter.
Setting – Time and place (spatio-temporal setting).
Style – Language structure and techniques.
Mood – Emotional tone of the writer.
Diction – Word choice: formal, informal, poetic, etc.
Critical Appreciation of Poetry
Poetry is a powerful medium for societal discourse, expressing beauty and emotion through language. It aims to convey moral truth and perspective.
Poetic Diction
Poetry uses a unique diction, marked by figures of speech and stylistic devices like epithets.
Examples:
“Bleating tribe” = sheep
“Two-legged kind” = humans
“Weaker sex” = women
How to Appreciate Poems
A. Reading Poetry for Pleasure
Read several times.
Return to lines that resonate.
Visualize imagery in the poem.
B. Analyzing Poems
Look up unfamiliar words.
Consider historical/social context.
Make margin notes.
Identify poetic form.
Note rhythm and flow.
Look for repetition and rhyme.
Identify literary devices (metaphor, simile, personification, etc.).
Paraphrase in your own words.
Identify the central theme or idea.
C. Experiencing Poems Through Performance
Read aloud.
Listen to poets perform their work.
Attend live poetry readings.
Practical Poetry Appreciation – Sample Poems
J. P. Clark – “Streamside Exchange”
Dialog between a child and a bird reflecting uncertainty and reality.
Paul Eluard – “I Love You (Je t’aime)”
Expresses love across time, identity, and perception.
Lenrie Peters – “The Fire Has Gone Out”
Meditates on aging, loss, memory, and mortality.
Rudyard Kipling – “Cities and Thrones and Powers”
Explores impermanence, regeneration, and human legacy.