Go+Ask+Alice+Discussion

=**What is Literary Merit?**= On a general note, "merit" refers to the inherent value or quality of a particular work.

In Banned Books this quarter, we can spend a lot of time making long lists of all of the controversial content in books like //Go Ask Alice//. Of course, the controversy is there; that's why it's a part of our course curriculum. Instead, we're committed to **evaluating whether these contested themes and situations have literary merit** and therefore belong in high school classrooms or libraries.

There's no perfect, decided-upon way to measure literary merit---but this is where you come in. = = =Your Assignment= Over the course of this week (4/12-4/16), you will reading //Go Ask Alice// as both a student and a literary critic. Your task is to write **three discussion posts** on the forums below; you may answer them in any order you prefer. As you read, you will be evaluating and analyzing the worth and relevance of different aspects of //Go Ask Alice,// including:
 * ** __[|Character]__ ** - is the protagonist relatable? Is the voice authentic? Does the narrator describe thoughts and reactions that can connect with teen readers?
 * __[|Topics and Themes]__ - are the situations and subjects experienced by the characters still relevant to today's teen readers? Are the texts "big ideas" timeless and universal?
 * __[|Craft and Story]__ - is the story well-written? Do the author's use of literary devices, point-of-view, dialogue, and imagery enhance the novel's overall meaning?

These posts should be thoughtful and specific, far-reaching and analytical. To post, click on the links above.
 * All posts should demonstrate an understanding and completion of reading assignments.
 * All posts should be at least 250 words (two well-developed paragraphs).
 * All posts should specifically reference examples and (if necessary) quotations from the text.
 * **All posts due by the end of the day Friday** (whatever "end of the day" means to you).