ENGLISH 10
THE LESSON BEHIND
I. LEARNING SKILLS
A. Most Essential Learning Competency
Critique a literary selection based on Moralist Approach
B. Objectives
1. Analyze a literary selection based on Moralist Approach.
2. Compose a poem based on the theme of the selected approach.
II. INTRODUCTORY CONCEPT
Moral/Ethical Criticism—The moralist approach is concerned with
content and values. The approach is as old as literature itself, for literature is
a traditional mode of imparting morality, philosophy, and religion. The
concern in moral/intellectual criticism is not only to discover meaning but also
to determine whether works of literature are both true and significant.
To study literature from the moral/intellectual perspective is therefore to
determine whether a work conveys a lesson or message and whether it can
help readers lead better lives and improve their understanding of the world:
What idea does the work contain? How strongly does the work bring forth its
ideas? What application do the ideas have to the work’s characters and
situations? How may the ideas be evaluated intellectually?
Morally? Discussions based on such questions do not imply that literature is
primarily a medium of moral and intellectual exhortation.
Ideally, moralist criticism should differ from sermonizing to the degree
that readers should always be left with their own decisions about whether to
assimilate the ideas of a work and about whether the ideas—and values—are
personally or morally acceptable. Sophisticated critics have sometimes
demeaned the moral/intellectual approach on the grounds that “message
hunting” reduces a work’s artistic value by treating it like a sermon or political
speech; but the approach will be valuable as long as readers expect literature
to be applicable to their own lives.
In this worksheet, you will learn about Moralistic Literary Approach
● A tendency rather that a recognized school within literary
criticism to judge literary works according to moral rather than
formal principles
● Judging literary works by their ethical teachings and by their
effects on readers
● Literature that is ethically sound and encourages virtue is
praised
● Literature that misguides and corrupt is condemned
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III. ACTIVITIES
Practice Task 1. Read each item carefully and tell whether you Agree or
Disagree on the given statements about Moralistic Approach.
______1. Moralistic Approach investigates the effects it has on readers as
moral beings.
______2. This approach is judging literary works by their ethical teachings
and by their effects on readers.
______3. Moralistic Approach is a literary criticism to judge literary works
based on moral rather that formal principles.
______4. Literature that is ethically sound and encourages virtue is praised.
______5. It states that moralist particular interest are the elements form-style,
structure, tone, imagery that are found in the text.
Read “The Story of the Aged Mother” by Matsuo Basho. Then, pause and write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper to the questions that follow.
The Story of the Aged Mother
MATSUO BASHO
Long, long ago there lived at the foot of the mountain a poor farmer and his aged, widowed
mother. They owned a bit of land which supplied them with food, and they were humble, peaceful,
and happy.
Shining was governed by a despotic leader who though a warrior, had a great and cowardly
shrinking from anything suggestive of failing health and strength. This caused him to send out a cruel
proclamation. The entire province was given strict orders to immediately put to death all aged people.
Those were barbarous days, and the custom of abandoning old people to die was not uncommon.
The poor farmer loved his aged mother with tender reverence, and the order filled his heart with
sorrow. But no one ever thought twice about obeying the mandate of the governor, so with many
deep and hopeless sighs, the youth prepared for what at that time was considered the kindest mode
of death.
What disrupted the peaceful and happy life of the poor farmer and his aged mother?
Just at sundown, when his day’s work was ended, he took a quantity of unwhitened rice which
was the principal food for the poor, and he cooked, dried it, and tied it in a square cloth, which he
swung in a bundle around his neck along with a gourd filled with cool, sweet water. Then he lifted his
helpless old mother to his back and started on his painful journey up the mountain. The road was
long and steep; the narrow road was crossed and re-crossed by many paths made by the hunters
and woodcutters. In some place, they lost and confuse, but he gave no heed. One path or another, it
mattered not. On he went, climbing blindly upward -- ever upward towards the high bare summit of
what is known as Obatsuyama, the mountain of the “abandoning of the aged.”
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How does the poor farmer feel about the proclamation?
The eyes of the old mother were not so dim but that they noted the reckless hastening from
one path to another, and her loving heart grew anxious. Her son did not know the mountain’s many
paths and his return might be one of danger, so she stretched forth her hand and snapping the twigs
from brushes as they passed, she quietly dropped a handful every few steps of the way so that as
they climbed, the narrow path behind them was dotted at frequent intervals with tiny piles of twigs. At
last, the summit was reached. Weary and heart sick, the youth gently released his burden and
silently prepared a place of comfort as his last duty to the loved one. Gathering fallen pine needles,
he made a soft cushion and tenderly lifted his old mother onto it. He wrapped her padded coat more
closely about the stooping shoulders and with tearful eyes and an aching heart he said farewell.
If you were the son, would you bring your mother to the peak of the mountain to die?
Why or why not?
The trembling mother’s voice was full of unselfish love as she gave her last injunction. “Let not
thine eyes be blinded, my son.” She said. “The mountain road is full of dangers. LOOK carefully and
follow the path which holds the piles of twigs. They will guide you to the familiar path farther down.”
The son’s surprised eyes looked back over the path, then at the poor old, shriveled hands all
scratched and soiled by their work of love. His heart broke within and bowing to the ground, he cried
aloud: “oh, Honorable mother, your kindness breaks my heart! I will not leave you. Together we will
follow the path of twigs, and together we will die!
What did the old mother do so that her son would be able to find his way back down
from the mountain? What were the twigs for?
Once more he shouldered his burden (how light it seemed now) and hastened down the path,
through the shadows and the moonlight, to the little hut in the valley. Beneath the kitchen floor was a
walled closet for food, which was covered and hidden from view. There the son hid his mother,
supplying her with everything she needed, continually watching and fearing she would be
discovered. Time passed, and he was beginning to feel safe when again the governor sent forth
heralds bearing an unreasonable order, seemingly as a boast of his power. His demand was that his
subjects should present him with a rope of ashes.
Does the mother show unconditional love to her son even at the middle of her death?
The entire province trembled with dread. The order must be obeyed yet who in all Shining
could make a rope of ashes? One night, in great distress, the son whispered the news to his hidden
mother. “Wait!” she said. “I will think. I will think” On the second day she told him what to do. “Make
rope of twisted straw,” she said. “Then stretch it upon a row of flat stones and burn it on a windless
night.” He called the people together and did as she said and when the blaze died down, there upon
the stones, with every twist and fiber showing perfectly, lay a rope of ashes.
Does the son care much about his mother or not at all? What does this line mean “with
the crown of snow cometh wisdom?”
The governor was pleased at the wit of the youth and praised greatly, but he demanded to
know where he had obtained his wisdom. “Alas! Alas!” cried the farmer, “the truth must be told!” and
with deep bows he related his story. The governor listened and then meditated in silence. Finally, he
lifted his head. “Shining needs more than strength of youth,” he said gravely. “Ah, that I should have
Practice Task 2. On a separate sheet of paper, answer the comprehension
forgotten the well-known saying, “with the crown of snow, there cometh wisdom!” That very hour the
questions below. Cite a line from the story to support your answer.
cruel law was abolished, and custom drifted into as far a past that only legends remain.
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What did the governor realize in the story? If you have given the power to change the
lives of the people, what would it be?
1. What can you say about the proclamation of the Governor? Are you in
favor or against it? Why or why not?
2. Do you think the demand of the leader is JUST and FAIR for the old ones?
Explain your answer.
3. Do the characters in the story show ethical values as a person? Describe
the characters and mention their acts as proof to your answer.
a. MOTHER:
b. SON:
c. The LEADER:
4. Do you think obeying the rules all the time is the best thing to do? Why or
why not?
Practice Task 2: Using your responses above as your guide, write a Moralist
criticism showing the ethical teachings/values in the selection that you read. Explain
how the values help you in creating your own decision.
B. Assessment
Compose a poem showing gratitude for the sacrifices that your parents made
for you. Write your poem on a separate sheet of paper. Be guided by the rubric
provided.
CATEGORY Exceptional Good Work Developing Beginning
4 3 2 1
The entire poem Most of the poem Some of the No attempt has
is related to the is related to the poem is related been made to
Focus on assigned topic assigned topic. to the assigned relate the poem
Assigned Topic and allows the The poem topic, but a to the assigned
reader to wanders off at reader does not topic.
understand much one point, but the learn much about
more about the reader can still the topic.
topic. learn something
about the topic.
Creativity The poem The poem The poem There is little
contains many contains a few contains a few evidence of
creative details creative details creative details creativity in the
and/or and/or and/or poem. The author
descriptions that descriptions that descriptions, but does not seem to
contribute to the contribute to the they distract from have used much
reader's reader's the poem. The imagination.
enjoyment. The enjoyment. The author has tried
author has really author has used to use his
used his his imagination. imagination.
imagination.
Spelling and There are no There is one There are 2-3 The final draft
Punctuation spelling or spelling or spelling and has more than 3
punctuation punctuation error punctuation spelling and
errors in the final in the final draft. errors in the final punctuation
draft. draft. errors.
Title Title is creative, Title is related to Title is present, No title.
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sparks interest the poem and but does not
and is related to topic. appear to be
the poem and related to the
topic. poem and topic.
Imagery Many vivid, Some vivid, The reader can The reader has
descriptive words descriptive words figure out what to trouble figuring
are used. The are used. The picture in the out what imagery
reader can reader can poem, but the the poem is using
picture the somewhat picture author didn't and what the
imagery in the the imagery in supply much author wants
poem. the poem. detail. him/her to
picture.
IV.REFERENCES
DepEd Region V SLMs in English 10, 3rd Quarter Module 4.2: The Lesson Behind
Scope of Literature accessed at https://www.britannica.com/art/literature
Definition of Moralist Approach accessed at
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:BV9fgy4iGs4J:https://
www.everettsd.org/cms/lib/WA01920133/Centricity/Domain/954/Critical
%2520Lenses%2520-%2520Theories.doc+&cd=19&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ph
Story of the Aged Mother accessed at https://americanliterature.com/author/matsuo-
basho/short-story/the-aged-mother
Poetry rubric accessed at http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?
screen=PrintRubric&rubric_id=1107387&
https://dictionary.com
www.meriam-webster.com
