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Defining ‘Added Upon’
Of all the words and phrases that are common in or unique to Mormonism, added upon is perhaps the most connected with a work of literature. Though perhaps infrequently used today in Mormon vernacular...
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If we define literary criticism as any discussion of literature or its role, then LDS General Authorities have frequently been literary critics, from the beginning of Mormon publishing. Yesterday I...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: Truth Speaks for Itself – Orson F. Whitney
The more I read of Elder Orson F. Whitney, the more convinced I am that he was the most literary of our modern Apostles. A literary viewpoint influenced much of what he wrote about the gospel in a...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: Joseph Smith in Literature — Orson F. Whitney
Orson F. Whitney Was Joseph Smith a poet? In the first post in this series Orson F. Whitney argued that Prophets are the greatest poets, implying that he was. But in 1905, 12 years earlier than the...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: The Young Woman’s Journal on Novel Reading
First Page of the Young Women's Journal, 1889 With the advent of the home literature movement in the end of the 19th century, Mormon culture began to produce novels for the first time. For decades...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: Whitney on the role of Mormon literature
Orson F. Whitney One sermon given by Orson F. Whitney is cited more than any other when we talk about Mormon literature. The sermon was given on June 3rd, 1888 in the Salt Lake Tabernacle during the...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: Whitney on Originality in Mormon literature
Orson F. Whitney’s Home Literature sermon lays out a stunning vision, not by describing the role that Mormon literature should serve (as we looked at last week), but also by describing a vision for the...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: Whitney on the blessings of Literature
Orson F. Whitney concludes his Home Literature sermon by invoking the blessings that literature has provided to mankind and urging his audience to create literature, not because it is how they should...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: J. H. Paul on status of Mormon Poetry, 1931
Joshua H Paul Today those of us who are at least somewhat invested in Mormon Literature might be excused if we are defensive when Mormon Literature is attacked as not worthy of attention. I know that...
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Resolutions and Mormon Literature Memes
For some time I have looked for ways to promote Mormon literature — ways to put the idea of Mormon literature in front of the public. The best, or most resonant, of Mormon literature needs to become...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon #77: Orson F. Whitney on poetry and religion
While I’m a little embarrassed that it has taken me 3 months to get back to this series, I’m pleased to pick it up again and hope that it is warmly received. I’ve also updated my list of these posts...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon #80: Orson F. Whitney on Poetry and Oratory
When Mormon Literature folk think of Orson F. Whitney, it is usually in regard to his 1886 talk that predicted that Mormonism would yet have “Miltons and Shakespeares of our own.” But in 1926, after...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon #81: Orson F. Whitney on the Essence of Poetry
To a large extent, theory is definition. A theory of literature is therefore definition of its many elements and how they work together to allow the creation of literature. And as far as I can tell,...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon #83: Orson F. Whitney on sincerity and oratory
Perhaps the most widespread literary art practiced among Mormons is oratory. The three or four weekly sermons given in every LDS congregation, usually by members of that congregation, sum to a...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon #85: Orson F. Whitney on Poetry, Music and Silence
What makes poetry work? Why is it different than fiction and other genres? I’m not sure any scientific answer is possible to this question, since it involves so many elements, many of which simply...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon #87: Orson F. Whitney on Oratory as Milk
In the past 40 years the descriptions of Mormon literature published by Eugene England and his successors have designated oratory as one of the primary forms of our literary output, one that Church...
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Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: Whitney on Originality in Mormon literature
Orson F. Whitney’s Home Literature sermon lays out a stunning vision, not by describing the role that Mormon literature should serve (as we looked at last week), but also by describing a vision for the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: Whitney on the blessings of Literature
Orson F. Whitney concludes his Home Literature sermon by invoking the blessings that literature has provided to mankind and urging his audience to create literature, not because it is how they should...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sunday Lit Crit Sermon: J. H. Paul on status of Mormon Poetry, 1931
Joshua H Paul Today those of us who are at least somewhat invested in Mormon Literature might be excused if we are defensive when Mormon Literature is attacked as not worthy of attention. I know that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Resolutions and Mormon Literature Memes
For some time I have looked for ways to promote Mormon literature — ways to put the idea of Mormon literature in front of the public. The best, or most resonant, of Mormon literature needs to become...
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