THE FIRST OF THESE TWO 12TH-GRADE UNITS IS DESIGNED TO SHOW STUDENTS THAT THE UNIMAGINATIVE OVERUSE OF LITERARY CONVENTIONS LEADS TO TRITENESS, VERBOSITY, AND DULLNESS. LESSONS ARE ORGANIZED BY GENRE AND FOCUS ON LITERARY SELECTIONS WHICH SHOW VARYING DEGREES OF ORIGINALITY IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF LITERARY CONVENTIONS. AMONG WORKS DISCUSSED ARE JEFFERS'"THE BLOODY SIRE," EDGAR GUEST'S "ALONG THE PATHS OF GLORY," MILTON'S "ON HIS BLINDNESS," AND STEINBECK'S "FLIGHT." THE SECOND UNIT, "THE PLACE OF VALUES IN LITERATURE," IS CONCERNED WITH HOW LITERATURE INEVITABLY PRESUPPOSES OR ESTABLISHES A SYSTEM OF VALUES. THE CLOSE ANALYSIS OF LITERARY SELECTIONS IS EMPHASIZED, AND LESSONS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN LITERARY WORKS WHICH ASSUME VALUES AND THOSE WHICH SHOW A CONFLICT OF VALUES. BLAKE'S"THE LAMB," VAUGHAN'S "THE WORLD," ARNOLD'S "DOVER BEACH," AND MELVILLE'S "BILLY BUDD," ARE AMONG SELECTIONS DISCUSSED, AND TOLSTOI'S "THREE ARSHINS OF LAND" IS REPRINTED. THE STUDENT VERSION INCLUDES STUDY AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, EXPLANATIONS OF MATERIALS, AND SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR PAPERS. THE TEACHER VERSION CONTAINS BACKGROUND MATERIALS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING PROCEDURES AND STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS. A TEST DESIGNED TO ACCOMPANY THE UNIT, "THE USE AND OVERUSE OF LITERARY CONVENTION," IS APPENDED. SEE ALSO ED 010 129 THROUGH ED 010 160, ED 010 803 THROUGH ED 010 832, TE 000 195 THROUGH TE 000 220, AND TE 000 227 THROUGH TE 000 249. (DL)