In literature, the term merit is employed in a remarkably diverse manner, functioning both as a marker of intrinsic worth and as a reward for accomplishments. Authors often use it to denote intellectual or artistic superiority, as when a character’s acute perceptiveness is lauded for seeing “into the nature of affairs a very great deal farther than anybody else” ([1]) or when merit signifies moral or aesthetic credit ([2], [3]). In some narratives, merit is literally quantified through accolades such as badges awarded for skill or achievement ([4], [5], [6], [7]), while in other texts it is woven into discussions of virtue, social standing, or administrative right; for instance, it is noted as a due reward or recognition in contractual or political terms ([8], [9]). This broad application—from tangible rewards in community institutions to abstract notions of honor and virtue ([10], [11], [12])—demonstrates how the concept of merit enriches the thematic complexity of literary works.