What is Literature?

 “The beautiful expression of man’s personal interpretations Riddles

of some aspect of human life or a wording out in a unique,  are generally poetic in form and come in one, two, three or
beautiful, and personal manner of saying what an author four lines.
thinks is a passionate meaning of life. This is the saying that  During the pre-colonial period, riddles serve as a form of
literature not only becomes but is “Life itself.” – Amador folk speech and are about the battle of the wits.
Danguio  use one or more images to refer to an object to be guessed.
 Literature broadly is any collection of written work, but it is  The use of obscure words has been invented for the purposes
also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered of rhyme and meter.
to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry.  obscure or vague words appear as proper names, fictitious
names of animals, also to meet the need of rhyme.
 Sometimes the riddle may be in the form of a direct
Pre-Colonization question. These riddles are called is tigmo in Cebuano,
 Oral and written literatures were present in our culture even bugtong in Tagalog, paktakon in Ilongo and patototdon in
before colonizers came. Bicol.
 We our own alphabet that our Malayan ancestors used.  One prominent element present in riddles is the use of a
 The written literary forms did not last because of the metaphor.
materials used such as:  Riddles describe something by comparing it to another that
 Leaves has no significant relation to it but has similarities.
 Bamboo canes, and
 The ground Metaphor
 But the oral literature continued by word of mouth like:  A figure of speech that uses direct comparison of two unlike
 Riddles, things or ideas without using the words “like” or “as”
 Proverbs
 Folksongs and folktales Folk Narratives
 Myths and legends etc.  consist of myths, legends and folktales.
 The way our ancestors lived during the early days is evident  Myths are prose narratives explaining how the world and
in the contents of these literary forms. Work and activity people came to be in their form.
songs described how people earn their livelihood like
farming, fishing, pottery and a lot more. An example is the Proverbs
popular song by the Tagalogs-―Magtanim ay di Biro‖  proverbs or aphorisms express norms or codes of behavior,
(Planting Rice is Never Fun). community beliefs or they instill values by offering nuggets
of wisdom in short, rhyming verse.
  The extended form, tanaga, a mono-riming heptasyllabic  is written to be read rather than acted or performed and the
quatrain expressing insights and lessons on life is "more events
emotionally charged than the terse proverb and thus has  depicted are told to us by a narrator, not enacted or
affinities with the folk lyric." dramatized.
 Filipino proverbs or Tagalog proverbs or salawikain, echo  Myth
the values of the Philippines.  story of origins, how the world and
everything in it came to be.
Folk Songs  may explain a practice, belief or natural
 a form of folk lyric which expresses the hopes and occurrence.
aspirations, the people's lifestyles as well as their loves.
 Often repetitive and sonorous, didactic and naive as in the
children's songs or Ida- ida (Maguindanao), tulang pambata Spanish Colonization
(Tagalog) or cansiones para abbing (Ibanag).  When the Spaniards came in 1521, it paved the way for the
use of paper and so written literature in the Philippines was
Epics born.
 Epics in the Philippines during the pre-colonization are  The most prominent characteristic of our literature during
considered ethno-epics because they are histories of various the Spanish era is the use of religion as the content in the
ethnic groups. works of the early literature.
 come in various names: Guman (Subanon); Darangen  Religion introduced theater which we would come to know
(Maranao); Hudhud (Ifugao); and Ulahingan (Manobo). as komedya, the sinakulo, the sarswela, the playlets and the
 revolve around supernatural events or heroic deeds and they drama.
embody or validate the beliefs and customs and ideals of a  Spain also brought to the country ideas about
community. internationalism that influenced our own Filipino
 sung or chanted to the accompaniment of indigenous musical intellectuals and writers for them to understand the meanings
instruments and dancing performed during harvests, of "liberty and freedom."
weddings or funerals by chanters.  Literature in this period may be classified as religious prose
 chanters who were taught by their ancestors are considered and poetry and secular prose and poetry.
"treasures" and/or repositories of wisdom in their  Religious lyrics from the poems of ladinos (Filipinos who
communities. know both Spanish and Tagalog) was included in
cathechisms during that period. This was a way of teaching
Prose Fiction Filipinos the Spanish language.
 presents a story that is invented and not literally “true”.  the pasyon in octosyllabic quintillas that played an important
part in the Filipinos ‘way of remembering Christ's agony.
  Gaspar Aquino de Belen's "Ang Mahal na Passion ni  the use of English as medium of instruction in all
Jesus Christong Panginoon natin na tola" (Holy levels of education in public schools.
Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Verse) put out in  Free public education made knowledge and information
1704 is the country's earliest known pasyon. accessible to a greater number of Filipinos.
 Spanish colonization also brought about the romantic  Those who availed of this education through college
tradition that gave birth to metrical romance, specifically the were able to improve their social status and joined a
awit and korido in Tagalog. good number of educated masses who became part
 The awit as a popular poetic genre reached new of the country‘s middle class.
heights in Balagtas' "Florante at Laura", the most  In fiction, the period of apprenticeship in literary writing in
famous of the country's metrical romances. English is marked by imitation of the style of storytelling
 Some of the leading poets of the time were Jose and strict adherence to the way the short story is practiced by
Corazon de Jesus (Huseng Sisiw) and Francisco popular American fictionists.
Balagtas.  It was during the American colonization when the
 Some secular poets who wrote in this same tradition experimental stages happened with the use of free verse
were Leona Florentino, Jacinto Kawili, Isabelo de while the traditional rhyme and meter were retained.
los Reyes and Rafael Gandioco.  From the Balagtas tradition of writing poems, modernist
 Much was written during the period both in Spanish and poetry was highlighted and influenced a lot of young writers
Tagalog about other themes like love for one ‘s country and at that time.
discontent for Spanish rule.  Short stories in English with the infusion of Filipino ideals
 Jose Rizal wrote Mi Ultimo A Dios (My Last about life and morality blossomed which were shown in the
Farewell) to express his love for his native soil, works of Paz Marquez Benitez‘ ―Dead Stars”
while Andres Bonifacio wrote a patriotic poem  The use of vivid imagery of Nagrebcan in Ilocos was shown
entitled Pag-Ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (Love for the in the work of Manuel Arguilla‘s ― “How My Brother
Native Land). Leon Brought Home a Wife”.
 Many other Tagalog novelists wrote on variations of the
same theme, i.e., the interplay of fate, love and social justice.
American Colonization  Inigo Ed Regalado, Roman Reyes, Fausto J.
 Philippine literary production during the American Period in Galauran, Susana de Guzman, Rosario de Guzman-
the Philippines was spurred by two significant developments Lingat, Lazaro Francisco, Hilaria Labog, Rosalia
in education and culture. Aguinaldo, Amado V. Hernandez.
 the introduction of free public instruction for all  Among the Iloko writers, noted novelists were Leon Pichay,
children of school age who was also the region‘s poet laureate then, Hermogenes
Belen, and Mena Pecson Crisologo whose Mining wenno
 Ayat ti Kararwa is considered to be the Iloko version of a penetratingly lucid critique of ruling-class psychology, is
Noli me Tangere. entirely realistic, if Rizalian in its moments of high satire,
 In the Visayas, Magdalena Jalandoni and Ramon Muzones although unlike the Rizalian model, it falls short of a moral
would lead most writers in writing the novels that dwelt on vision.” - Francis C. Macasantos and Priscilla Macasantos in
the themes of love, courtship, life in the farmlands, and other their essay on Philippine Literature in the Post-War and
social upheavals of the period. Contemporary Period
 Marcel Navarra wrote stories and novels in Sugbuhanon.
 Poetry in all languages continued to flourish in all regions of
the country during the American period.
 The Tagalogs, hailing Francisco F. Balagtas as the nation‘s
foremost poet invented the balagtasan in his honor.
 The balagtasan is a debate in verse, a poetical battle
done almost spontaneously between protagonists
who debate over the pros and cons of an issue.
 Literature and writing, in whatever language and climate,
survive primarily due to the active imagination of writers.

Post War and Cotemporary Period

 The flowering of Philippine literature in the various
languages continue especially with the appearance of new
publications after the Martial Law.
 Filipino writers continue to write poetry, short stories,
novellas, novels and essays whether these are socially
committed, gender/ethnic related or are personal in intention
or not.
 “The Philippine novel, whether written in English or any
 of the native languages, has remained social-realist. Edgardo
Reyes‘ Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1966), for instance, is a
critique of urban blight, and Edilberto K. Tiempo‘s To Be Tagalog literature
Free is a historical probe of the western idea of freedom in  Literature used in most parts of Luzon.
the context of indigenous Philippine culture. Kerima Polotan
Tuvera‘s novel The Hand of the Enemy (1972),
  Those who use this type of literature are coming  An example of a narrative poem made by a National Artist
from Southern Luzon, Central Luzon and Metro for Literature is ―Mariang Sinukuan‖ by Virgilio Senadren-
Manila or NCR. Almario aka Rio Alma.
 Some parts of the provinces that are not originally
Tagalog cannot escape the onslaught of Tagalog
language and culture, like some parts of the Bicol Rio Alma
region and Pampanga.  One of the most notable Filipino writer
 Tagalog region is the birthplace of a rich tradition of  He is a National Artist for Literature and has won several
Philippine culture in language, politics, economy and awards for his works.
literature.  came from a family of peasant farmers in the province of
 Considering this rich and envigorating cultural Bulacan, near Manila.
matrix, it is not surprising that it is the Tagalog  His collection of criticism Ang Makata sa Panahon ng
region that was destined to be the birthplace of Makina (The Poet in the Age of Machines) is one of the
historic men in Philippine politics, culture and founding works of modernist criticism in Tagalog.
literature  Professor Emeritus in the Department of Filipino and
 The literary tradition in the Tagalog regions is specially Philippine Literature
outstanding in the field of oral literature like bugtong(riddle),  His poetry covers a broad range of forms, and is often
proverbs, and native songs. exuberant in expression and passionate in its sympathy for
 These oral literatures are always in poetic forms, the poor and the working class.
usually seven-syllabic rhymes, so Asian in form and  His earlier works ranged from expansive free verse to
perspective. sonnets, but his more recent work emphasizes formal
 At present, the Tagalog Literature is a blending of the convention.
elements of Spanish, American and Filipino culture,  He founded the Children‘s Communication Center
sometimes with one of them predominant but never alone. (publisher of Adarna Books), conducts the long-running
 At present, the Tagalog Literature is a blending of poetry clinic, Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Arte (Lira),
the elements of Spanish, American and Filipino has been executive director of the National Commission for
culture, sometimes with one of them predominant Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and is currently dean of the
but never alone. college of liberal arts at UP.
 He was conferred the Order of National Artist for Literature
Narrative Poetry in 2003.
 Tells a story  In “Typhoons,” (2005) he tells of the ―perennial tempests‖
 Its main purpose is to entertain through story telling. that visit the land, as he finds himself waking with full
 amazement to be greeted by clear daylight with each new  took his postgraduate studies at the University of St.
morning. Andrews in Scotland.
 Jolography (from the word jolog, originally referred to Pinoy
hip-hop), where poems by Paolo Manalo are in Tagalog plus
English.
 written in the premise that, in Manalo‘s words, “The
language that we‘re using is flawed, damaged,
corrupted, sold out, negotiated... and yet it‘s still
beautiful.”

Text Tula
 a poetry genre mastered by Frank Rivera where entire poems
Paolo Manalo are written and read on mobile phones.
 Poet born in Manila and an assistant professor of English,  Though usually short due to the necessity of the number of
literature and creative writing at the University of the characters allowed in text messaging, the elements of poetry
Philippines-Diliman. are still present in this genre.
 Until recently, he was the literary editor of the Philippines
Free Press.
 His first book of poems, Jolography (University of the
Philippines Press, 2003) received the Don Carlos Palanca
Memorial Awards for Literature (2002) and the UP Gawad
Chanselor (2004).
 He was a student at the 15th New York State Summer Writers
Institute (2001), a fellow of the UP ICW National Writers'
Workshop when it was revamped (2006) and an artist-in-
residence at The MacDowell Colony (2006).
Frank Rivera
 was born on 29 February 1948 in Paete, Laguna.
 He received his AB English-Filipino degree from the
University of the Philippines.
 Also known as “makata sa cell phone” with his popular
“textual” series, Rivera has, to date, authored 21 books of
plays for stage, radio, TV and film; plus, short stories, essays
and four books of poetry published by the UST Publishing
House.
 He has received four National Book Awards while his
poems and “textual” are read in political rallies, passed
Chick lit or Chick literature
around as text messages, read on radio, posted on social
media, printed in tabloid and newspaper columns, recited in  genre fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood,
school programs and utilized as material in oratorical and often humorously and light-heartedly.
declamation contests.  The genre became popular in the late 1990s, with chick lit
titles topping bestseller lists and the creation of imprints
devoted entirely to chick lit.
 chick lit is generally not considered a direct subcategory of
the romance novel genre, because the heroine's relationship
with her family or friends is often just as important as her
romantic relationships.

Theme
 underlying message, or 'big idea.'
 critical belief about life is the author trying to convey in the
writing of a novel, play, short story or poem

The plot of a story

 main action that runs through the whole story.
 It begins with a problem or situation and ends when the
problem is solved or finished in some way.
  Decide what the problem is, then what the steps, or plot
actions, should be to link the beginning of the story with the
end.

Five Elements of Plot

 Introduction
 The beginning of the story where the characters and
the setting is revealed.
 Rising Action
 This is where the events in the story become
complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed
(events between the introduction and climax).
 Climax
 This is the highest point of interest and the turning
point of the story.
 The reader wonders what will happen next; will the Short Story
conflict be resolved or not?  A piece of prose fiction marked by relative shortness and
 Falling Action density, organized into a plot and with some kind of
 The events and complications begin to resolve denouement at the end.
themselves.  The plot may be comic, tragic, romantic or satiric.
 The reader knows what has happened next and if the  It usually focuses on one important event in the lives of a
conflict was resolved or not (events between climax small number of central characters.
and resolution).
 Resolution
 The Part of the plot that concludes the falling action
by revealing or suggesting the outcome of the
conflict.