21st Century Literature

POETRY
It is derived from the Greek term “poesis”
which means “to create” or “to make”.
It is a form of literature represented by its highly
controlled manner of choosing and arranging
language with the use of regulating devices
such as sound and rhythm to aesthetically
convey meaning. (Baronda, 2016)
Poetry is used by most writers to share their
life’s experiences.

Poems composed of lines and these lines are

grouped into stanzas. Most poetic works utilize
few words and they are mainly arranged in lines
and in stanzas. The structure also varies
depending on the style used by a writer as such,
a haiku, a ballad and a sonnet have peculiar
framework
As a form of writing it does not only use words
but also uses the following: form, sounds,
imagery, and figurative language to convey
its message which we call the elements of
poetry. (Baronda, 2016)
1. Sound devices – Some poems use the technique of
sound
a. Rhythm- is the pattern of beats or stress in a poem.
b. Rhyme- is the repetition of the same or similar
sounds, usually in stressed syllables at the end of
lines or within a line. It can be internal (within the
line) or end (at the end of a line).
Example: The Bridegroom’s doors are open wide, And I
am next of kin, The guests are met, the feast is set;
Mary's hear the merry din. (Met and set show
internal rhyme; kin and din show end rhyme.)
2. End rhyme- this rhyme occurs in the last syllable of
verses.
a. Alliteration- is the repetition of consonant sounds at the
beginning of words.
Example: Full fathom five thy father lies.
b. Onomatopoeia- words that are used to represent a
particular sound.
Example: Swish, swash swish, swash! There goes the little
feet of Duck along the floody dirt.
c. Repetition- the repeating of a particular sound devise to
create an effect. For emphasis, a poet may repeat words
or lines within the poem.
Example: Bend me then, O Lord, Bend me if You can.
 Other Devices
Imagery- Poets use word that appeal to the five
senses: such as sight, sound, touch, taste and
smell.
Example: A damsel with dulcimer In a vision once I
saw: It was an Abyssinian maid, And on her
dulcimer she played, Singing of Mount Abora.

(The images shown in the poem is about a girl playing

a stringed instrument and that she is singing a song
about a mountain in a foreign, remote land.)
Figures of Speech- these are special kind of
imagery which create pictures by making
comparisons.
The following are some of the types:
1. Simile is a comparison making use of words
as or like.
Example:
The stream was like a silver ribbon over the
green plains.
Mary had a little lamb its pleas as white as snow.
2. Metaphor is a direct comparison between two
unlike things.
Example: Hearty and hale was he, an oak that is
covered with snowflakes.

3. Personification is giving human attributes to

inanimate objects.
Example: I long have a quarrel set with Time
because he robbed me.
4. Allusion- using this literary device, the writer
refers to a significant person, place, thing, idea
in culture, history, literature, or politics briefly
and indirectly.
Example: There is no “Open Sesame” to learning.
(reference to Arabian Literature)
5. Apostrophe- with this literary device, the
writer addresses someone or something that is
not present in his work.
Example: Milton! Thou shouldst be living at this
hour. ( address a dead person Milton)
Furthermore, poems also convey meanings in
different ways. Thus, a poem is composed of a
few words but it may have a variety of meanings
depending on its reader’s interpretation. Poetry is
categorized into three: Narrative, lyric and
dramatic.
1. Narrative Poetry- includes all poems that
tell a story. It has a variety of length and
complexity.
Examples of these are: epics, metrical tales
and romance, and ballads.

2. Dramatic Poetry - are long dramatic lyrics

which tell the story through the speech of
a character.
Examples for this type are: a monologue and
a soliloquy
 FICTION
FICTION generally includes works which are
purely products of the writer’s imagination. All
its characters and events are just perceived to
be real but they don’t exist in real life.
(Baronda, 2016)
 There are three major forms of
Fiction
1. Short Story It is a short fiction that can be read in
one sitting, has few characters and singular
complication.
2. Novella This is shorter version of a novel. It is
longer than a short story but shorter than a novel.
3. Novel It is a long prose narrative that deals with
human experience through a relative sequence of
events--that is known to be complex.
 Elements of Fiction
(Literary Elements)
1. Setting This element includes the place and
the time of the actions that happen in a story.
The time may be in previous years or decades,
in the present period, or even some time in the
future.

2. Character(s) It refers to the persons or any

entity involved in the circumstances and
actions in a story.
Types:
A. Protagonist- the principal or lead character;
commonly referred to as the hero.

B. Antagonist– known as the villain; the role is

mainly to oppose or to challenge the main
character; it can be in forms like death, defeat,
illness, etc.

C. Static/Flat Character- a character who remains

the same from beginning to end of the story.
D. Dynamic Character- this character goes through
significant changes in personality, behavior,
perspective etc. as the story develops.

E. Round character- known as complex and

multidimensional. A character that people can relate the
most. This also appears lifelike.

F. Antihero- a character who does not exhibit the

stereotypical qualities inherent to a hero.

G. Foil- refers to a character used to stand in contrast to

another character.
3. Plot It refers to the series of events that take place in a
story. The plot is composed of several elements such as:
exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and the
denouement or resolution.

4. Point-of-view It refers to the vantage point as to the

story unfolds. It mainly relates as to the way the story is
told or narrated.
a. First person or participant narrator
b. Second person
c. Third person or non-participant narrator
d. Omniscient 0r the all-knowing narrator
5. Conflict- It refers to the opposing forces that may set
forth the problems, issues, and the challenges that a
character needs to face or deal with.
a. man vs. man
b. man vs. himself
c. man vs. nature
d. man vs. society/culture

6. Symbols- An object which is used to represent ideas

aside from its literal meaning.
Example: a dove for peace, a crown for authority and power.
7. Theme- The significant truth about life which
a story attempts to communicate to its
readers or simply the lesson that the
readers learned from the story
 Literary Techniques
Literary Techniques or Devices refer to specific
methods writers employ in their works to
convey messages. Readers, on the hand, look
for several literary techniques when examining
or analyzing a text or simply evaluating a text’s
artistic value.
Some literary techniques that writers make use
in their works.
Anaphora Antihero
Cliff-hanger Juxtaposition
Foreshadowing Hamartia
Catharsis Stream of Hamartia
 Anaphora or epanaphora- refers to the
repetition of a word or phrase at the
beginning of a sentence to create an artistic
or heightened effect. It adds rhythm to a
particular line or paragraph, making it easier to
memorize. Anaphora is also used for emphasis
and stir emotions among the audience.

Example: Hamlet (An Excerpt)

by William Shakespeare
Antihero- is a fictional character who does not
possess the traits of a hero such as pride and
valor. Often, antiheroes re portrayed as foolish
and usually find themselves in mischief.

Don Quixote(An Excerpt by Miguel Cervantes)

 Cliff-hanger- is a literary technique used by the
author to arouse curiosity among readers by
ending a chapter or story abruptly. Most of the
time, the characters are confronted with a
difficult or an unsettling situation.

Writers utilize cliff-hangers in their works to keep

the readers focused and interested as to what
will happen next.
Example: Divergent (an Excerpt) by Veronica Roth
Juxtaposition- is a technique authors use in their
works to compare two different things, or two
contrasting ideas to be able to emphasize their
differences, such as good and evil, life and
death, truth and lies, among others. This
technique is also used to develop a character,
resolve a conflict, or clarify various concepts.

Example: The Cask of Amontillado (An Excerpt) by

Edgar Allan Poe
Foreshadowing- refers to lines or dialogues in a
story which give the reader an idea of what is
about to happen without spoiling or explicitly
stating the plot’s entirety. When writers use this
technique, especially in mystery or thriller
novels, they provide “red herrings” (misleading
or false clues) to divert the reader’s
expectations.

Example: The Iliad (An Excerpt) by Homer

 Catharsis- is derived from the Greek word
katharsis, which means “purification” or
“purgation” or “Purgation.” It refers to the
emotional release or cleansing of the characters, or
audience or readers, from strong emotions usually
brought by learning of the truth or when confronted
with difficult situations. This technique is commonly
found in tragedies, such as Shakespeare’s Romeo
and Juliet and Sopphocles’ Oedipus the King.
Example: Oedipus the King (An Excerpt) by
Sophocles
Stream of Consciousness, sometimes referred to
as interior monologue- is a literary technique
that is usually associated with Modern writers.
The plot is developed based on the character’
reminiscence or recollection of events and
thought fragments. Instead of using dialogues
to show the characters’ reaction or emotion,
writers make use of stream of consciousness to
show each character’s complex nature.
Example: Mrs. Dalloway (An Excerpt) by Virginia
Woolf
Hamartia or tragic flaw- is a technique commonly
found in Greek tragedies. It refers to the tragic
hero’s error in judgment, which leads to his or
her downfall. Hamartia is used to have the
audience identify themselves with the
protagonist ( that he or she has weaknesses
too) and to provoke pity because of the
miserable turn of events he or she went
through.
Example: Medea (An Excerpt) by Euripides