21st Century Literature

Literary Elements
DO ALL THESE TEXTS FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL STRUCTURE
OF THE SHORT STORY? WHAT OTHER STRUCTURES ARE
FOLLOWED BY THESE SHORT STORIES?
Most of the given texts followed the traditional

structure of a short story while others didn’t have

certain parts such as the resolution. Those stories

provided open-ended plot for the story. The author

ended the short story incompletely, making readers

think more about the story.

HOW DO THESE TEXTS PRESENT THEIR CHARACTERS?

The characters are presented through texts by:
1. Direct Characterization : The text presents the characters by
describing the character explicitly to the reader through a narrator
or through another character's eyes. Direct characterization tells
how precise information is and also how the character looks or how
they perceive the world. This is seen in May Day Eve as the author
presented Anastasia as an old woman by directly saying that she is.

2. Indirect Characterization : The texts are implicit because it

shows rather than tells the actions through text. In the story, A
Good Man is Hard to Find, the statement "I'd smack his face," John
Wesley said simply implies that he is mad. The author could have
directly said that the character is mad. Indirect Characterization is
understanding the character through actions, responses and lines
of the dialogue.
 21st Century Literature
Literary Elements
3. Actions : Actions are not only what a character explicitly thinks or says that

forms our idea of them. In the story of MayDay Eve, the statement: “But

Agueda had already slipped outside; was already tiptoeing across the hall;

her feet bare and her dark hair falling down her shoulders and streaming in

the wind as she fled down the stairs, the lighted candle sputtering in one

hand while with the other she pulled up her white gown from her ankles.” The

author forms details as small as body language to larger acts.

HOW DO THESE TEXTS MAKE USE OF SETTING AS AN ELEMENT

OF SHORT FICTION?

affect the overall theme of the text

- It reflects the culture where the characters live in.

-Example: May Day Eve (Philippines)

- Say a chant in front of a mirror

and the love of your life will appear (Filipino

superstition)

HOW DO THESE TEXTS REFLECT THE REGION AND TIME

WHEREIN THEY WERE WRITTEN? 

- It was based on the things that were popular like

believing in superstition and significant events which

happened during that time.

- It is also based on what the author experienced or

their knowledge about the region in a specific

time. Considering such factors will make

the text more relatable and sensible for

the readers.
 21st Century Literature
Literary Elements
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO READ THESE TEXTS? WHAT
UNIVERSAL TRUTH IS SHARED BY THESE TEXTS?

These works of literature are important as these are

reflections of the culture of the text’s place and

time of origin. The readers can also view different

perspectives that the characters on the text have

shownThe universal truth shared in all the texts is

that it was too late before everyone believed and

considered the idea of others due to lack of trust

and this resulted in regrets.

ABBOTT
Mayumi Castro
Samantha De Belen
Alicia Deslate
Angelu Dela Rosa
Nadine Dela Cruz
Audrey Dizon
Marione Dela Pena
Kristine Vicente