11

st
21 Century
Literature
from
The
Philippines
and the World
Quarter 1 – Module 1
Dimensions of Philippine
Literary
History and Representative
Texts
and Authors from Each
Region in
 the Philippines

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the
geographic, linguistic and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from pre-colonial to the
contemporary as well as be acquainted with the representative texts and authors from each
region in the country.
The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The
language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to
follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be
changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.
In this module, you will be able to:

 identify the geographic, linguistic and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history
from pre-colonial to the contemporary
 identify representative texts and authors from each region in the Philippines
Specifically, you are expected to:

 discover the features of the dimensions of the periods of Philippine literature

 recognize representative texts and authors from different regions
 value the importance of knowing the Philippine literary history, our local authors and their
works

Literature plays a vital role in our lives. It mirrors human experiences and it lets you go
around the world and learn and experience different cultures. It comes in various forms like
poetry, riddles, stories, legends etc.
 Periods of Philippine Literary History

Period Literary Forms

1. Pre-Colonial Period a. Folk speeches/ riddles

The first period of the Philippine literary history is the b. Folk songs
longest. Long time before the Spaniards and other c. Folk narratives
foreigners landed on Philippine shores, our forefathers d. Indigenous rituals
already had their own literature stamped in the history of e. Mimetic dance
our race. f. Proverbs/ aphorisms

a. Folk speeches/ riddles

2. Spanish Colonization Period b. Folk songs
Spanish occupied Philippines in early 15th century. The c. Folk narratives
Spanish colonization period has two distinct d. Indigenous rituals
classifications – religious and secular. e. Mimetic dance
f. Proverbs/ aphorisms
3. American Colonization Period
Philippine literature in English, as a direct result of a. Free verse
American colonization of the country, could not escape b. Modern short story
being imitative of American models of writing especially c. Novels
during its period of d. Essays
apprenticeship.
Period Literary Forms
4. Japanese Colonization Period a. Haiku
This period is considered the war years and period of b. Tanaga
maturity and originality c. Karaniwang anyo

5. Contemporary/ Modern Period

Many novels in English seem to have been written for a. Chick lit
literary contests like Palanca and Asia Man. The debate b. Mobile phone text tula
over textual and contextual criticism, balagtasismo c. Speculative fiction
and modernism, formalism and historical criticism has d. Flash fiction
persisted to this day in the academe. The e. Blog
more popular but banal issue is called “literature (art) f. Hyperpoetry
and propaganda.”

Philippine Representative Texts and Authors

Literature of the Pre-Christian Tribes from the main islands in the Philippines
Fay-Cooper Cole was the author of Traditions of the Tinguian: A Study of Philippine
Folk-Lore. He also worked as Assistant Curator of Malayan Ethnology of the Field Museum of
natural History in Chicago. He collected the Tinguian stories from 1907-1908 when he stayed
with the Tinguian in Abra for a year and four months. He credited the help of Dumagat, a
Tinguian tribesmen. Cole also noted that his translation “follow closely the language of
storytellers rather than to offer a polished transaltion.”
Mabel Cook Cole was the compiler and annotator of Philippine Folk Tales published by
A.C. McClurg & Co. in 1916. She was the wife of Fay- Cooper Cole and he contributed his
photographs of the communities to her book. She spent four years with the different tribes of the
Philippines.

Here are some folktales and myths from each main island in the Philippines:
The Creation Myth
Compiled by Mabel Cook Cole
Told by The Igorot Tribe (Mountain Province)

In the beginning there were no people on the earth. Lumawig, the Great Spirit, came
down from the sky and cut many reeds. He divided these into pairs which he placed in different
parts of the world, and then he said to them, "You must speak." Immediately the reeds became
people, and in each place was a man and a woman who could talk, but the language of each
couple differed from that of the others.
Then Lumawig commanded each man and woman to marry, which they did. By and by
there were many children, all speaking the same language as their parents. These, in turn,
married and had many children. In this way there came to be many people on the earth.
Now Lumawig saw that there were several things which the people on the earth needed
to use, so he set to work to supply them. He created salt, and told the inhabitants of one place
to boil it down and sell it to their neighbors. But these people could not understand the directions
of the Great Spirit, and the next time he visited them, they had not touched the salt.
Then he took it away from them and gave it to the people of a place called Mayinit.
These did as he directed, and because of this he told them that they should always be owners
of the salt, and that the other peoples must buy of them.

Mansumandig
Compiled by Mabel Cook Cole
Told by The Visayan Tribe (Visayas)

One day a man said to his wife: “My wife, we are getting very poor and I must go into business
to earn some money.”
“That is a good idea,” replied his wife. “How much capital have you?”
“I have twenty-five centavos,”17 answered the man; “and I am going to buy rice and carry it to
the mines, for I have heard that it brings a good price there.”
So he took his twenty-five centavos and bought a half-cavan of rice which he carried on his
shoulder to the mine. Arriving there he told the people that he had rice for sale, and they asked
eagerly how much he wanted for it.
“Why, have you forgotten the regular price of rice?” asked the man. “It is twenty-five centavos.”
They at once bought the rice, and the man was very glad because he would not have to carry it
any longer. He put the money in his belt and asked if they would like to buy any more.
“Yes,” said they, “we will buy as many cavans as you will bring.”

When the man reached home his wife asked if he had been successful.
“Oh, my wife,” he answered, “it is a very good business. I could not take the rice off my shoulder
before the people came to buy it.”
“Well, that is good,” said the wife; “we shall become very rich.”
The next morning the man bought a half-cavan of rice the same as before and carried it to the
mine and when they asked how much it would be, he said:
“It is the same as before—twenty-five centavos.” He received the money and went home.
“How is the business today?” asked his wife.
“Oh, it is the same as before,” he said. “I could not take the rice off my shoulder before they
came for it.”
And so he went on with his business for a year, each day buying a half-cavan of rice and
selling it for the price he had paid for it. Then one day his wife said that they would balance
accounts, and she spread a mat on the floor and sat down on one side of it, telling her husband
to sit on the opposite side. When she asked him for the money he had made during the year, he
asked:
“What money?”
“Why, give me the money you have received,” answered his wife; “and then we can see how
much you have made.”
“Oh, here it is,” said the man, and he took the twenty-five centavos out of his belt and handed it
to her.
“Is that all you have received this year?” cried his [208]wife angrily. “Haven’t you said that rice
brought a good price at the mines?”
“That is all,” he replied.
“How much did you pay for the rice?” “Twenty-five centavos.”
“How much did you receive for it?”
 “Twenty-five centavos.”
“Oh, my husband,” cried his wife, “how can you make any gain if you sell it for just what you
paid for it.”
The man leaned his head against the wall and thought. Ever since then he has been called
“Mansumandig,” a man who leans back and thinks.
Then the wife said, “Give me the twenty-five centavos, and I will try to make some money.” So
he handed it to her, and she said, “Now you go to the field where the people are gathering
hemp and buy twenty-five centavos worth for me, and I will weave it into cloth.”
When Mansumandig returned with the hemp she spread it in the sun, and as soon as it
was dry she tied it into a long thread and put it on the loom to weave. Night and day she worked
on her cloth, and when it was finished she had eight varas. This she sold for twelve and a half
centavos a vara, and with this money she bought more hemp. She continued weaving and
selling her cloth, and her work was so good that people were glad to buy from her.
At the end of a year she again spread the mat on the floor and took her place on one
side of it, while her husband sat on the opposite side. Then she poured the money out of the
blanket in which she kept it upon the mat. She held aside her capital, which was twenty-five
centavos, and when she counted the remainder she found that she had three hundred pesos.
Mansumandig was greatly ashamed when

THE WIDOW'S SON

Compiled by Mabel Cook Cole
Told by The Subanun Tribe (Mindanao)

In a little house at the edge of a village lived a widow with her only son, and they were
very happy together. The son was kind to his mother, and they made their living by growing rice
in clearings on the mountain side and by hunting wild pig in the forest.
One evening when their supply of meat was low, the boy said:
"Mother, I am going to hunt pig in the morning, and I wish you would prepare rice for me before
daylight."
So the widow rose early and cooked the rice, and at dawn the boy started out with his spear and
dog.
Some distance from the village, he entered the thick forest. He walked on and on, ever
on the lookout for game, but none appeared. At last when he had traveled far and the sun was
hot, he sat down on a rock to rest and took out his brass box to get a piece of betel-nut. He
prepared the nut and leaf for chewing, and as he did so he wondered why it was that he had
been so unsuccessful that day. But even as he pondered he heard his dog barking sharply, and
cramming the betel-nut into his mouth he leaped up and ran toward the dog.
 As he drew near he could see that the game was a fine large pig, all black save its four legs
which were white. He lifted his spear and took aim, but before he could throw the pig started to
run, and instead of going toward a water course it ran straight up the mountain. The boy went
on in hot pursuit, and when the pig paused he again took aim, but before he could throw it ran
on.
Six times the pig stopped just long enough for the boy to take aim, and then started on
before he could throw. The seventh time, however, it halted on the top of a large flat rock and
the boy succeeded in killing it.
He tied its legs together with a piece of rattan and was about to start for home with the pig on
his back, when to his surprise a door in the large stone swung open and a man stepped out.
"Why have you killed my master's pig?" asked the man.

"I did not know that this pig belonged to anyone," replied the widow's son. "I was hunting, as I
often do, and when my dog found the pig I helped him to catch it"
"Come in and see my master," said the man, and the boy followed him into the stone
where he found himself in a large room. The ceiling and floor were covered with peculiar cloth
that had seven wide stripes of red alternating with a like number of yellow stripes. When the
master of the place appeared his trousers were of seven colors, as were also his jacket and the
kerchief about his head.
The master ordered betel-nut, and when it was brought they chewed together. Then he called
for wine, and it was brought in a jar so large that it had to be set on the ground under the house,
and even then the top came so high above the floor that they brought a seat for the widow's
son, and it raised him just high enough to drink from the reed in the top of the jar. He drank
seven cups of wine, and then they ate rice and fish and talked together.
The master did not blame the boy for killing the pig, and declared that he wished to make a
brother of him. So they became friends, and the boy remained seven days in the stone. At the
end of that time, he said that he must return to his mother who would be worried about him. In
the early morning he left the strange house and started for home.
At first he walked briskly, but as the morning wore on he went more slowly, and finally
when the sun was high he sat down on a rock to rest. Suddenly looking up, he saw before him
seven men each armed with a spear, a shield, and a sword. They were dressed in different
colors, and each man had eyes the same color as his clothes. The leader, who was dressed all
in red with red eyes to match, spoke first, asking the boy where he was going. The boy replied
that he was going home to his mother who would be looking for him, and added:
"Now I ask where you are going, all armed ready for war."
"We are warriors," replied the man in red. "And we go up and down the world killing whatever
we see that has life. Now that we have met you, we must kill you also."
The boy, startled by this strange speech, was about to answer when he heard a voice near him
say: "Fight, for they will try to kill you," and upon looking up he saw his spear, shield, and sword
which he had left at home. Then he knew that the command came from a spirit, so he took his
 weapons and began to fight. For three days and nights they contended, and never before had
the seven seen one man so brave. On the fourth day the leader was wounded and fell dead,
and then, one by one, the other six fell.
When they were all killed, the widow's son was so crazed with fighting that he thought no longer
of returning home, but started out to find more to slay.
In his wanderings he came to the home of a great giant whose house was already full of the
men he had conquered in battle, and he called up from outside:
"Is the master of the house at home? If he is, let him come out and fight."
This threw the giant into a rage, and seizing his shield and his spear, the shaft of which was the
trunk of a tree, he sprang to the door and leaped to the ground, not waiting to go down the
notched pole which served for steps. He looked around for his antagonist, and seeing only the
widow's son he roared:
"Where is the man that wants to fight? That thing? It is only a fly!"
The boy did not stop to answer, but rushed at the giant with his knife; and for three days and
nights they struggled, till the giant fell, wounded at the waist.
After that the widow's son stopped only long enough to burn the giant's house, and then
rushed on looking for someone else to slay. Suddenly he again heard the voice which had bade
him fight with the seven men, and this time it said: "Go home now, for your mother is grieved at
your absence." In a rage he sprang forward with his sword, though he could see no enemy.
Then the spirit which had spoken to him made him sleep for a short time. When he awoke the
rage was spent.
Again the spirit appeared, and it said: "The seven men whom you killed were sent to kill
you by the spirit of the great stone, for he looked in your hand and saw that you were to marry
the orphan girl whom he himself wished to wed. But you have conquered. Your enemies are
dead. Go home now and prepare a great quantity of wine, for I shall bring your enemies to life
again, and you will all live in peace."
So the widow's son went home, and his mother, who had believed him dead, was filled with joy
at his coming, and all the people in the town came out to welcome him. When he had told them
his story, they hastened to get wine, and all day they bore jarsful to the widow's house.
That night there was a great feast, and the spirit of the great stone, his seven warriors, the
friendly spirit, and the giant all came. The widow's son married the orphan girl, while another
beautiful woman became the wife of the spirit of the stone.

The Children of the Limokon

Compiled by Mabel Cook Cole
Told by The Mandaya Tribe (Mindanao)

In the very early days before there were any people on the earth, the limokon (a kind of
dove ) were very powerful and could talk like men though they looked like birds. One limokon
laid two eggs, one at the mouth of the Mayo River and one farther up its course. After some
 time these eggs hatched, and the one at the mouth of the river became a man, while the other
became a woman.
The man lived alone on the bank of the river for a long time, but he was very lonely and wished
many times for a companion. One day when he was crossing the river something was swept
against his legs with such force that it nearly caused him to drown. On examining it, he found
that it was a hair, and he determined to go up the river and find whence it came. He traveled up
the stream, looking on both banks, until finally he found the woman, and he was very happy to
think that at last he could have a companion.
They were married and had many children, who are the Mandaya still living along the
Mayo River.

Representative Texts and Authors from each Region in the Philippines

Region Text Author
I Ilocos Region Puppy Love F. Sionil Jose
II Cagayan Valley The Builder Edith Tiempo
III Central Luzon Florante at Laura Francisco Balagtas
IV-A- Calabarzon Mariang Makiling Jose Rizal
IV-B- Mimaropa Seven Hills Away NVM Gonzalez
V Bicol Region Sarong Banggi Potenciano Gregorio Sr.
VI Western Visayas Monyeka Alice Tan- Gonzales
VII Central Visayas The Clay Pipe Marcel M. Navarra
VIII Eastern Visayas An Iroy na Tuna Illuminado Lucente
IX Zamboanga Peninsula The White Horse of Alih Emigdio Alvarez Enriquez
X Northern Mindanao The Battle of Tagoloan Regino L. Gonzales Jr.
XI Davao Region Love in the Cornhusk Aida Rivera- Ford
XII Socsksargen Indarapatra and Sulayman Bartolome del Valle
CARAGA Tuwaang attends a E. Arsenio Manuel
wedding
Cordillera Administrative The Wedding Dance Amador T. Daguio
Region
National Capital Region Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Andres Bonifacio
Lupa

Dimensions of Philippine Literary History

Geography - the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments
Language - a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by which
individuals express themselves
Ethnicity - a notion that refers to social entities sharing real or putative ascriptive features like a
common origin or cultural-linguistic legacy which assumedly command special collective
commitment, as well as their retention and transmission
Here is an example on how to identify the geographic, linguistic and ethnic dimensions of a
literary piece. Read the epic below and note the dimensions:
Indarapatra at Sulayman
(Epikong Mindanao)
By: Bartolome del Valle (Region XII- SOCCSKSARGEN)
Si Indarapatra ay ang matapang na hari ng Mantapuli. Nabalitaan niya ang malimit na
pananalakay ng mga dambuhalang ibon at mababangis na hayop sa ibang panig ng Mindanao.
Labis niyang ikinalungkot ang mga nangyayaring ito sa mga naninirahan sa labas ng kaharian
ng Mantapuli.
Ipinatawag ni Indarapatra ang kanyang kapatid na si Sulayman, isang matapang na
kawal. Inutusan ni Indarapatra si Sulayman upang puksain ang mga ibon at hayop na
namiminsala sa mga tao. Agad na sumunod si Sulayman. Bago umalis si Sulayman, nagtanim
si Indarapatra ng halawan sa may durungawan. Aniya kay Sulayman, Sa pamamagitan ng
halamang ito ay malalaman ko ang nangyayari sa iyo. Kapag namatay ang halamang ito,
nanganaghulugang ikaw ay namatay.”
Sumakay si Sulayman sa hangin. Narating niya ang Kabilalan. Wala siyang nakitang
tao. Walang anu-ano ay nayanig ang lupa, kaya pala ay dumating ang halimaw na si Kurita.
Matagal at madugo ang paglalaban ni Sulayman at ni Kurita. Sa wakas, napatay rin ni
Sulayman si Kurita, sa tulong ng kanyang kris. Nagtungo naman si Sulayman sa Matutum.
Kanyang hinanap ang halimaw na kumakain ng tao, na kilala sa tawag na Tarabusaw.
Hinagupit nang hinagupit ni Tarabusaw si Sulayman sa pamamagitan ng punongkahoy. Nang
nanlalata na si Tarabusaw ay saka ito sinaksak ni Sulayman ng kanyang espada.
Pumunta si Sulayman sa Bundok ng Bita. Wala rin siyang makitang tao. Ang iba ay
nakain na ng mga halimaw at ang natirang iba ay nasa taguan. Luminga- linga pa si Sulayman
nang biglang magdilim pagkat dumating ang dambuhalang ibong Pah. Si Sulayman ang nais
dagitin ng ibon. Mabilis at ubos lakas ng tinaga ito ni Sulayman. Bumagsak at namatay ang
Pah. Sa kasamaang palad nabagsakan ng pakpak ng ibon si Sulayman na siya niyang
ikinamatay.
Samantala, ang halaman ni Sulayman sa Mantapuli ay laging pinagmamasdan ni
Indarapatra. Napansin niyang nanlata ang halaman at alam niyang namatay si Sulayman.
Hinanap ni Indarapatra ang kanyang kapatid. Nagpunta siya sa Kabalalan at nakita niya
ang kalansay ni Tarabusaw. Alam niyang napatay ito ng kapatid niya. Ipinagpatuloy ni
Indarapatra ang paghahanap niya kay Sulayman. Narating niya ang bundok ng Bita. Nakita niya
ang patay na ibong Pah. Inangat ni Indarapatra ang pakpak ng ibon at nakita ang bangkay ni
Sulayman. Nanangis si Indarapatra at nagdasal upang pabaliking muli ang buhay ni Sulayman.
Sa di kalayua'y may nakita siyang banga ng tubig. Winisikan niya ng tubig ang bangkay at
muling nabuhay si Sulayman. Parang nagising lamang ito mula sa mahimbing na pagtulog.
Nagyakap ang magkapatid dahil sa malaking katuwaan.
Pinauwi na ni Indarapatra si Sulayman. Nagtuloy pa si Indarapatra sa Bundok Gurayu.
Dito'y wala ring natagpuang tao. Nakita niya ang kinatatakutang ibong may pitong ulo. Sa tulong
ng kanyang engkantadong sibat na si juris pakal ay madali niyang napatay ang ibon.
 Hinanap niya ang mga tao. May nakita siyang isang magandang dalaga na kumukuha
ng tubig sa sapa. Mabilis naman itong nakapagtago. Isang matandang babae ang lumabas sa
taguan at nakipag-usap kay Indarapatra. Ipinagsama ng matandang babae si Indarapatra sa
yungib na pinagtataguan ng lahat ng tao sa pook na iyon. Ibinalita ni Indarapatra ang mga
pakikilaban nilang dalawa ni Sulayman sa mga halimaw at dambuhalang ibon. Sinabi rin niyang
maaari na silang lumabas sa kanilang pinagtataguan. Sa laki ng pasasalamat ng buong tribu,
ipinakasal kay Indarapatra ang anak ng hari, ang magandang babaeng nakita ni Indarapatra sa
batisan.

Geographic Linguistic Dimension Ethnic Dimensions

Dimension (What are the terms in ( What are the cultures and
(Where did the the passage that traditions of an ethnic group that
story represent the were being portrayed in the
happen?) community?) story?)

(Mindanao) The names Indarapatra and Family members rule over kingdoms by
Sulayman are distinct in blood.
Kaharian ng Mindanao. Men rulers being very brave and good in
Mantapuli fighting.
The names of the Use of kris, espada, juris pakal in fighting.
Kabilalan enemies Kurita, Belief in symbols such as the death of a
Tarabusaw, Pah are certain plant that represents someone is
Matutum Bita distint, too. also the death of that person.
Birds and other creatures as enemies.
Gurayu The weapons kris, espada, and Belief in miraculous water that can bring
juris pakal. back life.
King letting their daughter to be married to
another king or someone with high position
as a gift or
gratitude.

Assessment
A. Directions: Read each item carefully and write the letter of your answer in the blank before
each number.

1. It is considered the imaginative works of poetry and prose.

a. Literature b. Convention c. Genre d. Art
2. This period is influenced by the birth of public school systems.
a. Contemporary b. Spanish c. American d. Japanese
3. This period makes use of figurative languages and other modern techniques.
a. Contemporary b. Spanish c. American d. Japanese
4. This period is considered the war times with influence on literary arts and forms.
a. Pre-colonial b. Spanish c. Japanese d. American
5. This period has something to do with Alibata.
a. Pre-colonial b. Spanish c. Japanese d. American
6. This period can be associated with religion and propaganda.
a. Pre-colonial b. Spanish c. Japanese d. American
7. This dimension of literature tells us about places and the relationships between people and
their environment.
a. Ethnic b. Geographic c. Linguistic d. Form
8. This dimension of literature is related to a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or
written symbols by which individuals express themselves.
a. Ethnic b. Geographic c. Linguistic d. Form
9.This dimension of literature refers to social entities sharing real or putative features like a
common origin or cultural-linguistic legacy.
a. Ethnic b. Geographic c. Linguistic d. Form
10. The literature “The Widow’s Son” compiled by Mabel Cook Cole was told by this tribe.
a. Subanon b. Mandaya c. Bukidnon d. Igorot

Activity 1
1. Conduct and interview among the members of your family about what riddles, poems,
legends, myths or stories that they know.
2. Make a compilation of these literary forms using a portoflio.
Rubric :

Century
Literature
from
The
Philippines
5 3 1

The compilation contains The compilation contains 3 The compilation contains

Content
5 literary pieces. literary pieces. 3 literary pieces.

The compilation
The compilation utilized
maximized the use of The compilation utilized
Creativity audio or visual
multimedia such as MS Word only.
presentation.
audiobook or storytelling.

The compilation is passed The compilation is passed The compilation is passed

Promptness
ahead of time. on time. after the deadline.
 and the World
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Compare and Contrast the
Various 21st Century Genres from
the earlier Genres/ Periods

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the module. Use a
separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities included in the
module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult
your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are not alone.
We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and gain deep
understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the
Compare and Contrast Various 21st Century Genres from the Earlier Genres/ Periods.
The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The
language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to
follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be
changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.
In this module, you will be able to
• differentiate/ compare and contrast the various 21st century literary genres and the ones from
the earlier genres/periods citing their elements, structures and traditions. ( EN12Lit-Id-25)
Specifically, you are expected to:
• identify the different literary genres
• recognize the elements and structure of each genre

Compare and Contrast

Lesson
Various 21st Century
2 Genres from the Earlier
Genres/ Periods
The desire for self-expression resulted to the production of literature. It is a writer’s
expression of his mind, heart, emotions, thoughts, and ideas.
Literature is written works like poetry, novels, journals of famous authors and usually
published. ‘Genre’ literally means ‘type”, so literary genre means types of literary works.
 On this part of the lesson, you will recall and differentiate the four major literary genres;
poetry, fiction, nonfiction and drama; however, literature changes to adapt to the trends of
the contemporary world; thus, new genres of literature are born. In this lesson, we will study and
appreciate both the earlier genres and the contemporary genres.
Literature reinvents itself as it changes its form to adapt to the changing times and
changing trends; especially for the young people like you. The need to express oneself gave
birth to literature and humanity never got contented on their attempt to express themselves
resulting to new genres like hyperpoetry, mobile textula, flash fiction, chick lit, and, blogs.
Each literature genre has distinct sub-genres, structure and elements.
Genres and Sub-genres of Literature: Elements and Structure

Genre Sub-genre Elements Structure

Written in lines and
stanzas

2 lines- couplet

3 lines –tercet

4 lines – quatrain
Lyric (sonnet, ode, elegy),
Rhyme, meter,
dramatic (soliloquy, 5 lines - cinquain
Poetry figurative devices,
monologue, dialogue), and
symbolism 6 lines – sestet
narrative (epic)
7 lines - septet

8 lines - octave

fantasy, folklore,
Fiction (stories that plot, characters, theme
mystery, suspense or
did not happen in setting, point-of-view,
thriller, historical fiction, Written in paragraphs
reality literary devices
science fiction, romance

biography, references
(encyclopedia, dictionary,
Nonfiction (factual thesaurus), autobiography,
stories, with real narrative (memoir,
characters and testimonio), and periodicals plot, characters, theme
setting) (newspapers, magazines, setting, point-of-view, Written in paragraphs
journal literary devices

that are written regularly)

 Literary element
(script), Technical
element,

(scenery (set),make-
up, costume, lights, and The script serves as the
sound) performance text and it is performed
Drama tragedy, comedy element before an audience
(acting, character
analysis, character
motivation…)

The given genres with their elements and structures are further discussed in detail below:

A. Poetry

Poetry is one of the earliest genres of literature. It was either recited or sang back to prehistoric
times to call for help from a deity, narrate a hero’s life and victories, tell about the love story of
their rulers, or describe someone who inspires them. In order to understand or even write a good
poem, you must know the elements of poetry:

1. Rhyme – it is the identical rhyme if the last words or sounds match each other.

2. Meter – it is also called the rhythm in poetry. It is the pattern of beats (foot) (stressed
and unstressed syllables in a line). It is also called foot.

3. Imagery and Symbolism

The beauty of poetry is on the carefully chosen words that rhyme and the lines and
stanzas with uniform rhythm. Poetry must also employ figurative language to creatively
express emotions, feeling and ideas.

Here are the commonly used literary devices in poetry:

Metaphor Simile Onomatopoeia

Direct comparison of two unlike Two unlike things compared to Words that imitate a sound
things.
each other using “like” or “as”.

Ex. The gushing of wind and

Ex. He is a strong lion. gnashing of teeth
Ex. He is strong like a lion.

Alliteration Assonance Repetition

The repetition of the same The resemblance of a sound in words

initial sound of the words. or syllable.
A word, a phrase, or a sentence
repeated to emphasize its
importance in the entire text.
Ex. Be brave, be boundless
Beauty is a bouquet of Ex. Who knows how hollows snore. Ex. Not yet Rizal,

blue baby’s breath Not yet….

Synedoche Personification Hyperbole

A part is made to represent Giving human attributes to an It exaggerates the meaning of

the whole or vice-versa object or animal a sentence.

Ex. Hundred heads of cattle Ex. The wind spoke of hope and Ex. I am so thirsty that I could
bought at a good price. redemption. drink an ocean.

Symbols

It is the use of symbols to convey ideas. A symbol represents various ideas or things at one time.
Like darkness or color black may symbolize death, uncertainty, failure, or an end. A white rose may
mean purity, freshness, new beginning, or death.

Example : The cold wind blew my heartaches away

(the cold wind can mean inspiring words, new ideas, new hope)

The warm sunshine filled my emptiness with joy .

(the warm sunshine can mean a person whom the author loves, or an event that made him be filled
with joy)

B. Fiction:
Fiction is a story of make believe. It is a story made by the author’s creative imagination.
It has various sub-genres like mystery, fantasy, suspense, historical fiction science fiction,
realistic fiction and folklore (myths, fables, legends).
To understand fiction and to write a good fictional story, you must be able to identify and
understand its elements that comprise the texts’ contents and message the story wanted to
impart to its readers.
Fiction uses the basic elements of a story, namely; the plot, setting, characters, and
conflict , to convey its ideas.
The setting includes the time or period and place where the event happened. The
characters are the persons/ animals/ or any inanimate object that functions as the protagonist,
antagonist and other minor entities that perform the actions, speak dialogue and moving the
story along a plot line. Conflict creates tension in the story and it involves the struggle of
between two opposing forces/ characters, usually the protagonist and the antagonist. Conflict
can be internal and external. Internal conflict is a psychological conflict which arises when the
character experiences two opposite emotions (like love and hate, patriotism and devotion) or
aspirations (like career and marriage, fame and peace of mind) which usually involves good and
evil. External conflict is the struggle of a protagonist against outside forces that hamper his/
her progress and hinders him/her to achieve his/ her goal.
Fiction follows the Freytag’s Pyramid to create an interesting and detailed narrative.
Below is an illustration of the story pyramid which consists also the parts of a plot.

The following are the elements of short story according to Freytag:

1. Exposition tells about the background of the story. The information can be about
the setting, characters’ back stories, or historical contexts.
2. Inciting incident is an event that hooks the viewer into the story and sets everything
else that happens into motion. 
3. Rising action is the part of the story after the characters and setting are introduced
and events in the story begin to reveal probable conflicts that the protagonist must
resolve. It also involves events that lead to the climax of the story.
4. Complication is a situation or detail of a character that complicates the main thread
of a plot. A complication builds up and develops the primary or central conflict in a literary
work.
5. Climax is the highest point of tension in the story. It is usually the most interesting
part.
6. Reversal or Peripeteia in Greek is the turning point in a story after which the plot
moves steadily to its denouement.
7. Falling action is the part of a story after the climax and before the very end.
 8. Resolution or denouement is the final outcome of the story and it is where other
secrets are revealed, if there is any.
C. Non- fiction: Memoir
Nonfiction is a literary genre that tells about stories that actually happen in real life. The
sub genres of literary nonfiction are biography, memoir, autobiography, journals, diaries,
periodicals and references. These works of literary nonfiction have character, setting, plot,
conflict, figurative language, and theme just like literary fiction, fiction and thriller or suspense.
To interpret fiction, we must analyze and interpret using the elements of fiction.
D. Drama
A script may only come to existence once it is performed before an audience. Its basic
elements include the literary element (script), technical element (scenery set, make-up,
costume, lights, and sound) performance element (acting, character analysis, character
motivation…)
A script is a written text of a play. It is consist of the dialogues or words that will be
spoken by the actors and the stage directions which give instructions about the position and
movement of the actors and other aspects of the set.
The technical element of a play is complicated. It includes scenery set, make-up,
costume, lights, and sound.
A scenery set can be chair, a house or a forest and other properties used to identify the
location and period of the dramatic production. Make-up is used in drama to aid the actors in
taking the appropriate appearance of the character they play. Costumes are clothes, garments
or attires worn by actors on stage to aid dramatic actions and interpretations. There various
types of lights used on stage. It provides not only visibility of the actors but also creates and
enhance the mood and atmosphere. Sound can be produced by actors or by props, musical
instruments, and recorded music and effects that can help engage the audience and bring them
into another time.
Performance element includes acting, character analysis and character motivation.
Acting is the enactment of an actor or actress who portrays a character, character analysis is
evaluating the character’s traits, his/ her role in the story, and the conflicts they experience,
character motivation is the element that drives the character to achieve his goal.
That is how complicated a drama is! It is more complicated than other genres of
literature because aside from the script, other elements must suit and work together to the
theme of the show and make the audience feel the plight of the protagonist, antagonist and
other characters in the story effectively.

The New Genres of Literature

The various genres of literature and its sub-genres changes through time. The invention
of electricity, use of electronics and other modern technology affected how people view life and
express themselves differently from their contemporaries 10 years, 20 years, or a hundred
years ago.
 Technology made our lives easier than the last decade. It made people work fast.
Beating deadlines and presenting marketing and management strategies creatively. These
changes have also brought new literary genres that gave us new avenues of expressing
ourselves; like cell phones and computer screens.
These new genres include mobile textula, hyperpoetry, flash fiction, chick lit and blogs.
To understand these new genres, their definitions are given below to give you clue on
how similar or different they are from the major genres of literature.
1. Hyperpoetry - It is poetry uploaded in the internet. Its medium is the computer screen.

2. Mobile Textula - Textula is a poetry genre mastered by Frank Rivera. It is a short poetry in a
form of tanaga, that is sent through SMS on mobile phone. It consists of 4 lines with 7 syllables
using (/)to end a line and (//) to end the stanza.

3. Flash Fiction – It is telling a story in a few words, usually about 100-1000 words or less. A
flash fiction can be as short as Earnest Hemingway’s 6-word memoir, “For sale: baby’s shoes;
never worn.”
The example below was written by former student to express a person’s many facets as an
individual:
4. Chick Lit - It is a heroine - centered fiction narrative; usually focus on the trials of the
protagonist. The genre often addresses issues of modern womanhood – from romantic
relationships to female friendships to matters in the workplace – in humorous and lighthearted
ways.
Below is an excerpt of a chick lit taken from Wattpad. One needs to download the
Wattpad App and the story to experience reading chick lit.

5. Blog - a regularly updated web page or website that is written in conversational style.
Here is a sample blog uploaded on March 15, 2020 on the author’s Facebook page.
 Activity II

Create a Blog/Vlog
Our country and the world are suffering from the COVID19 pandemic. Write a blog about the
effects of COVID-19 to our education system. Don’t forget to write about the lessons you have learned
during this pandemic. End your blog with a suggestion on how to deal with the effects of COVID-19.
Upload your output in our google classroom.

Criteria Score

Fluency 4 points

Voice Expression 4 points

Voice Projection (volume) 3 points

Creativity / originality of the script 3 points

Character 3 points

Sound Effect and Music 3 points

TOTAL 20 points

Lesson
Contextual Reading
3 Approaches
Reading, understanding, and appreciating stories, poems, essays or any other forms of
literature may sometimes be challenging for you. This can be influenced by many factors. It
could be your lack of knowledge about the topic or author’s background, your inability to
understand the words used in the text, your lack of time to spend for reading, or simply your
negative attitude towards reading itself.
Whatever the reason may be, the simple truth that reading is an essential part of your
life as a student remains unquestionable. It is a part of your mental, emotional, social, and
spiritual growth. Hence, it is something that you have to embrace and cultivate as an academic
skill.
In this part, you will study the biographical contexts, linguistic contexts, and sociocultural
contexts of a piece of literature. Each context is explained thoroughly in the succeeding
paragraphs.
In this unit, you should be able to:
● identify the different ways one may evaluate a literary text, specifically by examining its
biographical context, sociocultural context, and linguistic context;
● distinguish various critical reading strategies; and
● analyze different literary texts through different contexts using different critical reading
strategies.

LITERARY READING THROUGH A BIOGRAPHICAL CONTEXTS

While it is important to know the characters in a literary text, it is also essential for
readers to understand the author’s background. Through studying the author, they may be able
to connect the characters and their morals to the author’s life, and analyze the patterns of
behavior shown between and among the characters, the author, and the reader himself. After
all, it is through getting to know others that we also get to know ourselves better.
There are reasons to read literature through the biographical context (Gioia and Kennedy 2007):
● Understanding the author’s life can help you understand his or her work thoroughly.
● Reading the author’s biography or autobiography helps you see how much his experiences
shape his or her work directly and indirectly.

Here are biographical strategies that you may use:

● Research on what the author believes in and also what he or she does not.
● Analyze how the author’s belief system is reflected in his or her work.
● Look at the author’s other works and analyze if there is a pattern with regard to the theme that
is indicative of his or her life and beliefs.

When you are reading literature through a biographical context:

● In what year was the text written and published?
● Is there anything significant that happened in the author’s life during this time? What were the
circumstances that happened to the author before the writing of the text?
● Were there several drafts of the text? What can you say about the changes that the author
made? What aspects do you think the author struggled with during the revision? What is the
effect of the revisions to the published text?
● Are there characters and situations in the text that could be representative of or are similar to
the ones in the author’s life?
● How will knowing about the author amplify your appreciation of the work?
Take note of the following before reading a text through a biographical context:
● You should not assume that all works are confessional, biographical, or even “true to life.”
● A literary text is according to the author’s perspective and will be heavily influenced by him or
her, but it is not the only way of studying literature.

Here are some examples of literary works written by authors of different backgrounds. In their
sample writings, their personal stories and beliefs reflect the way they project the characters in
their narrative:

1. “Under My Invisible Umbrella” by Laurel Fantauzzo is a literary essay that talks about
a Filipino-Italian who was born in the United States. Because her features are more Italian
than Filipina, she had encountered problems with people treating her as “extra special”
in the Philippines, but she finds it more isolating than welcoming.

Fantauzzo’s way of writing reflects a lot about her personal encounters within the
Philippines. To understand her essays better, the reader must know her background first
so that they may know the reasons behind her dilemmas.

Catch a Falling Star by Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo is a collection of realistic short stories that
revolve around a child character named Trissy or Patriciang Payatot. In the narratives, you
would find out that Trissy is not much involved in outdoor games; she was more inclined to
writing, paper doll making, and other simple crafts.
If one tries to research about the author, she may be classified as a female Filipino writer who
belongs to the intellectual elite; that’s why her writings are influenced by upper-middle class
situations.

ACTIVITY III
Recall one author of a favourite story or book you read. Search about his or her
biography. How does his/her background and personal view points in life affect the style and
concept of his or her writing.

LITERARY READING THROUGH A SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXTS

Aside from understanding a literary text through a biographical perspective, it is also

important to note the year or period it was written. Readers would be able to identify the
historical events that took place in that year. We would also find out the roots of an event’s
cause and the reasons behind the character’s motives and interests.

According to the critic Wilbur Scott, “Art is not created in a vacuum; it is the work not
simply of a person, but of an author fixed in time and space, answering a community of which
he is an important, articulate part.”
 In reading using the sociocultural context, you will examine the factors that affect the
writing of the literary text and how the work was received by the readers during the time it was
written.

The following are reasons to read literature through sociocultural context (Gioia and
Kennedy 2007):
● Reading using the sociocultural context helps you understand the social, economic, political,
and cultural forces affecting the work that you are reading.
● Analyzing the sociocultural context of the text makes you examine the role of the audience
(readers) in shaping literature.

How can we analyze a text through a sociocultural context? Here are guide questions that you
may answer when you are reading literature through the sociocultural context:

● What is the relationship between the characters or the speakers in the text and their society?
● Does the text explicitly address issues of gender, race, or class? How does the text resolve
these issues?
● Who has the power? Who does not? What is the reason for this setup?
● How does this story reflect the nation? What does this say about the country and its
inhabitants? ● Who has the economic or social power? Is there oppression or class struggle?
How do the characters overcome this? Does money or finances play a large role in the
narrative?
● What is the prevailing social order? Does the story or poem accept or challenge it?

Take note of the following before reading a text through the sociocultural context: You
may use several sociological, economic, and cultural perspectives when reading using the
sociocultural context. Marxism is one of the famous perspectives used for this reading.
Feminism, queer theory, historicism, postcolonialism, and New Historicism are also
perspectives or literary theories that you may use.

Perspective Explanation
According to the Marxist perspective,
literature shows class struggle and
materialism. Thus, it looks into the social
Marxism classes portrayed in the work. It also looks
into how the text serves as a propaganda
material. It also examines oppression, social
conflicts, and solution to these struggles as
shown in the literary work.
The feminist perspective examines the role of
Feminism the women in the literature. It looks into how
the female character may be empowered or
discriminated against.
The queer perspective is concerned with the
queer or the third gender. The perspective
itself was named in 1991. Under this
Queer Theory perspective, the third gender, meaning the
gay, lesbians, and other characters or
persona in literature that may fall under queer
are being examined.
 Historicism or traditional historical criticism is
Historicism a perspective dealing with the history that
influenced the writing of literature.
Postcolonialism is a literary perspective that
Postcolonialism looks into the changes in the attitude of the
post colonies after the colonial period.
Through this perspective, the dependence or
independence of decolonized countries or
people are being examined.
New Historicism is another perspective in the
sociocultural context. It focuses not only on
New Historicism the history when the literary text was written,
but also how the history happened. In New
Historicism, the abovementioned
perspectives can be integrated with each
other.

Activity IV

Watch or recall a movie or book that talks about a certain Philippine historical event.
Answer the following questions:

1. What is the historical situation taking place?

2. What do you think is the prevailing social order shown?
3. What is the main idea or theme of the story?
4. How do the people during those times act? How do they differ from our generation?
5. How does the event affect the author and his perspectives about the situation?
6. Write a short analysis about the movie using an appropriate literary perspectives.

LITERARY READING THROUGH A LINGUISTIC CONTEXTS

According to David Richter, “Practically everything we do that is specifically human is

expressed in language.” This is why literary texts can be read through the context of the
language used to write the text as well as the way language is used in the text. This literary
reading adheres to Roland Barthes’s famous maxim, “The author is dead.” Reading through a
linguistic context focuses on the language used in the literary work and how it is used to convey
meaning.
Here are some reasons to read literature through the linguistic context:
● Reading the text on its own, regardless of the author’s biography and sociocultural context,
may help you understand the literary text through analyzing the words, sentences, patterns,
imagery, etc. of the text.
● Analyzing the literary text’s grammar, syntax, or phonemic pattern may help you find the
meaning of the text within its form and help you interpret it by simply analyzing the content of
the literary work. Use this textbox.

The following are some strategies you may use to read a text through the linguistic context:
● Analyze the diction or choice of words in the text.
● Examine the texts’ syntax or use of sentences, clauses, phrases, line cuts, etc.
● Observe the use of figurative language.
● Analyze the mood and tone of the text.
● Observe the text’s overall structure.
● Analyze the content of the text.

Here are guide questions that may help you when you read literature through the linguistic
context: ● What were the striking words in the text? What words were unfamiliar to you? Which
words attracted your attention? What words were dramatic?
● What nouns are the most prominent? Are these concrete or abstract nouns? What about
verbs? Does the author use common words or lofty diction? Are the words short or long? Is
there any word that has two or more meanings?
● Are the sentences in the usual order of subject-predicate? What are the dependent clauses?
What are the independent clauses? If you restructure a sentence or a phrase, would it make a
difference? Is the voice active or passive? Is there a rhythm in the sentence structure in relation
to the length of the sentences or lines?
● What literary devices are used? Are there images? Do those images stand for anything aside
from their literal meaning?
● What is the tone? Is the speaker happy about the subject? Is the tone negative or positive?
● What is the structure of the text? Is it a narrative? Is it linear or nonlinear? What is the point of
view of the text? Is it a poem? What type of poem is it?
● Does the language help in delivering and understanding its content? Is there a theme? What
is it saying about its subject matter? How do the literary elements contribute to the effectiveness
of the text?
● What is the text saying about the world in general?

Take note of the following before reading a text through the linguistic context:

● Even if literature uses language, it does not mean that the structure of literature and the
language are the same. Some writers may not follow grammatical rules, and this kind of
deviation may be used in your analysis. You may ask, “Why is the text not following standard
grammar?” and other similar questions.
● The characteristics of the language in which the text was written may help in analyzing the
text. You may also ask, “Why is the text written in this language?”, “Is this considered a weak
language or a strong language?” and other similar questions.
● You may consult literary approaches that focus on language. Structuralism, poststructuralism,
and formalism have linguistic aspects. These approaches may lead you in your view of reading
through the linguistic context.

Perspective Explanation
 Structuralism relays the texts being examined
to a larger structure. The structure may be a
particular genre, a range of intertextual
Structuralism
connections, a model of a universal narrative
structure, or a system of recurrent patterns or
motifs.
Formalism is a school of literary criticism and
literary theory that focuses on the structure of
Formalism (or New Criticism)
a particular text. It examines a text without
taking into account any outside influence.
Post-structuralism is the reaction to
structuralism. In the linguistic context, there
Post-structuralism may be underlying structures that may have
different interpretations based on how the
words or phrases were used in the text

Activity V
Below is a poem that Jose Rizal has written:

Josephine,
Who to these shores came,
Searching for a home, a nest,
Like the wandering swallows,
If your fate guides you
To Shanghai, China, or Japan,
Forget not that on these shores
A heart beats for you.

Analyze the poem through its literary context by answering the following questions:

1. What are the striking words used in the poem?

2. How many meaningful statements are used in the poem?
3. How were the lines cut? Did the line cuts help in conveying the message of the poem?
4. Are there rhymes? Is there a certain rhythm? How does the presence or absence of rhyme
and rhythm help convey the message of the text?
5. What imagery was used in the poem?
6. What is the mood of the poem?
7. Did the use of language help in conveying the poem’s message? How?

Additional Activity :

Compare and contrast the expressions of love shown during the time of Rizal and the
present time. How does the distance and setting affect the language conveyed in one’s literary
work?
Critical Reading Strategies in Literature

Sometimes, we read for entertainment, leisure and fun. It takes a keen observer and
valid researcher to become a critical reader. Being a critical reader means that you do not aim
to simply memorize facts and information in the text that you are reading. Being a critical reader
means that you are looking for ways of thinking about the subject matter of the text that you are
reading.

To help you in your critical reading, listed below are the steps or modes of analysis that are
reflected in three types of reading and discussion as presented by Daniel J. Kurland (2000):

● What a text says is the restatement. At first, you simply talk about the same topic as what is
written in the original text.
● What a text does is the description. Next, you discuss and examine the aspects of the
discussion or the content of the text.
● What a text means is the interpretation. As you read critically, you should analyze the text and
assert a meaning for the text as a whole.

Here are the three main goals of critical reading that require inference from reading within the
text (Kurland 2000):

● First is to recognize the author’s purpose, which involves inferring a basis for choices of
content and language.
● Second is to understand the tone and persuasive elements of the text, which involves
classifying the nature of language choices used by the author.
● Third is to recognize bias, which involves classifying the nature of patterns of choice and
language used in the text.

The following critical reading strategies will help you cope with different reading texts:

● Previewing. Before you begin reading the text, preview it by gathering important information
about it. Previewing helps prepare your mind for the barrage of information that is to come when
you do the actual reading. When you preview a text, you skim it to get the big picture or an
overview of the entire text. Consider the following:

❏ Who wrote the text? What are the author’s other works?
❏ Where and when was the text published? What were the major events around the
time the text was written or published?
❏ What can you infer about the text based on the title?
❏ What seems to be the general progression or organization of ideas based on the
chapter titles or section headings and subheadings?
❏ What is your purpose for reading the text?

● Annotating. Annotating involves highlighting or making notes of important ideas in the text.
This can be done by doing the following:
 ❏ With a pencil or a pen in hand, underline important ideas such as the thesis, topic
sentences, and key concepts. Also, highlight unfamiliar words so you can look them up
later.
❏ Make notes such as questions and comments or responses on the margins as you
read.
❏ Develop a symbol system. You may draw symbols to mark important words or
sentences so that the text will not appear cluttered.

● Contextualizing. When you contextualize, you consider the historical, cultural, or biographical
context of the text. Identify the context(s) in which the text was written and determine how this
context differs from your own. Keep in mind that your understanding of a particular concept is
influenced by these contexts, in the same way that they influence an author’s.

● Outlining and Summarizing. Outlining and summarizing the text help you identify the main
ideas in the text and express them again in your own words. In outlining the text, you identify the
basic structure of the text (i.e., the main ideas and the supporting ideas) and make connections
between those ideas. Outlining helps you understand how the author developed the text through
the ideas presented. After making an outline, you can now summarize the text. Summarizing the
text allows you to present your understanding of the text by reviewing and synthesizing
important ideas, and then restating them in your own words.

● Analyzing. Analyzing a text deals with examining the information presented to support the
author’s argument(s). In analyzing a text, you look at the evidence, sources, and author’s
bias(es). Consider the following questions:

❏ Is there enough evidence to support the author’s argument? Does the evidence relate
to and support the thesis or the main point the author is trying to convey?

❏ Are the pieces of evidence relevant, credible, and up-to-date? ❏ Are the sources of
information credible?

❏ Why did the author take that particular position? What is the author’s background that
may have led to or influenced his or her position?

● Rereading. Rereading requires a repeated examination of the text to enable you to improve
your comprehension of the text and to identify ideas that you may not have noticed in initial
reading. Critical readers read the text more than once to fully grasp the meaning of the text and
what the author is conveying.

● Responding. After you have developed a clear understanding of the text, you are now ready
to respond to the text. Responding to the text means drawing meaning from what you have read
and presenting it in writing or talking about it to others. When you respond to a text, you express
your thoughts, feelings, and questions about the text. You can write why you agree or disagree
with the text or the author’s arguments, or you can interpret the text. You can also respond to a
text by discussing it with others. Sharing the information that you gained from a text with others
who have read the same text is a good way to check your understanding.
 Activity VI
Watch one of any of these movies related to Philippine history: (1) Lualhati Bautista’s
Dekada ’70, (2) Ricky and Raymond Lee’s Anak, or (3) Michiko Yamamotos’s Magnifico. The
goal is to write a 1,000 words essay that analyze the movie according to its biographical,
sociocultural, and linguistic context through critical reading and viewing.

Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished

(1-2 points) (3-4 points) (5 points)
Content The essay discusses
The essay discusses only two scenes in The essay discusses
only one to two the movie or at least three scenes
scenes in the movie discusses three in the movie and
and does not analyse scenes but does comprehensively
them through a not thoroughly analyzes them
biological, analyze them through through a biological,
sociocultural, and a biological, sociocultural, and
linguistic context. sociocultural, and linguistic context.
linguistic context.
Organization The essay is not Some ideas in the
The ideas in the
organized well; ideas essay are not
essay are organized
do not progress organized well;
well; there are clear
logically; the transitions are
transitions between
transitions are vague missing between
ideas
or completely lacking. some ideas.
Language (spelling,
mechanics, There are eight or There are four to There are only three
grammar, and word more language errors seven language or fewer language
choice) in the essay. errors in the essay errors in the essay
 Lesson Applying Multimedia and
4 ICT in Producing Creative
Literary Representation
Technology evolved so as with our literature. The Philippine literature has undergone
literary innovations and fueled more writers to be discovered. The internet became an avenue of
personal expression, an avenue of making crafted stories and poems, and making literary
representations of existing literatures.

The evolution of literary expression has made it easier for Filipinos to share
masterpieces nowadays. To the 21st Century learners like you, you are taught to use the
internet for knowledge advancement. You are also taught to navigate multimedia to produce
creative outputs.

In this lesson, you will read and appreciate a poem written by a national artist for
literature and you will make a creative representation of it applying your multimedia skills.

Literature has gone through evolution. As learners of the 21st Century Literature, you
must be oriented on what multimedia is and must possess ICT skills.

Multimedia is a broad term for combining multiple media formats. Whenever text, audio,
still images, animation, video and interactivity are combined together, the result is multimedia.
Slides, for example, are multimedia as they combine text and images, and sometimes video and
other types. .

Today many of you are already video creators. In fact many are becoming ‘vloggers’. In
making this, you exhibit multimedia skill since you know how to explore and create presentation
using any media form. Your smartphone can help you to do the job easier using downloaded
applications on video editing and making. In just a click, you can make one and upload it in
social media.

Now, the skill of uploading videos in social media is already an ICT Skill. ICT skill is
simply exhibiting communication technologies, communicating and participating in
collaborative networks via internet. 21st century learners like you practice this skill as you
probably tried sending your requirements to your teachers by uploading videos, chatting thru
facebook messenger, and other online platforms.

Relating it to the 21st Century Literature, you will be using multimedia and exercise your
ICT skills in making literary representation of a particular text. You will be given choices later as
how you are going to do it.

Now, let us read the poem entitled “Be Beautiful, Noble Like the Antique Ant.” Before
that, let us come to know more about the writer of this poem.
Jose Garcia Villa (National Capital Region, 1906-1997) was a Filipino
poet, literary critic, short story writer and painter. He was awarded with a
National Artist of the Philippines title for literature in 1973 as well as the
Guggenheim Fellowship in Creative Writing by Conrad Aiken. He is
known to have introduced “reversed consonance rhyme scheme” in
writing poetry as well as extensive use of punctuation marks especially
commas, which made him known as the Comma Poet. He used the pen
name Doveglion based on the characters he derived from himself.

"Be Beautiful, Noble, Like the Antique Ant"

By: Jose Garcia Villa

Be beautiful, noble, like the antique ant,

Who bore the storms as he bore the sun,
Wearing neither gown nor helmet, though
he was archbishop and soldier: Wore only
his own flesh.

Salute characters with gracious dignity: Though

what these are is left to

Your own terms. Exact: the universe is Not

so small but these will be found
Somewhere. Exact: they will be found

Speak with great moderation: but think

With great fierceness, burning passion:
Though what the ant thought

No annals reveal, nor his descendants

Break the seal.

Trace the tracelessness of the ant, Every

ant has reached this perfection.

As he comes, so he goes, Flowing

as water flows, Essential but
secret like a rose.
Poem Synopsis:
The poem highlighted the character of an Antique Ant. Garcia used the ant’s character
as a perfect example for one to acquire and exhibit with. He believed that for a person to be
beautiful and noble, he or she must be like the ant who can endure the heat of the sun and
storms despite having no gears for protecting its body. This implies that we human should be
strong to survive whatever life offers. Villa also made a good comparison between ant and
human characteristics that no matter how small creature they are, they can still manage to help
each other. The author also pointed out that ant has a perfect way of life in their own way, more
so with people who have the ability to overcome trials and adopt resiliency. If the ants can
survive in any form of difficulties, we also can.

Activity VII

Instruction: You are to make a representation of the poem “Be Beautiful Noble Like the Antique
Ant.” Make it creative by using effects, background music and transitions. You have to do one of
the following tasks below first, record it and then create a multimedia presentation. Upload your
output to our Google classroom.

1. Declaim (Declamation)
2. Sing the poem (you can put melody to the poem)
3. Interpret the poem through actions (like an interpretative dance)
4. Interpret the poem through a poster and say something about it

You will be rated based on the rubric below:

Criteria 10 8 6 4 Score
Creativity Creativity is Creativity is Creativity is Creativity is
strongly evident moderately slightly evident not so evident
with the use of evident with with the use of with a
media effects. the use of media effects. minimal
media effects. media effect.
Delivery Delivers with Delivers with Delivers with Delivers
strong confidence as minimal without
confidence as seen in the confidence as confidence as
seen in the video. seen in the seen in the
video. video. video.
Timeliness Output Output Output Output
submitted on or submitted a submitted three submitted
or five days
after the
before the day or two deadline. seven days
days after the
deadline. deadline. after the

deadline.
Total