Literature is a big part of the society.

With this being said, this course, Society and Literature will
enlighten the students to dig deeper on the literature in the Philippine context. Due to the fact that we
were colonize by different countries, we have been attached to the different beliefs and perspectives
from the colonizers that sometimes, the Philippine culture and traditions are slowly being forgotten. This
will serve as a realization and an eye-opener on the relevance of literature to the Philippine culture.
Philippine literature reflects the social issues that the society is facing. Thus, in this course, you will
analyze different literary texts using different approaches to literary criticism to get the deeper meaning
and to see literary pieces in different angles and perspective. Learning literature will not be completed
at reading and analysing but in writing a literary piece with the use of one’s creative mind. Literature has
been introduced in the primary and secondary education. So, in this course, some information will serve
as a review. However, you will encounter different approaches that will help you analyze different
literary texts. Later on, you will realize that some literary pieces are old but relevant in today’s era.
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of the module, the students are able to: 1. Identify the
relevance of literature to the society. 2. Develop a sense of connectivity with social realities and
literature. 3. Construct an academic paper which deals on the critiquing and discussion of the relevance
of

1.1.Literature In your previous literature classes in high school, literature has been defined literally as an
oral or written works in prose or verse. Indeed, it is a group of words organize to make a sense out of it
may it be in literal or figurative form. In deeper sense, literature has been defined figuratively by
different authors/ writers. One of those is Roger Don Cerda who defined literature as: “Literature
liberates people from political oppression, social injustice, economic inequality, and emotional inhibition
as reflected in short stories, novels, dramas, essays, and other literary genres.” This implies that
literature is one of the tools to inform people about the social issues depriving one’s right. Through the
literary pieces that we read and analyze, we develop connection on the social realities. Another
definition of literature by Amador Daguio goes: “It is the beautiful expression of man’s personal
interpretation of some aspect of human life, or a wording out in a unique, beautiful, and personal
manner saying what an author thinks is a passionate meaning of life. This is saying that literature not
only becomes but is “life itself.” Literature does not only reflects situations in the society, but with the
fact that it shares emotions, feelings and opens the mind of readers into a better perspective, it
becomes a life, not just a reflection. 2 FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev. 0 10-July-2020 PANGASINAN STATE
UNIVERSITY Study Guide in (LIT 1: Society and Literature) Module No. 1 1. 2. What is the Importance of
Studying Literature? Mostly, we take literature for granted saying it is not important to one’s life.
However, that is where some people are wrong. Literature is essential to humankind. The following are
some of the importance of studying literature: 1. Literature helps us grow both personally and
intellectually. 2. Literature links us with the world which we are a part. 3. Literature enables us to
transcend our immediate time, place, and culture and to make connections with other human beings
and their concerns. 4. Literature encourages us to develop mature empathy with all forms of life-
Human, Animal, and Plant. 5. Literature sharpens our sense of moral judgment. 6. Literature stimulates
our imagination and ingenuity. 7. Literature shows the significance of irony, paradox, oxymoron, and
ambivalence. 8. Literature allows us to see the world in different vantage points. 9. Literature relives
history. 10. Literature reminds us that we are human beings. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1 1. As
aforementioned, there are various definitions of literature from different authors. Give your own
definition of literature and explain. 2. As a student, what makes studying literature important? Justify
your answer. LEARNING CONTENTS (Literary Types and Forms) 1.3. Literary Types and Forms Literature
is classified in types and forms. A. Prose Fiction presents a story that is invented and not literally true. It
is written to be read rather than acted or performed, and the events depicted are told to us by a
narrator, not enacted or dramatized. 1. Myth is often a story of origins, how the world and everything in
it came to be. It orients people to the metaphysical dimension, attempts to explain the origins and
nature of the world, as well as a certain custom or practice of a human society, validates social issues,
and, on the psychological plane, addresses oneself to the innermost depths of the psyche. 2. Legend
refers to unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be
historical. 3. Parable is a simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson. E.g. The Prodigal Son 4.
Fable is a usually short narrative making an edifying or cautionary point often employing as characters
animals that speak and act like humans. E.g. The Turtle 5. Fairy Tale is a kind of folktale or fable.
Marvelous and magical things happen to the characters in fairy tales. 6. Short Story is a piece of prose
fiction marked by relative shortness and density, organized into a plot and with some kind of
denouement at the end. 7. Novel is a fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a
plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of numerous characters placed in a number of
different situations. 8. Novella is a fictional prose narrative that is longer than a short story, but shorter
than a novel. B. POETRY is a piece of art written by a poet in meter or verse expressing various emotions
which are expressed by the use of variety of techniques including metaphors, similes, and
onomatopoeia. 1. Lyric Poetry is a comparatively short, non-narrative poem in which a single speaker
presents a state of mind or an emotional state. a. Song is a musical work, an abstract entity that serves
as an umbrella for many versions or renditions. b. Sonnet is a fourteen- line poem in iambic pentameter.
c. Elegy is a meditative lyric poem lamenting death of a public personage or of a friend or loved one; by
extension, any reflective lyric on the broader theme of human mortality. 3 FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev. 0 10-July-
2020 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY Study Guide in (LIT 1: Society and Literature) Module No. 1 d. Ode
is a long lyric poem with a serious subject written in an elevated style and formal stanzaic structure. 2.
Narrative Poetry gives a verbal representation, in verse, of a sequence of connected events. It propels
characters through a plot. It is always told by a narrator. a. BALLAD is a song, originally transmitted
orally, which tells a story. b. METRICAL ROMANCE is a poem which tells a story that ends happily,
whether love is involved or not. c. EPIC is an extended narrative poem that operates in a large scale,
both in length and topic. It uses an elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary
hero with the intervention of supernatural beings. 3. Dramatic Poetry like narrative poetry, tells stories
but the poet lets one or more of the story’s characters act out of the story. a. Dramatic Monologue is a
combination of the words dramatic and monologue. b. Soliloquy is long speech in which a character who
is alone on a stage expresses his or her private thoughts or feelings. C. DRAMA comes from the Greek
word “dran” which means “to do” or “to act. It is a story acted out. a. Tradegy refers to a drama in which
heroic protagonist meets an unhappy or calamitous end, brought about by some fatal flaw of character,
by circumstances outside his or her control. a. Tragicomedy refers to fictional works that blend aspects
of the genres of tragedy and comedy. b. Melodrama uses music to increase spectator’s emotional
response or to suggest character types. b. Comedy epicts humorous incidents which protagonists are
faced with moderate difficulties but overcome them and play ends happily. a. Satirical Comedy generally
ridicules human folly and associated political, social or moral problems. b. The Comedy of Manners
depicts the romantic intrigues of a sophisticated upperclass including witty. c. Romantic Comedy
involves idealized romantic love, as in romance. d. Black Comedy induces laughter as a kind of defense
mechanism when a situation, dispassionately considered, would be simply horrifying. e. Farce depends
upon the ridiculous situations, exaggerated character types, coarse humor, and horseplay for its comic
effects. D. Nonfiction Prose presents factual information and viewpoint. a. Autobiography is a biography
written by the person himself/herself. b. Biography is a personal account of a person’s life written by
another person. c. Character Sketch is an abbreviated portrayal of a particular characteristic of people.
d. Diary or Journal is a daily record of events in a person’s life e. Editorial is a statement or an article by a
news organization, newspaper or magazine that expresses the opinion of the editor, editorial board, or
publisher. f. Essay is as brief work of nonfiction that offers an opinion on a subject. LEARNING ACTIVITY 2
1. Construct a concept map to clearly indicate the links and connection of the literary types and forms.
SUMMARY Literature is known to be written or spoken words. It is hard to be precisely defined though a
lot of writers have tried. Definitely, the definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving time
after time. Literature plays a valuable role in the society as it deals with culture, values, beliefs, and
traditions of a community. It reflects different issues and angles of the society. This makes it important
that students be able to study literature to be enlightened and to grow more mentally, morally, and
intellectually.