Senior High School

21st Century Literature from the

Philippines and the World

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

What This Module is About

Hello Learners! We have explored our country’s literature. Let us

now turn to the astounding wealth of literature of other countries. In
this module, you will discover, appreciate, and delight in the excellent
literature from each region that we will explore.

The following are the lessons contained in this module:

1. Asian Literature

2. African Literature

3. European Literature

4. North American Literature

5. Latin American Literature

What I Need to Know

In this module, you are going to write a close analysis and

critical interpretation of literary texts, applying a reading
approach, and doing an adaptation of these which require you
the ability to:

a. identify representative texts and authors from Asia, North

America, Europe, Latin America, and Africa,

c. compare and contrast the various 21st century literary genres

and their elements, structures, and traditions from across the
globe,

d. produce a creative representation of a literary text by applying

multimedia and ICT skills,

e. do self-and/or peer assessment of the creative adaptation of a

literary text, based on rationalized criteria, prior to presentation
Pre-Test

Multiple Choice. Answer the questions that follow. Choose the best
answer from among the given choices.
1. Confucius is a famous ______________ in ancient Chinese history.
A. writer B. narrator C. philosopher D. poet

2. The oldest collection of Chinese poetry is called ___________.

A. Book of Poetry B. Book of Songs C. Book of Changes D. Book
of Olds

3. Who was the first writer in Chinese to win Nobel Prize for literature?
A. Kung Fu Tzu B. Mo Yan C. Lu Xun D. Lao Tzu

4. Who is commonly considered the greatest Chinese writer of the

20th century?
A. Lu Xun B. Lao Tzu C. Confucius D. Mo Yan

5. The theme of the The Taximan’s Story is

A. how hardworker the taximan is
B. how the passenger appreciates the taximan
C. how the taximan’s daughter is different compared to other girls.
D. how teenagers nowadays are different compared to older
generations

6. The Taximan’s Story is written in ___________ point of view

A. first person point of view C. Second person point of view
B. third person point of view D. Omniscient point of view

7. The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works

by Singaporeans in any of the country’s _______ languages.
A. two B. three C. four D. five

8. It is something that shows how two things are alike, but with the
ultimate goal of making a point about this comparison.
A. simile B. metaphor C. analogy D. allegory

9. A figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden

comparison between two things that are unrelated but which share
some common characteristics.
A. analogy B. allegory C. allusion D. metaphor

10. A figure of speech whereby the author refers to a subject matter

such as a place, event, or literary work by way of a passing
reference.
A. allegory B. analogy C. allusion D. metaphor
11. The sequence of series of events in a story
A. setting B. plot C. theme D. conflict

12. The underlying message that the writer would like to get across.
A. plot B. theme C. conflict D. setting

13. The locale or period in which the action of a story takes place
A. conflict B. setting C. plot D. mood
14. ___________ is considered the world’s first novel.
A. Tale of Genji B. Book of Songs C. Tale of Yasunari D.Book of
Poetry

15. The country which has much influence on Japanese literature was
___________.
A. Singaporean B. Chinese C. Mongolian D.
Vietnamese

16. It consists of one or two pages of written critique that will

succinctly discuss your idea, realization, or concept regarding a
literary selection.
A. essay B. short paper C. narrative D. analysis

17. In the movie The Hunger Games why does the Capitol hold the
Hunger Games?
A. To keep the districts happy
B. because they are part of a religious festival
C. as a way to control the size of the population
D. To remind the districts that they are powerless against it

18. Under what circumstances did Katniss first meet Peeta in Hunger
Games?
A. They did a project at school together
B. They were both in the woods hunting
C. Peeta was injured and Katniss’ mother helped him.
D. Katniss was looking for food and Peeta gave her bread.

19. How do Katniss and Peeta force the Capitol to declare them both
winners?
A. They threatened to run away
B. They threaten to commit suicide.
C. They threaten to cause a rebellion against the Capitol.
D. They threaten that the winner will tell about everything.
20. The bottle fizzed then popped is an example of _________.
A. onomatopoeia B. simile C. repetition D. metaphor

21. The mouse beneath the stone is still as death is an example of

_____________.
A. simile B. metaphor C. onomatopoeia D. personification

22. When the word at the end of a line rhymes with another word at
the end of another line, it is called
A. internal rhyme B. end rhyme C. rhythm D. repetition

23. A poem with songlike feel; it focuses on adventure or romance

and tells a story it is called
A. figurative language B. lyric C. narrative D.
rhythm

24. The author of a poem is called ___________.

A. narrator B. poet C. author D. writer

25. The movement that opened the avenue for writers to celebrate
what is truly African
A. nationalistic B. Negritude C. Africanism D.
patriotism

26. Though African writers wrote in European language; they

nevertheless embodied the spirit of __________.
A. patriotism B. nationalism C. truth D. bayanihan
27. He took credit for developing magical realism
A. Mario Vargas Llosa
B. Gabriel Garcia Marquez
C. Julio Cortazar
D. Jose Garcia Villa

28.Which of the following is TRUE about magical realism?

A. It follows the traditional time structure.
B. It occurs because of the use of devices not similar to poetry.
C. The elements of the magical and the ordinary are interwoven
seamlessly.
D. Magic realism is like science fiction.

29. Who said that immature poets imitate; mature poets steal?
A. Thomas Hardy C. T.S. Eliot
B. Thomas Babington Macaulay D. William Wordsworth
30. It is imaginative response to an experience reflecting a keen
awareness of
language.
A. narrative C. poetry
B. figurative language D. words

31. Poetry uses two kinds of language. What are they?

A. long and short C. lyric and narrative
B. literal and figurative D. emotional and comparative

32. It is the spontaneous overflow of powerful words collected in

moments of
tranquillity. This refers to what kind of poetry?
A. lyric C. narrative
B. poetry D. figurative

33. What kind of poetry gives a verbal representation, in verse, of a

sequence of
connected events, it propels characters through a plot?
A. narrative C. literal
B. lyric D. figurative

34. In "Death" by Emily Dickinson, the three things that Death's

carriage holds are...
A. hope, superstition, and truth
B. clarity, despair, and triumph
C. death, the speaker, and immortality
D. a way out, acceptance, and understanding

35. What does ‘setting sun’ indicate in the poem “Death” by Emily
Dickinson?
A. death C. life
B. sun D. sunset

36. Which of the following statements about Emily Dickinson’s poem

“Death” is TRUE?
A. It portrays death as something that should be feared.
B. It portrays death as something that should not be feared.
C. It highlights how everyone interprets death in the same way.
D. It highlights how everyone’s interpretation of death is unique.

37. As a literary device, persona refers to what three things:

A. character, voice, and role
B. drama, poetry and prose
C. music, movies, and audiobooks
D. fiction, non-fiction and historical fiction
38. What is a thing that represents something else?
A. symptom B. theme C. symbol D. thesis

39. What is symbolism?

A. Any story that attempts to explain how the world was created
B. A pattern of sound that includes the repetition of consonant
sounds
C. An actor’s speech, directed to the audience, that is not supposed
to be heard by other actors.
D. The use of an object, person, situation, or word to represent
something else (an
idea) in literature

40. Which of the following is an example of symbolism in literature?

A. Fall representing growing old
B. water symbolizing rebirth
C. The color black to symbolize evil
D. All of these are correct

41. Identify what stage symbolizes.

“All the world’s a stage.
And all the men and women merely players;
they have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,”
A. world B. participants C. play D. theatre

42. What is central idea?

A. tone of the passage
B. theme of the passage
C. a summarized sentence
D. central point that ties everything together.

43. Where could you find central idea?

A. first sentence
B. last sentence
C. not stated by implied
D. all of the above

44. Why would you need to know what the central idea of a
paragraph/poem is?
A. I don’t know.
B. So you can find the theme.
C. So you could find the main idea.
D. so you can understand what the article/poem is about
45. In Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda, who is the persona talking to?
A. his mother
B. his sister
C. his other woman
D. a woman that he loves

46. What does rose of salt symbolize in Sonnet XVII?

A. something near the ocean
B. a rose made of salt
C. sand in the ocean
D. flower that grows near the ocean

47. What is the meaning of the 3rd stanza of Sonnet XVII?

A. he simply loves her no matter what happens
B. he is telling his lover about a few things that don’t represent his love
C. he is telling how it is that he does love his partner.
D. he re-emphasizes the fact that his love is not based on beauty

48. To what sense does the second stanza appeal to?

A. smell B. taste C. sight D. touch

49. What is the central idea of the sonnet?

A. one should not fear death
B. growth and decay evident in the battle against time
C. immortality can be reached through the poet's "engrafting
D. to love completely and honestly is the most beautiful thing of all

50. What is literature?

A. It refers to writing considered to be an art form or any single writing
deemed to have artistic or intellectual value.
B. It is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and
theses) related to a specific topic.
C. It is the comparison, analysis, interpretation, and/or evaluation of
works of literature.
D. It is subjective writing because it expresses the writer's opinion or
evaluation of a text
 Lesson

8 Asian Literature: Chinese

Grade 11, First Semester, Q2 – Week 1

What I Need to Know

In this module, you are going to write a close analysis and

critical interpretation of literary texts and doing an adaptation of
these which require you the ability to:
In this lesson, you are going to:
a. Identify representative texts and authors from Asia, North
America, Europe, Latin America, and Africa; (EN12Lit-IIa-22)
b. Produce a creative representation of a literary text by applying
multimedia and ICT skills; (EN12Lit-IIij-31.1)
c. Do self- and/or peer-assessment of the creative adaptation of a
literary text, based on rationalized criteria, prior to presentation.
(EN12Lit-IIij-31.3)

What I Know
Try your hand on the crossword puzzle. Which ones do you
know about Chinese literature?
Across
1. Confucius is a famous ____ in
ancient Chinese history.
2. The mystic philosophy inspired
by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu
3. oldest collection of Chinese
poetry
5. Chinese literature has very
_____beginnings.
6. It is a series of rulers from the
same family
9. The poet who centers his works
on war and bitter experience.

Down
2. The great poets Li Po and Tu Fu
became popular during this dynasty.
4. He is Kung Fu Tzu, and he founded
Confucianism.
7. Who was the first writer in Chinese to
win Nobel Prize for literature?
8. Who is commonly considered the
greatest Chinese writer of the 20th
century?
 What’s In

Having probed the diversity and vast richness of Philippine literature –

from the country’s pre-colonial oral traditions to the literature at
contemporary times, let us now explore the literature of other countries
across the globe and discover the uniqueness, distinction, and
complexity of their literary traditions. We will have a tour from one
continent to another for us to appreciate the literature of each region.
Our exploration will start with our neighboring countries in Asia.
Asian regions that have produced literature through the ages
include: East Asia (China, Japan, Korea); South Asia (which includes
India); Central Asia (Afghanistan, Kazakshtan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Tibet, and Nepal); the Middle East; and
Southeast Asia (which includes the Philippines).
Modern influences on Asian literature include cultural movements,
war and colonization, and influence from the West. (Simoun Victor D.
Redoblado, Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc., 2017, 102-105)
Before we take the tour, let’s look back at what you’ve learned from
our own Philippine literature.

Read carefully each statement. Choose the correct answer and write
the letter of the correct answer in your paper.

1. What poetry is written and read on a mobile phone?

A. rhyme B. hypertext C. lyric poetry D. textual

2. Which of these statements is NOT TRUE about creative nonfiction?

A. It tells a real story. C. It is a major genre of literature.
B. It tells a realistic story. D. It uses a literary style of writing

3. All of these kinds of electronic literature are of the same genre

EXCEPT one.
Which one is it?
A. hyperfiction B. hyperpoetry C. photo poem D.
textual

4. Characterized by beauty of expression and form and by the

universality of
intellectual and emotional appeal is ____________.
A. literature B. poem C. prose D. story

5. It covers all stories from fantasy to science fiction to slipstream to

magic realism to
urban fantasy.
A. Chick lit C. hyper poetry
B. flash fiction D. speculative fiction
6. What is 21st century literature?
A. anything written and published in the year 1900
B. anything written and published in 1990 onwards
C. anything written and published in the year 2000s.
D. anything written and published in the year 2010 onwards
7. “Manananggal Terrorizes Manila and Other Stories” is an example
of this 21st
century literature genre. What is it?
A. Chick lit
B. Creative Nonfiction
C. Flash fiction
D. Graphic novels.

8. It is consists of heroine-centered narratives that focus on the trials

and tribulations
of their individual protagonists.
A. speculative fiction
B. chick lit
C. creative nonfiction
D. flash fiction

9. Flash fiction goes by many names, and they include the following
EXCEPT
A. microfiction
B. microstories
C. short-short stories
D. story card fiction

10. It is an online journal or informational website displaying

information in the
reverse chronological order, with latest posts appearing first.
A. graphic novels B. blog C. text tula D.
hyperpoetry

What’s New

At this point in our study of world literature, we are going to take a

look at Chinese culture. Take a minute or two to remember the things
you already know about China. You will give three (3) of each
category that will be asked. Write your answers in your paper.
 A. Entertainment C. History
Name 3 types of Chinese Art Name 3 dynasties in China
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.

B. Food D. Religion
Name 3 crops grown in China Name 3 religions in China
1. 1.
2. 2.
3.

What Is It

Chinese literature began more than two thousand years ago, with
The3. Book of Poetry (Shijing) as its first anthology. This book, compiled
sometime after 600 B.C. by Confucius (551–479 B.C.), is a collection of
305 poems that date back to a period between approximately 800
and 600 B.C.
Among the rhetorical devices employed in this first poem of The
Book of Poetry is the use of metaphor — crying ospreys compared to
the lord and lady, for instance.
Following The Book of Poetry, highlights of traditional Chinese
literature include The Songs of the South (Chuci); the prose writings in
history and philosophy of the Qin and Han dynasties; Tang poetry; the
Song lyric; the prose of the Tang and Song dynasties; and the short
stories, novels, and dramas from the Tang to the Qing dynasties.
The modern period of Chinese literature, which began in the
1910s, is even more multifarious and voluminous. Running the risk of
abstraction and oversimplification, Chinese literature is characterized
as the expression of both the heart and the mind, as concerning the
individual and society, as variously sublime and graceful, and as
blending reality and the imagination.
Traditional Chinese literature developed under the intellectual
influences of Confucianism, Daoism (Taoism), and Buddhism.
Confucianism preaches benevolence, righteousness, individual effort,
commitment to society, and harmony among people.
Traditional Chinese literature came under the influence of
Christianity in the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644), when Western
missionaries made their way to China. As music is related to poetry,
traditional Chinese poetry was inevitably influenced by the music of
the non-Chinese ethnic groups who resided mostly on the Chinese
borders. In general, traditional Chinese literature, though mainly a
product of Chinese civilization, has absorbed, in its course of
development, certain elements from cultures other than the Chinese.
 Chinese literature in the twentieth century made a dramatic turn
to the West. This change affected not just literature but virtually all
aspects of Chinese culture.
To be sure, twentieth-century Chinese literature has been
receptive to the literary works of such Eastern countries as India and
Japan, but the presence of the West is quite overwhelming.

In Modern times, Chinese writers have remained prolific. Though

the social impact of literature may be as monumental as it was in the
past, the Chinese literary tradition is nevertheless prosperous. Notable
names include Mo Yan, a fictionist who won the 2012 Nobel Prize for
Literature. Remarkable too were the novels of Yu Hua, Wang Shuo and
Shi Tiesheng, and the stories of Gao Xiaosheng, Wang Zengqi, and
Zhang Chenzhi. ( https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/46722071.pdf &
Simoun Victor D. Redoblado, Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc., 2017),
104)

https://www.slideshare.net/geumjen2/the-literature-of-chin

As religion, war, and politics shaped Asian societies, literature

prospered to mirror these developments. As children of this continent,
we need to appreciate the literary outputs of our Asian neighbors.
(Simoun Victor D. Redoblado, (Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc., 2017),
102.

Now, be ready to read one of Arthur Waley’s works. Arthur Waley

was a 20th century scholar who translated numerous Chinese and
Japanese classics.
 Battle
Chu’ü Yüan
translated by Arthur Waley
“We grasp our battle-spears: we don our breast-plates of hide.
The axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet.
Standards obscure the sun: the foe roll up like clouds.
Arrows fall thick: the warriors press forward.
They menace our ranks: they break our line.
The left-hand trace-horse is dead: the one on the right is smitten.
The fallen horses block our wheels: they impede the yoke-horses!”
They grasp their jade drum-sticks: they beat the sounding drums.
Heaven decrees their fall: the dread Powers are angry.
The warriors are all dead: they lie on the moor-field.
They issued but shall not enter: they went but shall not return.
The plains are flat and wide: the way home is long.
Their swords lie beside them: their blacks bows, in their hand.
Though their limbs were torn, their hearts could not be repressed.
They were more than brave: they were inspired with the spirit of “Wu.”
Steadfast to the end, they could not be daunted.
Their bodies were stricken, but their souls have taken Immortality –
Captains among the ghosts, heroes among the dead.
https://doina-touchingheartsblogspot.com/2019/01/battle-by-chu-
yuan-332-295-bc-
from.html

Read another poem written by a modern Chinese poet, Yu

Xiuhua, who became well known in 2014 with her online poem
“Crossing Half of China to Sleep with You.” Explore one of her poems.
 On the Threshing Floor, I Chase Chickens Away
Yu Xiuhua
translated by Ming Di

And I see sparrows fly over. They look around

as if it’s inappropriate to stop for just any grain of rice.
They have clear eyes, with light from inside.
Starlings also fly over, in flocks, bewildered.
They flutter and make a sound that seems to flash.
When they’re gone, the sky gets lower, in dark blue.
In this village deep in the central plain
the sky is always low, forcing us to look at its blue,
the way our ancestors make us look inside ourselves,
narrow and empty, so we look out again
at the full September –
we’re comforted by its insignificance but hurt by its smallness.
Living our life this way, we feel secure.
So much rice. Where does it come from?
So much gold color. Where does it come from?
Year after year I’ve been blessed, and then deserted.
When happiness and sadness come in the same color code,
I’m happy
to be forgotten. But who am I separated from?
I don’t know. I stay close to my own hours.
https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2018/july/two-poems-yu-xiuhua

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pirosmani._Threshing-floor._1916,_Oil_on_cardboard,_72X100.jpg
 What’s More

Compare the work of Chu’ü Yüan with the work of Yu Xiuhua.

Consider the similarities and differences in subject matter, imagery,
and style in your comparison. Copy the diagram in your paper. Then,
fill in the Venn Diagram with the similarities and differences of the two
poems.

Battle
On the Threshing Floor, I
Chu’ü Yüan
Chase Chickens Away
Battle Yu Xiuhua
Subject Chu’ü Yüan Battle
Similarities
matter:
Battle Chu’ü Yüan
Chu’ü Yüan
imagery:

style:

What I Have Learned

Answer the following questions. Write your answers in your paper.

1. What emotions do you feel after reading the poem? Why did you
feel that way?
___________________________________________________________________

2. How would you compare the two poems? Which elements do they
share, and what differences do they have?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. What message does each poem convey?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 What I Can Do

Your task is to create a beautiful multimedia presentation that

showcases one of the best Chinese short stories written. Your
multimedia must not exceed five (5) minutes. It must have the
complete elements of the story. Be creative and be visually
appealing.
Criteria Description Score
10 points 7 points 4 points
The The The
Visual appeal presentation is presentation is presentation
visually moderately has poor visual
appealing, with appealing appeal, with
harmonious visually, with unbalanced
colors, shapes, generally color
and sizes of harmonious combinations,
figures in the colors, shapes, shapes, and
presentation. and sizes of sizes of figures
figures in the in the
presentation presentation
Cohesion The The The
presentation presentation presentation is
shows all the shows some of confusing; it
elements of the the elements of does not show
short story and the short story all the
blends it well in and blends it in elements of the
the narrative the narrative. short story and
these do not
blend well in
the narrative
Creativity The The The
presentation is presentation is presentation is
unique, somewhat unoriginal, and
interesting, and unique and fun it is not
innovative. It is to watch. pleasant to
a pleasure to watch.
watch.

Score /30

Post Assessment

Read carefully each statement. Choose the correct answer, and write
the letter of the correct answer in your paper.

1. Confucius is a famous ____ in ancient Chinese history.

A. historian B. poet C. philosopher D. emperor

2. Name the mystic philosophy inspired by Chinese philosopher Lao

Tzu.
A. Daoism B. Confucianism C. Taoism D.
Buddhism

3. The great poets Li Po and Tu Fu became popular during this

dynasty.
A. Shang Dynasty B. Ming Dynasty C. Tang Dynasty D. Hang
Dynasty
4. What is the subject matter of the poem “Battle” by Chu’ü Yüan?
A. nationalism B. patriotism C. independence D. loyalty

5. Chinese literature has very _____beginnings.

A. new B. ancient C. recent D.
contemporary

6. Which of the following is the oldest collection of Chinese poetry?

A. Book of Psals B. Book of Songs C. Book of poetry D. Book
of old

7. Who was the first writer in Chinese to win Nobel Prize for literature?
A. Li Po B. Du Fu C. Lu Xhun D. Mo Yan

8. Which of the following imagery is used in “On the Threshing Floor, I

Chase
Chickens Away?
. A. arrows fall thick
B. the virtual spring in the flowering
C. starlings also fly over, in flocks, bewildered
D.the axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet

9. The poet who centers his works on war and bitter experience.
A. Du Fu B. Lu Xhun C. Mo Yan D. Chu’ü
Yüan

10. Who is commonly considered the greatest Chinese writer of the

20th century?
A. Mo Yan B. Du Fu C. Yu Xiuhua D. Lu Xhun

Note:
Submit your output for Tasks like: What I Can Do and Post Assessment in
our goggle classroom. Thank you.
 Note to Learners
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have an account in google you can access google
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classroom.
1. Sign in your google account.
2.

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choose join
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5. Enter the class code that I have given to you.
Note: Do not use the code of other section. Take note
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6. Use your real name with surname in writing your
name. Thank you.
Here are the codes:
Grade 11- Dolphin (GAS/H.E./ Food Processing- lupq4vx
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Answer Key in Module 2 Lesson 1

What I Know