Philippine Literature in

the American Regime

(1900-1942; 1943-1946)

JUDYAWON, RIOSA, RUAYA, SACUPAYO, SERRANO

What makes you think that speaking
English is beneficial?
American Regime
-American colonization began in 1898 when
Spain ceded the Philippines to America

-Filipino resistance to American colonization

ended on July 4, 1902 through Roosevelt's
announcement

-Acculturation of Filipino into American

way of life began thus affecting the
literatures of
the Philippines.
 American Regime Influences

Egalitarian Public-
A New Language
School System
-Americans went to extensive -added factor for the linguistic
effort to propagate American change
English language -University of the Philippines
-American textbooks in English was established (1908)
were used in schools -The Philippine Collegian: outlet
-English: the language of the era to produce literature by
students and faculty
 THE MUSHROOMING OF
NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS
-a driving force in the development of Philippine literature
in English

-The Philippine Review (1916), The Citizen (1918), Philippine

Nat'l Weekly (1917), The Philippine Republic (1923)

-The College Folio: first student publication of the state

university and contained better production of the Filipino
writers in 1920's
 THE MUSHROOMING OF
NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS
-The Filipino People by Manuel Quezon:
published some poem, stories, essays in
English by Filipino students in America

-The Philippine Free Press: the first

magazine that gave serious attention to
development of short stories
Period of Imitation, A Steady
Changes in Content
Growth in Form
and Style
Writers imitate models Novel writing by the Filipino
both from England and writers. (A Child of Sorrow, The
the United States Filipino Rebel, The Winds of April)
Filipino Short Stories in English - a
(Hemingway, O. Henry, comprehensive anthology of short
Saroyan, etc.) stories edited by Jose Garcia Villa
Literary technique was Filipino Love Stories by Paz
criticized by famous Marques Benitez (1927)
English professors but did Footnote to Youth by Jose Garcia
not deal on the contents Villa lauded as distinguised
collection of stories
 THE FENCE
BY JOSE GARCIA VILLA
Jose Garcia Villa
August 5, 1908- February 7. 1997)

A Filipino poet, literary critic, short story writer,

and painter.

Awards:
National Artist for Literature (1973)
Guggenheim Fellowship in creative writing

Known as comma poet, Doveglion

Introduced the reverse consonance rhyme
scheme
 Characters of the Story

Aling Biang Aling Sebia Iking Aling Sebia's

daughter
Unforgiving Aling Biang's Aling Biang's
neighbor who son who A girl who is
woman who good in playing
was betrayed has not seen a wanted his
feeling of mom to guitar that
by her husband remorse having made Iking fall
with her reconcile with
caught with her their neighbor. in love.
neighbor. neighbor's
husband.
 The Fence by Jose Garcia Villa
Setting of the Story

The story is set in a desolate place where two

nipa huts are the only visible houses. The
occupants of both the houses are distant and
cold towards each other. Their attitudes reflect
the remoteness and emptiness of their location.
 The Fence by Jose Garcia Villa
Setting of the Story
The story revolves around Aling Biang whose heart was
hardened by the betrayal, hurt, and emotions she felt when
her neighbor and her husband slept together one night, thus
a fence has been built. This also caused her to forbid her
sickly child from making any connections with their neighbor's
family. But her son, Iking longed for attention and company,
he eventually resisted from her mother's rules when he saw
the girl from the neighborhood, but he could not do more as
he was very sick. Aling Biang did not notice how her fences
was hurting her son's soul.
 Symbol
FENCE

Signifies the walls that hindrance and separate even best

friends, family, or relatives. The fence was made to separate
and enclose two ownerships-land or space is one. It
symbolizes that property is exclusive only and that no one is
allowed to trespass.
 THEME
HATRED OVERRULES

Aling Biang and Aling Sebia are most afraid one of

them would give way.

The building of the fence seems necessary to

protect themselves from seing each other.
 Moral of the Story
The moral lesson of the story is the
importance of forgetting the past and
forgiving others.

Forgiveness is a way to the reconciliation of

differences. On the other hand, hatred keeps
the fire of revenge and angriness live.
Thank you