LESSON 1

I. WHAT IS LITERATURE?

“Litera” – Latin word which literally means an “acquaintance with letters”

-anything that is printed, as long as it is related to the ideas and feelings of people, whether it is
true, or just a product of one’s imagination. It is a body of work written, oral, or visual, containing
imaginative language that realistically portrays thought, emotions, and experiences of the
human condition.

-is a product of particular culture that concretizes man’s array of values, emotions, actions and
ideas. It is therefore a creation of human experiences that tells about people and their world.

“Literature raises life to a new level of meaning and understanding, and in the process restores
sanity and justice in an insane and unjust world.” – Cirilo F. Bautista

Because literature deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of man, literature can be said to be
the story of man. Man’s loves, griefs, thoughts, dreams and aspirations coached in beautiful
language is literature.

In order to know the history of a nation’s spirit, one must read its literature. Hence it is, that to
understand the real spirit of a nation, one must “trace the little rills as they course along down
the ages, broadening and deepening into the great ocean of thought which men of the present
source are presently exploring.”

Brother Azurin, said that “literature expresses the feelings of people to society, to the
government, to his surroundings, to his fellowmen and to his Divine Creator.” The expression of
one’s feelings, according to him, may be through love, sorrow, happiness, hatred, anger, pity,
contempt, or revenge.In PANITIKING PILIPINO written by Atienza, Ramos, Salazar and Nazal,
it says that “true literature is a piece of written work which is undying. It expresses the feelings
and emotions of people in response to his everyday efforts to live, to be happy n his
environment and, after struggles, to reach his Creator.”

Literature
is
LIFE

What is the Importance of Studying Literature?

Studying literature is like looking at the mirror of life where man’s experiences, his innermost
feelings and thoughts are reflected. Through literature, we learn the culture of people across
time and space. We understand not only the past life of a nation but also it’s present. Moreover,
we become familiar not only with the culture of neighbouring countries but also with that of
others living very far from us.

We study literature so that we can better appreciate our literary heritage. We cannot appreciate
something that we do not understand. Through a study of our literature, we can trace the rich
heritage of ideas handed down to us from our forefathers. Then we can understand ourselves
better and take pride in being a Filipino.
 Like other races of the world, we need to understand that we have a great and noble tradition
which can serve as the means to assimilate other cultures. Through such a study, we will realize
our literary limitations conditioned by certain historical factors and we can take steps to
overcome them. Above all, as Filipinos, who truly love and take pride in our own culture, we
have to manifest our deep concern for our own literature and this we can do by studying the
literature of our country.

Much is still to be achieved. Our writers have yet to write their OPUS MAGNUMS. Meanwhile,
history and literature are slowly unfolding before us and we are as witnesses in the assembly
lines to an evolving literary life.

LITERARY STANDARDS

UNIVERSALITY

Great literature is timeless and timely. Forever relevant, it appeals to one and all, anytime,
anywhere, because it deals with elemental feelings, fundamental truths and universal
conditions.

ARTISTRY

This is the quality that appeals to our sense of beauty.

INTELLECTUAL VALUE

A literary works stimulates thought. It enriches our mental life by making us realize fundamental
truths about life and human nature.

PERMANENCE

A great work of literature endures. It can be read again and again as each reading gives fresh
delight and new insights and opens a new world of meaning and experience. Its appeal is
lasting.

STYLE

This is the peculiar way in which writers sees life, forms his ideas and expresses them.

SPIRITUAL VALUE

Literature elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which makes better persons. The
capacity to inspire is part of the spiritual value of literature.

SUGGESTIVENESS

This is associated with the emotional power of literature. Great literature moves us deeply and
stirs our feeling and imagination, giving and evoking visions above and beyond the plane of
ordinary life and experience.

II. WHAT ARE THE GENERAL TYPES/GENRE OF LITERATURE AND THEIR ELEMENTS?
General Types of Literature

I. PROSE – written in sentences and paragraphs. It is also known as the language of the
mind.

TWO DIVISIONS OF PROSE

1) A. FICTION – include stories that do not happen in real life, or they lack facts for their
bases.

Kinds of Fiction

a) Short Story – a story read in one sitting. It is aim is unity of characterization,

theme and effect. Ex. Footnote to Youth, The execution

b) Novel – a prose of considerable length. It has many plots, characters, and

setting. Ex. The Woman Who Had Two Navels, America is in the Heart

c) Legend – story of the origin or the existence of a place, person, object, etc.

d) Adventures – stories filled with suspense from the beginning to the end.

e) Allegories – stories that gives moral/lessons. There are two types:

f) Fable – story which makes use of animals, plants, inanimate things and forces as
characters

g) Parable – story which makes use of persons as characters

h) Drama – a narrative with characters, plot and theme and is presented on stage.

2) B. NON-FICTION – composed of true to life events and stories.

Kinds of Non-Fiction

a) Biography – story of a person’s life written by another person

b) Autobiography- story of a person’s life written by himself

c) Diary- record of day to day activities of the writer

d) Letters – notes sent to person’s by the writer

e) Journals – written reports on certain fields of education

f) Essays – written to give the reader information, entertainment, or opinions

g) Current Publications- news items, articles, in newspapers and magazine or other

forms of periodicals

h) History- a record of the past

ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY

I. THE CHARACTERS – the people or sometimes the animals who participate in the
action of literary work.

Methods of Characterization:

1. Direct or Expository Method – the author or another character describes a character with a
straightforward enumeration of his traits.

2. Indirect or Dramatic Method – the character acts out his personality by his physical
appearance, speech, action, and recorded thoughts.

Kinds of Characters that can be portrayed:

1. According to Roles Played

a. Major Characters – those that make important decisions

(1) Protagonist – central character in the story. He is called the hero when he embodies
certain noble ideas of man.

(2) Antagonist – the character or force against which the protagonist is pitted. The
antagonist may be another character, society, nature or one side of the character that battles
another side in an internal conflict.

b. Minor/ Supporting Characters

(1) Confidant – a character to whom the protagonist or another character share his
reflections or hopes

(2) Foil – a character who provides a striking contrast to another character

(3) Stock/type – a character who shows qualities of a national, social or occupational

group to which he belongs

2. According to fullness of development

a. flat – a character who is simply depicted; stock; characterized by one or two can be
summed up in one sentence; sketched in the briefest outlines.

b. round – a character who is three dimensional; complex; many-sider with a developed

personality.

3. According to changes undergone in the story

a. Static – a character who does not change; the same sort of person from the beginning
to the end of the story

b. Developing/dynamic – a character who undergoes a permanent changes in aspects of

his personality. The change may be large or small, for better or for worst but it is something
basic or important; it is more than just a change in condition or a minor change in opinion. Any
development will be shown in decisions in moral choices the character makes.

II. THE PLOT – a sequence of interrelated actions and events in the story. It is consider as a
framework of the story.

Parts of a Plot:

1. Exposition/Introduction

a. Gives the setting of the story

b. Introduces the main characters

c. Gives background information on what took place before the actual start of the story

d. Gives the situation out of which the conflict develops

2. Complication/Rising Action – introduces the conflict or problem to be solved

Conflict – clash of opposing forces in the story

Kinds of Conflict:

•External conflict - the clash of the character with the forces outside him natural, social,
or both

•Internal conflict – the clash of forces within the character

3. Climax/ Turning Point – the highest point of interest in the story. The conflict reaches height
and may turn for the better or for the worse

4. Resolution/Falling Action/Denouement – the conflict is solved

Catastrophe---tragedy