Third

World
Geography
by
Cirilo F. Bautista
Hi, students!
How is everyone
doing?
Today’s Topic:

Third World Geography:

1. History of the poem
2. Knowing the author
3. Analysis of the poem
4. Literary Devices
Trackback
The Marcos era was seen to be one of the
most oppressive periods in the
Philippine history, and yet, a quick
glance at the internet reveals a number
of claims that this era was supposedly
the best time in the Philippine history.
Trackback
Perform some investigative research. Look into historical data from
history books, in the internet (from reputable sources) or you can ask
you parents or grandparents about the Marcos regime.
After your research, examine the results and answer the following
questions:
• Can you identify instances of oppression that has happened in your
life?
• How do you feel about the facts that you have uncovered about the
Marcos regime?
• Why do you think so many people have such differing opinions on
the regime?
Knowing the
Author
Cirilo F. Bautista’s poem presents us
with a situation that is allegorical or
not literal but rather representative of
other ideas and personalities. He also
uses personification, a figure of speech
that gives some nonhuman objects
human qualities. I t showcases both his
skill as a writer and the relevance that
has led him to be hailed as a National
Artist.
Knowing the
Author
In this selection, the national artist
also depicts the condition of the
country as a “Third World” nation.
As a dated term, “Third World” was
used to refer to countries not
aligned with the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) and
the Communist Bloc during the
Cold War of the mid-1970’s.
Knowing the
Author
This categorization broadly assigned
countries to groups based on their social,
political, and economic status. Eventually,
being labelled a “Third World Country”
meant poverty and economic lack. Over the
years, the phrase “Third World” has been
replaced by other “politically correct” terms
like “least developed countries” or even
Global South.” It meant constant
dependence on the “First World” by much
of the countries involved.
 THIRD WORLD GEOGRAPHY
by Cirilo F. Bautista
Manila

A country without miracles

sits heavy on the map,
thinking of banana trees rotting
in the sunlight.
The man who watches over it
has commandeered all hopes,
placed them in a sack.
and tied its loose end.
He goes around carrying it
on his back.
When asked what is inside,
he says, “Just a handful of feathers,
just a handful of feathers.”
That’s how light the burden
of the government in in peace time—
any tyrant can turn it into metaphor.
You kneel on the parched earth
and pray for rice. Only the wind
hears your useless words.
The country without miracles
tries to get up from the page,
but the bold ink and sharp colors
hold it down.
Literary Devices

refer to specific aspects of literature, in

the sense of its universal function as an
art form which expresses ideas through
language, which we can recognize,
identify, interpret and/or analyze.
What’s in Bautista’s
poem?

imagery,
figures of speech, and
allegory
IMAGERY

Pictures produced by an imaging system;

the art of making images in the mind.
(mental images)
Example of Imagery

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

Because it was grassy and wanted wear

-The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost

ALLEGORY

An allegory is a story, poem, or an image in which

the characters and events symbolize something
else. Typically, this symbolizes a moral or a political
issue and/or view.
FIGURES OF SPEECH

Expressions with specialized meaning

that is different from the literal
meaning of the words
1. Simile
▪ The comparison of two different things using the
words “like” or “as.” Therefore, it is a direct
comparison.

Until our people, seeing, are become

like the Molave, firm, resilient, staunch,
rising on the hillside, unafraid,
Strong in its own fiber, yes, like the Molave!
– Like the Molave by Rafael Zulueta da Costa
2. Metaphor
▪ The implied comparison of two unlike things
that have some characteristics in common.
Unlike simile, the words “like” or “as” are not
used in the comparison.

I am a flower quickly fading

Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
– Who Am I by Casting Crowns
3. Personification
▪The attribution of human
characteristics, emotions, and actions
to a thing, an idea, or an animal

Why does the sea laugh, Mother,

as it glints beneath the sun?
– The Sea by Natividad Marquez
4. Hyperbole
▪The exaggeration of ideas for
emphasis

Father is so hungry he could eat

a horse.
5.Irony
▪The use of words in such a way that their
intended meaning is different from the
actual meaning of the words

The name of Britain’s biggest dog is

“Tiny.”
6.Synecdoche
▪A part of something is used to represent the
whole or the whole to represent the part

The Cruz family has new wheels. (‘Wheels’

represents the car.)

“All hands on deck,” the captain ordered.

(‘Hands’ represents the crew.)
7.Metonymy
▪The use of the something to stand for
something else which is closely associated to
it

Lend me your ear. (‘Ear’ represents the

attention.)
“Let me give you a hand,” the driver said.
(‘Hand’ represents the help.)
8. Euphemism
▪The use of polite, indirect expressions to
replace words and phrases considered harsh or
unpleasant and to tone down the seriousness
of an idea

We do not hire mentally challenged people.

(Mentally challenged means stupid.)

He is a special child. (Special child means

disabled or retarded.)
9. Apostrophe
▪Addressing someone dead, absent, or
nonhuman as if that person or thing were
present and alive and could reply to what is
being said

O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is

done

Rizal! Where are the youth you’d spoken of?

10. Paradox
▪A self-contradictory statement that may
include a hidden truth. This is achieved by
placing contradictory ideas in a sentence.

You say it best when you say nothing at all.

- When You Say Nothing at All
by Ronan Keating
11. Oxymoron
▪Putting two opposite words side by side

The group went to the theater to watch a

movie about the living dead.
A yawn may be defined as a silent yell.
12. Allusion
▪The indirect reference to a person,
place, or thing of historical, cultural,
literary, or political significance

Gregory and Diana are the Romeo

and Juliet of the village.
 POEM ANALYSIS
ON ALLEGORIES USED

A. B.
The first allegorical image Another allegorical image is the “man
is the “country” which, in who watches over it,” referring to
this case, is the former President Ferdinand Marcos,
Philippines. The poem his acts of “commandeering” hope and
personifies the turning governance into what seems
Philippines, trapped by its like light duty (the image of “feathers”)
own weight and is left to referring to his control over the
wonder helplessly about information being released to the
its decaying state. public at that time.
POEM ANALYSIS
ON ALLEGORIES USED

"Only the wind

hears your useless
words"
POEM ANALYSIS
ON ALLEGORIES USED

"Thinking of
banana trees
rotting in the
sunlight"
POEM ANALYSIS
ON ALLEGORIES USED

"You kneel on the

parched earth and
pray for rice."
 POEM ANALYSIS
Lines in the poem

“When asked what is

inside, he says, Just a
handful of feathers, just a
handful of feathers."
 POEM ANALYSIS
Lines in the poem

“That’s how light the burden

of government is in peace time—
."
 POEM ANALYSIS
Lines in the poem

“any tyrant can turn into

metaphor."
 POEM ANALYSIS
Lines in the poem

“The country without

miracles tries to get up from
the page, but the bold ink
and sharp colors hold it
 POEM ANALYSIS
ON ALLEGORIES USED

An allegory can be interpreted to reveal

a hidden meaning. In the poem The
Third World Geography, issues
experienced by third world countries are
told.
 POEM ANALYSIS
ON DRAMATIC SITUATION

Oppression has been seen in many instances in our

history. In particular, our poets have used the
subject of oppression as a starting point, creating
dramatic situations that lead us to a greater
understanding of the issues at hand and how it
affects our lives.
Learning Plan 1 in a NUTSHELL
The Precolonial Literary Period also known as the era of oral
literature. Literature spread during this period through word
of mouth pass from generations to other generations.
• During Spanish Colonial Literary Period literary works are
greatly influenced by Spanish teaching or Christian
doctrines.
• English as a medium of writing widely flourished during
the American Literary Period.
• Throughout the Japanese Literary Period publications were
military censored.
• Under the Martial Law literature produced were about
exploitation and injustice.
Learning Plan 1 in a NUTSHELL

• While during the 21st Century Literary Period writers used

unconventional techniques in writing.
• Dramatic Situation is the combination of setting, characters,
and action in the poem that is supposed to engage the reader.
• Persona is the speaker or teller od the poem; rarely the poet
himself or herself.
• Allegorical/Allegory refers to symbolic representations of
truths or generalizations about human existence.
• Canon refers to the collection of works determined by a
society to have significant value and
importance.