World Literature Syllabus

Subject Code : GCAS 14
Subject Title: World Literature
No. of Units : 3
Semester, School Year : Second Semester 2022-2023
PRELIMINARY PERIOD
I. Major Topic : Orientation/ Introduction to the Course
A. Lesson 1: Orientation/ Introduction to Heritage of World Literature
1. Overview of Lesson 1:
Literature is written art--art in which a writing device is used to put words on paper. Here
are some basic kinds of literature:
fiction
stage play
poetry/song
literary essay
creative nonfiction
screenplay
comic strip script
video script
comic book script
Though all forms of literature are written, some of them are meant for performance as
are plays and video scripts, and some are mixed with visual forms to become comic
books, cards, or posters.
Some forms of writing are, primarily, a stage art or visual art. Stage plays are the
obvious example. However, such works also are very highly respected as written
literature, too: art that can be both visual and literary.
In addition, some literature is meant to be read out loud. Poetry and plays are
examples. Poetry and plays often come fully alive only when read out loud, even if this
means people must read them out loud when alone. In short, to fully appreciate poetry
and plays, people should perform them. Plays and other performance arts are
discussed in a later chapter. Poetry is discussed in this chapter along with other
nonperformance literature such as stories and creative nonfiction because most of
these forms of literature primarily are experienced by reading them when one is alone.
2. Learning Outcomes :
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to :
a. Discuss the vision-mission and goals of Arellano university and

the College of Arts and Sciences
b. Get acquainted with the requirements of the course in selection
to the mission, vision statement of the school.
c. Get acquainted with members of the class and professor as well
as expectation, commitments and responsibilities
d. Define literature, World Literature
3.Presentation and Development of the Lesson

A. Introduction
B. Recitation on VMG of Arellano University and CAS
C. Discussion on attendance, requirements, grading system and house rules
D. Elicitation on the definition of literature, world literature
"Literature" actually may be defined as any piece of writing that can claim that it has--in
some way--artistic beauty.
War and Peace by Tolstoy is. So are Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, great religious
works of art such as the Bible or the Hindu Bhagavid Gita, Shakespeare's plays and
poetry; and finely crafted nonfiction such as Plato's Republic or Martin Luther King's "I
Have A Dream" speech.
When people write or speak of such subjects as visions of the soul, the eternal conflict
between good and evil, great romance, or the tragedy of loving or of warring, the subject
matter itself may incline them to create written works of art that can move everyone else
deeply, even change people's lives.
A very brief history of literature highlights the following events. Before 500 B.C., there
was almost no written literature. A few pieces of literature did exist on clay tablets or
carved in stone--clay and stone were the first mediums of the writing arts. But most
literature was still oral in those days: literature was part of an oral tradition. In fact,
storytelling was a profession in more civilized ancient countries, and storytellers would
make their living by memorizing great classics of myth, legend, and truth from each
other, then repeating them to enraptured audiences.
Papyrus, rough paper-like material made from reeds, came into more common use after
the fifth century B.C. in Europe and Africa, and similar materials came into use about
the same time in the Far East. The mediums of papyrus and paints and inks made
writing easier.
Some of the earliest classics of written literature began to appear from that period of
history, works such as the Old Testament of the Hebrew Bible, the works of early Greek
philosophers and playwrights, the Tao Te Ching of Lao-tzu, and other great works of art.
From this rough papyrus or "paper," more refined and mass produced versions were
developed as the centuries progressed to medieval times.
However, reading and writing literature still were activities few engaged in. Many works
of art from oral traditions were written down such as myths, popular events and plays,
common songs, speeches commissioned to be written by kings, and the like. But in any
given century, the choices of "new works" to read were few.
Many people associate the word "literature" with novels and fictional short stories.
Curiously enough, telling made-up stories in written story form is a rather recent art. The
novel and the short story, as such, did not really exist until after moveable type was
invented in medieval times by Gutenberg, and after the slow spread of general
education in reading and writing that followed the invention of moveable type.
However, with the spread of reading and writing, suddenly large numbers of people had
the ability and opportunity to sit down with a book of their own and actually understand
what the words in it were saying. Literature exploded, both in quantity and variety.
Now there are have thousands of great works of literature to choose from, and
hundreds of thousands of quality minor works of literature available to readers, with
more being produced every day. In addition, literature in the present time is going
visual: the predominant way of getting a finely crafted story is now, for most Americans,
the television screen. Just as books used to be for the privileged few, so was viewing
plays. Now not only have books become common personal items, but so has the
viewing of plays. The TV screen brings into each person's own hands the means to see
any great literary work in visual form which he or she may wish to.
4.Generalization of the Lesson
According to Robert Frost, literature is a performance in words, comes from a Latin

word littera meaning letters. Literature is a term used to describe written or spoken
material. As van Dyke enthused , Literature consists of writing which interpret the
meanings of nature and life, in words of charm and power, touched with the personality
of the author in artistic forms of permanent interest
5. Activities
Activity 1: Getting to know you. Discussion of VMG and their
effects to students
Activity 2: Individual recitation on their genre chosen. (Sing,

narrate, dance, summarize)
6. Evaluation: Essay: Why is literature important in your studies?
7.Assignment:
Have an advance reading on the following:
1. 12 literary Compositions that influenced the world
2. Find the different epics and their authors of the world
3. Forms/classifications/ divisions of literature
B Lesson 2: Values of Literature; How to study Literature; Literature and Literary

Standards
1. Overview of Lesson 2-3:
Literature is a term used to describe written and sometimes spoken material. Derived
from the Latin word literature meaning "writing formed with letters," literature most
commonly refers to works of the creative imagination, including
poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, and in some instances, journalism, and song.
What Is Literature?
Simply put, literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people. The
concept is difficult to precisely define, though many have tried; it's clear that the
accepted definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving.
For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a
page doesn't necessarily equate to creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of
works for a given author. Some works of literature are considered canonical, that is,
culturally representative of a particular genre (poetry, prose, or drama).
a. Discuss clearly the values of literature

b. Identify the approaches on how to study literature and
basic literary standards
c. Elucidate the study of literature and its relevance to
human/ student development.
4. Presentation and Development of the Lesson
Values of Literature
What is value?
The phrase "values of literature" refers to those qualities of poems, stories, novels, etc.
that make them worthwhile to read. If we feel our time reading is well spent, we can say
that a work has value for us. If reading the work was a complete waste, then we might
say it has no value for us. And there is a spectrum between the two extremes.
What is there to value?
A work of literature can be valuable in several ways.
Literature has . . . if reading it . . .
entertainment value is an enjoyable way to pass the time.
political value can change the way people live with and influence each other.
artistic value helps us contemplate the nature of beauty and human creativity.
cultural value sheds light on the place and time of the author of the work.
historical value helps one understand the past and how the world has evolved.
philosophical value explores human knowledge, how we know and what we know.
moral value
teaches a lesson that will inspire the reader to live a better life.
ethical value
helps us asks questions related to the standards of a "good" life.
entertainment value.Literature has entertainment value if reading it gives occasion to

enjoy yourself. This type of value is inherently subjective because not everyone will
enjoy the same kinds of stories, styles, or themes. Being entertained is important, but
being bored does not give anyone license to reject a work outright.
political value.Literature has political value if reading it gives occasion to change how a
person thinks or acts. Politics is about the management and flow of power. And power,
like electricity, flows from one end of a circuit to another to make things happen.
Reading a work can jolt someone into action. It can reveal an injustice, outrage its
readers, give voice to the oppressed, ridicule those who are corrupt, etc. The main idea
here is to think about what the work of literature is trying to do. It has political value if it
attempts to persuade people or the world to start acting and thinking in "this" way. We
can see the political leanings of a work without necessarily being persuaded ourselves.
But most of the time, we will like a work for its political leanings if we are in fact
persuaded to align ourselves with the author.
artistic value. Literature has artistic value if reading it gives occasion to contemplate
the nature of beauty and human creativity. There are many works of literature that
experiment with the limits of language and its expressive power.
cultural value. Literature has cultural value if reading it gives occasion to think about
the place and time of the author at the time the work was written. Authors might seems
like supernatural beings or at least people who are way above us, transcending the
world down here to live among the heavens with their artistic visions, but they are
actually regular people like the rest of us. They care about what is happening in the
world around them, and they have experiences in life that shape their attitudes toward
various issues. If their work addresses the attitudes, customs, and values of their time
(or another time), then the work has cultural value. The work becomes a window into a
world that is unfamiliar, and we are encouraged to compare cultural differences.
historical value. Literature has historical value if reading it gives occasion to think
about the past, how things changes overtime, and how the world has evolved into what
it is today. Historical value sometimes overlaps with cultural value; if a work is really old,
then it can give us insight into a culture so far back that we can also think about how
that culture might be a foundation for our own. The cliché about history is true--the less
we now about how things were, the more likely we are to relive them. Of course, some
things might be worth reliving, and we might regret some of the history we have left
behind, but other things we want to avoid repeating. Works of literature can help us
learn about the past, process the past, and use the past to our advantage. Sometimes
the historical value of a work is that it shows us what we have gained and what we have
lost.
philosophical value. Literature has philosophical value if reading it gives occasion to

explore the nature of human knowledge, how we know and what we can know. These
questions are central to the production of art because any artist must interact with the
world in order to represent it, whether lyrically in a poem or through storytelling in fiction;
he must, to some extent, know the world. But it is hard to be certain about what we
know or even whether we can know anything at all. Some writers explore philosophical
issues pretty deeply because they are often a source of crisis that can create great
drama and raise intriguing questions. If a work invites us to think about perception,
making sense of our place in the world, or self-awareness, then we can say that it has
philosophical value. In response to such works, we tend to look inward and wonder,
"who am I?"
moral value. Literature has moral value if reading it gives occasion to learn a lesson. If
a story or poem TEACHES us how to live, or attempts to teach us, then it has a moral
dimension. Is the work still valuable if we do not like the lesson it teaches? Perhaps so.
The best readers will see the moral value of a work even if the morals it endorses are
somehow distasteful to them. Moral value is a dangerous value to measure. The history
of censorship, for instance, is based on the idea that if a work teaches the "wrong"
thing, it should not be read at all. This idea goes all the way back to Plato, one of the
earliest philosophers to explore the moral dimension of stories and poetry. "To
appreciate" means "to measure the value of something," and we need to try to find
value in a work if we are inclined to reject it simply because we think it teaches the
wrong lesson. Here is where ethical value comes into play.
ethical value. Literature has ethical value if reading it gives occasion to think about
ethical questions. If a story dramatizes conflicts and dilemmas, it is not necessarily
teaching us how to live, but it encourages us to contemplate the codes that the
characters live by. If a poem has a speaker who promotes a particular world view or
seems conflicted about the world he lives in, the reader can try to look through the eyes
of that speaker and see what he or she sees. We may not agree with a speaker's or
character's morality, but seeing that morality in action can shed light on what it means or
how it changes the world. If we reflect on a moral code, instead of simply rejecting it or
embracing it, then we are thinking ethically, and literature that promotes such thinking is
ethically valuable. Here are some important ethical questions: What is the good life?
What is the excellent life? Where do the definitions of good and excellent come from?
Why do different definitions come into conflict? On what basis do they
conflict? Remember: works that raise questions do not always answer them. To
measure the ethical value of a work of literature, we need to ask the following questions:
 Do the characters make choices in the work? What are those choices?
 Do the characters or speakers defend particular beliefs or points of view? What
are they?
 What motivates those choices or beliefs or points of view in the work?
 Where does the confidence in that motivation come from in the work?
 Is there a crisis in that confidence in the work? Why?
 To what place do those choices or beliefs or points of view lead in the work?
Importance of Literature
Life could be learned from the life of others. We could say that literature teaches
us how to live, It is in literature where hopefully students learn the art of living.
Literature represents a language or a people: culture and tradition. But, literature
is more important than just a historical or cultural artefact. Literature introduces us to new
worlds of experience. Ultimately, we discover meaning in literature by looking at what the
author says and how he says it.
Works of literature, at their best, provide a kind of blueprint of human society.

From the writings of ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China to Greek philosophy
and poetry, from the epics of Homer to the plays of William Shakespeare, from Jane
Austen and Charlotte Bronte to Maya Angelou, works of literature give insight and
context to all the world's societies. In this way, literature is more than just a historical or
cultural artifact; it can serve as an introduction to a new world of experience.
But what we consider to be literature can vary from one generation to the
next. For instance, Herman Melville's 1851 novel "Moby Dick" was considered a failure
by contemporary reviewers. However, it has since been recognized as a masterpiece
and is frequently cited as one of the best works of Western literature for its thematic
complexity and use of symbolism. By reading "Moby Dick" in the present day, we can
gain a fuller understanding of literary traditions in Melville's time.
How to study Literature

From a historical point of view, a work can be studied as the outcome of certain
events and as the producer of certain effects.
A literary work can also be a reflection of the national life of a people and as a
record of the conditions and customs of an era.
Literature can be the expression of great movements or an expression of the
author’s personality.
Other works enable the reader to discover great social movements and
tendencies.
A work may be studied simply for its entertainment value, for the richness of its
plot, for comparison with other works, for the ideas it contains, for its emotional power, for
character analysis, as an appeal to move readers to action for social reforms, for its
setting and the related elements of atmosphere, mood and tone; for its representation of
literary movements and techniques, for the author’s unique use of language (style), and
always, for its reflection of life itself.
LITERARY STANDARDS
1. Artistry- appeals to sense of beauty
2. Intellectual Value – stimulate thoughts; enriches our mental life by making us
realize fundamental truths about life and human nature
3. Suggestiveness- associated with the emotional power of Literature
4. Spiritual Value - - elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which make
us better persons
5. Permanence – a great work of literature endures
6. Universality – is timeless and timely
Style – peculiar way in which writer sees life, forms his ideas and expresses them
5. Generalization of the Lesson
One may discover the meaning of literature by looking at what the author writes or
says and how he or she says it. By examining the words the author chooses in a given
novel or work or observing which character or voice serves as the connection to the
reader.
Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze it, literature is important to
us because it speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us on a deeply personal level.
5. Activities
Activity 1:Discussion
Activity 2:PPt Presentation
6. Evaluation. Group works. Find a literary composition that depicts/ reflects on

your chosen value. What genre and what country in particular?
7.Assignment.
a. Prepare for a debate or panel discussion or a human diorama.
b. Individual discovery or criticism/ reflection. Analyze your favorite drama or short
story. What value is prominent why you considered it your favorite?
C. Lesson 4: Literary Genres Aids to the Study of Literature in Fiction and Poetry
Fiction refers to a story that comes from a writer’s imagination, as opposed to
one based strictly on fact or a true story. In the literary world, a work of fiction can refer
to a short story, novella, and novel, which is the longest form of literary prose. Every
work of fiction falls into a sub-genre, each with its own style, tone, elements, and
storytelling devices.
a. Study, analyze, and criticize early literary

genres
A genre is a category of literature identified by form, content, and style. Genres allow
literary critics and students to classify compositions within the larger canon of literature.
Genre (pronounced ˈzhän-rə) is derived from the French phrase genre meaning “kind”
or “type.”
The 14 Main Literary Genres
1. Literary Fiction. Literary fiction novels are considered works with artistic value
and literary merit. They often include political criticism, social commentary, and
reflections on humanity. Literary fiction novels are typically character-driven, as
opposed to being plot-driven, and follow a character’s inner story.
2. Mystery. Mystery novels, also called detective fiction, follow a detective solving
a case from start to finish. They drop clues and slowly reveal information, turning
the reader into a detective trying to solve the case, too. Mystery novels start with
an exciting hook, keep readers interested with suspenseful pacing, and end with
a satisfying conclusion that answers all of the reader’s outstanding questions.
3. Thriller. Thriller novels are dark, mysterious, and suspenseful plot-driven stories.
They very seldom include comedic elements, but what they lack in humor, they
make up for in suspense. Thrillers keep readers on their toes and use plot
twists, red herrings, and cliffhangers to keep them guessing until the end.
4. Horror. Horror novels are meant to scare, startle, shock, and even repulse
readers. Generally focusing on themes of death, demons, evil spirits, and the
afterlife, they prey on fears with scary beings like ghosts, vampires, werewolves,
witches, and monsters. In horror fiction, plot and characters are tools used to
elicit a terrifying sense of dread.
5. Historical. Historical fiction novels take place in the past. Written with a careful
balance of research and creativity, they transport readers to another time and
place—which can be real, imagined, or a combination of both. Many historical
novels tell stories that involve actual historical figures or historical events within
historical settings.
6. Romance. Romantic fiction centers around love stories between two people.
They’re lighthearted, optimistic, and have an emotionally satisfying ending.
Romance novels do contain conflict, but it doesn’t overshadow the romantic
relationship, which always prevails in the end.
7. Western. Western novels tell the stories of cowboys, settlers, and outlaws
exploring the western frontier and taming the American Old West. They’re
shaped specifically by their genre-specific elements and rely on them in ways
that novels in other fiction genres don’t. Westerns aren’t as popular as they once
were; the golden age of the genre coincided with the popularity of western films
in the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s.
8. Bildungsroman. Bildungsroman is a literary genre of stories about a character

growing psychologically and morally from their youth into adulthood. Generally,
they experience a profound emotional loss, set out on a journey, encounter
conflict, and grow into a mature person by the end of the story. Literally
translated, a bildungsroman is “a novel of education” or “a novel of formation.”
9. Speculative Fiction. Speculative fiction is a super genre that encompasses a

number of different types of fiction, from science fiction to fantasy to dystopian.
The stories take place in a world different from our own. Speculative fiction
knows no boundaries; there are no limits to what exists beyond the real world.
10. Science Fiction. Sci-fi novels are speculative stories with imagined elements
that don’t exist in the real world. Some are inspired by “hard” natural sciences
like physics, chemistry, and astronomy; others are inspired by “soft” social
sciences like psychology, anthropology, and sociology. Common elements of
sci-fi novels include time travel, space exploration, and futuristic societies.
11. Fantasy. Fantasy novels are speculative fiction stories with imaginary characters
set in imaginary universes. They’re inspired by mythology and folklore and often
include elements of magic. The genre attracts both children and adults; well-
known titles include Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and
the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
12. Dystopian. Dystopian novels are a genre of science fiction. They’re set in
societies viewed as worse than the one in which we live. Dystopian fiction exists
in contrast to utopian fiction, which is set in societies viewed as better than the
one in which we live.
13. Magical Realism. Magical realism novels depict the world truthfully, plus add
magical elements. The fantastical elements aren’t viewed as odd or unique;
they’re considered normal in the world in which the story takes place. The genre
was born out of the realist art movement and is closely associated with Latin
American authors.
14. Realist Literature. Realist fiction novels are set in a time and place that could
actually happen in the real world. They depict real people, places, and stories in
order to be as truthful as possible. Realist works of fiction remain true to
everyday life and abide by the laws of nature as we currently understand them.
Forms of Literature
The two main divisions of literature are Prose and Poetry
1. Poem is a composition usually written in verse. Poems rely heavily on imagery,
precise word choice, and metaphor; they may take the form of measures consisting
of patterns of stresses or of pattern of different length syllables and they may or
may not utilize rhyme.
2. Prose consists of writing that does not adhere to any particular formal structures.
It is spoken or written language without metrical structure as distinguished from
poetry or verse.
Kinds of Poetry
A. NARRATIVE POETRY tells a story in verse
1. Epic retells in a continuous narrative the life and works of a heroic or
mythological person or group of persons. It is considered as the oldest form of
literature since its existence is known to be along the ancient history. Most
epics are handed down orally from generation to generation as part of the
culture of a certain nation told by its forefathers until it is translated into writing.
2. Ballad is songlike poem that tells a story, often one dealing with adventure or
romance.
3. The Metrical Tale is a narrative poem that relates to a real or imaginary events
in simple, straightforward language, from a wide range of subjects, characters,
life experiences, and emotional situations. The characters are ordinary people
concerned with ordinary events.
4. Metrical romance is a long narrative poem that presents remote or imaginative
incidents rather than ordinary, realistic experience. The term romance is a
originally used to refer to medieval tales of the deeds and loves of noble knights
and ladies.
B. LYRIC POETRY is a poem that expresses the emotions, feelings and observations
of the writer. Unlike a narrative poem, it presents an experience or single effect,
but it does not tell a full story.
1. Song is a lyric poem set to music and is intended to be sung.
2. Sonnet is a fourteen-line poem focused on a single theme
3. Elegy is a solemn and formal lyric poem about death.
4. Ode is along, formal lyric poem with a serious theme.
5. Simple lyric includes all lyric poems that do not fall under the four other types.
C. DRAMATIC POETRY dramatic form and dramatic techniques, emphasis is more
to characters rather than the narration.
1. Dramatic Monologue
2. Soliloquy
3. Character Sketch
D. HAIKU is another kind of poetry which originated in Japan. It is a three line poem
consisting of seventeen syllables.
Kinds of Prose. Genres of literature are important to learn about. The two main
categories separating the different genres of literature are fiction and nonfiction.
FICTION . From the latin fingere “to form, create” is a prose writing that tells about
imaginary characters and events. Fiction is the product of imagination of the writer.
1. Short Story is a brief prose narrative that can usually be read in one sitting. It
contains few characters and a single plot that revolves around the main
characters.
2. Novel consists simply of a long story written in prose. It has more characters
with several subplots.
3. Drama is a narrative prose intended to be played on stage. It is usually called
play.
4. Fable is a brief story usually with animal characters that teaches a lesson or
moral.
5. Parable is a short narrative that is at least in part allegorical and that illustrates
a moral or spiritual lesson.
6. Legend is a story that reflects the people’s identity or cultural values, generally
with more historical and less emphasis on the supernatural.
7. Myth is a fictional tale, originally with religious significance that explains the
action of gods or heroes , the causes of natural phenomena or both.
8. Fairy tale is a story featuring folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves,
trolls, giants, talking animals and others. The fairy tale is a cub-class of folktale.
These stories often involve royalty, and modern versions usually have a happy
ending.
9. Fantasy is the forming of mental images with strange or other worldly settings
or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality.
10. Humor is the faculty of perceiving what is amusing or comical. Fiction full of
fun, fancy, and excitement which meant to entertain. This genre of literature
can actually be seen and contained within all genres.
11. Science Fiction is a story based on impact of potential science, either actual
or imagined. Science fiction is one of the genres of literature that is set in the
future or on other planets.
12. Realistic Fiction is a story that can actually happen and is true to real life.
13. Folklore are songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a person of “folk” that
was handed down by word of mouth. Folklore is a genre of literature that is
widely held, but false and based on unsubstantiated beliefs.
14. Historical Fiction is a story with fictional characters and events in a historical
setting.
15. Horror is an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by literature that is
frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting. Fiction in which events evoke a
feeling of dread in both the characters and the reader.
16. A Tall Tale is a humorous story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering

heroes who do the impossible with an here of nonchalance.
17. Mystery is a genre of fiction that deals with the solution of a crime or the
unraveling of secrets. Anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or
unknown.
18. Mythology is a type of legend or traditional narrative. This is often based in

part on historical events, that reveals human behavior and natural
phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods. A
body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular
person.
19. Fiction in Verse is full-length novels with plot, subplots, themes, with major
and minor characters. Fiction of verse is one of the genres of literature in
which the narrative is usually presented in blank verse form.
A. NON FICTION. A prose writing that presents and explains ideas or tells about real
people, places, objects or events.
1. Autobiography, from the Greek words auton –‘self ‘ bios – ‘life’ and graphein –
‘write ‘ , is a biography written by the author about himself
2. Biography is a genre of literature based on the written accounts of individual
lives.
3. Essay is a short work of writing that treats a topic from an author’s personal
point of view. Essay in English derives from the French ‘essai’ meaning
attempt.
4. Diary or journal is a book for writing discrete sentries arranged by date reporting
on what has happened over the course of a day or another periods.
Literature may be divided into two categories and can also be classified
according to genres. Basically, for college students who are not majoring in English or
even literature, there will only be five genres that the lessons will be focused on: Short
Story, Poetry, Drama, Novel and Essay.
5. Activities
Activity 1:
Activity 2:
5. Evaluation
Choose the correct answer. Write the letter on the space provided
1. It is a long narrative poetry
a. Short story b. epic c. novel d. poem
2. It has a single plot, which can be read in one sitting.
a. Short story b. epic c. novel d. poem
3. It is intended to be played on stage
a. Novel b. epic c. drama d. short story
4. It is a story with animal characters that gives lesson
a. Fable b. parable c. anecdote d. epigrams
5. It is a brief account with heavenly implication
a. Fable b. anecdote c. biography d. parable
6. It is written about the life of the author himself
a. Essay b. biography c. autobiography d. anecdote
7. It means an “attempt”.
a. Fable b. essay c. anecdote d. autobiography
8. It is derived from the French word “essais”
a. Essay b. anecdote c. epics d. epigrams
9. It is derived from the Latin word “littera”
a. Literature b. testimony c. drama d. biography
10. It represents human life and experience.
a. Literature b. legend c. epic d. drama
7.Assignment: . Choose a country, then choose a genre ( film , novel, short

Story) that made a significant change or impact to your life. Discuss in an essay why did
you choose the specific country, why that genre, share the summary (plot, setting,
characters) and what impact did it give you to your life?
D. Lesson 5- 10: 12 LITERARY PIECES THAT INFLUENCED THE WORLD
A literary work can be defined as a branch of literature dealing with words as raw
material to create a picture, an idea or a story in a meaningful pattern. The literary work,
as a work of art, can be a drama, a fiction, essays, biography or journalism and so on
a. Identify the 12 Literary Pieces that Influenced the World

b. Find the similarities and differences of these works through their moral
implications
3. Presentation and Development of the Lesson
LITERARY COMPOSITIONS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THE WORLD
1. The Bible or Sacred Writing: This has become the basis of Christianity
originating from Palestine and Greece
The word Bible comes from the Greek word biblia, a plural noun that simply
means “the books.” The modern English Bible consists of 66 books that about 40 men
of diverse backgrounds were inspired to write over the course of 1,500 years.
In fact, the diversity of these men is quite remarkable. Consider just a few:
 Isaiah was a prophet.

 Ezra was a priest.
 Matthew was a tax collector.
 John was a fisherman.
 Paul was a tentmaker.
 Moses was a shepherd and a leader.
From a literary point of view, it is absolutely astonishing that despite having been
written by so many different authors from so many different backgrounds over a period of
15 centuries, the Bible does not contradict itself and does not contain any errors as it was
originally written. It contains remarkable unity.
As novelist Frederick Buechner wrote, “In spite of all its extraordinary variety, the Bible
is held together by having a single plot” (Leland Ryken and Tremper Longman III, eds., A
Complete Literary Guide to the Bible, 1993, p. 48).
The Bible also contains specific poetic works; in fact, the Bible contains no less than
five specifically poetic books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of
Solomon. In addition, much poetic phraseology can be found in many of the other books
as well.
2. Koran : The Muslim Bible originating from Arabia.
The Qur'ān is divided into 114 chapters (Arabic: sūrahs), the obvious major units of
the scripture. The chapters are of varying lengths, from three verses to 286.
Qur'ān is composed of Muhammad's revelations only and the period of the

compilation of the Qur'ān is rather short, the Qur'ān does not possess the literary variety
of the Bible. There are, for example, no folk songs in the Qur'ān, no elegies and
lamentations, no prophetic rhapsodies, no idyllic poems, and certainly no acrostic. On the
other hand, the Qur'ān possesses a rich literary repertoire of its own. Besides making a
masterful use of language on the level of words and phrases, it contains figures of speech,
satire, and irony; employs a variety of narrative and dramatic techniques; and presents
characters that, is spite of the sparse personal detail provided about them, come across
as vivid figures.
3. The Iliad and the Odyssey: These have been the source of myths and legends
of Greece. They were written by Homer.
These epic stories are about the Mycenaean or Bronze Age, ancient
Greeks, who flourished from about 1600-1100 BC. This is roughly about the
time Moses led the Israelites from Egypt through the time David ruled a united
Jewish nation; by most accounts, Moses led the Jews out of Egypt and Troy fell
somewhere around 1300-1200 BCE.
These "Greeks" are relative late-comers to the area we now call "Greece"
and likely originated to the East of Black Sea, around the area now called
the Caucasus (between the Black and Caspian seas, where Russia, Turkey and
N. Iran meet). The story of Prometheus -- shackled to mount Caucus -- shows
strong connections between their original culture and that of the Sumerians etc.
These people also probably invaded India, to the East/South at roughly the same
time (discuss Pramantha/Prometheus mythology). So these Mycenaean people
were both influenced by and influenced other great civilizations even before there
was written history (or, for that matter, writing).
Before the Mycenaeans arrived in the region, earlier "Greek" cultures

worshipped ancient fertility goddesses probably related to Ishtar, Aphrodite, even
Athena and Hera, and appear to have lived a rather peaceable, agricultural
lifestyle (we assume this because archeological digs show these pre-Mycenaean
people lived without military weapons or fortifications...until they were invaded by
the Mycanaeans).
In contrast to "the locals", the Greek legends we read celebrate war; this is
the literature of military conquerors, so the Mycenaean people had as much in
common with, say, the later Vikings as with the later philosophical, "civilized"
Greeks: this is a culture of raiders, of looters and pillagers. From this
perspective, The Iliad is a work of military propaganda that justifies Mycenaen
control of the most valuable sea passage of age (the Bosporus), and The
Odyssey justifies colonizing Italy and Sicily to the West.
So, like the Hebrew scriptures -- or our own "Westerns" (cowboys/us vs.
Indians/them) -- these Greek legends justify the invasion and domination of
earlier "native" inhabitants.
These Ancient (and even Classical) Greeks are best viewed as

a culture rather than as a unified people or "nation". When we speak of "the
Ancient Greeks" it's the same way we view “Western Culture” as referring to
Europe, Britain, the USA, Canada, Australia. Achilles is a king in his own right, as
is Odysseus, Menaleaus, Agamemnon etc., and Achilles goes to great lengths to
point out that Agamemnon is not his king; Agamemnon is simply the commander
of a federation of independent city states. This distinction is important to
understanding the Iliad: Achilles rightfully sees himself as Agamemnon's equal.
Troy is believed to have fallen around 1184 BC and The Iliad and
Odyssey were not written down until c.800-700 BC, so although they are based
on vaguely real historical events and actual historical characters, they are events
that transpired hundreds of years before the author even lived; they are history
that has morphed into mythology. We still say they were written by the blind
poet Homer, but that’s as much myth as the stories themselves; there’s really no
reason to believe that a man named Homer ever wrote any of these stories, or
that he was blind. We can assume that this is a compilation of various oral tales
and that much of the narration describes what Greek life and warfare was like in
750 BCE, not 1184 BCE.
The Iliad: The Iliad tells the final chapter in the story of two major Bronze Age
“Greek” alliances battling each other. It ends when the Achaeans (people mainly
from what we now call Greece) sack Troy/Ilium (located in modern day
Turkey). It's a long, meandering epic, but it primarily revolves around the
"godlike Achilles'" struggle to confront his hubris and become humanized.
Both in scope and type, consider the Trojan war as similar to that between
different European factions in WWI and WWII, or between the North and South in
the American Civil War: this was a seminal, history-shaping event, and an intra-
cultural war: a war fought among people of the same basic culture; although the
two sides are protected by different gods, all the gods belong to the same basic
pantheon or family of what we now call "Greek gods".
The Odyssey, in contrast, mainly takes place outside of that common culture
and describes contact with pre-Mycenaean Mediterranean cultures. The story
focuses on Odysseus and his family's struggle to recover from the Trojan war's
after effects and, primarily, with Odysseus struggle to make it back
home. So The Iliad describes the clash between two equally brilliant and
beautiful groups of “Greeks”, and The Odyssey describes contact with the
“Other”, represented as monsters and witches.
4. Mahabharata: The longest epic of the world. It contains the history of religion in
India
The Mahabharata is an epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the

fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes. It also contains philosophical and
devotional material, such as a discussion of the four "goals of life"
or purusharthas (12.161). Among the principal works and stories in
the Mahabharata are the Bhagavad Gita, the story of Damayanti, an abbreviated
version of the Ramayana, and theRishyasringa, often considered as works in
their own right.
Traditionally, the authorship of the Mahabharata is attributed
to Vyasa. The title may be translated as "the great tale of the Bhārata dynasty".
According to the Mahabharata itself, the tale is extended from a shorter version
of 24,000 verses called simply Bhārata.
The Mahabharata is the longest known epic poem and has been
described as "the longest poem ever written". Its longest version consists of over
100,000 shloka or over 200,000 individual verse lines (each shloka is a couplet),
and long prose passages. About 1.8 million words in total, the Mahabharata is
roughly ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined, or about four
times the length of the Ramayana.
5. Canterbury Tales: It depicts the religion and customs of the English in the
early days. This originated from England and was written by Chaucer.
The Canterbury Tales (Middle English: Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection

of 24 stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey
Chaucer. In 1386 Chaucer became Controller of Customs and Justice of Peace and
then three years later in 1389 Clerk of the King's work. It was during these years that
Chaucer began working on his most famous text, The Canterbury Tales. The tales
(mostly written in verse, although some are in prose) are presented as part of a story-
telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from London
to Canterbury in order to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury
Cathedral. The prize for this contest is a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark on
their return.
6. Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of the U.S. This
depicted the sad fate of slaves; this became the basis of democracy later on.
Uncle Tom's Cabin was the best-selling novel of the 19th century and the
second best-selling book of that century, following the Bible. It is credited with
helping fuel the abolitionist cause in the 1850s. In the first year after it was
published, 300,000 copies of the book were sold in the United States; one million
copies in Great Britain. In 1855, three years after it was published, it was called
"the most popular novel of our day. The impact attributed to the book is great,
reinforced by a story that when Abraham Lincoln met Stowe at the start of
the Civil War, Lincoln declared, "So this is the little lady who started this great
war. The quote is apocryphal; it did not appear in print until 1896, and it has been
argued that "The long-term durability of Lincoln's greeting as an anecdote in
literary studies and Stowe scholarship can perhaps be explained in part by the
desire among many contemporary intellectuals ... to affirm the role of literature as
an agent of social change.
The book and the plays it inspired helped popularize a number

of stereotypes about black people. These include the affectionate, dark-skinned
"mammy"; the "pickaninny" stereotype of black children; and the "Uncle Tom", or
dutiful, long-suffering servant faithful to his white master or mistress. In recent
years, the negative associations with Uncle Tom's Cabin have, to an extent,
overshadowed the historical impact of the book as a "vital antislavery tool.
7. The Divine Comedy: (by Dante of Italy) This shows the religion and customs
of the early Italians.
Dante’s The Divine Comedy is the beginning of Italian literature and the
single most significant work of the Middle Ages because its allegory emphasizes
the importance of salvation and divine love in a work that is inclusive and tightly
structured. It is so thoroughly infused with Christian ethics that any overview has
to touch on major Christian themes, beginning with the plot being set during Easter
week 1300.
The work is a complex narrative with many allusions to biblical stories,

classical myths, history, and contemporary politics; however, the plot’s symbolism
provides clarity in that it celebrates the ideal of universalism, where everything has
its place in God’s world, and its ultimate goal of salvation triumphs over the
contemporary reality of the power struggle between worldly and religious leaders.
The structure of the entire work, as well as of its parts, is symbolic of the
story it tells, as the use of numbers shows. The number 3 (symbolic of the Trinity:
God as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost) and the number 10 (the “perfect”
number: 3 × 3 + 1) are the most conspicuous examples. The Divine Comedy has
three “cantiche,” or parts (Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven). Each cantica has thirty-
three cantos, or songs, with the exception of the first cantica, which has thirty-four
cantos, adding up to a total of one hundred (the perfect number squared: 10 × 10).
Each canto is written in terza rima, that is, in tercets that rhyme in an interlocking
manner.
The first canto of Inferno, is considered to be an introduction to the whole

work (making the structure even more symmetric: 1 + 33 + 33 + 33 = 100) because
all three parts of The Divine Comedy are present in the first canto’s symbolic
landscape.
8. El Cid Compeador : This shows the cultural characteristics of the Spaniards

and their national history.
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (c. 1043 – 1099) was a Castilian nobleman and
military leader in medieval Spain. He was called El Cid (the Lord) by
the Moors and El Campeador (the Outstanding Warrior) by Christians. He was
born in Vivar, a town near the city of Burgos. After his death, he became the
legendary national hero of Castile, and the protagonist of Cantar de Mio Cid, a
medieval Spanish epic poem.
Born a member of the minor nobility, El Cid was brought up at the court
of King Ferdinand the Great and served in the household of Ferdinand's
son Sancho. He rose to become commander and the royal standard-bearer
(armiger regis) of Castile upon Sancho's ascension in 1065. He went on to lead
the Castilian military campaigns against Sancho's brothers, the rulers of the
kingdoms of Leon and Galicia as well as against the Muslim kingdoms in Al-
Andalus. He became famous for his military prowess in these campaigns, and
helped enlarge Castilian territory at the expense of the Muslims while driving
Sancho's brothers from their thrones. This, however, ended up putting him in a
difficult position when suddenly, in 1072, Sancho was murdered and with no
legitimate issue leaving his recently ousted brother, Alfonso, as his only heir and
ruler of the reunified empire. Although El Cid continued to serve the crown in the
person of Alfonso, who was now Emperor of Spain, he lost his status in court and
was held in suspicion. Finally, in 1081, he was ordered into exile.
Rodrigo Díaz found work fighting for the Muslim rulers of Zaragoza, whom
he protected from the domination of Aragon and Barcelona, further bolstering his
military record and reputation as a leader. He was also victorious in battles
against the Muslim rulers of Lérida and their Christian allies, as well as against a
large Christian army under King Sancho Ramírez of Aragon. In 1086, Alfonso
was defeated by Almoravids from North Africa, and he overcame his antagonism
to talk El Cid into fighting for him again. Over the next several years El Cid set his
sights on the kingdom-city of Valencia, operating more or less independently of
Alfonso while politically supporting the Banu Hud and other Muslim dynasties
opposed to the Almoravids. He gradually increased his control over Valencia; the
Islamic ruler, al-Qadir, became his tributary in 1092. However, the Almoravids
instigated an uprising that resulted in the death of al-Qadir. He responded by
laying siege to the city. Valencia finally fell in 1094 and El Cid established an
independent principality in the eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain. He ruled
over a pluralistic state with the popular support of both Christians and Muslims.
The final years of El Cid were spent in fighting the Almoravid Berbers. He
inflicted the first major defeat on them in 1094 in the plains of Caurte outside
Valencia and continued resisting them until his death. Although El Cid himself
remained undefeated in Valencia, he suffered a tragedy when his only son and
heir, Diego Rodríguez, died fighting against the Almoravids in the service of
Alfonso in 1097. After El Cid's death in 1099, his wife, Jimena Díaz, succeeded
him as ruler of Valencia, but she had to surrender the principality to the
Almoravids in 1102.
9. The Song of Roland : This includes Doce Pares and Roncesvalles of France.
It tells about the Golden Age of Christianity in France.
La Chanson de Roland, or The Song of Roland, is the oldest surviving

French poem. It is also the oldest and greatest of the chansons de geste, medieval
epic poems written in French. In old French, "geste" means a deed or action, often
of heroic proportions. A hundred or so of these epic poems survive, dating from
around the year 1100 to the late fourteenth century. In their time, they were
exceedingly popular.
The poem describes events happening several centuries earlier, during the
reign of the mighty Christian warrior-king Charlemagne. The historical context of
the poem therefore straddles several centuries, and to properly understand the
poem we must bear in mind its rich historical background.
The Song of Roland more or less ignores this history, depicting instead a
Charlemagne capable of conquering all of Spain. The account is legend. Roland,
instead of being "Lord of the Breton March," as detailed by Einhard, is a Frankish
lord and Charlemagne's own nephew. The "treachery" of the Christian Basques
becomes transformed into the treachery of a single man, Ganelon, and the
Basques themselves are replaced by Moslems, whom the poet calls Saracens or
pagans. The battles are epic and grand, worthy of intervention by God himself, and
historical ambiguities or defeats are ignored.
The Song of Roland consists of roughly 4000 lines of verse, divided into
298 poetic units called laisses. Laisses are irregular in length, from three or four
lines to a few hundred, but in The Song of Roland they average under fourteen
lines. The lines are mostly decasyllabic, and are connected by assonance (the last
word contains a similar vowel sound but not necessarily a perfect rhyme) or by
rhyme.
10. The Book of the Dead: This includes the cult of Osiris and the Mythology and
theology of Egypt
The Book of the Dead is the common name for the ancient Egyptian
funerary texts known as The Book of Coming [or Going] Forth By Day.
The name "Book of the Dead" was the invention of the German
Egyptologist Karl Richard Lepsius, who published a selection of some
texts in 1842.
Religion guided every aspect of Egyptian life. Egyptian religion was

based on polytheism, or the worship of many deities. The Egyptians had
as many as 2000 gods and goddesses each representing characteristics
of a specific earthly force, combined with a heavenly power. Often gods
and goddesses were represented as part human and part animal.
They considered animals such as the bull, the cat, and the crocodile to be
holy. Their two chief gods were Amon-Ra and Osiris. Amon-Ra was believed to
be the sun god and the lord of the universe. Osiris was the god of the underworld
and was the god that made a peaceful afterlife possible. The Egyptian "Book of
the Dead" contains the major ideas and beliefs in the ancient Egyptian religion.
Because their religion stressed an afterlife, Egyptians devoted much time and
energy into preparing for their journey to the "next world."
Books of the Dead constituted as a collection of spells, charms, passwords,
numbers and magical formulas for the use of the deceased in the afterlife. This
described many of the basic tenets of Egyptian mythology. They were intended to
guide the dead through the various trials that they would encounter before reaching
the underworld. Knowledge of the appropriate spells was considered essential to
achieving happiness after death. Spells or enchantments vary in distinctive ways
between the texts of differing "mummies" or sarcophagi, depending on the
prominence and other class factors of the deceased.
Books of the Dead were usually illustrated with pictures showing the tests
to which the deceased would be subjected. The most important was the weighing
of the heart of the dead person against Ma'at, or Truth (carried out by Anubis).
The heart of the dead was weighed against a feather, and if the heart was not
weighed down with sin (if it was lighter than the feather) he was allowed to go
on. The god Thoth would record the results and the monster Ammit would wait
nearby to eat the heart should it prove unworthy.
11. The Book of the Days : This was written by Confucius of china. This became
the basis of the Christian religion
12. One thousand and One Nights : from Arabia and Persia. It shows the ways of
government, of industries and of the society of Arabs and Persians
The Thousand and One Nights, also called The Arabian Nights,
Arabic Alf laylah wa laylah, collection of largely Middle Eastern and Indian
stories of uncertain date and authorship whose tales of Aladdin, Ali Baba,
and Sindbad the Sailor have almost become part of Western folklore.
As in much medieval European literature, the stories—fairy

tales, romances, legends, fables, parables, anecdotes, and exotic or realistic
adventures—are set within a frame story. Its scene is Central Asia or “the
islands or peninsulae of India and China,” where King Shahryar, after
discovering that during his absences his wife has been regularly unfaithful, kills
her and those with whom she has betrayed him. Then, loathing all womankind,
he marries and kills a new wife each day until no more candidates can be found.
His vizier, however, has two daughters, Shahrazad (Scheherazade) and
Dunyazad; and the elder, Shahrazad, having devised a scheme to save herself
and others, insists that her father give her in marriage to the king. Each evening
she tells a story, leaving it incomplete and promising to finish it the following
night. The stories are so entertaining, and the king so eager to hear the end,
that he puts off her execution from day to day and finally abandons his cruel
plan.
4. Generalization of the Lesson
Of the 12 compositions, the Bible has the greatest influence to the world. These
12 pieces bring out the best and the worst, the flaws and significance of man. Life is
a challenge, it is also a journey, it takes time to heal and a heart to forgive. Women
are considered slaves and men need to be brave. The power and strength to lead,
and the glory and honor to believe that that there is one loving God, this makes up
the beauty and art of world literature.
5. Activities
Activity 1: Film Viewing/ Enrichment
1. Troy
2. Odyseus
3. Aladdin
4. The Bible/Ten Commandments
5. The mummy
6. Pursuit to Happiness
7. Hercules/ Prometheus/ Helen of Troy
8. El Cid
9. Shakuntala
Activity 2:PPT/ Discussion
6. Evaluation (quiz)
Multiple Choice
1. Practical philosopher, statesman, man of affairs, ancient teacher and moralist
of China.
a. Tagore b. Khayyam c. Confucius d. Chang Kai
2. The Mohammedan Bible, a book of law, revelation and inspiration.
a. Islam b. Meccah c. Surah d. Koran
3. From the lyric of Arabian Story, one may conclude that the ancient Arab was a
hard loving son of _____
a. Sea b. prairie c. pampa d. desert
4. One of the world’s choicest treasures, the ____ is an anthology of the Hebrew
nation’s literature and philosophy of life.
a. Songs b. Bible c. Odes d.
Psalms
5. Man’s greatest perplexity and his call of justice is best personified in the Book
of ______
a. Moses b. John c. Job d. Jonas
6. The longest literary work of the Egyptians is the _____
a. Book of Days b. Book of Dead c. Book of Spirits d. Book of
Ghosts
7. Geoffrey Chaucer’s masterpiece is the collection of short stories written in
poetry entitled
a. The Raven b. Canterbury Tales c. Of Studies d. The Mask
8. Very Little is known about Homer but he was called the ___ poet of Greece.
a. Dynamic b. greatest c. blind d. mute
9. Homer’s ____ is the affirmation of the truth that man’s fate is the result of his
actions. It is the story of love and adventure
a. Odyssey b. Iliad c. Aenied d. El Cid
10. Homer’s ____ is the story of love and hate; it shows the passion and cruelty
found in the war.
a. Odyssey b. Iliad c. Troy d. Helen of
Troy
11. The great war which swept like conflagration over Greece was ____
a. Trojan b. Vietnam c. World d. Civil
12. The Song of Roland is the major epic of _____
a. Egypt b. Rome c. Italy d. France
13. The her, El Cid is a ________ soldier, Rodrigo de Bivar who is known by the
Arabic Title of Sidi or The King.
a. Spanish b. French c. Castillian d. Italian
14. The Divine Comedy is a Christian epic of _______ written by Dante.
a. Scotland b. Italy c. France d. Germany
15. Dante’s masterpiece is an _____ which intends to guide man from his state of
misery to state of happiness.
a. Satire b. allegory c. Aphorism d. archive
7.Assignment
1. Watch the film Troy or Odyssey. Catch lines delivered by the characters. Make a
review about the film.
2. Of the 12 literary composition , which is the most simplified and is likened to
Philippine literary style ?
3. Re-enact the story of Sheherazade.
4. Find one female character in each compositions. What trait is common among
them? Why?
5. Group the class into 6. Have a video clip or charade about chosen stories from the
Bible.
6. Determine the elements of short story and some literary terms in preparation for
short story analyses and criticisms
E. Lesson 11: Story Analyses/ Applying literary criticism / interpretation/ appreciation

Literary criticism is the comparison, analysis, interpretation, and/or evaluation of
works of literature. Literary criticism is essentially an opinion, supported by evidence,
relating to theme, style, setting or historical or political context.
Literary criticism aims to analyse, interpret and evaluate the texts created by
humans at a particular moment in time and in a specific cultural ambience. Analysis and
interpretation are acts of intellect and rationality
a. Interpret lines in a literary piece, going deeper into the human

emotion with open mind and heart
b. Create scenarios lifted from the highlights of the literary work
A Letter to God (Spain)

Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes
Translated by Donald A. Yates
The house – the only one in the entire valley – sat on the crest of a low hill. From this
height one could se the river and, next to the corral, the field of ripe corn dotted with the
kidney bean flowers that always promised a good harvest.
The only thing the earth needed was a rainfall, or at least a shower. Throughout the
morning Lencho – who knew his fields intimately – had done nothing else but scan the
sky toward the northeast.
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
The woman, who was preparing supper, replied: “Yes, God willing.”
The oldest boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the
house, until the woman called to them all: “Come for dinner…”
It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drips of rain began to fall.
In the northeast huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was
fresh and sweet.
The man went out to look for something in the corral for no other reason than to allow
himself the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he
exclaimed: “those aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they’re new coins. The big drops
are ten-centavo pieces and the little ones are fives…”
With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its kidney bean
flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to fall. These truly
did resemble new silver coins. The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to
collect the frozen pearls.
“It’s really getting bad now,” exclaimed the man, mortified. “I hope it passes quickly.”
It did not pass quickly. For an hour the hail rained on the house, the garden, the hillside,
the cornfield, on the whole valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt. Not a leaf
remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the
kidney bean plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed,
he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons: “A plague of locusts would have
left more than this… the hail has left nothing: this year we will have no corn or beans…”
That night was a sorrowful one: “All our work, for nothing!”
“There’s no one who can help us!”
But in the hears of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there
was a single hope: help from God.
“Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss. Remember, no one dies of
hunger!”
“That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger….”
All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hoe: the help of God, whose eyes,
as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience.
Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to
write. The following Sunday, at day break, after having convinced, himself that there is a
protecting spirit he bgan to write a letter which he himself would carry to town and place
in the mail.
It was nothing less than a letter to God.
“God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a
hundred pesos in order to resow the field and to live until the crop comes, because the
hailstorm…”
He wrote “To God” on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to town.
At the post office he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox.
One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post officer, went to
his boss, laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God. Never in his career as a
postman had he known that address. The postmaster – a fat amiable fellow – also
broke out laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter on
his desk, commented: “what faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter.
To believe the way he believes. To hope with the confidence that he knows how to hope
with. Starting up a correspondence with God!”
So, in order not to disillusion that prodigy of faith, revealed by a letter that could not be
delivered, the postmaster cmae up with an idea: answer the letter. But when he opened
it, it was evident that to answer it he needed something more than good will, ink and
paper. But he stuck to his resolution: he asked for money from his employee, he himself
gave part of his salary, and several friends of his were obliged to give something “for an
act of charity”.
It was impossible for him to gather together the hundred pesos requested by Lencho, so
he was able to send the farmer only a little more than half. He put the bills in an
envelope addressed to Lencho and with them a letter containing only a signature:
GOD
The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter
for him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him, while the postmaster,
experiencing the contentment of a man who ahs performed a good deed, looked on
from the doorway of his office.
Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the bills – such was his confidence
– but he became angry when he counted the money. God could not have made a
mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested!
Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink. On the public
writing table, he started to write with much wrinkling of his brow, caused by the effort he
had to make to express his ideas. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a
stamp, which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist.
The moment that the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said;
“God: Of the money that I asked for only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest,
since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail, because the post
office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”
Brothers by Bjornstjerne Bjornson

The schoolmaster's name was Baard, and he had a brother named Anders. They had
thought a great deal of each other, enlisted together, lived together in town, went
through the war together, served in the same company, and had both risen to the rank
of corporal. When they came home from the war, people said they were two fine,
stalwart fellows.
Then their father died. He left much personal property, which was difficult to divide, and
therefore they said to each other that they would not let this come between them, but
would put the property up at auction, that each might buy what he wanted, and both
share the proceeds. And it was done.
But the father had owned a large gold watch, which had come to be known far and
wide, for it was the only gold watch people in those parts had ever seen. When this
watch was put up, there were many wealthy men who wanted it, but when both brothers
began to bid, all the pthers desisted. Now Baard expected that Anders would let him
have it, and Anders expected the same of Baard. They bid in turn, each trying the other
out, and as they bid they looked hard at each other. WHen the watch had gone up to
twenty dollars, Baard began to feel that this was not the kind of his brother, and bid over
him until he almost reached thirty. When Anders did not withdraw even then Baard felt
that Anders no longer remembered how good he had often been to him, and that he
was furthermore the elder of the two; and the watch went over thirty. Anders still kept
on. Baard then raised the price to forty dollars with one bound, and no longer looked at
his brother. It grew still in the auction room, only the bailiff repeated the figures quietly.
Anders thought, as he stood there, that if Baard could afford to go to forty dollars, so
could he, and if Baard begrudged him the watch, he might as well take it, and bid over
him. This to Baard seemed the greatest disgrace that had ever befallen him; he bid fifty
dollars in a low voice. There were many people there, and Anders said to himself that
he would not let his brother mock him before them all, and again raised the bid. Baard
burst out laughing.
"One hundred dollars and my brotherhood into the bargain,: he said, as he turned on his
heel, and left the room.
A little later, as he stood saddling the horse he had just bought at the auction, a man
came out to him.
"The watch is yours; Anders gave in."
The instant he heard the news, there welled up in him a sense of remorse; he thought of
his brother and not of the watch. the saddle was ready in place but he paused, his hand
on his horse, uncertain whether to mount. Many people came out, Anders among them,
and when he saw his brother, with horse saddled, ready to leave, he little knew what
Baard was turning over his mind.
"Thanks for the watch, Baard," he shouted over to him. "You shall never see the day
when your brother shall tread on your heels!"
"Nor you the day I shall darken your doors again!" Baard answered, his face pale as he
swung himself on his horse.
After that day neither of them ever set foot in the home where they lived with their
father.
Anders married into a crofter's family, not long afterwards, but he didn't invite Baard to
the wedding. Nor did Baard go the the church.The first year he was married, Anders lost
his only cow. It was found dead one morning on the north side of the house, where it
had been tethered, and no one could explain what it had died of. Other misfortunes
befell him, and he fared from bad to worse. But the heaviest blow came when his hayloft
and all it contained burned down one night in the dead winter. No one knew how the fire
had started.
"This has been done by someone who wishes me ill," Anders said, and all that night he
wept. He became a poor man, andhe lost his inclination to work.
The evening after the fire, Baard appeared at his brother's house. Anders lay on the bed
but sprang up as Baard entered.
"What do you want here?" he asked, then stopped short, and stood staring fixedly at his
brother.
Baard waited a little before he answered.
"I want to help you, Anders; You're in a bad way."
"I'm facing no worse than you wished me to face! Go-else I'm not sure I can master
myself."
"You're mistaken, Anders; I regret-"
"Go Baard, or God have mercy on us both."
Baard drew back a step.
"If you want the watch," he said intrembling voice, "you can have it."
"Go, Baard!" shreiked his brother, and Baard, unwilling to stay any longer, left.
In the meanwhile Baard fared thus. As soon as he heard of his brother's misfortune, he
had suffered a change of heart, but pride held him back. He felt the urged to go to
church, and there he vowed many good resolve, but he lacked the strength to carry
them out. He frequently went so far that he could see the house, but either someone
was just coming out, or there were strangers there, or Anders stood chopping wood
outside-there was always somthing in the way.
But one Sunday, late in the winter he again went to church, and that Sunday, Anders
too was there. Baard saw him. He had grown pale and thin, and he wore the same
clothes he had worn whenthe brothers were together, although they were now old and
patched. All throughout the service, Anders looked steadily at the minister. To Baard it
seemed that he was kind and gentle, andhe recalled their childhood days, and what a
good boy Anders had been. That day Baard even went to communion, and made a
solemn vow to God that he would make up with his brother, come what might. THis
resolution swept through his soul as he drunk the wine, and when he arose he felt an
impulse to go over and take a seat beside him, but there was someone in the way, and
Anders did not look up. After the service there was still something in the way; there
were too many people about; Anders' wife was with him, and he did not know. He
decided it would be better to seek Anders in his home and have a quiet talk with him.
When evening came, he set out. He went right up to the door. Then he paused, as he
stood there listening, he heard his name mentioned; it was the wife speaking.
"He went to communion this morning," she was saying. "I am sure he was thinking of
you."
"No, it wasn't of me he was thinking," Anders replied, "I know him, he thinks only of
himself."
For a long time, nothing was said, and Baard sweating, as he stood there, although it
was a cold night. The wife inside was busy with a kettle; the fire on the hearth crackled
and hissed; a child cried now and then, and Anders rocked it. At the length, the wife
spoke again.
"I believe you are both thinking of each other though you won't admit it."
"Let us talk of something else," Anders answered.
After a little he got up to go out. Baard had to hide in the woodshed; but then Anders ,
too, came to the shed to get an armful of wood. From where he stood in the corner
Baard could see him clearly. He had taken off his threadbare Sunday clothes, and put
on his uniform, just like Baard's own. These they had promised each other never to
wear, but to pass on as heirlooms to their children. Anders' was now patched and worn
out, so that his strong, well built frame seemed bundled in rags, while at the same time
Baard could hear the gold watch ticking in his own pocket. Anders went over to the
brushwood, but instead of bending down immediately to gather up his load, he leaned
back against a pile of wood,a nd looked up at the sky glimmering brightly with stars.
then he sighed heavily and muttered to himself, "Well-well-well-oh Lord, oh, Lord!"
AS long as he lived, Baard never forgot those words. He wanted to step forward then,
but the brother coughed, and it seemed so difficult. No more was needed to hild him
back. Anders took his armful of fagots, and as he went out, brushed past Baard so close
that twigs struck him in the face.
For fully ten minutes more he stood rooted to the spot, and it is doubtful how much
longer he might have stayed, had not a chill, on top of the emotional stress, seized him,
and set him shivering through and through. then he went out. He frankly confessed to
himself that he was too cowardly to enter now; therefore he conceived another
plan.From an ash barrel, which stood in the corner he had just left, he selected some
bits of charcoal, found a pitch pine splinter, went up into the hayloft, closed the door and
struck a light. When he had lit the torch, he searched about for the peg on which Anders
hung his lantern when he came out early in the morning to thresh. Baard then took his
gold watch and hung it on the peg; put out his light, and left. He felt so relieved in his
mind that he raced over the snow like a youngster.
The day following he heard that the hayloft had burned down during the night.
Presumably sparks had flown from the torch he had used while hanging up the watch.
This so overwhelmed Baard that all day he kept to himself as though he were ill,
brought out his hymnbook, and sang until the people in the house thought something
was wrong with him. but in the evening, he went out. It was bright moonlight. He went
over to his brother's place, dug around in the charred ruins of fires, and found, sure
enough, a little lump of melted gold--all that remained of the watch.
It was with this in his hand that he had gone in to his brother, anxious to explain
everything; and to sue for peace. But how he fared that evening has already been told.
A little girl had seen him digging in the ashes; some boys, on their way to a dance, had
observed him go down toward his brother's the SUnday evening in question; and the
people where he lived explained how strangely he acted on the Monday following. In as
much as every one knew that he and his brother were bitter enemiees, these details
were reported tothe authorities and an inquiry instituted. No one could prove anything
against him, yet suspicion hovered aroundhim. he could now less than ever approach
his brother.
Anders had thought of Baard when the hayloft burned, but had said nothing. WHen he
had seen him enter his house, the following evening, pale and strange, he had forthwith
thought: He is smitten with remorse, buut for such a terrible outrage against his brother
there can br no forgiveness. Since then he heard how people had seen Baard go down
towards his home the evening of the fire, and although nothing was brought to light at
the inquiry, he felt convinced that his brother was the guilty one.
They met at the hearing,Baard in his good clothes, Anders, in his worn-out rags. Baard
looked at his brother as he entered, and Anders was conscious, in his inmost heart, of
an anxious pleading in his eyes. He doesn't want me to say anything, thought Anders
and when he was asked whether he suspected his brother of the deed he answered
loudly and decisively, "No!"
Anders took to drinking heavily after that day, and it was not long before he was in a
bad way. Even worse, however, fared Baard, although he did not drink; he was so
changed that people hardly knew him.
Then late one evening, a roor woman entered the little room Baard rented and asked
him to come with her. He recognized her-it was his brother's wife. Baard understood at
once what the errand was, turned deathly pale, dressed himself, and followed her
without a word. A pale glimmer shone from Andre's window now flickering, now
vanishing, and this light they followed, for there was no path across the snow. When
Baard again stood in the doorway, he was met with a strange odor which almost made
him ill. They went in. A little child was eatimg charcoal over by the hearth, its face all
black, but it looked up and laughed and showed its white teeth. It was his brother's
child.
Over on the bed,with all sorts of clothes over him, lay Anders, pale, emaciated, his
forehead high and smooth, and he stared at his brother with hollow eyes. Baard's knees
trembled. He sat down at the foot of the bed and burst into uncontrollable weeping. The
sick man looked at him intently and said nothing. At length he asked his wife to go out,
but Baard motioned for her to remain. And then the two brothers bagan to talk to each
other. They explained everything, from the day they bid for the watch down through the
years to this day when they finally met again. Baard ended by taking out the the lump of
gold, which he always carried about him, and came to light, in the course of their talk
that never for one single day in all these years had they been really happy.
Anders did not say much, for he had little strength but Baard watched by the bedside
as long as Anders was ill.
"Now, I am perfectly well," Anders said one morning, on awakening. "Now, brother, we
shall live together always, just as in the old days, and never leave each other."
But that day he died.
Baard took home with him, the widow and the child and they were henceforth well taken
care of. But what the brothers had talked of at the bedside came out through the walls
and the night, and became generally knoen to all the people in the valley. Baard grew to
be the most highly respected man among them. They all honored him as one who had a
great sorrow and had found peace again, or as one who had returned after a long
absence. And Baard grew in strength of mind by reason of all their friendliness. He
became a godly man, and wishing to be of some use, as he said, the old corporal
turned schoolmaster. What he impressed upon the children, first and last, was love, and
he practiced it till the children came to love him as playmate and a father.
Literary analysis involves examining all the parts of a novel, play, short story, or
poem—elements such as character, setting, tone, and imagery—and thinking about
how the author uses those elements to create certain effects.
The purpose of a literary analysis is to carefully examine and sometimes evaluate a

work of literature or an aspect of a work of literature. As with any analysis, this requires y
breaking the subject down into its component parts. Examining the different elements of
a piece of literature is not an end in itself but rather a process to help you better appreciate
and understand the work of literature as a whole. For instance, an analysis of a poem
might deal with the different types of images in a poem or with the relationship between
the form and content of the work. If you were to analyze (discuss and explain) a play, you
might analyze the relationship between a subplot and the main plot, or you might analyze
the character flaw of the tragic hero by tracing how it is revealed through the acts of the
play. Analyzing a short story might include identifying a particular theme (like the difficulty
of making the transition from adolescence to adulthood) and showing how the writer
suggests that theme through the point of view from which the story is told; or you might
also explain how the main character’s attitude toward women is revealed through his
dialogue and/or actions.
5. Activities
Activity 1: Pretend that you are God, write a letter to Lencho
Activity 2. What particular differences can you see in the
attitudes of the two brothers? Find the symbol that destroys but unites the two brothers
Activity 3:SLP
6. Evaluation (quiz) Preliminary examinations
7.Assignment
1. Characterize Lencho. Describe his state/ predicament

2. Read, understand, apply literary criticism and analyze the following:
The Soldier – India
The Guest (Albert Camus)
The Last Leaf by O. Henry
A Rose for Emily
The Necklace/ A Piece of String by Guy de Maupassant
3. Have an advance reading on Poetry of the World
4. Draw lines from TROY
5. Determine the elements of Poetry
Prepared by:
Milynor Mejia Acibo, PhD

World Literature Syllabus

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World Literature Syllabus

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Subject Code : GCAS 14

Subject Title: World Literature

Semester, School Year : Second Semester 2022-2023

I. Major Topic : Orientation/ Introduction to the Course

A. Lesson 1: Orientation/ Introduction to Heritage of World Literature

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to :

a. Discuss the vision-mission and goals of Arellano university and

3.Presentation and Development of the Lesson

4.Generalization of the Lesson

According to Robert Frost, literature is a performance in words, comes from a Latin

Activity 2: Individual recitation on their genre chosen. (Sing,

6. Evaluation: Essay: Why is literature important in your studies?

B Lesson 2: Values of Literature; How to study Literature; Literature and Literary

1. Overview of Lesson 2-3:

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to :

a. Discuss clearly the values of literature

4. Presentation and Development of the Lesson

Literature has . . . if reading it . . .

entertainment value is an enjoyable way to pass the time.

entertainment value.Literature has entertainment value if reading it gives occasion to

philosophical value. Literature has philosophical value if reading it gives occasion to

Works of literature, at their best, provide a kind of blueprint of human society.

How to study Literature

5. Generalization of the Lesson

Activity 2:PPt Presentation

6. Evaluation. Group works. Find a literary composition that depicts/ reflects on

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to :

a. Study, analyze, and criticize early literary

3.Presentation and Development of the Lesson

The 14 Main Literary Genres

8. Bildungsroman. Bildungsroman is a literary genre of stories about a character

9. Speculative Fiction. Speculative fiction is a super genre that encompasses a

16. A Tall Tale is a humorous story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering

18. Mythology is a type of legend or traditional narrative. This is often based in

4.Generalization of the Lesson

7.Assignment: . Choose a country, then choose a genre ( film , novel, short

D. Lesson 5- 10: 12 LITERARY PIECES THAT INFLUENCED THE WORLD

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to :

a. Identify the 12 Literary Pieces that Influenced the World

LITERARY COMPOSITIONS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THE WORLD

 Isaiah was a prophet.

2. Koran : The Muslim Bible originating from Arabia.

Qur'ān is composed of Muhammad's revelations only and the period of the

Before the Mycenaeans arrived in the region, earlier "Greek" cultures

These Ancient (and even Classical) Greeks are best viewed as

The Mahabharata is an epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the

The Canterbury Tales (Middle English: Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection

The book and the plays it inspired helped popularize a number

The work is a complex narrative with many allusions to biblical stories,

The first canto of Inferno, is considered to be an introduction to the whole

8. El Cid Compeador : This shows the cultural characteristics of the Spaniards

La Chanson de Roland, or The Song of Roland, is the oldest surviving

Religion guided every aspect of Egyptian life. Egyptian religion was

As in much medieval European literature, the stories—fairy

Activity 2:PPT/ Discussion

E. Lesson 11: Story Analyses/ Applying literary criticism / interpretation/ appreciation

1. Overview of Lesson 11:

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to :

a. Interpret lines in a literary piece, going deeper into the human

3.Presentation and Development of the Lesson

A Letter to God (Spain)

“There’s no one who can help us!”

Brothers by Bjornstjerne Bjornson

4.Generalization of the Lesson