MAJOR PAINTING STYLES
Impressionism
1. Realism
➢ also known as naturalistic, in the sense that we paint it as it is. For an
instance, in nature, we paint without altering or distorting the shapes.
➢ It attempts to represent the subject matter truthfully.
➢ When you are a realist painter, you paint in a very precise, detailed, and
accurate representation of art. It follows the theory (formalism) wherein you
imitate reality as it is.
➢ It is a recurring trend in Christian art. Ex. Last supper
Nighthawks (1942) by Edward Hopper
It was inspired by a restaurant in New York City where 2 streets meet. One of the
best-known images of the 20th century. The painting depicts an all-night diner in
which 3 customers are lost in their thoughts.
Olimpia (1863) by Edouard Manet
➢ It was painted in 1863. During that time many people were painting what
they see in their everyday lives. They try to portray what they see in their
society.
➢ The painting caused outrage. The woman in the picture was a courtesan/
prostitute and the painting was far from the ideal woman back in the 18th
century.
➢ This painting depicts the body of a woman as a commodity which is very
apparent during the time of the painter.
2.
➢ It is a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based
artists.
➢ The characteristic of impressionism includes the use of small, thin yet visible
brush strokes, open composition, and emphasis on accurate depiction of
light and its changing qualities.
➢ Open composition means that the painting showcases a very vast
landscape. Somehow like a never-ending painting. The painting would run
off towards the edges of the painting. Accurate description of light in the
ordinary subject matter
➢ The impressionist movement is something that uses a unique and distinct
painting technique that where considered to be radical during the 19th
century. They avoid the use of black colors/ dark shades on their canvas.
➢ Impressionists received hostile criticisms from academics who envisioned fine
detail and historic scenes (realism).
➢ The main characteristic of paintings that followed this style is the use of
contrasting colors which create an impression of a very real sense of the
environmental conditions.
➢ The most famous painting technique of impressionists is the broken color
technique.
➢ A broken color technique where an artist will apply colors to a painting in
small strokes, but does not blend them so that they blend optically rather
than literally. The color is painted on a canvas using small short strokes versus
the normal method of carefully blending the tones and colors together.
Impression Sunrise (1872) by Claude Monet

The beach at Sainte-Adresse by Claude Monet
3. Post-Impressionism
➢ Paul Cezanne – father of post-impressionism
➢ This style is focused on abstract form and pattern. The image/subject is
altered from its natural state. Realism and impressionism it tries to portray a
subject in everyday situations or in its real sense. However,
post-impressionism tries to portray an altered subject in its natural state.
➢ Images were distorted disregarding the natural colors. It took place as a
reaction to the impressionism movement. It focuses on the colors and the
altered state of the subject. It emphasized abstract qualities or symbolic
content of art.
➢ Van Gogh, George Seurat, Paul Gauguin
Starry Night (1889) by Van Gogh
4. Fauvism
➢ Fauvism translates to mean “wild beasts”. It is the first important art
movement of the 1900s. The leader was Henri Matisse. Fauves are what they
call people who follow fauvism.
➢ The Fauves tried to paint pictures of comfort, joy, and pleasure. The use of
exaggerated colors (use of extremely bright colors) is what differentiates this
from other painting styles. Their emphasis is on painterly qualities and strong
colors over representational/ realistic values. Fauvism does not portray
subjects in a very realistic way.
➢ Fauves greatly influenced many later artists. It uses strong colors rather than
realistic values. This painting style only lasted for 4 years (1904-1908).
➢ The characteristic of fauvism are as follows: bold colors, textured brush
works, and non-naturalistic depictions. The Fauves paid particular attention
to capturing the emotion of their subjects.
➢ They often paint portraits, landscapes, and nudes. The Fauves enhance the
colors and tones of the natural world while closely observing scientific color
theories that had been developed in the previous century.
➢ There was widespread outrage because the use of vibrant and natural
colors shocked the public and critics. Fauvism earned its place as one of the
first avant-garde art movements of the 20th century.
Woman with a hat (1905) by Henri Matisse
5. Expressionism
➢ It is a modernist movement (initially in poetry and painting) that originated in
Germany in the 20th century.
➢ This is an artistic style where an artist tries to represent the world solely from a
subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect. An
expressionist tries to convey meaning rather than physical reality.
➢ This is also the emotional expression of sadness, violence, and chaos. They
channel intense genuine emotions through their artworks. They try to depict
the world as it felt rather than how it looked. They try to reinvigorate art with
authenticity and expressive force.
➢ Expressionists try to employ artificial color palettes, energetic brush strokes, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) Pablo Picasso
and exaggerated texture in their works. If one may try to put all the
characteristics together, this culminates in avant-garde paintings that favor 7. Dadaism
the subjective over the true-to-life to reveal a glimpse into the psyche of the ➢ It is also a protest movement and was born out of a negative reaction to the
artist. horrors of World War 1. Most painting styles are protest movements because
➢ Navigating the emotions of the artists through his/her work. they are trying to challenge the traditional and conventional way of making
art.
➢ The name “dada” came from a french word meaning “hobby horse”. This
name was chosen because it was considered nonsense. The dadaist
reacted to the outdated tradition in art as well as the different outrageous
happenings in society. It was begun by a group of artists and poets.
➢ They rejected reason and logic, prizing nonsense, irrationality, and intuition
and they rejected the prevailing standards in art through anti-art cultural
works. Also said to be anti-war politics, anti-bourgeois, and radical left.
➢ Dada is an artistic and literary movement it began in Switzerland and aims
The Scream(1893) by Edvard Munch- emotions > reality; the painting depicts his
to stop the war and to vent frustrations with the nationalist and bourgeois
panic attacks/ existential crisis
movements. It is a direct antecedent of the Conceptual art movement.
Anxiety (1894) by Edvard Munch- emotions > reality; it depicts his feelings.
➢ The focus of the artist was not really on crafting aesthetically pleasing
objects but rather making works that often would challenge the bourgeois
6. Cubism
and would generate difficult questions about society.
➢ early 20th-century art movement, easily recognizable. It is pioneered by
George Braque & Pablo Picasso. This revolutionized European painting and
sculpture because it goes beyond the traditional and conventional way of
painting. They followed the shapes in geometry and it is the most influential
art movement of the 20th century.
➢ It takes the abstract form through the use of geometric shapes such as
cones, cylinders, spheres, and other regular shapes at the expense of other
pictorial elements.
Mona Lisa (1517) Marcel Duchamp
The people believe that this painting followed the traditional and conventional
way and so Duchamp tried to transform a cheap postcard of the Mona Lisa he
even wrote “L H O O Q” and if these letters were pronounced by a native
french speaker it would sound as “hot ass” in English. He tried to offend people
by challenging artistic values and creativity.
Fountain (1917) Marcel Duchamp (known for dadaism)
8. Surrealism
➢ It is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s and the word
“surrealism” is invented/made up and means “super-realism/super-reality.” It
was born out of Dadaism. The surrealist was inspired to follow in the footsteps
of the dadaist. They make use of art as a weapon against the evil and
restrictions they see in society.
➢ The aim was to resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and
reality and to reveal a new and higher reality than that of daily life. They
want to go beyond what is seen in the natural world.
➢ They try to make illogical scenes with photographic precision, strange
creatures from everyday subjects/objects, and expressions of the
unconscious. It aims to revolutionize the human experience because it
balances a rational vision of life with one that asserts the power of the
unconscious and dreams.
➢ The artist finds magic and strangeness in the unexpected and
unconventional. The core of their work is their willingness to challenge the
imposed values and norms and a search for freedom. They also have drawn
inspiration from mysticism (mystical creatures, Asian cultures, and indigenous
art and knowledge as a way of imagining alternative realities)
➢ The most important center: Paris
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
9. Abstractionism
➢ Abstract means to move away or to separate. When an artist uses this style
that artist tries to move away from showing things as they are. It is used
when the artist becomes so interested in one phase of a scene or a situation
that he does not show the subject at all but only his idea or feelings about it.
➢ Most often, the painting is not realistic meaning it’s not something that one
sees in their everyday lives. Abstractionism tries to focus on one
face/scene/situation that you do not show the subject at all but only your
idea/feelings about it.
● Distortion- is when the artist paints the subject, not in its regular shape or
nature but rather it is twisted.
● Elongation- when an artist lengthens the subject.
● Mangling- when one cuts/lacerates/mutilate the subject.
10. Pop Art
➢ It is from media and popular culture and was considered to be a major shift
in the direction of modernism. The pop art movement aimed to blur the
boundaries between high art and low culture. The assumption was that art is
something luxurious and this movement aimed to blur that line.
➢ It was a descendant of Dadaism. Pop art began as a form of academic
inquiry. Independent group is called to those people who pioneered the
pop art movement. They are committed develop a broad-based
understanding of culture from its supposedly high forms to its popular ones.
➢ It is described as vulgar, sensational, non-aesthetic, and a joke. They saw
this art as something democratic and non-discriminatory because it brought
together both the connoisseurs and untrained viewers.
➢ They felt that the art exhibited in museums or even taught in schools did not
represent the real world. For instance, they tried to represent the subject as it
is but they do not represent the real world. They try to look to contemporary
mass cultures for inspiration instead. Pop art was often heralded as anti-art
for refusing to abide by contemporary art standards.
➢ It uses images of popular culture. One can identify pop art by its use of
popular consumer symbols, those household objects such as coca cola,
and Marilyn Monroe. Artists paint images that anybody walking down could
recognize in a split second. Bold colors particularly primary colors.
➢ The colors were usually bright and similar to a typical comic strip palette. It
started in Britain and the US during the mid-to-late 1950s and often takes
imagery that is currently used in advertising
SCULPTURE
➢ This came from the Latin word “sculpere” which means to cut or remove
pieces with a stone. It is a three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or
combining hard and plastic materials, stone, metal, glass, or wood.
➢ They also model and shape these different mediums to form a new object. It
is a type of art that is most recognizable to people. They are aware of
sculptures, especially Filipinos.
➢ This form of art that we can touch, see, and climb. Some scholars say that
sculptures are not only a form of visual art but also aesthetic art because
they could be decorative.
➢ Example: Statue of Liberty in New York City (the most famous sculpture in the
world), The Pietta (A renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo) in Vatican City,
and the UP Oblation Statue (created by Guillermo Tolentino that serves as
an iconic symbol of UP); It depicts a man facing upwards with arms
outstretched symbolizing the selfless offering of oneself to one’s country.
HISTORY
Prehistoric
➢ Like painting, the history of sculpture can be dated back to prehistoric times.
During these times, most of the sculptures were made from materials that
are present in nature such as stones, clay, and bones.
➢ One of the iconic sculptures during this period was The Venus of Willendorf
which was found in Austria. It is a small figurine about the size of 4 inches
that is carved out of limestone. Because of the exaggerated anatomy of this
sculpture, they say that this could have been used as a fertility symbol.
➢ The purpose of sculpture in the prehistoric period is still unclear. Some say
that our ancestors made sculptures for social and spiritual purposes.
Ancient Egypt
➢ Sculptors created images out of wood, clay, and other materials. Most of
their works were sculptures of the deceased and pharaohs.
➢ One of the most famous works would be the Great Sphinx. A sphinx is a
mythological creature; it has a body of a lion and a head of a human.
Articles and books would say that little has been known about who made
this sphinx and its representation.
➢ During this period, most of their works revolved around the deceased and
pharaohs.
Ancient Greek
➢ Early greeks followed the Egyptian format and there is little distinction
between the sacred and the secular. The Greek Gods were taught to have
human forms; thus, the human forms were considered to be the most
important subject in greek art.
➢ They carved stiff and blocky figures from stones meaning they were
concerned with poise, proportion, and idealized perfection.
➢ It was not until the Classical Period (sculptors started to make more realistic
sculptures) that sculptors began to break away from these rigid modes of
portraiture into more realistic and natural ones.
➢ During the early classical period, they started to use marble or bronze
(favored mediums), and the subject matter became less restricted to Gods
and nobles.
Ancient Romans
➢ They considered sculpture to be the highest form of art. Scholars would say
that Romans follow the style of the Greeks particularly their realistic style of
sculpture during the Ancient greek.
➢ The difference between both periods was although their works were
realistic, they focus more on idealism meaning that the sculptures were not
only lifelike but also visually perfect (Greeks) However, they focus on Verism
(an attempt to create images that exactly reflected the subject)
➢ Focus on reflecting the images exactly as it is, for instance, they would paint
an old person, they would put any feature that would make the person
exactly as it is (wrinkles, blemishes, etc.)
The Rise of Christianity
Sculptures was made to honor the Gods, and funerary items, display the
perfection of the nude body, and political propaganda. They showed the
greatness of the emperors and pharaohs.
The rise of Christianity paved the way for the early medieval period. During the
early medieval period, they illustrated (in the form of sculptures) biblical stories
because they believe that not all people were literate.
Renaissance Period
➢ This period is considered to be the age of rebirth. During this period, artists
started becoming more interested not in biblical narratives but rather in
reviving Classical works of art from ancient Rome and Greece, focusing
more on classical myths than Biblical narratives.
➢ Sculptors are into an eclectic study of humanities which means that they
would not only focus on classical myths but also on science, astronomy, and
mathematics. The eclectic study would also portray their subjects.
➢ The invention of the printing press also propagated these ideas and artists
began to show more interest in the scientific approach to reality.
19th and 20th centuries
➢ In this period, the art world was going through a massive shift. Painters and
sculptors turned towards impressionism. Instead of focusing on perfect
anatomy, details, and storytelling, artists paid more attention to personal
expression, stylization, and interest in surface texture.
➢ Personal expression and stylization took greater importance in creating a
truer rendition of reality. The art world reflected the rapid changes brought
about by the industrial revolution.
Modernism
➢ A lot of different movements happened in sculpture: Cubism, Dadaism,
Surrealism, Pop art, minimalism, and futurism. They started to employ a
variety of unlikely objects which would include the use of random objects
such as cardboard, plywood, tree branches, seeds, and others.
➢ There is a shift in the medium of usage of different things to portray a work of
art. Those happenings shaped the way by which sculptors do their works of
art. Sculptors use techniques that were developed over time as well as
elements of popular culture. More globally influenced because of cultural
backgrounds and technological advancements.
Additional information:
➢ In the Philippines, the sculpture started when people began to worship
statues/ anino. Sculptures were often used as religious items like saints. It is
considered to be one of the oldest art forms and the most famous art form
for Filipinos. Sculpting is an indigenous art that is embedded in our local
culture.
➢ The various carved art forms are part of our daily lives and traditions of our
ethnolinguistic groups such as the Anito and the bulul in Cordillera. It is
embedded in our culture before colonization; however, when we became
Christianized, these ethnolinguistic images are replaced with the images of
Christ.
MEDIUM
1. Stone- can be carved, drilled, or polished.
2. Wood- can be bent, and molded. Disadvantage: Dimensional instability
3. Metals
4. Bronze
5. Wax
6. Terracotta
7. Resin
TECHNIQUES
Subtractive process- This is when a material is removed/carved until the desired
form is visible.
Additive process- The material is added part by part until the form is completed.
1. Modeling (Additive)
It is created when a soft or malleable material is built using an armature and
then shaped to create a form. The artist’s hands are the main tools, although
metal and wood implements are often employed in shaping that material. One
of the advantages of modeling is that corrections are possible.
2. Carving (Subtractive)
Involves cutting or chipping away a shape from a mass of stone, wood, or other
hard material. Carving is when the material is systematically eliminated from the
outside. The material removed is the non-essential material to form an image
from a block of marble, stone, or wood. It is hard to correct this technique.
3. Casting (Additive)
Sculptures that are cast are made from a material that is melted down—usually,
a metal—that is then poured into a mold. The mold is allowed to cool thereby
hardening the metal usually bronze. One of the advantages of casting is
duplication. Additionally, the images are very alike.
4. Assembling (Additive)
➢ In the 20th century, a new way of making sculpture emerged with the cubist
constructions of Picasso. These are still-life subjects made from scrap or
found materials that are glued together. Sculptors gather and put together
different materials to create an assembled picture.
➢ Artists have used a technique that includes bending, stitching, folding,
welding, weaving, and balancing to construct sculptures from a wide
variety of materials.
Types of Sculptures
1. FREE-STANDING
➢ Surrounded on all sides, except the base, by space and can be viewed
from any angle around the pedestal.
➢ Also known as sculpture in the round. The free-standing sculpture is the type
of sculpture that is most recognizable to people.
➢ As the name implies it can stand alone and can be viewed from any angle.
When we say it can stand alone this means that it does not need any
surface or it is not attached to the surface.
Monument- commemorates the history of a certain place.
Statue- image with an inscription.
➢ All statues and monuments are sculptures, but not all sculptures are statues
and monuments.
➢ David by Michelangelo is an example of a free-standing sculpture.
2. RELIEF
A sculptured artwork in which figures are either carved into a level plane or the
plane is removed to create images and it is sculpted on its surface without
completely disconnecting them from the plane.
The figures are carved in such a way that they project only a little from the
background, it’s not free-standing, but typically has a background from which
the main elements of the composition rise.
Types of Relief
A. bas-relief (low-relief)
The sculpture is raised only slightly from the background surface. A type of relief
sculpture that projects very slightly or shallowly. Ex: Coins (slightly protruding from
the background)
B. alto-relievo (high-relief)
The sculpture is rendered in three dimensions. It is a form of sculpture in which
carved figures are projected from the background, it is as if they are
free-standing; however, they are still attached to their background. Ex: Mount
Rushmore.
C. intaglio (sunken-relief)
The image is carved into the surface material. The figures never rise beyond the
original flat surface.
3. SOUND SCULPTURE
It is a contemporary art that generates sound in a unique way. They were
designed in such a way that they will produce sound if they are activated by
wind/hand. Ex: Singing Ringing Tree (Panopticons) located in England.
Wind-powered sculpture (2006).
4. KINETIC SCULPTURE
Sculpture in which movement (as of a motor-driven part or a changing
electronic image) is a basic element. It involves an aspect of physical motion or
kineticism. The movement is made possible by air, water, magnetism, and by
the participation of the spectator. Ex: Lyman Whitaker’s Kinetic wind sculpture.
(stainless steel)
5. SCULPTURAL ASSEMBLAGE
Several forms of found objects are put together through a single method of
attachment. It follows assembling (additive process).
6. EARTHWORK SCULPTURES
Also known as land art, earthwork sculptures are works that are done in the
ground or using various types of naturally- occurring rocks or wood. This date
back thousands of years ago wherein a certain culture in Northern Europe and
South America used this method to create giant walrus that can be seen from
an aerial viewpoint.
Older earthwork sculpture would often involve creating works that held a
likeness to certain animals and humans while others revolve around distinct
shapes and patterns.
Many native American cultures throughout the world would use rocks or mounts
of dirt and clay to create a massive structure that held a spiritual meaning.
However, for modern artists, they create massive structures that would
celebrate the earth’s natural beauty.
LITERATURE
➢ Literature came from the Latin word “litera” which means an acquaintance
with letters. It is a body of work either written, oral, or visual It portrays
emotions, experiences of humans, and human conditions. It is considered to
be a product of life and about life; hence, it is a creation of human
experiences that would tell about people and their world. An art that uses
language as a medium.
➢ “springs from our inborn love of telling a story, of arranging words in pleasing
patterns, of expression in words some special aspects of human
experiences” Literature was born out of our innate love to tell stories from
arranging words.
➢ “it gives us four R’s: Recreation, Recognition, Revelation, and Redemption”
➢ “permanent expression in words of some thoughts or feelings in ideas about
life and the world”
➢ Literature expresses thoughts and feelings, deals with life experiences, uses
words in a powerful, effective yet captivating manner, promotes recreation,
entertains us but could also reveal hidden facts.
➢ Imaginative reconstruction of life and since Literature is a form of art this
means imagination plays a vital role in the presentation of life in literature.
We get to have an intimate knowledge of the social forces from the study of
literature.
➢ This discipline is different from disciplines such as history and sociology. In
history, it just gives the bare facts so what you see is what you get. Sociology,
on the other hand, would give the external forces;
➢ However, literature, shows a different idea/perspective such that it tries to
unravel how men and women react to these forces and are molded by
them. How they react to the different happenings in their society or their
experiences.
➢ Literature gives a picture of common me and women suffering under the
impact of the physical environment and social forces of a particular time.
➢ For instance, in the novels of Jose Rizal, in his novels we can what happened
to the Philippines and how he wrote a certain novel based on his
experiences. What differentiates this from history is how the writer added his
perspective and his point of view.
MAJOR FORMS OF LITERATURE
IMAGINATIVE LITERATURE
➢ Imaginative literature is one’s fictional stories (from the word itself
‘imaginative’. This is the literature of power and would include poems, short
stories, novels, and plays.
➢ Imaginative literature shows human experiences that involve fictitious
people, incidents, and situations not actual accounts of truths but these are
coming from fantasy and imagination.
➢ Interprets human experience by presenting fictitious persons, incidents, or
situations, not by actual truths about particular events.
NON-FICTION
➢ Aka literature of knowledge and this would include biographies, and essays.
➢ Presents actual facts, events, experiences, and ideas.
MAJOR TYPES OF LITERATURE
There are 5 stages of the development of media. Oral communication is the first
stage of development before the script and printing press was invented.
Oral literature
➢ consists of the songs and stories, and other sayings, that people have heard
and listened to, sung and told, without any intervention of writing. Oral
literature existed before writing was invented. This includes ballads, myths
(traditional/legendary stories usually concerning some meaning, hero, or
event), jokes, folktales, and fables (feature animals that behave and speak
as humans).
Written literature
➢ This includes drama, novels, and poetry (can be spoken). Oral literature
could have a codification/ its script. There is no enclosure as to whether
these types of literature belong to oral or written because it can be done
orally, written, or both.
MAJOR CATEGORIES OF LITERATURE
Prose
➢ It came from the Latin word “prosa” which means straightforward. The
characteristics of prose include being highly precise, much shorter, and
using normal or ordinary language. They use language that is
straightforward and does not make use of figurative speeches.
➢ They follow a basic grammatical structure and are not particular about the
number of lines and stanzas. Without rhythmic or visual line structure. Short
stories, novels.
3 TYPES OF PROSE
1. Non-fictional prose
Prose that is based on factual happenings such as textbooks, newspaper
articles, and instruction manuals.
2. Fictional prose
Novels, short stories
3. Prose poetry
It uses prose form
Poetry
➢ Expresses strong emotion or lofty thought in compressed and intense
utterances. It is written in lines and stanzas instead of sentences and
paragraphs and it also incorporates more figurative languages/speeches. It
can claim an emphasis on imagination, emotions, and heartfelt ideas.
DIFFERENCE:
➢ The presence of prose poetry makes them different from each other. Prose
poetry is a poetry that is written in prose form. It combines the characteristics
of prose and poetry. For instance, even if it is not written in lines and stanzas,
it contains idiomatic elements.
➢ Another distinguishing feature of poetry is its use of sensory language such
that these are the use of words and descriptions that would appeal to our
senses (touch, sight, smell, sound, taste).
➢ Diction is not only the pronunciation of words but it also refers to the
selection of words. Whether it be prose or poetry, one must arrange the
words such that the viewer would find them appealing.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROSE FICTION
➢ Verisimilitude is the foremost characteristic of prose. This is the quality
whereby the story is presented in such a way that the events are realistic.
Even if it is a fictional story, the appearance is true or real. For instance, if it is
a fictional story about the 1900s, the way one describes the setting/
particular period is realistic and believable.
➢ Time and space are very important in prose fiction because every action in
which people are involved is concerned with the passage of time and
space.
★ Time can be chronological and/or functional
★ Chronological means it can be measured and quantified. For instance,
a certain character named John began to work at the age of 18, at
age 22 he left home, and at age 25 he married.
★ Functional pertains to the development of a character from 1 level of
the situation to another. For instance, when a character experiences
character development, that period would pertain to Functional time.
➢ Volume - the size of the work
★ short story - at least 2,000 words but under 7,500 words. (5-25 pages)
★ novelette - at least 7,500 words but under 17,500 words. (25-60 pages)
★ Novella - at least 17,500 words but under 50,000 words. (60-170 pages)
★ Novel - 50,000 words or more. (about 170+ pages)
➢ Atmosphere refers to the emotion that pervades the work. It is the
emotional feeling that one gets when one would read a particular work.
➢ Tone is closely related to the atmosphere; but, what differentiates it is where
it is coming from. It's the writers' attitude towards the theme that is explored.
It is elicited in the narration without the writer pointing it out/ making a direct
comment.
Good writer: He or she is not directive such that he or she allows the reader
to have his perspectives on stories. The tone could be of contempt, ridicule,
or condemnation.
Main ingredients of literature:
➢ Subject is all about a person, place, thing, or idea that the writing/literature
is all about.
➢ Form refers to the structure; how it is constructed (fiction, nonfiction, poetry,
or prose)
➢ Point of View is the narrative voice of the story
A. First POV
B. Dramatic/Objective - story revealed through the dialogues between
characters
C. Omniscient – the voice is outside the work.
LITERARY STANDARDS
According to William J. Long, there are characteristics to determine whether a
work is literary or not.
1. Universality appeals to everyone regardless of the differences the society has.
Universality describes a piece of writing that appeals to the hearts and minds of
almost any reader. The appeal is considered universal due to its ability to cross
gender, racial, and cultural barriers, regardless of the time it’s written.
2. Artistry has an aesthetic appeal; possesses a sense of beauty. Artistry
describes literature that is aesthetically appealing and reveals or conveys
hidden truth and beauty. This type of literature appeals to broad audiences and
possesses a sense of beauty in the writing that could even feel poetic.
3. Intellectual Value stimulates critical thinking that enriches the mental
processes of abstract reasoning, making man realizes the fundamental truths of
life and its nature.
4. Suggestiveness unravels and conjures man’s emotional power to define
symbolism, implied meanings, messages, etc. The power of suggestion allows
the work to inspire and provoke thoughts and understanding beyond the actual
words written on the page.
5. Spiritual Value can elevate the spirit and soul; has the power to motivate and
inspire, drawn from the suggested morals or lessons of the different literary
genres.
➢ Literature with spiritual value lifts the inner spirit and soul and has the power
to motivate and inspire readers. It typically draws on the suggested lessons
and moral codes of society that are depicted in various literary genres.
6. Permanence endures across time and draws out the time factor: TIMELINESS,
occurring at a particular time, and TIMELESSNESS, remaining invariably
throughout time.
➢ Permanence is determined by a written work’s ability to stand the test of
time, which makes it impossible to determine at the moment of writing.
7. Style refers to the distinct way the author expresses his or her thoughts. Words
can be used in unique, creative, and entertaining ways that make the work
memorable. Style is another element that is subject to interpretation by readers
in terms of its appeal.
Elements of literature:
1. Emotional Appeal is attained when the reader is emotionally moved or
touched.
2. Intellectual Appeal adds knowledge or information (e.g. Noli me Tangere)
and reminds the reader of what he has forgotten
3. Humanistic Value is attained when the work makes the reader an improved
person with a better outlook in life and a clear understanding of one's inner self.
Uses of literature:
1. Moralizing refers to when literature can present moral values; moral values
can be directly or indirectly stated
2. Propaganda refers to when it can manipulate public opinion. These are false
exaggerated information that is used to influence the opinion of society.
3. Therapeutic- provides cathartic(providing psychological relief through the
open expression of strong emotions; causing catharsis.); could alleviate and
express feelings for writers and as for readers it is cathartic and a form of
entertainment.
Importance of literature:
1. It is a reflection of man’s experiences, innermost feelings, and thoughts.
2. We can learn the culture of people across time and space
3. We understand not just the past but also the present life/happenings.