Philippine Literature Module 1: Introduction to Literature 1

MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
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MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE

A. Definitions and Concepts of Literature
B. Importance of Literature
C. Literature and History
D. Critical Approaches to Literature
E. Genres of Literature
F. Forms of Literature

TIME ALLOTMENT: 10 Hours

I. OVERVIEW
This module will help you realize the importance of understanding literature to
every human being in relation to his or her own life, society, history, beliefs, culture,
tradition and values. This will also help you distinguish the general types, genres, and
forms of literature. Lastly, critical approaches to literature will also be tackled to help
you in the analysis of the various Philippine literary genres.

II. TARGETED COURSE OUTCOME

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
CLO2: Enhance oral and written communicative competencies by relating the
significance of literature to real life situations and by critiquing original literary masterpieces
that will enhance their soft skills through proper English, Filipino and other regional
languages in multilingual and multicultural contexts.

III. ASSESSMENT
A. Revisiting Prior Knowledge
B. Word Hunt Puzzle
C. Express yourself! /Essay
D. Read your mind! /Analysis of Literary Pieces

A. ENGAGE
Learning Activity 1. Revisiting Prior Knowledge.

Instructions. Recall your prior knowledge about literature and answer the
questions in the diagram as quick as you can. Limit your answer in 3-5 sentences only.
Write your answer inside each box. Be ready to share your answer to the class.
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B. EXPLORE
Learning Activity 2. Word Hunt Puzzle.

Instructions. Encircle 10 hidden words below and define each. Words appear
straight, back word, straight across, up and down, down and up, and diagonally. All words
should be related to literature. (2 points each)

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6.__________________________________________________________________________
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Read and Grasp…

INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE

A. Concepts and Definitions of Literature

Literature introduces us to new worlds of experience. We learn
about books and literature; we enjoy the comedies and the tragedies of
poems, stories, and plays; and we may even grow and evolve through our
literary journey with books.
According to Perez (2015), literature, a common term
and concept in our vocabulary, seems to defy any simplistic,
single-sentence definition through the years. It remains to be so
even up to the present, and whether or not such a definition can
really be phrased to everybody’s occurrence, only time can tell.
Doubtlessly, however, literature has fascinated and continues to interest not
only the literary-inclined, but so those who may not, provided they are
properly introduced and initiated to art. Indeed, there should be no reason
why anybody should have any aversion to the art which, at close analysis, is
nothing but something that concerns her or him for as long as he breathes---
life. After all, “literature is life itself”, as a rather loose definition of it goes.
What is literature? Literature is derived from Latin word litera
which means letters, that deals with ideas, thoughts, and emotions of man,
thus, literature can be said as the story of man (Kahayon, 1998). Another origin
of literature is from a French phrase “belles-letters” which means beautiful
writing (Barugo, et al, 2004). Hence, it is a faithful reproduction of man’s
manifold experiences blended into one harmonious expression.
Broadly speaking, "literature" is used to describe anything from
creative writing to more technical or scientific works, but the term is most
commonly used to refer to works of the creative imagination, including works
of poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction.
Ang (2006) describes literature as man’s life story including
struggles, ideas, failures, sacrifices, and happiness (Ang, 2006). Literature
represents a language or a people: culture and tradition. But, literature is more
important than just a historical or cultural artifact. Literature introduces us to
new worlds of experience.
Literature is an interpretation of life. The writer of literature is not
only interested in facts, but also in the beauty of these facts. Deals with ideas,
thoughts and emotions of man. Man’s loves, grieves, thoughts, dreams, and
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aspirations coached in beautiful language is Literature.

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

B. Importance of Studying Literature

People read literature for information, for amusement, for higher
and keener pleasure, for cultural upliftment and for discovery of broader
dimensions in life( . Nuggets, 2004).
According to Gutierrez-Ang (2016), it is important to study
Philippine literature in order to appreciate our own literary heritage. Also, it is
for us to realize our literary limitations conditioned by certain historical factors
so we can take steps to overcome them. Moreover, Philippine literature helps
us to understand that we have a great and noble tradition which can serve as
means to assimilate other culture. Lastly, to show that as Filipinos who truly
love and take pride in our own culture, we have to manifest our deep concern
for our own literature and this we can by studying the literature of our country.

C. Literature and History

In order to know the history of a nation’s spirit, one must read its
literature. Hence it is, that to understand the real spirit of a nation, one must
“trace the little rills as they course along down the ages, broadening and
deepening into the great ocean of thought which men of the present source
are presently exploring.”
Literature and history are closely interrelated. In discovering the
history of a race, the feelings, aspirations, customs and traditions of a people
are sure to be included . . . and these feelings, aspirations, customs and
traditions that are written is literature. History can also be written and this too,
is literature. Events that can be written down are part of true literature.
Literature, therefore, is part of history. Literature and history, however, also
have differences. Literature may be figments of the imagination or events
devoid of truth that have been written down, while history is made up of
events that really happened.
Real events were recounted as stories to teach the younger
generation wisdom or lessons about their origins. These stories sometimes
stretched the truth to entertain the audience or make them reflect further. The
main difference between history and literature is the purpose of each: History
intends to record events as accurately as possible, while literature interprets
historical or everyday events in an imaginative way.

D.Critical Approaches to Literature

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Ultimately, we may discover meaning in literature by looking at

what the author says and how he/she says it. We may interpret the author's
message. In academic circles, this decoding of the text is often carried out
through the use of literary theory, using a mythological, sociological,
psychological, historical, or other approach.
According to Kaskon et al (2009), critical approaches to literature
reveal how or why a particular work is constructed and what its social and
cultural implications are. Understanding critical perspectives will help you to see
and appreciate a literary work as a multilayered construct of meaning. Reading
literary criticism will inspire you to reread, rethink, and respond. Soon you will
be a full participant in an endless and enriching conversation about literature.

1. Reader-Response—Focuses on the reader (or "audience") and his or her

experience of a literary work, in contrast to other schools and theories that
focus attention primarily on the author or the content and form of the work.
2. Feminist Criticism—Focuses on female representation in literature, paying
attention to female points of view, concerns, and values. Three underlying
assumptions in this approach are: Western Society is pervasively patriarchal,
male centered and controlled, and is organized in such a way as to
subordinate women; the concept of gender is socially constructed, not
biologically determined; and that patriarchal ideology pervades those writings
which have been considered “great works of literature.”

3. Queer Theory—Combined area of gay and lesbian studies and criticism,

including studies of variations in biological sex, gender identity, and sexual
desires. Emphasis on dismantling the key binary oppositions of Western
culture: male/ female, heterosexual/ homosexual, etc. by which the first
category is assigned privilege, power, and centrality, while the second is
derogated, subordinated, and marginalized.

4. Marxist Criticism—Focuses on how literary works are products of the

economic and ideological determinants specific to that era. Critics examine
the relationship of a literary product to the actual economic and social reality
of its time and place (Class stratification, class relations, and dominant
ideology).

5. Historical Criticism—Focuses on examining a text primarily in relation to the

historical and cultural conditions of its production, and also of its later critical
interpretations. Cultural materialism, a mode of NHC, argues that whatever
the “textuality” of history, a culture and its literary products are always
conditioned by the real material forces and relations of production in their
historical era.

6. Psychological Criticism—Focuses on a work of literature primarily as an

expression, in fictional form, of the state of mind and the structure of
personality of the individual author. In other words, a literary text is related to
its author’s mental and emotional traits. Furthest extension is Psychoanalytic
Criticism, emphasis on phallic symbols, wombs, breasts, etc. Theorists include
Lacan and Klein.
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7. New Criticism—The proper concern of literary criticism is not with the

external circumstances or effects or historical position of a work, but with a
detailed consideration of the work itself as an independent entity. Emphasis
on “the words on the page.” Study of poetry focuses on the “autonomy of the
work as existing for its own sake,” analysis of words, figures of speech, and
symbols. Distinctive procedure is close reading and attention to recurrent
images; these critics delight in “tension,” “irony,” and “paradox.” (Similar to
Formalism or Neo-Aristotelian)

8. Deconstruction—Focuses on the practice of reading a text in order to

“subvert” or “undermine” the assumption that the text can be interpreted
coherently to have a universal determinate meaning. Typically, deconstructive
readings closely examine the conflicting forces/meanings within the text in
order to show that the text has an indefinite array of possible
readings/significations.

9. Archetypal/Mythic Criticism—Focuses on recurrent narrative designs,

patterns of action, character types, or images which are said to be identifiable
in a wide variety of literary works, myths, dreams, and even ritualized
modes of behavior. Critics
tend to emphasize the mythical patterns in literature, such as the death-
rebirth theme and journey of the hero.

10. Cultural Criticism—This lens examines the text from the perspective of
cultural attitudes and often focuses on individuals within society who are
marginalized or face discrimination in some way. Cultural criticism may
consider race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexuality or other characteristics that
separate individuals in society and potentially lead to one feeling or being
treated as “less than” another. It suggests that being included or excluded
from the dominant culture changes the way one may view the text.

11. Modernism/Post-Modernism—Modernism is a rejection of traditional

forms of literature (chronological plots, continuous narratives, closed endings
etc.) in favor of experimental forms. They have nostalgia for the past that they
feel is lost so Modernist texts often include multiple allusions. Post-Modernists
follow the same principles but celebrate the new forms of fragmentation
rather than lamenting them.
• Look for ironies within a text
• Analyze fragmentation and a mixing of genres and forms
• Blurs the line between “high” literature (classics) and popular literature (NY
Times Bestsellers)

12. Mythological Criticism—This approach emphasizes “the recurrent universal

patterns underlying most literary works.” Combining the insights from
anthropology, psychology, history, and comparative religion, mythological
criticism “explores the artist’s common humanity by tracing how the individual
imagination uses myths and symbols common to different cultures and
epochs.” One key concept in mythological criticism is the archetype, “a
symbol, character, situation, or image that evokes a deep universal response,”
which entered literary criticism from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. According to
Jung, all individuals share a “‘collective unconscious,’ a set of primal memories
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common to the human race, existing below each person’s conscious mind”—
often deriving from primordial phenomena such as the sun, moon, fire, night,
and blood, archetypes according to Jung “trigger the collective unconscious.”
Another critic, Northrop Frye, defined archetypes in a more limited way as “a
symbol, usually an image, which recurs often enough in literature to be
recognizable as an element of one’s literary experience as a whole.”
Regardless of the definition of archetype they use, mythological critics tend to
view literary works in the broader context of works sharing a similar pattern.

13. Post-Colonialism Criticism—Post-colonialism literature is most commonly

written about countries that have been previously colonized. A post-colonial
lens would approach literature and look for what effects colonization has left
on a society or on individual characters. This criticism looks through literature
with the post-colonial theory. It shows history and the effects that colonization
can leave on a civilization even after they have gained independence. The
post-colonialism critical lens interprets the challenges and changes of a
previously colonized nation as the effects of colonization. The major important
symbols are oppression and power. There is an identity between the colonizer
and the colonized. The goal of the critical lens is to seek to understand the
behavior of characters or the society. It can be analyzed by the setting and the
actions or behaviors depicted by characters in literature can be attributed to
their country being previously colonized. Characters or society can feel torn
between the identities of their native culture and the culture of the colonizing
country. A reader needs to have a good grasp of historical knowledge in order
to fully apply the post colonialism lens to literature. A reader has to be aware
of the previous or current colonial status of any countries or societies that are
presented in a work of literature.

14. Moral/Ethical Criticism—The moral/intellectual critical approach is

concerned with content and values. The approach is as old as literature itself,
for literature is a traditional mode of imparting morality, philosophy, and
religion. The concern in moral/intellectual criticism is not only to discover
meaning but also to determine whether works of literature are both true and
significant. To study literature from the moral/intellectual perspective is
therefore to determine whether a work conveys a lesson or message and
whether it can help readers lead better lives and improve their understanding
of the world: What ideas does the work contain? How strongly does the
work bring forth its ideas? What application do the ideas have to the work’s
characters and situations? How may the ideas be evaluated intellectually?
Morally? Discussions based on such questions do not imply that literature is
primarily a medium of moral and intellectual exhortation. Ideally,
moral/intellectual criticism should differ from sermonizing to the degree that
readers should always be left with their own decisions about whether to
assimilate the ideas of a work and about whether the ideas—and values—are
personally or morally acceptable. Sophisticated critics have sometimes
demeaned the moral/intellectual approach on the grounds that “message
hunting” reduces a work’s artistic value by treating it like a sermon or political
speech; but the approach will be valuable as long as readers expect literature
to be applicable to their own lives.

For more on Literary Theory, check out the Purdue Online Writing Lab:
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http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/1/

C. EXPLAIN
Learning Activity 3. Express yourself!

Instructions: Answer the following questions as precise as you can. Be able

to share your thoughts in 5 to 8 sentence-paragraph. A rubric for scoring is
presented below.

1. Why is it significant for you to study Philippine Literature?

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2. Which among the genres and sub-genres appeal to you and why?
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Scoring Rubric. Your composition will be rated as follows:

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C. ELABORATE
Learning Activity 4. Read your mind!

Instructions: Look for a short story written by a famous Filipino

author/writer. Applying the concept of the various literary approaches, be
able to critique your chosen literary piece. Using the guide below, write your answer in
paragraph form following the format: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.
1. Give an overview of what the story is all about.
2. Describe the character traits of the characters in the story.
3. Relate the overall purpose of intent of the writer/author.
4. Discuss the relevance of the story to the present situations and the values
presented.
5. Explain the critical approaches or approaches you used in critiquing the story.

You will be rated based on the rubric below.

5 4 3 2 1
Content The main idea is clear and well-focused.
The supporting details are relevant to the main claim.
The characters’ traits are evidently described.
The overall purpose of the writer and the relevance of the
work to the present situation are clearly.
The critical approach or approaches used is/are applicable
and well-presented.
Organization Details are well organized.in logical order.
It has introduction, body, and conclusion.
Transitional devices are evidently used to show logical
order of ideas.
Grammar No errors in sentence structure and in grammar.
and
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Mechanics
No errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.