2 1 S T C E N T U R Y L I T E R A T U R E O F T H E Q U A R T E R 2

P H I L I P P I N E S A N D T H E W O R L D

PRESENTED BY:
G12: G1—EXCELLENCE
 ASIAN LITERATURE
Literature itself as defined by
the Dictionary, is a written For some might find it quite
work especially those odd and dull, but mostly they
considered of superior or find beauty in its disturbing
lasting artistic merit (Oxford nature. Because they often
Language, 2023). have this saying, “art and
literature is not real if it is not
disturbing.”
Do you also know that literature
itself is inspired by tradition, culture,
belief, and system of ideals? One of
which Asian Literature has.

Now, let me discuss the various

literature in Asia.
CHINESE LITERATURE
CHINESE LITERATURE
Chinese literature is among the
world's most imaginative and
intriguing. The clarity of the language
results in wonderfully realized
images, whether in poetry or prose,
and the topics are ageless, as with
all great writing.
CHINESE LITERATURE
Chinese revered literature and even
had a literary god named Wen
Chang, also known as Wendi or Wen
Ti, as what they believed (Mark,
2016).
CHINESE LITERATURE
As for this, Chinese also believed
that Wen Chang kept track of all the
writers in China and what they wrote
in order to reward and punish them
based on how skillfully or poorly they
used their abilities.
CHINESE LITERATURE
This god was formerly considered
to be a guy named Zhang Ya, a
brilliant writer who drowned
himself after being disappointed
and was deified.
CHINESE LITERATURE
1. Jiaguwen (1600 - 1000 BCE),
which later on become Dazhuan
(1000 - 700 BCE)
2. Lishu (500 BCE) where it is also
called Clerky Script
—Kaishu, Xingshu, and Caoshu,
•The earliest written works in China are
ghost stories and myths.
•The Chinese were especially
concerned with ghosts because the
appearance of someone who had died
meant that the living had somehow
failed them.
•Ghost stories served to emphasize
important cultural values such as the
proper treatment of the dead and
honoring one's fellow citizens.
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
The diversity and richness of Philippine
literature evolved side by side with the
country’s history. This can best be appreciated
in the context of the country’s pre-colonial
cultural traditions and the socio-political
histories of its colonial and contemporary
traditions (Godinez-Ortega C., 2015).
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
Pre-Colonial

GADDANG
—a type of riddle that verge on
the obscene or sex-related;
"Gongonan nu usin y amam
Maggirawa pay sila y inam."
(Campana) Scream.
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
Post- Colonial

Forced literature
—written due to lack of freedom
to speak.
—traditionally, these forces
have been referred to as the
protagonist and the antagonist.
INDIAN LITERATURE
 INDIAN LITERATURE
one of the most ancient of literature has
been exemplary for rest of the world
(History of Indian Literature, Regional
Indian Literature, 2023). You may not
know but in ancient times of India, the
literary work used to be imparted orally.
 INDIAN LITERATURE
The first ever ancient Indian literature was
Sanskrit literature comprising of Rig Veda,
the Ramayana and Mahabharata which were
written in first millennium BCE. Then
developed, Kannada and Telugu Literature
in the medieval era. They were followed by
Marathi, Bengali and Urdu literature.
 INDIAN LITERATURE
The first ever ancient Indian literature was
Sanskrit literature comprising of Rig Veda,
the Ramayana and Mahabharata which were
written in first millennium BCE. Then
developed, Kannada and Telugu Literature
in the medieval era. They were followed by
Marathi, Bengali and Urdu literature.
 INDIAN LITERATURE
The first ever literary scripts produced in
ancient India were the Vedas, that are
based on Hinduism. They include - the
Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samveda and
the Atharvaveda. They comprise of verses
written in Sanskrit or Mantras.
INDIAN LITERATURE
IN VARIOUS INDIAN
LANGUAGE
Later in medieval period, the Indian
literature got new dimensions in various
other Indian languages like Assamese,
Bengali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Kannada,
Konkani, Malayali, Manipuri, Marathi, Mizo,
Oriya, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Tamil, Telugu
and Urdu.
 BENGALI LITERATURE
Bengali literature is majorly known for the
works by Rabindranath Tagore who was
awarded the Noble Prize for Literature for
Geetanjali. It was Rabindranath Tagore
only who had composed the revered
national anthem of India, Jana Gana Mana.
 GUJATARI LITERATURE
During 1915-1945, Gujarat Vidaypith and
Gandhi were the main centres of all literary
activities and where every day a new
thought and new philosophy would arise. It
was during this period that Umashankar
Joshi also rose to fame and received
Jnanpith award in 1967 for his poem Nishith.
 MANIPURI LITERATURE
The Manipuri literature that existed thousands of
years ago, is known for the great works of
writers and poets not only from Manipur, but also
from Tripura, Assam, Mayanmar and Bagladesh.
Manipuri Literature also known as Meetei
Literature has come a long way after the burning
of Puya Meithaba or burning of ancient Manipuri
scriptures by the then king Santidas Gosain.
RAJASTHANI LITERATURE
The ancient Rajasthani literature comprised
of work by Jain writers. It has got close
resemblance with the Gujarati literature as
well. In medieval era, it comprised of
poetry of valor that was written in the
honor of all the brave Rajas and Maharajas
of those times.
 TELUGU LITERATURE
Dating back to seventh century, when
Nannayya, the first known Telugu poet
started writing, he gave Telugu literature, a
fresh beginning. Vemana also known as
Vemaa Reddy composed various poems in
this language, for the common man.
 TAMIL LITERATURE
Tamil literature is as ancient as 2000
years. The oldest submission to this area
was by Tolkaappiyam. The writers wrote on
many genres like social, political and
religious.
 URDU LITERATURE
Honored as the ‘Kohinoor Language”, Urdu
is known to be the most sophisticated and
refined of all languages.
JAPANESE LITERATURE
 JAPANESE LITERATURE
Japanese literature spans a period of
almost two millennia and comprises one of
the major literatures in the world,
comparable to English literature in age and
scope (Japanese Literature - New World
Encyclopedia, 2018).
 JAPANESE LITERATURE
rom the early seventh century until the
present there has never been a period
when literature was not being produced by
Japanese authors. Japan adopted its
writing system from China, often using
Chinese characters to represent Japanese
words with similar phonetic sounds.
 MEIJI ERA LITERATURE
The Meiji era marked the re-opening of Japan to the
West, and a period of rapid industrialization. The
introduction of European literature brought free verse
into the poetic repertoire; it became widely used for
longer works embodying new intellectual themes.
Young Japanese prose writers and dramatists
struggled with a whole galaxy of new ideas and
artistic schools, but novelists were the first to
successfully assimilate some of these concepts.
 MEIJI ERA LITERATURE
In the early Meiji era (1868-1880s),
Fukuzawa Yukichi and Nakae Chomin
authored Enlightenment literature, while pre-
modern popular books depicted the quickly
changing country.
Mori Ogai introduced Romanticism to Japan with
his anthology of translated poems (1889), and it
was carried to its height by Shimazaki Toson and
his contemporaries and by the magazines Myōjō
and Bungaku-kai in the early 1900s. Mori also
wrote some modern novels including The Dancing
Girl (1890), Wild Geese (1911), and later wrote
historical novels.
During the 1920s and early 1930s the proletarian
literary movement, comprising such writers as
Kobayashi Takiji, Kuroshima Denji, Miyamoto Yuriko,
and Sata Ineko, produced a politically radical
literature depicting the harsh lives of workers,
peasants, women, and other downtrodden members of
society, and their struggles for change.
NORTH AMERICA LITERATURE
NORTH AMERICA LITERATURE
literary works produced in the region of
North America, which includes Canada,
United States, and Mexico. This rich
literary tradition encompasses a wide
range of voices, themes, and styles,
reflecting the complexity and diversity of
the North American experience.
 NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
Before the arrival of European
settlers, Native American
tribes had a rich oral tradition
of storytelling, myths, and
poetry.
This tradition continues today,
and contemporary Native
American literature often
explores the intersection of
traditional and modern
cultures.
 NORTH AMERICA LITERATURE
The early literature of North America
includes works from the colonial period, such
as the sermons of Puritan ministers and the
writings of figures like Anne Bradstreet. It
also includes political writings from the
Revolutionary era, such as Thomas Paine's
"Common Sense."
NORTH AMERICA LITERATURE
In the 19th century, In the early 20th century,
movements like the Harlem Renaissance
Transcendentalism emerged as a cultural and

and Romanticism artistic movement

primarily among African
influenced North
American writers,
American literature.
musicians, and artists.
NORTH AMERICA LITERATURE
North American literature continues to
evolve and diversify. Contemporary authors
address a wide range of themes, including
identity, immigration, social justice, and
the complexities of modern life. Notable
contemporary writers include Toni Morrison,
Jhumpa Lahiri, and Louise Erdrich.
According to poetryfoundation.org (2023)

•Maya Angelou is an acclaimed

American poet, storyteller, activist,
and autobiographer
•Born on April 4, 1928
•Born in Marguerite Johnson in St.
Louis, Missouri.
•She was a rape victim of her
mother’s boyfriend when she was
seven years old and remained mute
for five years.
•Angelou’s most famous work is I
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
(1969)
•She published seven
autobiographies, three books of
essays, several books of poetry, and
is credited with a list of plays,
movies, and television shows
spanning over 50 years.
•She received dozens of awards and
more than 50 honorary degrees.
•Died on May 29, 2014
A. INFORMATION ABOUT THE POEM
1.Title: Equality
2.Author: Maya Angelou
3.Purpose of the Poem: Convey a message of
resilience and determination in the face of inequality.
4.Theme of the Poem: the pursuit of freedom and
justice, challenging societal perceptions and biases,
and advocating for equal rights despite a history of
oppression.
B. SUMMARY OF THE POEM

1.Perception and Bias: The poem addresses the

skewed perception of the speaker by others,
emphasizing the difficulty of being truly seen
and heard.

2.Gender Stereotypes: The poem challenges

traditional gender stereotypes and judgments.
B. SUMMARY OF THE POEM

3.Historical Injustice: References to a "painful

history" and a "shameful past" allude to
historical injustices and oppression.
4.Persistence and Resilience: The recurring
theme of "Equality, and I will be free" reflects
the speaker's determination to overcome
societal barriers and achieve freedom.
B. SUMMARY OF THE POEM

5. Call for Empathy and Understanding: The

speaker urges the audience to remove the
"blinders from [their] vision" and the "padding
from [their] ears," encouraging a more open-
minded and empathetic perspective.
B. SUMMARY OF THE POEM

6. Musical Imagery: The use of rhythmic

and musical imagery, such as "drums beat
out the message" and "hear the tempo so
compelling," adds a layer of symbolism to
the poem, suggesting a call for unity and
collective action.
C. INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

INTERPRETATION:
Maya Angelou's poem "Equality" talks
about how the speaker, likely a
woman, feels misunderstood and
judged by society.
C. INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

EVALUATION:
The poem is powerful because it uses
strong language and imagery to
highlight the challenges of being seen
and heard without bias.
According to poetryfoundation.org (2023)

• Born on February 1, 1901, in

Joplin, Missouri.
• Famous for his elucidations of
black American life in his poems,
stories, autobiographies, and
histories
• Hughes is best known as a
leader of the Harlem Renaissance.
• Died on May 22, 1967
"Thank You, Ma'am" is
about a boy, Roger, who
attempts to steal a purse
from Mrs. Jones to buy
blue suede shoes. He
learns that poverty does
not have to mean living
without dignity.
A. INFORMATION ABOUT THE POEM
1. Title: Thank You, Ma'am
2. Author: Langston Hughes
3. Purpose of the Poem: to show the reader that
countless young men who are often seen as
'hoodlums' will respond favorably to kindness and
respect from a caretaker.
4. Theme of the Poem: second chances, trust,
generational relationships, poverty, and dignity.
B. SUMMARY OF THE POEM

1. POINT OF VIEW
The story is told from a third-person limited
omniscient point of view, meaning that the
narrator is not a character in the story but has
access to the thoughts and feelings of one
character—in this case, Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones.
B. SUMMARY OF THE POEM

2. CONFLICT
The main character, Roger, is facing the
struggle of poverty and making poor
choices.
B. SUMMARY OF THE POEM

3. MAIN IDEA/THEME
The main idea of the story is
about being kind and
understanding even when
someone does something
wrong.
C. INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

INTERPRETATION:
At its core, the story suggests that
people, especially those who have
made mistakes, deserve
understanding and a chance for
improvement.
C. INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

EVALUATION:
The story shows that being
understanding and caring can make a
big difference in someone's life.