WHAT IS LITERATURE?

 Artistry—this quality appeals to our sense of

 Literature is a body of texts marked by the beauty. It presents truth which only few could
imaginative verbal recreation of the world as appreciate.
we experience it. It relies upon the powers or  Suggestiveness—it is associated with
form, allusion, poetic qualities of language emotional power of literature. It moves us
and tropes to intensify and render complex deeply and stirs our feelings and imagination.
such representation of experience. (Lye,  Intellectual value—it refers to how literature
1999) stimulates our thoughts. It enriches our
 Literature is a kind of writing which mental life by making us realise fundamental
transforms and intensifies ordinary truths about human life and nature.
language, deviates systematically from  Spiritual value— it brings our moral values
everyday speech. (Jakobson, 1962) which makes us better persons.
 Literature is the beautiful expression of  Universality— literature appeals to everyone
man’s personal interpretation of some aspect regardless of culture, race, sex and the time
of human life, or a wording out ion unique, which all considered significant.
beautiful and personal manner or saying an  Permanence – it means it is here to stay.
author thinks is passionate meaning of life, Literature endures across time and remains
this is saying that literature not only becomes invariable throughout time.
but is “life itself” (Daguio, 1962)
PRINCIPAL INGREDIENTS OF LITERATURE
WHAT IS PHILIPPINE LITERATURE? 1. Subject
Philippine literature is the verbal expression, oral or – the human experiences (i.e.,
written, of the experiences of the filipinos with oral sensations, feelings, moods,
literature being home-grown and written literature attitudes, thoughts, and events) in an
the consequences of extensive cultural influence interrelated series
from both colonial regimes and contact with other – 3 levels:
cultures.  Description
 Generalization
REASONS FOR STUDYING LITERATURE  Theme: human condition and the
 To know ourselves, our heritage, and the system of values that the topic of the
genius of our race as a people distinct from literature deals with
others. 2. Form
 To realise that like other people, we also – the specific vehicle or artistic
have great noble traditions that we may use structure chosen by the writer to
as foundation for the assimilation of new convey meaning or value; literariness
cultures and new civilisations. depends on form
 To realise the limitations of our literary – include: stanzas, rhyme, meter for
capacities and to train ourselves to overcome poetry, plot or sequence of devt in
them. novel/essay
 To recognise our literary merits and find 3. Point of view
means to improve them. – particular angle of vision assumed by
the writer to present human
experience. It is through the angle of
vision that the reader becomes
personally involved in the experience
related by the writer

QUALITIES OF LITERATURE

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TRADITIONAL LITERARY GENRE: POETRY – are images or concrete references that stand
– type of literature based on the interplay of for something else in reality and suggest
words and rhythm another level of meaning.
– employs rhyme and meter (a set of rules – practice or art of using an object or a word to
governing the number and arrangement of represent an abstract idea
syllables in each line) – action, person, place, word, or object can all
– words are strung together to form sounds, have a symbolic meaning.
images, and ideas that might be too complex – use of object or action with the intent of
or abstract to describe directly representing something beyond the object
– concerned with emotions; emotion shaped, itself
controlled, and contained in form – used by writers to enhance their writing; can
– often says something significant; it attempts to give a literary work more richness and color
achieve beauty and can make the meaning of the work deeper
– often uses particular forms and conventions to – can take many forms, including:
expand the literal meaning of the words, or to  a figure of speech where an object,
evoke emotional or sensual responses person, or situation has another meaning
– devices such as assonance, alliteration, other than its literal meaning.
onomatopoeia, and rhythm are sometimes  the actions of a character, word, action, or
used to achieve musical or incantatory effects event that have a deeper meaning in the
context of the whole story.
HOW TO READ A POEM?
To read a poem, one must concentrate on its IRONY
particular words and the way those words connect  involving some sort of discrepancy or
with one another. Some poems utilize the same incongruity. It should not be confused with
elements as fiction; however, they are secondary to sarcasm which is simply language designed to
the images, metaphors, tones of voice, and allusions insult or to cause emotional pain.
(suggestions, references).  suggest the difference between appearance
and reality, between expectation and fulfilment,
When reading a poem, one must begin with the title, the complexity of experience, to furnish
for it sometimes provides a clue, serving as a indirectly an evaluation of the author's material,
description or as a clue. and at the same time to achieve compression.
 used for critical or humorous effect in literature,
PERSONA music, art, and film (or a lesson). In
– the “I” of the poem. conversation, people often use verbal irony to
– fictional personage, not at all equivalent to the express humor, affection, or emotion, by saying
poet, who may not be speaking to the reader the opposite of what they mean to somebody
but to another character in the poem who is expected to recognize the irony.
– person who is understood to be speaking (or
thinking or writing) a particular work Three Types of Irony:
– almost invariably distinct from the author; it is 1. Verbal Irony— it occurs when a narrator or
the voice chosen by the author for a particular character says one thing and means something else.
artistic purpose What is said is actually the opposite of what is
– may be a character in the work or merely an meant/intended.
unnamed narrator; but, insofar as the manner 2. Dramatic Irony— it occurs when a reader
and style of expression in the work exhibit perceives something that a character or narrator in a
taste, prejudice, emotion, or other work of literature does not know. It is also the
characteristics of a human personality. contrast between what a character or narrator says
– derives from the Latin persona, meaning an and what a reader knows to be true.
actor’s mask, and is thus etymologically 3. Situational Irony— it is the discrepancy between
related to the term dramatis ersonae, appearance and reality, or between expectation and
designating the characters in a drama fulfilment, or between what is and what would seem
appropriate
SYMBOLS IMAGERY

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 1. Visual imagery – appeals to the sense of in the poem. It can be stated directly or
sight, and plays the largest role in imagery in indirectly.
literature. Anything relating to visual scenes,  It is the human condition and the system of
graphics, pictures, or the sense of sight. values that the topic of the literature deals with.
2. Auditory imagery – relates to sounds, noises,  It is important not to confuse a theme of a literary
music, sense of hearing or choosing words work with its subject. Subject is a topic that acts
with a sound that imitates real sounds in the as a foundation for a literary work, while a theme
form of onomatopoeia. is an opinion expressed on the subject.
3. Olfactory imagery – concerns aromas,
smell, odors, scents, or the sense of smell. HOW TO ANALYZE POETRY?
Olfactory imagery describes a particular 1. Title
scent. 2. Word Meaning
4. Gustatory imagery – pertains to tastes, 3. Imagery
flavors, palates or the sense of taste. In other 4. Symbols
words, gustatory imagery refers to words, 5. Figures of Speech
descriptions or pictures in your brain that 6. Theme
make you think of taste.
5. Tactile imagery – concerns to physical
touches, textures or the sense of touch.
6. Kinesthetic imagery – extends beyond the
five senses. This imagery deals with the
movement or action of objects or people. It
pertains to movements or the sense of bodily
motion.
7. Organic imagery – concerns on feeling or
emotion within the reader. Organic imagery
or subjective imagery, pertains to personal
experiences of a character's body, including
emotion and the senses of hunger, thirst,
fatigue, and pain.

TONE
Tone is the attitude of the speaker or persona in the
poem towards another character or towards his
subject matter: angry, hopeful, bitter, nostalgic,
compassionate, admiring, sorrowful, amused,
sincere, sarcastic, etc. It is generally conveyed
through the choice of words, or the viewpoint of a
writer on a particular subject.
 Mood(atmosphere) —is the overall feeling for
the audience an author creates in his writing.
When you read a text and you have a
particular feeling that you associate with the
descriptive language, you are experiencing
mood.
 Tone – is different from mood in that it is the
speaker’s attitude—not the audience’s—
toward a subject. How the audience feels has
nothing to do with tone.

THEME
 Theme is the central message or meaning of the
poem. The truth about life revealed enlightened
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TRADITIONAL LITERARY GENRES:
PROSE FICTION
 It is a fictional work that is presented in a
narrative form. It presents human experiences
to educate and entertain the readers.
 Fiction and narrative are words that distinguish
prose fiction from any other form of narrative or
fictional work. For instance, drama is fiction but
it is presented in dialogue and not narrative
while history is a realistic past.
 It tells a story that deals with cultural, social and
political issues in the world but the characters
are not real (known) human beings but bear
human traits and dispositions. Although the
story in prose fiction is fictitious, it contains
identifiable characters, locations and incidents
and these add to make the story that is
presented as realistic as possible.

SHORT STORY
 brief fictional prose narrative concerned with
a single effect conveyed in a single
significant episode or scene involving limited
number of characters.
 less complex than the novels
 focuses on only one incident, has a single
plot, a single setting, a limited number of
characters, and covers a short period of time.
 500 to 15, 000 words.
Novella: 50-100 pages

ELEMENTS OF PROSE FICTION

1. PLOT AND PLOT STRUCTURE
2. NARRATOR/NARRATIVE VOICE
3. SETTING
4. CHARACTER AND CHARACTERIZATION
5. TONE
6. STYLE
7. THEME

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PLOT AND PLOT STRUCTURE compounding difficulties which arise when
 Narrative events related in different orders: dealing with original conflict.
o Chronological/Linear (natural order)
o in media res (in the middle of the things)  Conflict – (in the sense of “friction” or “battle”);
o or begin in the present and return to the opposition of forces or characters; this “friction”
past. usually fuels the friction; struggle between 2
forces.
 Fabula and Syuzhet  Types of Conflight:
o Fabula – is “raw material of the story”. It is 1. Individual versus the Self
the sequence of events readers and (Psychological)
audiences piece together in their minds 2. Individual versus Individual
while the story unfolds in order to make 3. Individual versus the Physical
sense of it. World/Nature
o Syuzhet – is “way a story is organized”. It is 4. Individual versus Society/Civilization or
the story that unfolds on the page or screen. “Order”
It contains all the gaps, obfuscations, and 5. Man versus Circumstance (Classical)—
convolutions that render the hero’s circumstance of life facing him/her.
experiences interesting to the reader and 6. Individual versus Supernatural
audience. 7. Individual versus
Machine/Technology— “artificial
 Divisions of a Plot: intelligence”

 Plot Devices
1. Foreshadowing— a plot device in which
the outcome of the struggles or conflict is
anticipated or hinted at by such element as
speeches or actions of characters or by
symbols.
2. Flashback— It is a scene inserted into a
film, novel, story, or play to show events
that occurred at an earlier time; this
technique is used to complement the
1. Exposition/Inciting Incident – characters, events in the “present” of the story.
setting revealed 3. Suspense— It is the uncertainty in the
2. Rising Action – story complicates, conflict reader’s mind as to whether or not the
revealed main character will resolve the conflict
3. Climax – highest point of interest, change creates suspense. This is what makes you
best/worst for protagonist keep reading. Suspense is most often
4. Falling Action – resolution begins produced either by mystery or dilemma.
5. Denouement/Resolution 4. Surprise— is new turn or twist: one that is
logical furnishes illumination not just a
 Types of Conclusion/Ending reversal of expectation.
1. Happy Ending— Comedy. Everything ends 5. Coincidence— It is the accidental meeting
well and all is resolved. of characters in one place.
2. Unhappy Ending— Tragedy. Many events in 6. Deus Ex Machina— It literally means, God
life do not end pleasantly, so literary fiction from the Machine. It is a plot device in
that emulates life is more apt to have an which someone or something appears “out
unhappy conclusion, forcing the reader to of the blue” to help a character to
contemplate the complexities of life. overcome seemingly insoluble difficulty.
3. Open-ended/Lack of Resolution/Partial
Resolution/Indeterminate
SETTING
 Complication – exciting force. It fuels the rising  It is the background against which the incidents
action and may incite later events. Longer works of the story takes place. Not merely a place, it
may have several complications. These are the includes the place where, the time when, social
KIM A.
 conditions, weather, historical period, and
details about immediate surroundings under
which the story moves along. This can also
include atmosphere, the tone and the feeling of
the story.
 Setting can be real or fictional, or a combination
of both real and fictional elements. Some
settings are very specific, while others are
descriptive. Most pieces of literature include
more— or many more—than one setting, either
as the narrative progresses through time or to
include points of view from more than one
character.
 In one form or another, setting is essential to the
story. Often, the relevance of the story is lost in
another setting.

 Setting may refer to the following:

1. Place— geographical location.
2. Time—historical period, time of the day, year
3. Weather Conditions
4. Social Conditions— speech, dress,
mannerisms, customs of a particular place.
5. Mood/Atmosphere

 Setting serves:
1. It emphasizes a theme
2. It furthers a plot.
3. It defines or develops a character.
4. It can be a symbol.
5. It enhances the mood or atmosphere.
6. It reflects an element of the lives of the
character.

KIM A.
NARRATOR/NARRATIVE VOICE
Narrative Point of View
: The perspective from which the events in the story
are observed and reunited. To determine the point
of view, identify who is telling the story, that is the
viewer through whose eyes the readers see the
action (the narrator).
: The voice of an unidentified, anonymous speaker
or that of an observer/character in the story
(narrator) is never the author, not even if the
characters has the same name as the author.
 Third Person
 Types of Narrative Voice the narrator moves from character to character,
 First Person event to event, having free access to thoughts,
the story is told by the protagonist or one of the feelings, and motivations of his character and s/he
characters who interact closely with the protagonist introduces information where and when he chooses
of other characters (using pronouns I, me, we, etc);
reader sees the story through this person’s eyes as 1. Omniscient— the narrator’s knowledge,
s/he experiences it and only knows what s/he knows control, and prerogatives are unlimited,
or feels. allowing “authorial” subjectivity.
1. Detached Autobiography— First person, 2. Limited— te narrative voice is associated with
reliable narrator that guides the reader. a major or minor character than it not able to
Narrator is main character, often reflecting on a “see/know” all, may only be able to relate the
past “self”— sometimes an adult recounting thoughts of one or some characters but not
event from childhood. When it is the latter, it is others, and may not know what happened “off-
important to notice “how” the adult voice affects stage” or in the past.
the child’s story. 3. Objective or Dramatic— opposite to
2. Interior Monologue— First person, train of omniscient. The narrator is an observer, a “fly
thought “overheard” by the reader (Not spoken on the wall,” but cannot enter into the minds of
out loud as a monologue) or sometimes the other characters except in a speculative
“overheard” and reported by an omniscient way. Such a narrator is trapped by the
narrator; other times it occurs as stream of chronology and immediacy of the story, like a
consciousness. reporter “on the scene” of an event transpiring.
3. Subjective Narration— First person, seems
unreliable, tries to get readers to share his/her
side or to assume values or views not usually
presumed by the reader.
4. Memoir or Observer Narration— First person,
narrator is observer rather than main
participant; narrator can be a confidant(e), eye
witness or “chorus” (provides offstage or
background information). This narrator can be
reliable or unreliable.

CHARACTER AND CHARACTERIZATION

– There are two meanings for the word “character”
: The person in a work of literature
: The characteristics of a person

KIM A.
– Characters are the persons that are involved in – seen as a good person or hero/heroine
the story. There must be living in the story that – usually round or dynamic
think or act in order to keep the story going. 2. Antagonist
They must seem like living and feeling – what protagonist does not do
individuals in order for us to feel strongly about – holds the action back
them.The characters are the persons that are – wants something in opposition to the
involved in the story. protagonist
– Character and Characterization. The difference – seen as a bad person/force or villain
between character and characterization is that a – don't have to be human either.
character is a person, an animal, or an – force in conflict with the protagonist.
imaginary creature that takes part in the action 3. Confidant/e
of a literary work while characterization is all the – often a friend or relative of the hero/ine,
techniques a writer uses to create and develop whose role is to be present when the
a character. hero needs a sympathetic listener to
confide in.
 Characterization – generally regarded as subordinate to the
 Three Elements of Characterization one he/she accompanies.
1. Physical Appearance – when the main character confides
2. Actions, Speech and Behaviour (shares/ trusts) they reveal qualities,
3. Interactions with Others personality, thoughts and feelings.
 Types of Characterization 4. Foil
1. Direct or explicit characterization – uses – secondary or minor character
another character, narrator, or the – character who is contrast or opposite to
protagonist himself to tell the readers or the protagonist
audience about the subject; physical – character who emphasizes or highlights
characteristics, clothing, environment, the traits of the character.
etc; character traits; and the – they are not focus characters not are
circumstances such as job and family they developed in the story
situation. – help us learn more about another
2. Indirect or implicit characterization – character or aspect of a story.
audience deduce 5. Anti-hero/Anti-heroine
 a main character in a story who lacks the
 Characters typical heroic qualities of bravery,
 According to function: courage, morality, and the special ability
1. Protagonist and desire to achieve for the greater
2. Antagonist good.
3. Confindant/e  the antihero is still the protagonist of the
4. Foil narrative, yet is a foil to the traditional
5. Anti-Hero/Heroine hero archetype.
 According to development:
1. Dynamic/Round
2. Static/Flat
3. Stock/Stereotyped

round, flat = complexity

dynamic, static = development

 Characters according to development:

 Characters according to function: A. Complexity
1. Protagonist 1. Round
– central character – well-developed
– person on whom action centers – has many traits, good and bad
– pushes the action forward
– attempts to accomplish something
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 – not easily defined because we
know many details about the
character
– realistic and life-like
– most major characters are round.
– “The test of a round character is
whether it is capable of surprising
in a convincing way. If it never
surprises, it is flat."- E. M. Forster
2. Flat
– not well-developed
– does not have many traits
– easily defined in a single sentence
because we know little about the
character.
– sometimes stereotypes
– most minor characters are flat.
B. Development
3. Dynamic
– undergoes an important change in
personality in the story.
– comes to some sort of realization
that permanently changes the
character.
– a change occurs within the
character because of the events of
the story.
– the protagonist is usually dynamic,
but not always.
4. Static
– remains the same throughout the
story although something happen
to the character, it does not cause
the character to change.
– minor characters are usually static
C. Stocked/Stereotyped
– character that is instantly recognizable
because of the stereotype
– these characters are types and not
individuals. they are based on clichés
and social prejudices. examples: dumb
blonde, mean stepmother, loyal
servant, abusive boyfriend, or evil
dictator or ceo

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TONE
– It is the attitude of the writer toward a subject or
an audience. Tone is generally conveyed
through the choice of words (diction) or the
viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject.
– It decides how the readers read a literary piece
of literature and how they should feel while they
are reading it.
– Tone is the attitude of the author toward the
work, while the mood consist of the feelings the
work produces in an audience or reader.

THEME
Themes are the fundamental and often universal
ideas explored in a literary work.
It is very important to remember that:
– Theme is the central or dominating idea(s) in
a literary work.
– It must be pressed in the form of a statement.
– It reflects a central vision of life. No them is
identical with moral. A mature work does not
teach, rather it reveals; it does not preach,
but interprets.
– The conflict helps reveal the theme.

STYLE

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