Module 1: Introduction to

Philippine Popular Culture

Module Overview
The popularity of a person, a phenomenon, a thing, an event, or a place
depends on the taste of the masses. Usually, this taste is considered
common. This module encapsulates the definition of popular culture, the
biases people have with it, and how Filipinos define it. The main goal is to
establish a unified comprehension of what Philippine pop culture is. Some
aspects of this module are incorporated with Filipino taste that will hopefully
give light if Filipino pop culture is not an imitation.

Motivation Question
What is pop culture? What are examples of pop culture? What are the

Figure 1. Philippine Pop Culture.

(Image by Author).
 13

Module Pretest

Instructions: Read the following statements carefully. Identify what is

described in the statement and write your answers on the space provided
before the number.
________1. It is the vernacular culture that prevails in any given
society.
_______2. This generally discourages radical innovation.
_______3. It belongs to the social elite; the fine arts, opera, theatre, and high
intellectualism.
_______4. It is a key ingredient in the formation of popular culture.
_______5. This serves as the best source of information for a public with a
growing interest in social and economic affairs.
_______6. These diverse people would come to see themselves as a
sion.
_______7. This is the primary source of pop culture.
_______8. This is a contradictory source of popular culture.
_______9. This is influenced by professional entities that provide the public
with information.
_______10. This was the period when it was easier for people to socialize and
get similar produce especially since transportation, literacy, and other things
made possible the steps (ex. Mass media) in creating collective culture.

_______11. According to this theory, the artist is an imitator of aspects of the

observable universe.
_______12. The artist was no longer to serve as a mirror reflecting outer things,

subject of art.
_______13. The most recent classification, which focuses on analysis of the
text in isolation.
_______1
_______15. Known for works on Romanticism, in particular his book, The Mirror
and the Lamp.

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Lesson 1.1: Motivation

Lesson Summary
Before you start the whole course, it is necessary that you get
motivated to study it. In this lesson, you are going to read a news article in
Cebuano language. The content of the article is light and humorous.
Hopefully, it will set your mindset that the course is an easy one. Do
remember though that your focus is still necessary.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Acquaint yourself to the course; and
2. Get a general idea of what popular culture is

Motivation Question
Have you read the article Kabit-kabit by Insoy Niñal? What comes to your
mind when you hear the word kabit-kabit?

Discussion
As stated in the lesson summary, you need to start this course with
light reading. It is written by Insoy Niñal, a columnist in a newspaper company
in Cebu City. He is also the lead vocalist of the band Missing Filemon. He
writes and sings mainly in Cebuano. He is quite popular in the Visayas and
Mindanao region because aside from his creative songs that showcase
Cebuano culture, his writings are also witty. Enjoy this piece by Niñal.
Discussion about the news article shall follow.

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Kabit-kabit
By Insoy Niñal

SA MEDIA, mohalin gyod ang tema nga kabit-kabit, kay naa sa kabit-kabit ang
mas halin pa gyod nga tema sa sex ug violence. Kon asa ang kabit-kabit, tua
pud didto ang biga-biga ug away-away. Sa iningles pa, sex and violence sell.
Dili lang ni diha sa mga balita. Apil sab dinhi ang mga telenobela ug mga
salida. Way telenobela o salida mahitungod sa kabit-kabit nga way biga-biga
ug way pinatyanay, binugnoay, pinusilay, dinunggabay, siningkahay, ug labing
importante sa tanan sa Philippine television sinagpaay.
Sa kadaghan sa sinagpaay aning mga salidaha gikubalan na tingali ang
nawong aning mga artistaha, mao nga naa puy sinabyagay og tubig aron
mohumok pagbalik ang aping ug lami na sab nga sagpaon.
Dili ko eksperto sa sex, ug labi nang di ko eksperto sa violence. Apan sayod
ko nga kining duha nakadugtong sa kalungtaran sa espisye sa tawo. Ang sex
konektado sa violence, ang violence konektado sa sex, ug ang duha
konektado sa survival sa human species. Ang kasaysayan nagtudlo nato niini.
May mga tawo nga dunganon ning duha nag-sex na, nag-violence pa, o sa
mubo nga pagkasulti, violent sex. Di pud ko sweto ani, apan sa akong
pagsabot, sex ni nga may sagol kinusiay. Kon makakita ka sa imong amiga
nga naay daghang kinusian, nahibawo na ka.
Nahisgotan ko ni kay ning bag-o lang, nabuang ang tanan niining teleserye
nga may temang kabit-kabit. Niadtong usang gabii pananglitan, naabtan nako
sa balay ang tanan nga nagtutok sa TV. Importante tingali kaayo to nga
eksena kay wa man ko nila tagda sa akong pagsud sa sala, mao nga ningtan-
aw na lang sab kog apil.
Ug ang akong nasabtan sa eksena mao nga nag-abot ang asawa ug ang kabit,

kabit.
Nasakitan tingali kay nabukol ang ulo, mitubag ang kabit, ug dinhi ako lang
Binisay-
nausban pa, ug nausban pa gyod, hangtod di na sex ang among gihimo,

Naglibog ang asawa. Lahi diay ang sex sa making love? Ang lovemaking, lahi
pud? Ang making out, lahi pud? Kon pirmihon ang sex mahimo diay ning love?
Kadaghan ba sa words. Nainsulto siya kay limited siyag vocabulary. Ug sa
iyang kalagot iyang gisagpa ang kabit.
Ug sa reaksyon nga way kalainan anang makaigo si Pacquiao og solid left sa
-i

Naglingo-lingo ko nga misaka sa kwarto diin naghuwat akong asawa.

Ug pinapaak ang ngabil, mikidhat nako ang igat.

------------------------------

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Gikan sa libro ni Insoy, "Ang Batang Scorpion: Da Best of Eskina ug Uban Pa,"
nga mapalit sa Parkmall karong Aug. 12 hangtod Aug. 18. Sa magpareserba,
PM lang.

Source: Niñal, I (2014). Kabit-kabit. Retrieved from Facebook website:

https://www.facebook.com/reinsoyninal/posts/10219839679245949.

Figure 2. Kabit-kabit.

(Image by Author)

The following are questions that will guide you into the discussion.
Please answer them mentally.

1. What is your opinion about the article? Did you find it humorous?
Informational? Immoral? Why so? How so?
2. Why do you think kabit-kabit sells in media? Give a concrete example with
close reference to the text.
3. Why do you think violence sells in media? Give a concrete example.
4. Why do you think kabit-kabit and violence, lumped together, sell?
5. What does the popularity of sex and violence tell of the kind of people in the
Philippines?
6. Who makes these themes popular: the consumers or the sellers (TV writers,
creators)?
7. What do you think is wrong (or right) with Philippine media?
7. Do you consume these kinds of themes? Why or why not?
8. Is the article easy to understand because of the language used? Or do you
find it vulgar because of the language used?

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I believe that you think the article is quite vulgar since it has words in
Cebuano that people seldom use in academic settings such as kabit-kabit, igat,
biga-biga, and others. The author also mixes the Cebuano language and the
English language, so it gives off the idea that the characters in the news article
belong in the middle-class. The aim of the article is to be humorous first. The
exchange of dialogues of the husband and wife evokes laughter especially the
sexual innuendos.

However, the content goes beyond amusement. It also educates you

on why violence and sex sell in media. It is because sex and violence attract
people in two ways. First, it is the evolutionary self ingrained in people. It is
intrinsic to people to be wary of violent and sexual content since their
ancestors did so to survive. Second, violence and sexual content are
universally understood by many. It does not need for one to study culture to
understand what death or murder is. Because of the latter reason, many
writers and producers create movies and TV series with sex and violence as
themes. They gain much more with them as their content flagship. Moreover,

is not to provide programs with quality to their audiences, but to show them
advertisements.

In the Philippines, the themes kabit-kabit and violence are quite

common in television programs and movies probably because of the same
reasons as Sagansky states: profit. They are also consumed more every day
than any other themes. For example, many primetime TV series shown on
popular channels from Monday to Friday have these themes. Comedy and
educational shows have the weekend slot. Pinoys enjoy slapping effects and
legal wives hurting the mistresses. Moreover, print media sells the same
themes as prevalent in some of its publications: online platform Spot.FM
published on their website the titles Top 10 Craziest Kabit Confrontations in
Pinoy TV and Movies and Top 10 Epic Hair-Pulling Scenes from Pinoy TV and
Movies, and Coconuts Manila has the title In the Mood for Blood: Filipino TV
Mistresses and the Women Who Love to Hate Them on its website.

What the news article presented is somewhat problematic because it

shows that the Filipino consumers of TV and movies enjoy sex and violence.
The themes are a household family member every night. However, despite
the staggering studies about the effects of sex and violence in Philippine
and western TV and movies, they are not going to be stopped. Unfortunately,
the reality is business gain overpowers morals. It is up to you as an
educated individual of the country to make a difference.

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Learning Tasks/Activities
Defend why sex and violence should stay (or should not stay) in Philippine
media. The essay should be composed of three paragraphs, and each
paragraph should have at least five sentences. Below is the format for your
guidance.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Assessment
List 10 Pinoy TV series with the themes kabit-kabit, sex, and violence.
Include the timeslot of the TV series and give 1 reason why the series is or
is not appropriate for that timeslot. Below is the format for your guidance.
Title of the TV Series Timeslot Reason (in sentence form)
1.
2.
3.
.
.

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please read the instructions regarding this part in the Course Policies
section of the attached syllabus of this course.

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Lesson 1.2: Popular Culture/Philippine

Popular Culture Definition

Lesson Summary
Popular culture is a term that is commonly used globally especially in
the entertainment industry. This is the same in the Philippines. However,
many still doubt if there is popular culture in the country especially since the
country is divided into different islands; regional diversity is displayed. In
this lesson, you will find out if such notion is true.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
1. Understand how the world defines popular culture;
2. Identify the mechanics of how something belongs to popular culture;
3. Have a polarized understanding of Philippine popular culture;
4. Understand the elements of pop culture;
5. Give examples of pop culture;
6. Differentiate folk culture and high culture; and
7. Know the formation and source of pop culture.

Motivation Question
What comes to
key word or idea inside the graphic organizer below.

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Pop Culture

Figure 3. Philippine Pop Culture Definition.

(Image by Author)

Discussion
You are now expected to be in friendly terms with the course and with
the learning guide. At this point, you have to read a short article, entitled: Pop
Culture: An Overview by Tim Delaney (2007). The article contains all the
necessary information about this lesson. The terms that you need to know are
also in the article. Each one has a definition. Please take note of them so that
you will not have a hard time with the succeeding lessons.

Figure 4. Pop Culture. (Image by Author)

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Pop Culture: An Overview

defining it and the context of use. It is generally recognized as

the vernacular or culture that predominates in a society at a point in
time. As Brummett explains in Rhetorical Dimensions of Popular Culture, pop
culture involves the aspects of social life most actively involved in by the

interactions between people in their everyday activities: styles of dress, the

use of slang, greeting rituals and the foods that people eat are all examples of
popular culture. Popular culture is also informed by the mass media.

There are a number of generally agreed elements comprising popular culture.

For example, popular culture encompasses the most immediate and
contemporary aspects of our lives. These aspects are often subject to rapid
change, especially in a highly technological world in which people are brought
closer and closer by omnipresent media. Certain standards and commonly
held beliefs are reflected in pop culture. Because of its commonality, pop

and Sorapure, Common Culture). Furthermore, brands can attain pop iconic
status (eg the Nike swoosh or M
brands, as other aspects of popular culture, may rise and fall.

With these fundamental aspects in mind, popular culture may be defined

as the products and forms of expression and identity that are frequently
encountered or widely accepted, commonly liked or approved, and characteristic
of a particular society at a given time

of attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, customs, and tastes that define the people of
any society. Popular culture is, in the historic use of term, the culture of the
people

Popular culture allows large heterogeneous masses of people to identify

collectively. It serves an inclusionary role in society as it unites the masses
on ideals of acceptable forms of behavior. Along with forging a sense of
identity which binds individuals to the greater society, consuming pop culture
up. Further,
popular culture, unlike folk or high culture, provides individuals with a chance
to change the prevailing sentiments and norms of behavior, as we shall see.
So popular culture appeals to people because it provides opportunities for
both individual happiness and communal bonding.

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Examples of Popular Culture

Examples of popular culture come from a wide array of genres, including

popular music, print, cyber culture, sports, entertainment, leisure, fads,
advertising and television. Sports and television are arguably two of the most
widely consumed examples of popular culture, and they also represent two
examples of popular culture with great staying power.

Sports are played and watched by members of all social classes, but
(tautologously) the masses are responsible for the huge popularity of sports.
Some sporting events, such as the World Cup and the Olympics, are
consumed by a world community. Sports are pervasive in most societies and
e to a team
as a means of self-identification is a common behavior. Further, cheering for
a sports team or a favorite athlete is a way any individual can become part of
popular culture, as I and Tim Madigan explain in our new book The Sociology
of Sport.

Many people watch numerous hours of television every day. It is such a

prevalent aspect of contemporary culture it is difficult to imagine life without
it. There are those who believe TV is responsible for the dumbing down of
society; that children watch too much television; and that the couch potato
syndrome has contributed to the epidemic of childhood obesity. The globally
popular TV show The Simpsons provides us with an interesting perspective on
#137), while doing
time in prison, Sideshow Bob becomes a critic of television. Although he was
once a regular on The Krusty the Clown Show, Bob has become obsessed by

be much richer if TV were done away with. As a result, he devises a scheme

to detonate a nuclear bomb unless all television is abolished in Springfield.

demands of abolishing TV. A panicky Kru

worth living in a world without television? I think the survivors would envy the

would more likely agree with Krusty: that living in a world without television is
not really living. It is even more difficult to imagine a world without popular
culture.

Folk and High Culture

Popular culture is usually distinguished from folk and high culture. In some
ways, folk culture is similar to pop culture because of the mass participation

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involved. Folk culture, however, represents the traditional way of doing things.
Consequently, it is not as amendable to change and is much more static than
popular culture.

Folk culture represents a simpler lifestyle, that is generally conservative,

largely self-sufficient, and often characteristic of rural life. Radical innovation
is generally discouraged. Group members are expected to conform to
traditional modes of behavior adopted by the community. Folk culture is local
in orientation, and non-commercial. In short, folk culture promises stability,
whereas popular culture is generally looking for something new or fresh.
Because of this, popular culture often represents an intrusion and a challenge
to folk culture. Conversely, folk culture rarely intrudes upon popular culture.
There are times when certain elements of folk culture (eg Turkish rugs,
Mexican blankets and Irish fairy tales) find their way into the world of pop
culture. Generally, when items of folk culture are appropriated and marketed
by the popular culture, the folk items gradually lose their original form.

A key characteristic of popular culture is its accessibility to the masses. It is,

after all, the culture of the people. High culture, on the other hand, is not mass
produced, nor meant for mass consumption. It belongs to the social elite; the
fine arts, opera, theatre, and high intellectualism are associated with the upper
socioeconomic classes. Items of high culture often require extensive
experience, training, or reflection to be appreciated. Such items seldom cross
over to the pop culture domain. Consequently, popular culture is generally
looked (down) upon as being superficial when compared to the sophistication
of high culture. (This does not mean that social elites do not participate in
popular culture or that members of the masses do not participate in high
culture.)

The Formation of Popular Culture

Through most of human history, the masses were influenced by dogmatic

forms of rule and traditions dictated by local folk culture. Most people were
spread throughout small cities and rural areas conditions that were not

eighteenth century), the rural masses began to migrate to cities, leading to

the urbanization of most Western societies.

Urbanization is a key ingredient in the formation of popular culture. People

who once lived in homogeneous small villages or farms found themselves in
crowded cities marked by great cultural diversity. These diverse people would

forms of expression. Thus, many scholars trace the beginning of the popular

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culture phenomenon to the rise of the middle class brought on by the

Industrial Revolution.

Industrialization also brought with it mass production; developments in

transportation, such as the steam locomotive and the steamship;
advancements in building technology; increased literacy; improvements in
education and public health; and the emergence of efficient forms of
commercial printing, representing the first step in the formation of a mass
media (eg the penny press, magazines, and pamphlets). All of these factors
contributed to the blossoming of popular culture. By the start of the twentieth
century, the print industry mass-produced illustrated newspapers and
periodicals, as well as serialized novels and detective stories. Newspapers
served as the best source of information for a public with a growing interest
in social and economic affairs. The ideas expressed in print provided a
starting point for popular discourse on all sorts of topics. Fueled by further
technological growth, popular culture was greatly impacted by the emerging
forms of mass media throughout the twentieth century. Films, broadcast
radio and television all had a profound influence on culture.

So, urbanization, industrialization, the mass media and the continuous growth
in technology since the late 1700s, have all been significant factors in the
formation of popular culture. These continue to be factors shaping pop
culture today.

Sources of Popular Culture

There are numerous sources of popular culture. As implied above, a primary

source is the mass media, especially popular music, film, television, radio,
video games, books and the internet. In addition, advances in communication
allows for the greater transmission of ideas by word of mouth, especially via
cell phones. Many TV programs, such as American Idol and the Last Comic
Standing, provide viewers with a phone number so that they can vote for a
contestant. This combining of pop culture sources represents a novel way of
increasing public interest, and further fuels the mass production of
commodities.

Popular culture is also influenced by professional entities that provide the

public with information. These sources include the news media, scientific and

authority in their field. For example, a news station reporting on a specific

topic, say the effects of playing violent video games, will seek a noted
psychologist or sociologist who has published in this area. This strategy is a
useful way of influencing the public and may shape their collective opinions
on a particular subject. At the very least, it provides a starting point for public
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discourse and differing opinions. News stations often allow viewers to call or
email in their opinions, which may be shared with the public.

A seemingly contradictory source of popular culture is individualism. Urban

culture has not only provided a common ground for the masses, it has inspired
ideals of individualistic aspirations. In the United States, a society formed on
the premise of individual rights, there are theoretically no limitations to what
an individual might accomplish. An individual may choose to participate in all

their individuality. Of course, once a unique style becomes adopted by others,

it ceases to remain unique. It becomes, popular.

Source: Delaney, T. (2008). Pop Culture: An Overview. Retrieved from

https://tinyurl.com/y4dzsx8a.

The salient points in the article are summarized below and added with
examples for you.
1. The different definitions of popular culture based on the article are the
following (Delaney, 2008):
ulture that

interactions between people in their everyday activities: styles of dress, the

use of slang, greeting rituals, and the foods that people eat are all examples

are frequently encountered or widely accepted, commonly liked or approved,

and characteristic of a particular society at a given ti
consists of the aspects of attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, customs, and tastes

people.
From all the definitions, popular cult
interests, habits, lifestyles, and ideas. People are the center of popular culture.
Without them and their desire for the same things, no popular phenomenon
shall ever exist.
2. The elements of pop culture, according to Delaney (2008), involve the
present lifestyle of people, erratic changes to the lifestyle of people, the
standard of living and beliefs of people influence their everyday life, people
are interested in the same beliefs, art, and practices, and people of the

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different state share the same sentiments on things (e.g. art, beliefs,
practices).
These elements need not be present to identify if a phenomenon
belongs to popular culture.
3. There are many examples of popular culture in the article Delaney (2008)
wrote. They are from different industries. The most common and traditional
ones are entertainment the industry, television, music, print, leisure, fad, and
sports. Other examples are from online culture, social media, and many more.
Groups of people unconsciously decide the popularity of these examples.
Sports and television are the most consumed ones. In Japan, its most popular
sport is soccer. In the Philippines it is basketball. Because of the difference
of preference, sports items that are salable are different in the said countries.
In Philippine television, there is a trend. In the 1990s until the early 2000s,
teleseryes from Spain and Mexico were famous. An example is the teleserye
Marimar. In the late 2000s, it was anime. At present, Kdrama tops Netflix.
An example of a popular kind of music is pop songs with rap. It was
famous in the 90s. An example of print is the popularity of comic books before
the internet took hold of the world. An example of online culture is the
popularity of Wattpadd in the early 2000s. This has changed in recent times.
Wattpadd is still available, but its popularity is slowly dwindling. An example
of leisure is the popularity of massage nowadays. An example of a fad is
Pokemon Go. A fad is a practice or interest followed for a time with
exaggerated zeal. Therefore, Pokemon Go is a concrete example of it. When it
was released, people were crazy over it. Some even got injured from playing
the game. It was the game for almost everyone in varied age group. However,
it died down as quickly as it ascended. Finally, an example of popular
advertising is the style used by Thai entertainment industry in their
advertising.
4. As I mentioned, the reason why a phenomenon is part of pop culture is the
collective and unconscious agreement of people to be interested into that
phenomenon. In this context, folk culture and high culture are mixed in. They
are equally important to be understood.
Folk culture has a similar quality with pop culture. They are both for the
masses. However, folk culture is more stable than pop culture. It is traditional
while pop culture is not. Change is not encouraged in folk culture. An example
of it is life in the rural: laid back and simple.
High culture is something that the elite can mostly understand and be
interested in. It is for a few people only. For example, only rich people tend to
like and acquire expensive paintings.

5. Urbanization and industrialization are key concepts in the formation of pop

culture. Because of urbanization, it was possible for groups of people to
gather and socialize. This became the reason why unconscious interest in the
same things formed and created pop culture. Industrialization even more
emphasized this event. It was easier for people to socialize and get similar
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produce especially since transportation, literacy, and other things made

possible the steps (ex. Mass media) in creating collective culture.

6. The main source of popular culture is mass media simply because it has
the ability to distribute information.

These are the basic things that you need to know about pop culture. Research
more readings about the topic and compare your haul to this lesson.

Learning Tasks/Activities
Instructions: Create a Venn diagram about urbanization and industrialization.
Write at least 3 descriptions of the urbanization part and industrialization part.
Write at least 3 similarities of both parts. Follow the format below.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

Urbanization Industrialization

Similarities

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Assessment
Answer the following questions.
1-2. What are the differences between folk culture and pop culture? Provide
two reasons/examples.
3-4. What are the differences between pop culture and high culture? Provide
2 reasons/examples.
5. Why was pop culture impossible before industrialization?
6. Please give your own examples of these sources of pop culture: sports,
television, music, print, cyberculture, entertainment, leisure, fads, and
advertising.
7-10. How do politicians use popular culture in their campaign? Cite a
concrete example.
Each number should have at least two sentences. Below is the format for your
guidance.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

1-2.________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please read the instructions regarding this part in the Course Policies
section of the attached syllabus of this course.

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Lesson 1.3: Literary Theories Based on M.

H. Abrams' The Mirror and the Lamp

Lesson Summary
Philippine Pop Culture is a new course introduced by CHED. It does not
have a long test run just yet. To test the waters of how students will respond
to the course, some instructors of the Department of Liberal Arts and
Behavioral Sciences, who crafted the syllabus of the course, have decided to
teach it with leanings towards literature. With this agenda, literary theories are
to be studied by you in this unit.

Learning Outcomes
In this course, you are expected to:
1. Understand the literary theories by M. H. Abrams; and
2. Use any of the literary theories to understand a phenomenon.

Motivation Questions
What do you mean by theory? Why do you think Filipinos imitate trends of
other countries? How will you describe a mirror? How about a lamp? Do you
think the reflection that you see in the mirror is your true self?

Figure 5. Portal Reflection..

(Image by Author)

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Discussion
This lesson is a little bit literary. It deals with the basic theories on how
to analyze a literary work. You have to think outside of the box here so that
you can understand why popular culture exists. Things about the universe
(not the scientific part of it), mirror and shadows, and lamp will be dealt with
here. However, you should not worry much about the scope of the lesson. You
are only going to have a taste of these topics. If you want to have the whole
meal, you have to read more about literary theories after studying this lesson.
The article below gives you basic information about the four critical
literary theories of M. H. Abrams. Please read it. It is written by Dhaval Purohit.
The article is easy to understand. Everything is organized already. All details
needed in the discussion are present. In the article, it is mentioned that from
th
century, the focus was on how literary works affected
the world outside of the writing. Since people evolved, theories also changed
to adapt to the need of the society. Popular culture is somewhat like this:
adapting to the need of the people. As you go along this lesson, you shall think
of the trends you have experienced and relate each one to the four literary
theories of Abrams.

Four Critical Theories from the view point of M H Abrams

By: Dhaval Purohit

Abstract:
To work on M.H.Abrams is most influential studies in the field of criticism and
theory. Till today, the chief tendency of modern criticism is to consider the
aesthetic quality in terms of relation of art to the artist. M.H. Abrams in his

relation of art, artist, and audience. Considering a whole work of art, there are
four elements which are well distinguished and made important in almost all
the theories, first, there is the work, the artistic product itself. Since this is a
human product, the next common element is the artist. The work is directly or
indirectly related to the universe inclusive of man, material things, events and
ideas. The audiences come as the final element. On this frame work of artist,
work, universe and audience, M.H. Abrams has spread out various theories for
comparison. To make matters easier he has arranged the four elements in a
convenient triangular pattern with the work of art, the thing to be explained in
the centre.

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According to this frame work, M.H.Abrams gives four critical theories i.e.
Mimetic, Pragmatic, Expressive, and Objective theories.
Key words: Mimetic, Pragmatic, Expressive, Objective, M.H.Abrams.
Introduction:
Meyer (Mike) Howard Abrams (born July 23, 1912) is an American literary
critic, known for works on Romanticism, in particular his book
Contribution of him in the postmodern literary criticism cannot be
avoided. Unfortunately, students who are doing research in M.Phil. & Ph.D.
they are merely digging more deep on the investigated topics. They know
Abrams only in context to glossary. Abrams stands unique because of his four
oriental critical theories which cover up entire history of English literary
theories and criticism. In literature nothing is existed out of universe, text,
artist, and audience. Today we tend to think of the work of art in terms of the
artist, who, acting through his powers of imagination, wilfully brings into being
his creation. But this artist-centred interpretation of the text is really a more
recent development, first seen in the early nineteenth century. As Abrams
demonstrates in the "Orientation of Critical Theories" chapter of his book The
Mirror and the Lamp. From Plato until the late 18th century the artist was
thought to play a back-seat role in the creation of art. He was regarded as no
more than "a mirror," reflecting nature either as it exists or as it is perfected or
enhanced through the mirror. This artist-as-mirror conception remained
dominant until the advent of the Romantic era (Abrams sets the date around
1800), when the artist began to make his trans
- a lamp that actively participates in the object it illuminates.
Literary theory, Abrams holds, can be divided into four categories:
1) Mimetic Theory - which focus on the relationship between text and
universe (by "universe" he means all things of the world apart from
audience, text and author)
2) Pragmatic theory- which are interested in the relationship between
text and audience.
3) Expressive theory- which are concerned with the text-author
relationship.
4) Objective theory - the most recent classification, which focus on
analysis of the text in isolation.

As Abrams stated above that nothing exists other than

universe, text, author and audience, any form of theory must fit into one of
these four c

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1) Mimetic theory: The first category of mimetic theories forms the oldest

categories. According to this theory, the artist is an imitator of aspects

of the observable universe. In The Republic, Plato divides his universe
into three realms: the realm of ideas, the realm of particulars, and the
realm of reflections of particulars (i.e., art and other "shadows"). The
realm of reflections of particulars is the furthest removed from the
realm of ideas (i.e., "ultimate truth"), and is therefore the lowest ranking
of the three realms. Consequently, its practice, namely, mimetic art, is
held in low regard. Plato's mentor Socrates seemed to agree with
P
bottom. In his famous analogy of the three beds, Socrates refers to the
first bed, Bed 1, as the bed of ideas. Bed 2 is the bed I lie in, the
m of particulars. Bed 3, the
bed in the painting, is a representation of a representation of the ideal
bed. Thus, being twice removed from the ideal bed, it is the most
"untrue" of the three. Aristotle points out, however, that the value of
Bed 3 (the pain
(the bed of the gods or ideal truth). Art, rather, is independent and
should be assessed on its own terms. Aristotle thus frees the text from
its relation to the universe to which Plato and Socrates bound it, while
still acknowledging the text's imitative relation to universe. Aristotle
shows that it is the "manner of imitation" and not the relation to truth
which is important in art, and that aesthetic evaluation should be
based on the assessment of both the "manner of imitation" and the
emotional effect produced in the audience.
2) Pragmatic theory:
The second type of theories are pragmatic theories, which are
concerned with the relation between text and audience. According to
Abrams, these theories have constituted the dominant mode of
analysis from Horace to the early 19th century, and much of its
terminology is borrowed from ancient rhetoric.

Aristotle argued in his Ars Poetica that the three functions of poetry
are to teach, to please, and to move. Cicero, the Church Fathers, and
the Italian guides all developed a theory of poetry through this
reinterpretation of Aristotle, and it was Sir Philip Sydney who in his
Apologie for Poetry expanded Aristotle's theories into a specifically
didactic theory of poetry. Sydney argues that poets differ from
historians in that, unlike historians who deal only with what has been,
poets also deal with what may be, and that such moral utopianism is
what makes poetry, specifically epic poetry, and superior to history.

3) Expressive theory
mimetic and pragmatic by the expre
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due in part to the writings of Longinus, Bacon, Wordsworth, and, later,

art, the primary duty of the artist was no longer to serve as a mirror
reflecting outer things, but instead to externalize the internal, and

conventional symbol for the artist, becomes the

To give an overview of the evolution of Western aesthetics up to this
point, Abrams provides the following rough timeline. In the age of Plato
and Aristotle, poets were mimetic poets, and their personal roles and
intrusions were kept to a minimum. In the Hellenistic and Roman eras,
poets were pragmatic, and they sought to satisfy the public, abide by
the rules of decorum, and apply techniques borrowed from rhetoric.
From 1800 to 1900, poets, specifically those of England and Germany,
were triumphant and self-affirming figures whose task was to express
to the world their inner genius.
4) Objective theory: Though extremely rare in pre-20th-century history,

dominant mode for criticism for at least half of the 20th century.
Proponents of this theory trace its origins to the central section of

where the work's internal elements (plot, character, thought, diction,

melody and spectacle, in order of importance) are described as
working together in perfect unison to produce in the audience a

theorists point out, is that these qualities are treated by Aristotle as

inherent in the work itself, and that the work is praised to the extent
that these internal elements work together cohesively. Still, some

the effect produced upon the audience, in fact more closely fits the
criteria of the pragmatic theories than of the objective theories. As

for centuries until the Renaissance, when we see the re-emergence of

his ideas in new forms. Yet it is not until the 1780s in Germany that we
see a significant objective theory brought forth. During this period
from 1780-
-for- - this new

functions independently and according to its own set of rules. But it is

Chicago Neo-Aristotelianism, and other sch -for-

art's-sake movement would place the objective theories in a position
of ascendancy over the other critical orientation.

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Conclusion:

Abrams clearly identifies himself as a critical theorist, not a

philosopher, not a psychologist, not a scientist. From his perspective,
the purpose and function of critical theory is not to discover some
"verifiable truth" but to "establish principles enabling us to justify,
order, and clarify our interpretation and appraisal of the aesthetic.

Source: Abrams, M. H. (2013). Four Critical Theories from View Point of M. H.

Abrams. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301228266_Four_critical_theorie
s_from_view_point_of_MHAbrams.

In the simplest explanation, the four literary theories that Abrams

introduced are expressive theory, mimetic theory, pragmatic theory, and
objective theory. These theories are used as lens to understand literary works.
In this unit, the theories are to be used to understand a phenomenon through
its maker, its audience, imitation, and to itself.

Figure 6. Comic Book. (Image by Author). (Image retrieved from

https://www.languagemagazine.com/2017/07/14/multilingual-comics/.)

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 35

Expressive theory deals with how the maker/author affects a

phenomenon. It also shows if the maker/author is seen throughout his/her
work. Mimetic theory is about the universe and how a work imitates life.
Pragmatic theory involves the audience. Finally, objective theory solely deals
with the work.
To better comprehend the theories, situations shall be given.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe films are interesting topics to traverse.

right now? Using the
lens of the expressive theory is quite difficult since the films involve so many
creators. However, there is one thing that is easy to identify, the reason of the
people involved in the planning and filming of the movies is for money. That
is the reality of the film industry. The series of films gave the producers and
movie organizations billions of dollars.
If you look at it through the lens of the mimetic theory, the lives of the
heroes in the movies reflect or mirror lives in real life. For example, although
the movies feature supernatural strengths and powers, they also feature
mental health issues (Iron Man 3), parental and sibling issues (basically all
Thor movies), adolescence, corruption, and many more.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe films being a big hit is because of the
paying moviegoers. With the pragmatic theory, you have to study the
audience, the consumers of the themes of the films. The major theme of the
films is the fight between good and evil. This theme has been a hit with people
since time became a concept in the world. Everybody wants good to
overcome evil. The MCU highly capitalizes on this.
To use the objective theory means to only consider the script of the
movies. This is tasking, so it will not be done in this lesson. If you want to go
into details regarding this, scripts of the movies are available online.
These basic literary theories ease the difficulties in learning about popular

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Learning Tasks/Activities
Pick a character of a movie/book/TV series that particularly has the same life
as you. Explain in essay form (2 paragraphs, 5 sentences each paragraph, 100
words) why this specific character is like you (the similarities can be in
physical attribute, mental attribute, life situation). Below is the format for your
guidance.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Assessment
Analyze the popularity of Boduts through the four critical literary theories.
Each theory should have an explanation in one paragraph only. The paragraph
should have at least five sentences. Below is the format for your guidance.

Name: (Surname, Given name)

Schedule: ______________________
Course: ______________________

Pragmatic Theory -
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Instructions on how to submit student output

Please read the instructions regarding this part in the Course Policies
section of the attached syllabus of this course.

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 37

Module Posttest

Instructions: Read the following statements carefully. Identify what is

described in the statement and write your answers on the space provided
before the number.

society.
_______2. This generally discourages radical innovation.
_______3. It belongs to the social elite; the fine arts, opera, theatre, and high
intellectualism.
_______4. Is a key ingredient in the formation of popular culture.
_______5. This serves as the best source of information for a public with a
growing interest in social and economic affairs.
_______6. These diverse people would come to see themselves as a

_______7. This is the primary source of pop culture.

_______8. This is a contradictory source of popular culture.
_______9. This is influenced by professional entities that provide the public
with information.
_______10. This was the period when it was easier for people to socialize and
get similar produce especially since transportation, literacy, and other things
made possible the steps (ex. Mass media) in creating collective culture.

_______11. According to this theory, the artist is an imitator of aspects of the

observable universe.
_______12. The artist was no longer to serve as a mirror reflecting outer things,
but instead to externalize the int
subject of art.
_______13. The most recent classification, which focuses on analysis of the
text in isolation.
_______1
_______15. Known for works on Romanticism, in particular his book, The Mirror
and the Lamp.

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No.