1st Quarter Reviewer in 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

Geographic, Linguistic and Ethnic Dimensions of Philippine Literary History from Pre-Colonial to the
Contemporary

Learning Objectives:
1) Identify geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from pre-colonial to
contemporary and representative texts from the regions.
2) Write a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts.
3) Show a sense of adaptability of the Philippine Literary History.
Introduction to Philippine Literature

• Our forefathers already had their literature, which reflected in their customs and traditions.

• They had their alphabet even before they had been colonized. The Spanish friars burned their alphabet
in the belief that they were works of the devil or were written on materials that quickly perished, like the
barks of trees, dried leaves, and bamboo cylinders, which could not have remained firm even if efforts
were made to preserve them.

• Our unique geographic location is the reason why we are rich.

Pre-Colonial to Contemporary Periods
1. Pre-Spanish (Pre-Colonial) Literature
➢ Literature in this period may be classified as religious prose and poetry, and secular prose and poetry.

• Folk Tales – are made up of stories about life, adventure, love, horror, and humor where one can derive
lessons. An example of this is “The Moon and The Sun”.

• Epic Age – are long narrative poems in which a series of heroic achievements or events, usually of a
hero, are dealt with at length.

• Folk Songs – are one of the oldest forms of Philippine literature that emerged in the pre-Spanish period.
These songs mirrored the early forms of culture. Many of these have 12 syllables. Examples of which are
Kundiman, Kumintang o Tagumpay, Ang Dalit o Imno, Ang Oyayi o Hele, Diana, Soliraning and
Talindaw.

2. Spanish Influences on Philippine Literature

➢ The first Filipino alphabet, called “Alibata”, was replaced by the Roman alphabet. Also, the teaching of
the Christian Doctrine became the basis of religious practices.

➢ European legends and traditions brought here became assimilated in our songs, corridos, and moro-moros.

• Folk Songs – manifests the artistic feelings of the Filipinos and shows their innate appreciation for and
love of beauty. The examples are Leron-Leron Sinta, Pamulinawen, Dandansoy, Sarong Banggi,
and Atin Cu Pung Sing-sing.

• Recreational Plays – there were many recreational plays performed by Filipinos during the Spanish
times. Almost all of them were in a poetic form such Cenaculo, Panunuluyan, Salubong and Zarzuela.
3. The Propaganda Movement (1872-1896)
➢ This movement was spearheaded mostly by the intellectual middle-class like Jose Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar,
Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio Luna, Mariano Ponce, Jose Ma. Panganiban, and Pedro Paterno.
Graciano Lopez Jaena Jose Rizal Marcelo del Pilar
Ang Fray Botod Noli Me Tangere Kaingat Kayo (Be Careful)
La Hija Del Fraile (The Child of the Friar) Sobre La Indolencia Dasalan at Tocsohan (Prayers
Delos Filipinos and Jokes)

Everything Is Hambug (Everything is a Mere Filipinas Dentro De Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa

Show) Cien Aňos (Love of Country)
Talumpating Pagunita Kay Kolumbus (An Oration Mi Ultimo Adios
to Commemorate Columbus)
Sa Mga Pilipino... (1891)

4. Period of Enlightenment (1880-1898)

➢ In 19th Century, Filipino intellectuals educated in Europe called “Ilustrados” began to write about the
hitch of colonization.
5. The American Regime (1898-1944)
➢ Linguistically, Americans influenced Filipino writers to write using English language.
➢ Jose Garcia Villa became famous for his free verse.
➢ The languages used in writing were Spanish and Tagalog and the dialects of the different regions.
But the writers in Tagalog, continued in their lamentations on the conditions of the country and their
attempts to arouse love for one’s native tongue and the writers in English imitated the themes and
methods of the Americans.
6. The Japanese Period (1941-1945)
➢ Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when another foreign country, Japan,
conquered the Philippines between 1941-1945. Philippine literature in English came to a halt. This led to
all newspapers not to be circulated in the community except for Tribune and Philippine Review.
➢ The common theme of most poems during the Japanese occupation was nationalism, country, love,
and life in the barrios, faith, religion, and the arts.
Three Types of Poems Emerged During This Period:
1) Haiku – a poem of free verse that the Japanese like. It was made up of 17 syllables divided into three
lines 5-7-5.
2) Tanaga – like the Haiku, is short, but it had measure and rhyme.
3) Karaniwang Anyo (Usual Form)
7. Philippine Literature in English (1941-1945)
➢ In the New Filipino Literature, Philippine literature in Tagalog was revived during this period. Most
themes in the writings dealt with Japanese brutalities, the poverty of life under the Japanese
government, and the brave guerilla exploits.
8. Period of Activism (1970-1972)
➢ According to Pociano Pineda, youth activism in 1970-1972 was due to domestic and worldwide
causes. Because of the ills of society, the youth moved to seek reforms.
➢ The Literary Revolution – the youth became vocal with their sentiments. They demanded a change
in the government. It was manifested in the bloody demonstrations and the sidewalk expressions and
also in literature.
9. Period of The New Society (1972-1980)
➢ The period of the New Society started on September 21, 1972. The Carlos Palanca Awards continued
to give annual awards. Poems dealt with patience, regard for native culture, customs, and the
beauties of nature and surroundings. Newspapers donned new forms.
➢ News on economic progress, discipline, culture, tourism, and the like were favored more than the
sensationalized reporting of killings, rape, and robberies. Filipinos before were hooked in reading
magazines and comics.
10. Period of The Third Republic (1981-1985)
➢ After ten years of military rule and some changes in the life of the Filipino, which started under the New
Society, Martial Rule was at last lifted on January 2, 1981. The Philippines became a new nation, and
this, former President Marcos called “The New Republic of the Philippines”.
➢ Poems during this period of the Third Republic were romantic and revolutionary. Many Filipino songs
dealt with themes that were true-to-life like those of grief, poverty, aspirations for freedom, love of
God, of country and fellowmen.
11. Post Edsa I Revolution (1986-1995)
➢ History took another twist. Once more, the Filipino people regained their independence, which they lost
twenty years ago. In four days from February 21-25, 1986, the so-called People Power (Lakas ng
Bayan) prevailed.
➢ In the short span of the existence of the real Republic of the Philippines, several changes already became
evident. It was noticed in the new Filipino songs, newspapers, speeches, and even in the television
programs. The now crony newspapers that enjoyed an overnight increase in circulation were The
Inquirer, Malaya, and The People’s Journal.
12. 21st Century Period
➢ The new trends have been used and introduced to meet the needs and tastes of the new generation.
21st Century learners are demanded to be ICT inclined to compete with the style and format of writing
as well.
➢ New codes or lingos are used to add flavor in the literary pieces produced nowadays.
Identifying Representative Texts from the Regions
Learning Objectives:
1) Identify geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from pre-colonial to
contemporary and representative texts from the regions.
2) Write a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts.
3) Show a sense of adaptability of the Philippine Literary History.
Introduction

• The country’s rich repertoire of literary masterpieces may be rooted in the diverse cultural heritage of the
Filipino people.

• They have produced varied texts because of differences. The mighty roar of the North and the fiery
temperament of the South blended well.

• The Filipinos speak of the collective experiences from the people who have gone through difficulties,
triumphs, struggles, successes, armed conflicts, bloodless revolutions, and others. It is the reason
why these masterpieces resonated loud and clear in the Philippine archipelago.
➢ Imagery – a poetic element that tries to create a picture in the mind of the reader or a mental image through
the use of figural language. It represents objects, places, ideas, or even actions that appeal to the senses
of the readers.

➢ Out of these regions, 13 have a number that corresponds to its geographical location. The remaining
4 regions do not have a numerical designation and are:

• National Capital Region

• Southwestern Tagalog Region
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
• Cordillera Administrative Region

1) A Taste of Tagalog Essay

➢ More popularly known now as the CALABARZON referring to the provinces of Cavite, Laguna,
Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. Region IV-A is home to Tagalog speaking people in the Philippines.
➢ CALABARZON has participated actively in the country’s fight for freedom and democracy. It is home to
many Philippine heroes foremost, and among them are Rizal of Laguna, Mabini of Batangas, and
Aguinaldo of Cavite.

2) A Taste of Philippine Poetry

➢ Located in the northwest of Luzon, the Ilocos Region or Region 1.
➢ Comprised of four provinces, namely: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.
➢ The region, then, takes pride in long stretches of white sand and clear waters alongside its rich cultural
heritage.
 What you are about to read is a poem written by a Carlos Palanca Memorial Awardee in Poetry in 1964,
Carlos A. Angeles. His collection of poems entitled, Stun of Jewels, also bagged him the Republic Cultural
Heritage Award in Literature in the same year.
Gabu
by Carlos A. Angeles
The battering restlessness of the sea And neutral where the sea has beached its brine,
Insists a tidal fury upon the beach Where the spilt salt of its heart lies spread
At Gabu, and its pure consistency
Havos the wasteland hard within its reach. Among the dark habiliments of Time.
The vital splendor misses.
Brutal the daylong bashing of its heart For here, here
Against the seascape where, for miles around,
Farther than sight itself, the rock- stones part At Gabu where the ageless tide recurs
All things forfeited are most loved and dear.
And drop into the elemental wound. It is the sea pursues a habit of shores.
The waste of centuries is grey and dead

A Moment of Silence
➢ Gabu depicts a coastline in Ilocos that is constantly experiencing the battering restlessness of the sea.
The water that comes back to the shore seems furious and ruthless with its daylong bashing, which
havocs the wasteland. Being an archipelagic country, the Philippines knows the importance of water and
the sea.
Gabu

• A place in Ilocos Norte near the sea.

• Often, when typhoons occur, places like these are affected greatly (ex: Typhoon Imbudo, July 2003)
• The sea is restless and can be destructive
• Sea = Life
• Battering restlessness = Impermanent

3) A Taste of Creative Nonfiction

➢ The island of Visayas is one of the major geographical divisions in the Philippines, the other two being
Luzon and Mindanao. It is divided into Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas.

➢ The dwelling place of many festivals such as the Ati-Atihan, Di-nagyang, Sinulog, Pintados, and
Maskara, the Visayas may indeed be considered as one of the cradles of Philippine civilization.
 21st Century Literature from The Philippines and The World
Conventional and 21st Century Genres
Conventional Literary Genre – is the traditional genre that started in the oral tradition.

Conventional Literary Genre

Poetry Prose Drama
Riddles Myth Comedy
Proverbs/Mga Salawikain Legend Tragedy
Farce
Melodrama
Fantasy
Musical

Conventional Literary Genre

Poetry Prose Drama
Lyric Fiction Comedy
Narrative Non-fiction Tragedy
Descriptive/Didactic Melodrama
Fantasy
Musical

Elements of Poetry Elements of Fiction Elements of Drama

Imagery Character Plot
Rhythm Conflict Setting
Sound Setting Characters
Density Point of View Dialogue
Plot Theme
Theme Scenery

Characteristics and Structure of Poetry

• Share specific characteristics

• Follow strict rules as to the number and length of lines and stanzas
• Abundant in figurative language
• Claim an emphasis on imagination, emotions, and heartfelt ideas
• Shorter than the other genres, but some poems are classified as epic poetry

Characteristics and Structure of Fiction

• It must be written in sentences and paragraphs with all the proper punctuation and grammar
• Subject matter in fiction works can be nearly anything
• Fiction can take place in the present day, the future, or the past. It can incorporate the most fantastical
ideas or follow an everyday life
Characteristics and Structure of Non-Fiction

• It is based on facts and authors opinion about a subject

• The purpose of non-fiction writing is to inform and sometimes to persuade
• Examples are biographies, articles from textbooks and magazines and newspapers

Characteristics and Structure of Drama

• Deals only with real people, events, or ideas

• Narrated from point of view, or perspective of the author, who is a real person
• Non-fiction presents facts and discusses concepts
• It may reflect historical context of the time period, including references

Characteristics of Conventional Genre

• Universal Themes
• Shares common characteristics
• Traditional literature usually follows a strict set of rules in writing
• The most general genres in literature are (in loose chronological order) epic, tragedy, comedy, and
creative nonfiction. They can all be in the form of prose or poetry
• Based on the oral tradition with no known author.
a) Anytime and anyplace (once upon a time in a place far away land)
b) Common ending (they lived happily ever after)
c) Often magical
d) Typically, evil is defeated and the hero/heroine triumphs
e) Contain universal truths and values of the time
f) Were sometimes used to instruct children in values.
21st Century Literary Genres
21st Century Literature
➢ Philippine Literature in the 21st Century (2001 up to the present).
➢ Deals with current themes and reflects technological culture.
1. Illustrated Novel – story through text and illustrated images.
2. Digi-Fiction – triple media literature. It combines three media; book, movie/video, and internet website.
3. Graphic Novels – narratives in comic book formats. It is more artistic and heavily illustrated.
4. Manga – a Japanese word for comics. It is used in the English-speaking world as a generic term for all comic
books and graphics novels originally published in Japan.
Different Types of Manga:

• Shonen – Boy’s Manga (Naruto, Bleach, One Piece)

• Shojo – Girl’s Manga (Sailor Moon)
• Seinen – Men’s Manga (Akira)
• Josei – Women’s Manga (Loveless, Paradise kiss)
• Kodomo – Children’s Manga (Doraemon, Hello Kitty)
5. Doodle Fiction – a literary presentation where the author incorporates doodle drawings and hand-written
graphics in place of traditional font.
6. Chick Lit – genre that concentrates on young working women and their emotional lives.
7. Flash Fiction – a style of fictional literature of extreme brevity.
8. Science Fiction – a genre of speculative fiction dealing with imaginative concepts such as futuristic science
and technology, space travel, time travel, faster than light travel, parallel universe, and extraterrestrial life.
9. Creative Nonfiction – a rich mix of flavors, ideas, and techniques, some of which are newly invented and
others as old as writing itself. Creative nonfiction can be an essay, a journal article, a research paper, a memoir,
or a poem; it can be personal or not.
10. Hyper Poetry – a new genre of literature that uses the computer screen as a medium, rather than the printed
page. The literary works rely on the qualities unique to a digital environment such as World Wide Web pages or
effects such as sound and movement.
Context and Text Meaning
Text – refers to specific body of words (written part of the story)
Context – the culture, setting and situation in which a text is produced

Different Types of Contexts

• Cultural Context
• Historical Context
• Ideological Context
• Personal Context
• Social Context
• Situational Context

1) Cultural Context – refers to the social expectations and attitudes that were considered normal for the time
and place where the story occurs.

Culture – refers to a particular "way of life" involving religion, race, nationality, as well as things like food,
dress code and manners.

2) Historical Context – refers to the social, religious, economic and political conditions that existed during a
certain time and place.

3) Ideological Context – refers to the system of beliefs and ideas that underpin our attitudes and behavior.
This context is invisible in many ways.

4) Personal Context – refers to both author and reader. Authors influence their work in some way.

5) Social Context – concerned with people rather than culture. It changes depending on who is involved.

6) Situational Context – describes the reason why something is occurring and the appropriate behavior and
actions associated with the situation (type of context that influences communication).

➢ Always remember that context is important in text deconstruction.

➢ "Without context, a piece of information is just a dot." - Michael Ventura
Creative Presentation of a Literary Text
➢ Marshall (2001) defined multimedia as a computer-controlled integration of text, graphics, drawings, still
and moving images, animations, audio and any other media where any type of information can be
represented and stored.
Multimedia Formats
1) Blog (weblog) – a website containing information articles about a person's own opinions/interest.

2) Mind mapping – graphical technique to visualize connections of ideas and pieces of information.
(Pasuello 2017)

3) Mobile Phone Text Tula – a traditional Filipino Poem. (ex. Tanaga that consists of 4 lines with 7 syllables
with the same rhyme.)

4) Slideshow – created with the use of Microsoft PowerPoint that contains a series of pictures or pages of
information arranged in sequence.

5) Tag Cloud – visual, stylized arrangement of words/tags within a textual content such as websites,
articles, speeches and database (Techopedia 2020).

6) Video – an electronic device used to record, copy, playback, broadcast and display moving visual
media (Lexico 2020).

➢ Anecdote – a short entertaining or interesting story about real incident or person (Nagpal 2016).
➢ Anecdotes tell about a variety of stories and tales, since they can be about any topic under the sun.
Purposes of Anecdotes:

• To bring cheer
• To reminisce
• To caution
• To persuade or inspire
Basic Elements of a Short Story
1) Character – in a short story, it is a person. In other stories an animal, who takes part in the action of
the story.

• Protagonist – main character

• Antagonist – character that challenges the main character

2) Setting – the place (locale) and time (period) where/when the story happens.

3) Plot – the actual story (it is what the story is all about).

• Exposition – the beginning of the story. This is where the author introduces and identifies
everything.

• Rising Action – this event occurs as you begin to move throughout the story. This is where the
story starts to build.

• Climax – most exciting/intense part

• Falling Action – occurs after the climax as the problems in the story start to work themselves
out. The excitement becomes less and less.

• Resolution – the solution in the problem of the story

4) Conflict – every story needs to have a problem and this problem is called conflict.

Four Different Types of Conflict

• Man versus man
• Man versus nature
• Man versus himself
• Man versus society

5) Theme – the central idea of the story

6) Point of view – the way the story is told or narrated. Also known as the vantage point that a writer uses to
narrate a story.

Writing a Close Analysis and Critical Interpretation of Literary

Texts Applying a Reading Approach

Reading Approach

• This approach is one way of solving a student's reading problems.

• Students are demanded to read more to improve their knowledge and get new ideas.
• Inferencing, guessing and predicting are important skills developed in reading.
• By reading, students will know about the different of culture by reading across cultural understanding,
and they will learn how to pronounce the words correctly.

Skimming

➢ In skimming, the main idea of a text is quickly identified.

➢ The goal is to read shorter texts to extract accurate detailed information.
➢ Skimming is done at speed three to four times faster than regular reading.
➢ People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time.

How to skim

• Read the title

• Read the introduction or the first paragraph.
• Read the first sentence of every other paragraph.
• Read the headings and sub headings
• Notice any pictures, charts or graphs.
• Notice italicized or boldface words or phrases.
• Read the summary or last paragraph.

Scanning

➢ It is quickly reading a text to get the summary of it. It is a technique wherein students search for
keywords or ideas.
➢ It involves moving eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases.
➢ It is also used for the reader to find answers to questions.
➢ Scanning is reading rapidly in order to find specific facts while skimming tells you what general information
is within a section; scanning helps you to locate particular facts.
Extensive reading

➢ It is an approach to language learning, including foreign language learning, by means of a large amount
of reading.
➢ The readers view and review of unfamiliar words in a specific context will allow the reader to infer the
word's meaning, to learn unknown words.
➢ It is the process of reading longer easier text for an external period of time without breakdown of
comprehension, feeling overwhelmed or the need to breakdown.

Fable – a brief story illustrating a moral or revealing general truths about human nature (often includes talking
animals or animated objects as the principal characters). Example: The Ant and the Grasshopper

Parable – a short story designed to allegorically teach some religious principle, moral lesson, or general truths
(includes real or literal occurrences to which anyone can relate to). Example: The Plant Sower

Multimedia and Its Concepts

➢ A multimedia is any electronic application used to teach lessons or to further educate learners on a
particular topic. It is a presentation of material that uses both words and pictures in a combination of text,
voice, picture or video. Using interactive digital tools to tell a story is called digital storytelling and often
uses a combination of multimedia venues to complete the task. The use of multimedia allows educational
ideas and materials to be presented

Uses of Multimedia and Its Formats

➢ There are many uses of multimedia for a deeper understanding of a lesson. Audiobooks are ideal for
second-language learners. Song files and music videos can be used to compare social norms in different
eras. Multimedia can offer students a better understanding of the lesson.

➢ The multimedia formats from various media includes: text and graphics for slideshows, presentations,
diagrams and infographics. Audio has podcasts and recordings. Screen captures, lecture captures and
animation are examples of video components of multimedia. Other multimedia components include blogs,
vlogs, webinars and other interactive content.

Components of Multimedia:
• Video
• Animation
• Text
• Images
• Audio

Characteristics of Multimedia

• Multimedia can be used in the presentations, making them more fun and interesting.
• A multimedia presentation has various viewing options such as projector or a media player and the like.
• You can also download the multimedia presentation or play it live.
• The technology of multimedia can also be used to make the information be conveyed more easily to the
user.
• Multimedia technology has improved the learning experience by combining various forms of media
together.
Benefits of Using Multimedia

• Digital storytelling allows students to improve their knowledge about a specific subject and increases
skills such as writing, researching and reading.

• Using multimedia improve a learner's overall academic performance. In particular, multimedia in the
classroom is used for self-directed learning or SDL.

• Students manage their time and assess what needs to be included in their learning activities. This style
of learning is used mostly with older students who already know how to manipulate many of the
multimedia venues available to them.

Literary Adaptations with ICT Skills Empowerment

➢ Creative adaptation of a certain literary genre is easy to deal with if you have satisfying ICT skills that can
help you enhance learning outputs in studying literary genres, its elements, and essential literary contexts
about cultural diversities of 21st Century Literature from across the globe.

The Basic Elements of a Short Story

1) Character (protagonist, antagonist)

2) Setting
3) Plot
4) Conflict
5) Climax
6) Theme

Information and Communication

➢ Information and Communications Technology (ICT) refers to all the technology used to handle
telecommunications, broadcast media, intelligent building management systems, audiovisual processing
and transmission systems, and network-based control and monitoring functions. ICT is often considered
an extended synonym for information technology (IT).

➢ Information Technology (IT) is the use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data,
or information. IT system is generally an information system, a communications system or more
specifically speaking, a computer system – including all hardware, software and peripheral equipment
operated by a limited group of users.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Skills

➢ ICT skills are about understanding and applying a range of computer programs, software and other
applications. These include: word processing, spreadsheets, databases, power points and search engines.

ICT skills are being manifested if one can do the following:

• Type/encode a document; using Microsoft Word – word processor.

• Manipulate numbers and data for computation; discover and connect to data analysis using Microsoft
Excel – number processor/spreadsheet.

• Generate slides for presentation; design professional presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint – slide
presentation.

• Create everything from labels to newswriting and marketing materials using Microsoft Publisher.
 • Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V) any items from internet – images, video clips, music and be able to
embed them in your outputs.

• Cite source(s) on any imported images, video clips, music to avoid plagiarism.

• Manage browsing websites.

• Save any files with appropriate file formats.

• Associate yourself as a techy person (one who has smart and clever ways of manipulating computer and
other related-gadgets).

Components of ICT

➢ The term Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is generally accepted to mean all technologies
that combine, allow people and organizations to interact in the digital world.

1) Cloud Computing
2) Software
3) Hardware
4) Transactions
5) Communications Technology
6) Data
7) Internet Access

Differentiating 21st Century Literary Genres

1) Graphic Fiction or Graphic Novel

➢ A comic book narrative that is equivalent in form and dimension to the prose novel (Campbell).
➢ The pictures are arranged in sequenced in image panels and dialogues are written in speech bubbles.
➢ The illustrations allow the readers to imagine and experience the characters and events in the story.

Features of Graphic Fiction or Graphic Novel According to Singh (2012)

• Autographic forms are the marks of author's handwriting which creates an impact that the whole novel is a
manuscript and thus provides a sense of intimacy.
• Graphic novels encourage interactivity in the minds of the reader as he fills in the blanks between image
panels.
• Filling in the blanks between image panels makes the reader imagine the actions portrayed in the story.
• The language, syntax and meaning of a graphic novel spring primarily through the relationship between
images than words.
• Graphic fiction combines book and screen.

Examples of Graphic Novels

a) “In the Shadow of No Tower: 9/11” by Art Spiegelmen in 2004 which tells the story about the terrorist
attack on September 11 in America. This also depicts the traumatic and tragic experiences of American
people during the 9/11 terrorist attack.

b) “The Barn Owl’s Wondrous Capers” by Sarnath Banerjee in 2009 portrays 18th century Calcutta
exploiting the myth of the “Wandering Jew”.

c) “Louis Riel” by Chester Brown in 2003 is a fictionalized violent rebellion in the 19th Century on the
Canadian prairie led by Riel.
2) Flash Fiction

➢ Imaginative literature of extreme brevity. It could range from a word to a thousand (Gacusan 2018). It is
known as micro-stories, postcard fiction, nano-tales and short shorts.

Common Characteristics of Flash Fiction

a) Brevity – flash fiction presents the story with fewest words as possible.
b) Complete plot – emphasizes the development of plot. It has a beginning, middle and ending of the story.
c) Surprising ending – the successful hallmark of a flash fiction is its twist at the end of the story.

Flash Fiction vs. Short Story

Short Story Flash Fiction
Is generally is more flexible Is punchy and to the point
Significantly shorter than a novel A much shorter version of a short story
Consists of 1000-10,000 words in length Composed of 100-1000 words in length
There is more space to develop ideas, plot, character Every detail, every character gesture, every
and theme; there is at most, one plot and a small description counts; each word has its place. Take
subplot or a plot and a half one word away and the meaning is lost
Has a fleshed-out plot, well-rounded characters, and Shouldn't be more than one plot and one theme
a developed setting and theme
Has one or a few characters and one or a few settings Has a well thought out plot and great characters, but
(limited in place and time, such as a day or a couple of they don't necessarily need to be fully developed
weeks) and expresses a single theme, or message

➢ When writing a flash fiction story, it is important to know how they are similar and different to longer stories.
Flash fiction is shorter, but it should not feel too short. Here are some traits of strong flash fiction stories.

• Story Structure: A flash fiction story is not the shortened version of a longer story; it still follows the
elements of plot, including a beginning, middle and end, as well as a conflict and satisfying resolution.

• Setting: Most flash fiction stories take place in one setting, as moving between locations uses up too
much space. It allows the writer and reader to focus on the plot.

Characteristics of Flash Fiction

❖ Characters and Backstory: Flash fiction pieces are plot-driven and include no more than three or four
characters. They may include some character development, but too much backstory can use valuable space.

❖ Description: One may think that flash fiction stories are short on description to save space. However, a
strong piece can balance vivid descriptions with a quick-moving plot. Stories that lack description are not
satisfying to read, and a flash fiction piece should feel complete. When writing a flash fiction story, it is
important to know how they are similar and different to longer stories. Flash fiction is shorter, but it should
not feel too short.

❖ The Plot: Every written story has a plot – the series of events and characters' actions that includes a
beginning, a middle and an end. Also, every written story has a plot structure or a narrative arc. Although it
is important for a story to have all its essential elements, the plot is the major element of all as it is what the
story is all about. The plot is the actual story. Without it, a writer has not penned strong flash fiction stories.

➢ Two Types of Plots:

a) Unified plot – it has a story that is realistic with a central character and action and the story happens in
one place during a short span of time-a day, several hours or even just for an hour.

b) Episodic plot – It has a story that happens in an extended period of time.

➢ Three Ways to Write a Plot

a) Movement in Time – the story transpires on a particular period of time such as an hour, a day, a week,
a month or even a year.

b) Movement in Casualty – the story is established on a series of casual events that happen one after
another. The writer is to create a story based on the principle of cause and effect that is, the first event
sets off the second and the second event sets off the third and so on. Hence, every new event has a
causal relationship to the old ones.

c) Movement in Dramatic Tension – the story has dialogue, action, details, descriptions and scenes that
amplify the tension and persuade the reader to turn the page and continue reading. The techniques of
foreshadowing, flashback and epiphany are oftentimes employed in this type of plot.

Components of a Plot Structure or Parts of The Narrative

a) Exposition
b) Rising Action
c) Climax
d) Falling Action
e) Resolution/End