Philippine Literature Through the Ages

Pre-Colonial Period (BC-1564)

• Pre-colonial Philippine literature was primarily oral and included epics, legends, songs, riddles, and proverbs.
• Literature focused on gods, goddesses, and spiritual/mythical creatures.

Spanish Colonization Period (1565-1863)

• The Roman alphabet replaced Alibata, the first Filipino alphabet
• Spanish language dominated Philippine literature
• Religious themes became central due to Christianization

American Period (1910-1945)

• Free public instruction for all children sparked a growth in literary production

Contemporary Period (1960-Present)

• Contemporary literature refers to works written and published during the 2000s
• Forms of fiction include:

  • Hypertext Fiction

    • Produced and read on computers
    • Readers must click on hyperlinks to navigate
    • Composed of multiple texts called "lexia" connected via hyperlinks

  • Textula

    • Mobile phone poetry
    • Uses traditional formal verses
    • Composed of 7777 syllables with rhyme scheme aabb, abab, abba

  • Flash Fiction

    • Extremely brief stories
    • Contains plot and character development
    • Implies a larger story
    • Varieties:
      • Six-word stories (6 words)
      • Dribble or minisaga (50 words)
      • 280-character story or twitterrature (280 words)
      • Drabble or microfiction (100 words)
      • Sudden fiction (750 words)
      • Flash fiction (1,000 words)

  • Graphics Novel

    • Narratives told in comic-strip format
    • Published as books
    • Combine words and pictures in a sequence across the page

  • Chick Lit

    • Humorous and lighthearted fiction
    • Addresses issues of modern womanhood
    • May include romantic relationships, friendships, and workplace issues
    • Targets young female readers

Stages of Plot

• Exposition: Introduces main characters, establishes the setting, and foreshadows the central conflict.
• Inciting Incident: Creates a conflict that sets the plot in motion.
• Rising Action: Builds tension through events and obstacles that complicate the plot.
• Climax: The peak or highest point of tension in the story.
• Falling Action: Tying up loose ends.
• Resolution: Closure for the characters.

Narrative Techniques

• Coincidence: Chance occurrence of two things at the same time or place.
• Exposition: The writer provides necessary background information for the reader to understand the story's situation.
• Flashback: Narration of past events within the frame of current action.
• Foreshadowing: Hints of what to come without revealing the ending.

Point of View

• First Person Narrator: A character in the story who tells it from their perspective using "I" and "me."
  • Limited: Perspective of a single character.
  • Omniscient: Seemingly all-knowing, able to access thoughts and feelings of all characters.
• Second Person Narrator: The narrative voice speaks directly to the reader.
  • Often used for a protagonist to speak to an earlier version of themselves.
• Third Person Narrator: Not a character in the story.
  • Limited: Tells the story through the perspective of a single character.
  • Omniscient: All-knowing and able to access thoughts and feelings of all characters.

Character Development

• Round vs Flat:
  • Round Characters: Complex and multifaceted, with both strengths and weaknesses.
  • Flat Characters: Lacking depth or complexity.
  • Static Characters: Do not change throughout the story.
  • Dynamic Characters: Undergo change as a result of events in the story.
• Denotative and Connotative Meanings:
  • Denotation: Dictionary definition of a word.
  • Connotation: Meaning associated with a word beyond its literal definition.

Types of Conflict

• Internal Conflict: A struggle within a character's mind, between opposing thoughts or feelings.
• External Conflict: A struggle between a character and an outside force, such as another character, a group of characters, society, or nature.

Purpose Of Setting

• Setting: Where and when the story takes place, including the time period, time of day, geography, and specific locations.)
• Influencing Action: The setting affects the characters' actions and responses.
• Defining Character: The setting can define a character's psychological, cultural, and economic state.
• Contributing to Mood: The setting contributes to the general feeling or atmosphere of the story.
• Regional Literature: Focuses on a specific locality or geographic region and uses local color (customs, languages, and attitudes of the region).
• A Sense of Place: Vividly described places in the story create an immersive experience for the reader.

Explore the evolution of Philippine literature from the pre-colonial period to the contemporary era. This quiz covers significant literary forms, themes, and the impact of colonization on Filipino writing. Test your knowledge on epic poetry, Spanish influences, and modern literary innovations.