US Colonialism in the Philippines

Contributions of the Americans to Philippine Literature

• Introduction of public education in the Philippines, marking a significant milestone in the country's literary history
• English language was introduced as the medium of instruction, replacing Spanish and other local languages
• Establishment of public schools, leading to increased accessibility of education for the masses
• Curriculum reforms were implemented, shaping the country's educational system

Development of the Newspaper Industry

• The newspaper industry experienced rapid growth during the American period
• Newspapers served as an essential platform for literary and political discourse
• Notable newspapers that emerged during this time include the Philippine Free Press, Philippine Herald, and The Manila Times

Emergence of Filipino Writers in English

• A new era in Philippine literature began with the rise of Filipino writers writing in English
• This marked a significant shift from traditional forms of writing in Spanish and local languages

First Generation of Filipino Writers in English

• Paz Marquez Benitez wrote "Dead Stars"
• Jose Garcia Villa wrote about "Love, Beauty, and Identity"
• Bienvenido Santos wrote about the "Immigrant Experience"
• Carlos Bulosan wrote "America is in the Heart"
• Manuel Arguilla wrote about "Rural Life in the Philippines"
• Pedro Paterno wrote "Ninay"

Emergence of Filipino Writers in English

• The Commonwealth Literary Awards were established to incentivize writers and develop Philippine literature
• Notable Commonwealth Literary Awardees include Salvador P. Lopez for "Literature and Society" and Manuel Arguilla
• The formation of literary groups and organizations, such as the U.P. Writers' Club, fostered a supportive community for writers

Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez

• The story is about Alfredo Salazar, an over thirty years old bachelor who gets engaged to Esperanza
• Alfredo's love and passion for Esperanza start to fade as he becomes attracted to Julia Salas
• Alfredo marries Esperanza to please his family, but eight years later, he visits Julia and realizes he no longer feels attracted to her
• Alfredo compares his love for Julia to "dead stars", a memory of a past love that has lost its intensity

Characters in Dead Stars

• Alfredo Salazar: son of Don Julian, over thirty years old, and a bachelor who believes in true love and optimism
• Esperanza: the first woman Alfredo falls in love with and gets engaged to
• Julia Salas: the woman Alfredo becomes attracted to after his engagement to Esperanza