Asian Literature Module (Philippines, Q2-Week 1) PDF

Republic of the Philippines Department of Education Region VII, Central Visayas DIVISION OF MANDAUE CITY Jose L. Briones St.,Mandaue City ASIAN LITERATURE (21ST Century Literature from Philippines and the World)...

Republic of the Philippines Department of Education Region VII, Central Visayas DIVISION OF MANDAUE CITY Jose L. Briones St.,Mandaue City ASIAN LITERATURE (21ST Century Literature from Philippines and the World) Q2- Week 1 SELF-LEARNING KIT 1  FOREWORD Tracing the roots of our ancestry through literature is one way of bridging the gap from the past to the present times. This self-learning kit was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the 21st Century Literature. The scope of this kit permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of the learners. We present to you a short story from Asia, which is “The Taximan’s Story” written by Catherine Lim Poh. Your journey towards learning about Singapore literature begins here. Be ready to experience different activities that are designed to help deepen your understanding about the particular country’s literature that will lead to your understanding the people. Have fun in learning literature! 2 1. CONTENT STANDARD The learner will be able to understand and appreciate the elements and contexts of 21st century Philippine literature from the regions. 2.PERFORMANCE STANDARDS The learner will be able to demonstrate understanding and appreciation of 21st Century Philippine literature from the regions through: 1. a written close analysis and critical interpretation of a literary text in terms of form and theme, with a description of its context derived from research; and 2. an adaptation of a text into other creative forms using multimedia. 3. LEARNING COMPETENCIES Writing a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts, applying a reading approach, and doing an adaptation of these, require from the learner the ability to identify: representative texts and authors from Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America, and Africa (EN12Lit-IIa-22) 4. OBJECTIVES In this lesson, you are expected to:  Distinguish a literary text from Asia;  Use the literary technique and devices in identifying the meaning of the text through the elements of story;  Compare and contrast Singaporean literature from Philippine literature using a diagram, &  Value the cultural and aesthetic diversity of Singaporean Literature 3 INTRODUCTION The literature of Asia is a rich collection of stories that both reflect the beliefs, culture, and feeling of the people. It covers East, Central, West and South East Asia. Due to the enormity of the coverage of its literature a reader or a researcher may further divide its collection based on the country of origin, religion, literary genre, language or historical perspective. Like the literature of other regions, Asian literature can be classified as lyric, drama or narrative and it usually reflect predominant culture and philosophies of a particular epoch. The literature of India, China, and Japan has been the most popular among other Asian countries due to its longevity and influence over other countries. India, whose majority of literature is written in Sanskrit, for example, has a literary collection that can be traced to date back to 800 B.C. Classic Indian literature would reflect their predominant faith: Hinduism. While modern Indian literature, like the works of Rabindranath Tagore, would focus more on subject matters that can be related to society and national issues. Chinese literature, on the contrary, does not include epic poems but rather stresses on everyday issues of society. Its collection which includes The Book of Songs, said to have been compiled by Confucius and The Tao. The Ching, the central book of Taoism, both focuses on the duties, behavior, and actions a person must do in order to belong harmoniously to his society. One of the greatest collections of poetry, the Man'yoshu, is perhaps one of the most celebrated pieces of literature of Japan. More popular to readers when in terms of Japanese literature are the works of Matsuo Basho,a famous haiku writer, and Murasaki Shikibu‘s the Tale of the Genji. Modern Japanese texts include the works of Motokiyo, Kawabata, Tanizaki, Mishima, Ryunosuke, and Murakami With upcoming writers from different Asian countries, its literature promises to be even richer and responsive to the changes of the 21st century. I. What Happened? Activity 1: PRE-TEST Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the correct answer. 1. Which is the currency of Singapore? A. Dollar B. Pound C. Baht D. Peso 2. What element is known as “the series of related events”? A. Episodes B. Chapters C. Plot D. Scenes 3. It is the angle in which a story is told. A. Climax B. Plot C. Point of View D. Resolution 4. This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story revealed. A. Resolution B. Climax C. Risng Action D. Exposition 5. These are words and phrases that appeal to the senses and that writers use to create pictures in reader’s mind. A. Climax B. Plot C. Point of View D. Resolution 4 Activity 2: COMPARE AND CONTRAST Read the informative text below to gain input about the literature of Singapore and then identify the points in which Singaporean literature is similar with Philippine literature and the points that in which they differ. Use the Venn diagram given for your answer. Singaporean Literature Retrieved from http://www.focussingapore.com/information- singapore/literature/#sthash.vqk6LwVU.dpuf retrieved on August 3, 2020 The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by Singaporeans in any of the country's four main languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. While Singaporean literary works may be considered as also belonging to the literature of their specific languages, the literature of Singapore is viewed as a distinct body of literature portraying various aspects of Singapore society and forms a significant part of the culture of Singapore. A number of Singaporean writers such as Tan Swie Hian and Kuo Pao Kun have contributed work in more than one language. However, this cross-linguistic fertilisation is becoming increasingly rare and it is now increasingly thought that Singapore has four sub-literatures instead of one. Singaporean Poetry Singaporean literature in English started with the Straits- born Chinese community in the colonial era; it is unclear which was the first work of literature in English published in Singapore, but there is evidence of Singapore literature published as early as the 1830s. The first notable Singaporean work of poetry in English is possibly F.M.S.R., a pastiche of T. S. Eliot by Francis P. Ng, published in London in 1935. This was followed by Wang Gungwu's Pulse in 1950. With the independence of Singapore in 1965, a new wave of Singapore writing emerged, led by Edwin Thumboo, Arthur Yap, Robert Yeo, Goh Poh Seng, Lee Tzu Pheng and Chandran Nair. It is telling that many critical essays on Singapore literature name Thumboo's generation, rightly or wrongly, as the first generation of Singapore writers. Poetry is the predominant mode of expression; it has a small but respectable following since independence, and most published works of Singapore writing in English have been in poetry. There were varying levels of activity in succeeding decades, with poets in the late 1980s and early 1990s including Simon Tay, Leong Liew Geok, Koh Buck Song, Heng Siok Tian and Ho Poh Fun. In the late 1990s, poetry in English in Singapore found a new momentum with a whole new generation of poets born around or after 1965 now actively writing and publishing, not only in Singapore but also internationally. Since the late- 1990s, local small presses such as Firstfruits and Ethos Books have been actively promoting the works of this new wave of poets. Some of the more notable include Boey Kim Cheng, Yong Shu Hoong, Alvin Pang, Cyril Wong, Felix Cheong and Alfian bin Sa'at (also a playwright). The poetry of this 5 younger generation is often politically aware, transnational and cosmopolitan, yet frequently presents their intensely focused, self- questioning and highly individualised perspectives of Singaporean life, society and culture. Some poets have been labeled Confessional for their personalised writing, often dealing with intimate issues such as sexuality. Beginning as a short story writer, Penang-born Catherine Lim has been Singapore's most widely read author, thanks partly to her first two books of short stories, Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore (1978) and Or Else, The Lightning God and Other Stories (1980). These two books were incorporated as texts for the GCE 'O' Levels. Lim's themes of Asian male chauvinistic gender-dominance mark her as a distant cousin to Asian- American writers such as Amy Tan. She has also been writing novels, such as The Bondmaid (1998) and Following the Wrong God Home (2001), and publishing them to an international audience since the late 1990s. SINGAPOREAN PHILIPPINE LITERATURE LITERATURE HOW A LIKE? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ HOW DIFFERENT? 6  II. What To Know? Lesson The Taximan’s Story 1 By Catherine Lim ―Little Ironies‖ – Stories Of Singapore About the Author CATHERINE LIM POH IMM  The doyen of Singapore stories having written more than nine collections of short stories, five novels and a poetry book.  She began as a teacher, then project director with the Ministry of Education and a specialist lecturer with the Regional Language Centre (RELC).  As a writer, she would like her stories to convey respect and regard for human values  She has won national and regional book prizes for her literary contributions.  In 1994, she also gained controversial fame for writing a political article entitled "One Government, Two Styles on the Great Affective Divide", in which she noted that some Singapore leaders lacked greater feelings for the people.  She was the eighth child among her 13 siblings.  Her family was Taoist and believed in ancestor worship. However, Lim and her siblings were sent to English-stream schools. Lim herself was educated at an English convent where she imbued the English culture and learnt the language well.  However, with her divorce later on in life, she gradually became a free thinker, or a secular humanist, as she preferred to be called.  Lim received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Malaya in 1963.  She is best known for her collection of short stories, Little Ironies: Short Stories of Singapore and Or Else, The Lightning God and Other Stories  Upon becoming a full-time writer, Lim gave talks regularly at local and international seminars, conferences, arts/ writers' festivals and even on cruise ships worldwide.  "I write because I enjoy it. I write about things that interest me- human behaviour, human relationships, the not-so-pleasant abilities people posses to deceive one another, seek revenge, inflict pain. Andtheir capacity to bear it all as well". 7  The Taximan’s Story By Catherine Lim ―Little Ironies‖ – Stories Of Singapore Take me to National University of Singapore, please make it fast cause I got a meeting to attend and I need to be there on time. Very good, Madam. Sure I will take you there in plenty good time for your meeting, Madam. This way better, less traffic, fewer cars jams. Half hour should make it, Madam, so not to worry. Have you been taxi man for a long time? What did you say, Madam? I said have you been taxi man for a long time? Ha, ha, Yes, yes, I‘ve been taxi man for 20 years now, Madam. A long time ago, Singapore not like this-so crowded, so busy. Last time, more peaceful, not so much taxi men or so much cars and buses. Oh, you must been working so hard! Yes Madam, I can make a living. So, so. What do? I must work hard if wants to success in Singapore. People like us, no read, no write, we must sweat to earn money for wife and children. Do you have a big family? Yes, Madam, quite big family—eight children, six sons, and two daughters. Big family! Haha! No good, Madam. In those days where got Family Planning in Singapore? People born many, many children, every year, one child is no good at all. Two children, three children, enough, stop. Our government say stop! Lucky for me, all my children big now. Four of my sons working—oneA businessman, two clerks, a teacher in Primary School, one in National Service one still schooling. My eldest daughter, she is twenty plus, stay at home, help the mother. Is your daughter already married? No, not married yet – very shy, and her health not so good, but a good, obedient girl. My other girl—Oh, Madam! Very hard for father when daughter is no good and go against her parents. Very sad like punishment from God. Today, young people not like us when we are young. We obey. Our parents say don‘t do this, we never do. Otherwise, he came. My father came, I was big enough to be married, and still got caning. My father he was very strict, and that is good thing for parents to be strict. If not, young boys and girls become very useless. Do not want to study, but run away, and go tonight clubs and take drugs and make love. You agree with me, Madam? Yes! I absolutely agree with you. Today, young people they are very trouble to their parents. Madam, you see this young girl over there, outside the coffee house? See what I mean, Madam? Yes. They are only schoolboys and schoolgirls, but they act as big shots, spending money, smoking, wearing latest fashion, and making love. Yes, that‘s true. Even though you‘re just a taxi man you are aware about the behavior of the teenagers today. Ah, madam, I know! I know! As taxi man, I know them and their habits. Madam, you are a teacher, you say? Yes.You know or not that young schoolgirls, fifteen, sixteen year old,they go to school in the morning in their uniforms and then afterschool, they don‘t go home, they have clothes in their schoolbag, and they go to public lavatory or hotel and change into these clothes, and they put make- up on their face. Their parents never know. They tell their Mom go school meeting, got sports and games, this, that, but they really come out and play the fool. Ah, Madam, I see you surprise but I know, I know all their tricks a lot As I take them in my taxi. They usual is wait in bowling alley or coffee house or hotel, and they 8 walk up, and friend, the European and American tourists, and this is how they make fun and also extra money. Madam, you believe or not when I tell you how much money they got? I say! Last night, Madam, this young girl, very pretty and make-up and wear sexy dress. She told me take her to orchid mansions--this place famous, Madam, fourth floor flat- -and she open her purse to pay me, and I say! All American notes--ten dollar notes all, and she pull one out and say keep change! As she has no time already. Madam, I tell you this, every month, I got more money from these young girls and their American and European boyfriends in my taxi, more than I get from other people who bargain and say dont want go by meter and wait even for ten cents change. Phui!! Some of them really make me mad. But these young girls and their boyfriends don‘t bargain, they just pay, pay, and they make love in taxi so much they dont know if you go round and round and charge them by meter! I tell you, Madam, some of them don‘t care how much they spend on taxi. It is like this: after 1 a.m. taxi fare double and I prefer working this time, because naturally, much more money. I go and wait outside Elroy Hotel or Tung Court or Orchid Mansions, and such enough, Madam, will have plenty business. Last Saturday, Madam, no joking, on one day alone I make nearly one hundred and fifty dollars! Some of it for services. Some of tourists don’t know where, so I tell them and take them there, and that’s extra money. You surely know a lot of things. Ah Madam, if I tell you all, no end to the story. But I will tell you this, Madam. If you have young daughter and she say Mummy I got meeting today in school and will not come home, you must not say, Yes, yes, but you must go and ask her where and why and who, and you find out. Today young people not to trust, like young people in many years ago. Why are you telling this? Oh, Madam, I tell you because I myself have a daughter--oh, Madam, a daughter I love very much, and she is so good and study hard. And I see her report cards and her teacher write good work and excellent so on, so on. Oh, Madam, she my favorite child, and I ask her what she want to be after left school, and she says go to University. None of my other children could go to University, but this one, she is very smart and intelligent--no boasting, Madam--her teachers write Good ̳ and excellent, and so on, so on, In her report cards. She study at home, and help the mother, but sometimes a little lazy, and she say teacher want her to go back to school to do extra work, extra coaching, in her weak subject, which is math, Madam. So I let her stay back in school and day after day she come home in evening, then she do her studies and go to sleep. Then one day, oh Madam, it makes me so angry even now-- one day, I in my taxi driving, driving along and hey! I see a girl looking like my Lay Choo, with other girls and some Europeans outside a coffee- house but I think, it cannot be Lay Choo, how can, Lay Choo is in school, and this girl is all dressed up and make-up, and very bold in her behavior, and this is not like my daughter at all. Then they go inside the coffee-house, and my heart is very, very--how you describe it, Madam, My heart is very susah hati ̳ and I say to myself, I will watch that Lay Choo and see her monkey tricks. The very next day she is there again I stop my taxi, Madam, and I am so angry. I rush up to this wicked daughter and I catch her by the shoulders and neck, and slap her and she scream, but I don‘t care. Then I drag her to my taxi and drive all the way home, and at home I thrash the stupid food and I beat her and slap her till like hell. My wife and 9 some neighbors they pull me away, and I think if they not pull me away, I sure to kill that girl. I lock her up in her room for three days, and I ashamed to tell her teacher, so I just tell the teacher that Lay Choo is sick, so please to excuse her. Oh, Madam, how you feel in my place? Make herself so cheap, when her father drive taxi all day to save money for her University. Is everything between you and your daughter okay now? What is it, Madam? I said is everything between you and your daughter okay now? Yes, yes, everything okay now, thank you. She cannot leave the house except to go to school, and I tell her mother always check, check in everything she do, and her friends--what sort of people they are... Can you wait for me until my meeting is done? What, Madam? Oh, so sorry, Madam, cannot wait for you to finish your meeting. Must go off, please to excuse me. In a hurry, Madam. Must go off to Hotel Elroy--there plenty people to pick up. So very sorry, Madam, and thank you very much. Oh, that‘s ok. Here‘s the payment. Thank you for sharing your story to me. My youngest daughter have a similar behavior Similar like the other schoolgirls that act like gangster since you‘re a teacher, did you know something strange about the girls. After school time, they don‘t really go home but they go to hotels and other places for sure. If you have a daughter, don‘t accept her trust. But you only do that when she wants to go out Just like my naughty daughter who really got caught. For that, I scolded her so loud that I don‘t even care so I just shout. Activity 3: ANALYZING THE TEXT Direction: Give your short answers on the following questions. (5pts. each item) 1. Who are the characters presented in the story? Describe them ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 2. Which among the statements of the taxi driver appealed to you the most? Why? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 3 What themes are discussed in the story? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 4. Do you think the characteristics and personality of the taxi driver is true for all taxi drivers? Explain your answer. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 10 Activity 4: Appreciating the text Sometimes, the text is a reflection of the life and times of the author and is inseparable from their life and their experiences. Thus some texts are best read if you know the background of the author. Your task for this activity is to compare the life experiences of Catherine Lim and the details from the selection. Use the table below for your responses. CATHERINE LIM’S LIFE AND TIMES DETAILS FROM THE TEXT Activity 5 Assessment Directions: Identify the plot of the story using the diagram below. 11 B. Direction: Answer the question in 5 sentences. (5 pts) 1. Compare the plight of the Filipino youth with that of Singaporean teenagers. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ III. What Have You Learned? I have learned that …  The Story of the Taximan, which was produced by Catherine Lim, is about a Singapore taxi cab driver. Through this article, it tells how present-day Singaporean youth have become impulsive and reckless compared to the earlier generations. The Story of The Taximan. The story narrator, a father of eight who is very caring and hardworking. He works as a taximan and earns by driving his family every day. He narrates the life and the significant incidents that arise in their city as a taximan. The topic introduced in the story is how adolescents are different from older generations nowadays.  The moral lesson of the story is that parents need to instill strong guiding principles on their children in order for them not go astray. They have to constantly participate in honing their children to be better at decision-making. Parents must never fail to teach the importance between the value of money and hard work – that money easily earned would easily vanish. You are learning a lot! Good job! I hope you will continue to enrich your understanding on the different literary text from Asia and appreciate the cultural aesthetic and diversity of Singaporean literature. 12  References Alejandrino, Kimberly Jhie. 2016. https://www.msuiit.edu.ph/academics/colleges/cass/research/langkit/2016/68- 108.pdf. 26 June 2020. Alonzo, Rosario I., Flores, Eden R., Tayao, Ma. Lourdes G. 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World. C. E. Publishing, Inc., 2017. Batucan, Deneb R. "SunStarWeekend." 2017. https://www.pressreader.com/search?query=adonis%20durado&languages=en& groupBy=Language&hideSimilar=0&type=1&state=1. June 2020. http://www.focussingapore.com/informatiosingapore/literature/#sthash.vqk6LwVU.dpuf https://miraflorredula.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/the-taximans-story-by-catherine-lim/ 13  Republic of the Philippines Department of Education Region VII, Central Visayas DIVISION OF MANDAUE CITY Jose L. Briones St.,Mandaue City NIMFA B. BONGO, Ed. D., CESO V Schools Division Superintendent ESTELA B. SUSVILLA, Ed. D. Assistant Schools Division Superintendent JAIME P. RUELAN, Ed. D. Chief Curriculum and Implementation Division ISMAELITA DESABILLE, Ed. D. LRMDS, Education Program Supervisor MERCEDITA M. DEMORAL Ed. D. Education Program Supervisor in English MARY GRACE C. CAGBABANUA Writer/Illustrator/Lay-out Artist 14 It is hoped that you have understood and mastered the competencies covered in the Self-Learning Kit. The skills you have learned will be of great help as you take part in the challenging demands of society. The enriching experiences you have gained through this learning material enable you to know more about yourself, especially your capabilities. Hence, you are ready to extend your horizons. Learning the essential competencies in the 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World is to prepare you to become globally competitive in the future. As you meet the complex demands of the global world, you stand confident because of the wide range of competencies you have mastered which made you more expressive of your thoughts and ideas. Bringing up rear, as productive learners, you are equipped with the 21st century skills which you need to be ready for tomorrow’s world. LearningResourceManagementandDevelopmentCenter (LRMDC) Curriculum Implementation Division Division of Mandaue 15 city