LA PATRIA COLLEGES

Santiago City

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN LIT 001

PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

TOPIC/S CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY STUDIES

I. Types of Literature
a. Drama
1. Comedy
2. Tragedy
3. Musical drama
4. Melodrama
b. Fable
c. Autobiography
d. Biography
e. Poetry
f. Prose
g. Science Fiction
h. Journalistic Literature
II. Critical Approaches in studying literature
a. Reader-Response
b. Feminist Criticism
c. Queer Theory
d. Marxist Criticism
e. New Historical Criticism
f. Psychological Criticism
g. New Criticism
h. Deconstruction
i. Archetypal/Mythic Criticism

WEEK: 2
TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 Hours
CONSULTATION TIME: 10:30 - 11:30 MWF (BSCRIM/BSIT)
11:30 - 12:30 MWF (BSA/BSBA-MM/BSHM)
3:30-4:30 MWF (BSEE/BSED)

OBJECTIVES/ LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this module, the students shall be able to create their own meaning of literature,
enumerate precisely the purposes and values of literature and evaluate the importance of studying
literature.

LEARNING CONTENT:

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will discuss the definition of literature and its nature and how greatly affect into the
lives of other people and to the society where we are living in. The intention and belief of literature will
be emphasize and how it is important to study the work of arts of our ancestors.

DISCUSSION

I. Types of Literature

These are the main types of literature: Drama, Fable, Autobiography, Biography, Poetry, Prose,
Science Fiction, and Journalistic Literature.

A. Drama
Drama is a play in literature, and a playwright composes it. It portrays fictional or non-fictional stories.
To explain away certain events, characters, or stories, a drama is produced, using dialogues or actions.
It can be performed on stage, radio or on big screens as in films. Conflicts, emotions and impressive
characters are required to produce a high-quality drama. There are many forms of drama but some of
the most common are: comedy, tragedy, musical drama and melodrama. Let us have a brief
explanation of these types of drama.
1. Comedy:
Comedy is a type of drama, which is lighter in tone. Its purpose is to make the audience laugh
and amuse them. It has a happy ending. Very unusual circumstances are there coupled with quick and
witty remarks. People consider it as the most entertaining and fun form of drama and literature. An
example of a comedy drama is ’The Comedy of Errors’ by William Shakespeare.

2. Tragedy:
Tragedy is the type of drama that has a dark theme. It portrays suffering, pain, longing, and
often death. An example of a tragedy drama is ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare.

3. Musical Drama:
A musical drama tells a story with dialogues, songs, music, and dance. These things convey the
emotions in the drama. An example of a musical drama is ‘A Star is Born’, which starred Lady Gaga.

4. Melodrama:
Melodrama is a kind of drama that portrays exaggerated emotions like tension or excitement. It
arouses the same emotions in the audience and makes them indulged in it. The situation and the
dialogues are more important in a melodrama than action. An example of a melodrama is ‘Still Life,
Brief Encounter’ by Noel Coward.

B. Fable
Writers write a fable when the intention is to provide the audience with a moral story. A fable
usually uses animals as characters to convey the story. In Fables, animals act like humans and are able
to speak and understand reasoning. They are a personification of human characteristics and their
nature. An example of a fable is the famous story of ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’, which almost every
child has heard in his childhood.

C. Autobiography
Autobiography is an interesting thing to read because of its teller of the story is the one, about
who the story is. The character himself is the writer and describes his life from his own original
perspective and experiences. It gives you an insight on the person that is writing it, because they share
their true-life events and thoughts. Mostly, famous people write autobiographies to tell their story to
their fans and the world. A famous and spectacular example of autobiography is ‘The Diary of a Young
Girl’, a book by Anne Frank.

D. Biography
Biography in literature tells the story of a person from another person’s perspective. Someone
else writes it rather than the subject himself. The professional essay writer could be somebody close to
the person or somebody who had studied about that person. Biography is different from a resume
because it enlightens the audience with different aspects of a person’s life. A great example of
biography is ‘Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption’, by Laura
Hillenbrand.

E. Poetry
Poetry in literature is a composition of rhythm, sound, and lyrics. The definition of poetry by one
of the greatest poets in history, William Wordsworth, is “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”.
(1) The poet composes poetry in sort of a song to develop emotions and imaginations in the listeners’
hearts and minds. Poetry is aesthetic. The poet chooses words carefully, so the listeners can relate
themselves to it. The four main types of poetry are haiku, free verse, sonnets, and acrostic poems. An
example of one of the most beautiful books of poetry is ‘Ariel’, by Sylvia Plath.

F. Prose
Prose in literature is that form of literature, which is somewhat plain and simple. It has no
special grammar structure or a writing pattern to follow. It is written in a usual tone, forming into a
natural speech or a conversational tone. Nothing is specific in prose. Paragraphs or sentences can be
long or short. Examples of prose include novels, newspapers, textbooks, etc.

G. Science Fiction
Science fiction, also called “sci-fi,” is a genre of literature where most of the things are
imaginary. The stories are about the future technology. These fiction stories also have a relationship to
real science laws, because science considers those things possible in future, according to the scientific
laws. Science fictions are sometimes true and sometimes they are just imaginations based on
assumptions. Some examples of science fiction are, ‘The Time Machine’ by H. G. Wells, ‘Spies in
Disguise’ by Blue Sky Studios, ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ by Madeleine L’Engle, etc.

H. Journalistic Literature

Journalistic Literature is a sort of nonfiction. In literary journalism, the journalist gathers

information and then creates and publishes. It combines the facts and reporting with some clever
strategies and narrative techniques. These techniques make the reports more engaging and interesting.

B. Critical Approaches of literature

1. Reader-Response - Focuses on the reader (or "audience") and his or her experience of a
literary work, in contrast to other schools and theories that focus attention primarily on the author or
the content and form of the work.

2. Feminist Criticism—focuses on female representation in literature, paying attention to female

points of view, concerns, and values. Three underlying assumptions in this approach are: Western
Society is pervasively patriarchal, male centered and controlled, and is organized in such a way as to
subordinate women; the concept of gender is socially constructed, not biologically determined; and that
patriarchal ideology pervades those writings which have been considered “great works of literature.”

3. Queer Theory: Combined area of gay and lesbian studies and criticism, including studies of
variations in biological sex, gender identity, and sexual desires. Emphasis on dismantling the key binary
oppositions of Western culture: male/ female, heterosexual/ homosexual, etc. by which the first
category is assigned privilege, power, and centrality, while the second is derogated, subordinated, and
marginalized.

4. Marxist Criticism—focuses on how literary works are products of the economic and ideological
determinants specific to that era. Critics examine the relationship of a literary product to the actual
economic and social reality of its time and place (Class stratification, class relations, and dominant
ideology).

5. New Historical Criticism—focuses on examining a text primarily in relation to the historical

and cultural conditions of its production, and also of its later critical interpretations. Cultural materialism,
a mode of NHC, argues that whatever the “textuality” of history, a culture and its literary products are
always conditioned by the real material forces and relations of production in their historical era.

6. Psychological Criticism—focuses on a work of literature primarily as an expression, in fictional

form, of the state of mind and the structure of personality of the individual author. In other words, a
literary text is related to its author’s mental and emotional traits. Furthest extension is Psychoanalytic
Criticism, emphasis on phallic symbols, wombs, breasts, etc. Theorists include Lacan and Klein.

7. New Criticism – The proper concern of literary criticism is not with the external circumstances
or effects or historical position of a work, but with a detailed consideration of the work itself as an
independent entity. Emphasis on “the words on the page.” Study of poetry focuses on the “autonomy
of the work as existing for its own sake,” analysis of words, figures of speech, and symbols. Distinctive
procedure is close reading and attention to recurrent images; these critics delight in “tension,” “irony,”
and “paradox.” (Similar to Formalism or Neo-Aristotelian)

8. Deconstruction—focuses on the practice of reading a text in order to “subvert” or “undermine”

the assumption that the text can be interpreted coherently to have a universal determinate meaning.
Typically, deconstructive readings closely examine the conflicting forces/meanings within the text in
order to show that the text has an indefinite array of possible readings/significations.

9. Archetypal/Mythic Criticism—focuses on recurrent narrative designs, patterns of action,

character types, or images which are said to be identifiable in a wide variety of literary works, myths,
dreams, and even ritualized modes of behavior. Critics tend to emphasize the mythical patterns in
literature, such as the death-rebirth theme and journey of the hero.

SUMMARY
 In conclusion, literature has different types and forms and that is a form of art, it teaches us to
think beyond and widen imagination that brings us to the colorful and meaningful world of literature.

REFERENCES:
Garcia et., al. (1993) A Study of Literary Types and Forms, UST Publishing House- Manila Philippines

Internet Source:
Retrieved From https://www.slideshare.net/LeahCondina1/critical-approaches-to-literature
 LEARNING TASK ACTIVITY
WEEK2 (SEPTEMBER 6- SEPTEMBER 10, 2021)

Name:___________________________ Program and Year: ___________________

GENERAL GUIDELINES:
1. Read the module intended for Week 2.
2. Answer the seatwork/ activity/ assignment given by the instructor.
3. Answers may be presented in a bond paper with the FULL NAME (please include your signature) and
Program/ Yr. You are encouraged to encode your answer with your FULL NAME and Program/ Yr. If
encoded, save your document with this format (your last name, initial name, course number and week
number).
Example: MOYONGAN, M. LIT 001 WEEK 2
4. Send your answer thru chat tab in the Microsoft Teams (private message to the instructor).
5. Send your output not later than September 10, 2021.

LEARNING TASK: CONCEPT MAPPING

Make a concept map about the types of literature by putting essential words (sometimes in shapes like
circles, boxes, triangles, and so on) and then drawing arrows between connected ideas.

Scoring Rubric for the Activity:

10 points Shows understanding of the topic and uses appropriate terminologies
and notations. Map has Multiple clear hierarchies and has a good layout.
5 points Identifies all the important concepts and shows an understanding of the
relationships among them.
5 points Original illustrations are detailed, attractive and relate to the task given.

Congratulations for finishing the Module 2! Keep up the good work.

Prepared by:

MELODY S. MOYONGAN, LPT

Instructor

Reviewed/Approved:

LILY MAE M. KIMAYONG, MBA MICHAEL D. ALMAZAN, LPT, MBM

Program Head, Hospitality Management Program Head, Business Administration

AIZA P. RUMAUAC, CPA ANGELO K. LAHINA, LPT, MAT

Program Head, Accountancy Program Head, Teacher Education

JEAN RUSSEL B. PAULMITAN, RCrim, MSCJ ABRAHAM G. UCOL

Program Head, Criminology Program Head, Industrial Technology

JADE B. BUISEL, REE, RME

Program Head, Engineering and Computer Studies