1.

Santiago

Representative texts and authors from Asia

REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORS FROM ASIA

HARUKI MURAKAMI (January 12, 1949)

Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His books and stories have been successful in Japan and
internationally, with his work being translated into 50 languages and selling millions of copies outside his
native country. His work has received numerous awards, including the World Fantasy Award, the Frank
O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Franz Kafka Prize, and the Jerusalem Prize.

REPRESENTATIVE TEXTS FROM ASIA

SCHEHERAZADE (Short Story) by Haruki Murakami

Murakami has a new short story in the recent New Yorker (Oct. 13, 2014), the title of which
“Scheherazade", and immediately attracted my attention, having recently read the new translation of
1001 Nights by Hanan Al-Shaykh and Marina Warner's wonderful study, Stranger Magic: the Charmed
States and the Arabian Nights. Murakami's story is about a guy who cannot, for some undisclosed
reason, leave his house. A nameless woman is assigned (but we do not know by whom) to come to his
house regularly to bring him food and supplies. She also has intercourse with him and tells him stories;
thus, he calls her Scheherazade. The main story she tells him in the story we are reading is about her
breaking into the home of a boy with whom she was obsessed while as a high school student (she is
middle-aged now), fantasizing about him, stealing trivial items, and leaving others in their place.

Representative texts and authors from North America

REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORS FROM NORTH AMERICA

YANN MARTEL (June 25, 1963)

Yann Martel is a Spanish-born Canadian author best known for the Man Booker Prize-winning novel Life
of Pi, a number 1 international bestseller published in more than 50 countries, and has sold more than
12 million copies worldwide and spent more than a year on the Bestseller Lists of the New York Times
and The Globe and Mail, among many other best-selling lists. It was adapted to the screen and directed
by Ang Lee, garnering four Oscars (the most for the event) including Best Director, and won the Golden
Globe Award for Best Original Score.

REPRESENTATIVE TEXTS FROM NORTH AMERICA

CHICKENS (by Elaine Margarell (United States)

Elaine Magarrell's "Chickens" relies upon the ridiculous to raise serious questions. Both amusing and
troubling by turns, the story introduces such devices as a "chicken angel" to interrogate the value of
religious faith and raise ethical concerns about eating meat. It exploits the fine line between probable
opposites - such as laughter and sadness, absurdity and profundity - to ask us to rethink the relationship
between dinner and morality.
 Representative texts and authors from Europe
REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORS FROM EUROPE

JEAN-MARIE GUSTAVE LE CLEZIO (April 13, 1940)

Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, usually identified as J. M. G. Le Clézio, is a French writer and professor.
The author of over 40 works, he was awarded the 1963 Prix Readout for his novel Le Procès-Verbal and
the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature for his life's work, as an author of new departures, poetic adventure,
and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilization.

REPRESENTATIVE TEXTS FROM CONTINENTAL EUROPE

HAZARAN (short story) by Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio (France), translated by Patricia E. Frederick

The story "Hazaran" draws upon the genre of the fairy tale are the motifs of the quest; the obstacle; the
test, the supernatural assistance offered the hero or heroine; and the transformation of the hero or
heroine who passes from a state of deprivation to a state. In "Hazaran" these traditional elements
structure a parable of modern life. A modern fairy tale is identified as a realistic setting. A resident of a
shantytown of immigrants on the outskirts of a modern city, the heroine Alia is a victim of capitalist
exploitation. Her encounter with Martin the supernatural entity will transform her life by showing her
the path to spiritual happiness. At the same time, Martin will change the lives of the entire community.
The name "Hazaran" has at least three meanings in his story; It refers to the story we are reading; it is
the name of the fairy tale that Martin tells the children; it is the name of the fabulous country of the
birds in that story

Representative texts and authors from Latin America

REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORS FROM LATIN AMERICA

ANA MARIA SHUA (April 22, 1951)

Ana María Shua (born in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine writer who has published over eighty books in
numerous genres including novels, short stories, micro-fiction, poetry, drama, children’s literature,
books of humor and Jewish folklore, anthologies, film scripts, journalistic articles, and essays. Her writing
has been translated into many languages. Her stories appear in anthologies throughout the world. She
has received numerous national and international awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, and is
one of Argentina’s premier living writers. She is particularly known in the Spanish-speaking world on
both sides of the Atlantic as “the Queen of the Micro story.

REPRESENTATIVE TEXTS FROM LATIN AMERICA

HONEY (flash fiction) by Antonio Utgar translated by Katherine Silver

From Colombia comes the story “Honey” by Antonio Ungar, in which a young boy watches his sister
cover herself with honey: “she defies the world, she smiles and waits. Little by little on her body begins
to transform are getting thicker and darker.” Suspense builds from the first sentence to the end of the
story. A character fascinated by someone in peril, wrought in beautiful prose, reminds the reader of
accidents along a freeway and rubberneckers cruising by the universality of human curiosity.

Representative texts and authors from Africa

REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORS FROM AFRICA

J. M. COETZEE (February 9, 1940)

John Maxwell Coetzee is a South African-born novelist, essayist, linguist, translator, and recipient of the
2003 Nobel Prize in Literature. He has also won the Booker Prize twice, the Jerusalem Prize, CNA Prize
(thrice), the Prix Fermina stranger, The Irish Times International Fiction Prize as well as other awards and
honors, holds several honorary doctorates, and is one of the most acclaimed and decorated authors in
the English language. Coetzee relocated to Australia in 2002 and lives in Adelaide. He became an
Australian citizen in 2006.

REPRESENTATIVE TEXTS FROM AFRICA

AS A WOMAN GROWS OLDER (short story) by J.M. Coetzee (South Africa)

She is visiting her daughter in Nice, her first visit there in years. Her son will fly out from the United
States to spend a few days with them, on the way to some conference or other. It interests her, this
confluence of dates. She wonders whether there has not been some collusion, whether the two of them
do not have some plan, some proposal to put to her of the kind that children put to apparent when they
feel she can no longer look after herself. So obstinate, they will have said to each other, "so obstinate,
stubborn, self-willed how will we get past that obstinacy of hers except by working together?".

References: https://www.scribd.com/document/426392992/Representative-Text-and-Authors-in-the-
World

2. Fronteras

To appreciate the cultural and aesthetic diversity of literature of the

world.
Diversity refers to differences in human characteristics, heritage, and culture. Beyond race, gender,
ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, socioeconomic diversity is defined either by numerous ways
humans think, believe, celebrate, educate, and communicate. Several people are easily confused or
even scared of those that are different. Appreciating literary works can be accomplished in several
aspects, including discussing the aspects of works of literature, writing a note on a specific feature,
reciting poems, performing drama on stage. The second approach is to put the literary works we've read
into practice in real-life situations. Literature's diversity extends beyond ethnicity. Diversity can refer to
various aspects of sexuality and gender, and as well as cultural and societal groups. Whether the
protagonists inside the books we read reflect others or ourselves, the most important thing is now that
humans link up with them through instances that help us better understand who we are today. It is
critical to value besides respecting other cultures for all their benefits. People who value diversity
recognize and respect differences. Stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination obstruct this respect and
arise when people are afraid of difference.

3. Dela Torre

To explain the texts in terms of literary elements, genres, and

traditions.
ELEMENTS OF FICTION

1. Theme— Theme has to do with what you see as the story’s point, message, function, or implied
view of life and conduct.

2. Plot and Structure— Plot and structure have to do with the arrangement, sequence, and
organization of events that make up a story. The narrative begins with an explanation of the situation
and characters (the “exposition”) followed by a series of complicating factors (“complicating or rising
action”).

3. Character - The “character” refers to, and we all know that we should be preoccupied with who
these characters are and how they act.

4. Setting - The location and time of a story is what we call “setting.” Setting is vital because the
physical details of time and place often have metaphorical value. Setting can also convey the emotional
or psychological state of characters.

5. Point of View - Point of view refers to how the story is told. Who is telling the story? Why is he
telling it? A story can be told by a distant third person, a mere observer who may or may not have
privileged access to characters’ thoughts and feelings.

6. Language and Style - The way a writer chooses words, arranges them in sentences and longer
units of discourse, and exploits their significance determines his or her style. Style is a kind of verbal
identity of a writer that reflects the way a writer sees the world.6. Language and Style - The way a
writer chooses words, arranges them in sentences and longer units of discourse, and exploits their
significance determines his or her style. Style is a kind of verbal identity of a writer that reflects the way
a writer sees the world.

7. Imagery— Language and style also includes images, the concrete representation of a sense
impression, feeling, or idea. Images may invoke our sight, hearing, sense of smell and taste, and tactile
perceptions.

8. Allusion— Allusion is also important in that a writer may convey a larger meaning by alluding to
(that is, “subtly referring to”) another story, character (fictional or real), place, event, or object. This is a
subtle and economical way to suggest larger significance and meaning.
Many new genres are coming out in Philippine literature.

Some have branched out to other forms of media, such as theater or movies. Some are just

beginning and are starting to blaze on their path in the local scene.

Here are the three of the latest genres emerging in the Philippine literature:

· Speculative fiction – This is an umbrella term in the country’s literature that

includes all genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, and other

non-realist genres.

· Avant-garde poetry – These poems push the boundaries of what is expected as the norm. In that sense,
these kinds of poems experiment with form,

phrasing, ideas, imagery, and the like.

· Contemporary essay – The contemporary essay nowadays is unrestricted and

explores diverse topics such as dysfunctional families, LGBT issues, terrorism,

religion, and faith. It is a far cry from the stereotype topics of previous essays,

because young writers nowadays are willing to voice their opinions about Filipino

society through writing.

The Filipinos were able to retain their native traditions and poems in the field of poetry reflected as
lyrical folksongs and riddles. Some examples of songs are Bahay Kubo, kundiman, and tapat. Francisco
Baltazar also was popular during this time because of his “Florante at Laura”.
4. Obseñares

To explain the relationship of the context with the meaning of the

text.

The ideals of the postmodernist and poststructuralist shape the Philippine literary landscape today
are the impact of globalization, the integration of various disciplines, the surge of technology, and the
empowerment of marginalized groups enrich the literature of our country in the21st century.

The Filipino writers of the 21st century have proven their versatility and literary competence by
having the order of various languages.

The Filipino literary scene becomes more distinct as varied members of the society make their voices
heard. Gay writers like Danton Remoto and J. Niel Garcia, and other lesbian authors are in the
limelight as they confidently convey their points of view. Furthermore, many new genres are coming
out in Philippine literature.

5. Javier

To situate the texts in the context of the region, nation, and the
world

The Filipino literary scene becomes more distinct as varied members of the society make their voices
heard. Women are marking their feminist in the stories of some gay writers like Danton Remoto and J.
Niel Garcia, and other authors are in the limelight as they confidently convey their point of view.

Filipino time, the origins of the “Filipino time” back to the Spanish period when Filipino Indios were
asked to appear at gathering 30 mins to an hour later than their Spanish colonizer. Attitudes to time may
differ cultures, for example, being late for the appointment, or taking a long time to get down to
business, is the accepted norm in most Mediterranean and Arab countries, as well as in much of less-
developed Asia. Other parts of the world also have their relaxed nature when it comes to time so we are
not unique, “African time”, a convenient excuse for tardiness of those who are lazy or just plain rude.

6. Nillos
 To compare and contrast the various 21# century literary genres and
their elements, structures, and traditions from across the globe

Literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary technique,
tone, content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length. The distinctions between genres and categories
are flexible and loosely defined, often with subgroups. The most general genres in literature are epic,
tragedy, comedy, and creative nonfiction. They can all be in the form of prose or poetry. The multiplicity
of Philippine literature progressed alongside its rich history. Its themes are rooted in the context of the
Philippine's pre-colonial cultural traditions and the socio-political histories of its colonial and
contemporary ways. The Pre-colonial Filipinos demonstrated rich-lived experiences orally expressed in
their folk speeches, songs, narratives, and indigenous rituals and mimetic dances. The similarities shared
between them are general and can be extended to include long form fiction as well. Short stories,
drama, poetry and novels are each examples of creative literary forms. Each of these forms is a mode of
creative writing.

7. Mupan

To distinguish the literary uses of language from the non-literary and

understand their use as well formal features and conventions of
literature.

Metaphor and symbolism are significant and distinguish literary from non-literary because deeper
meanings are embedded in the text through these techniques. A text rich in metaphor and symbolism
will impart both literal and figurative meanings and will accommodate deeper and more layered themes.

Literary works are those that have significantly complex and detailed literary devices particularly and
symbolism. Also important are literary elements of chronology and psychological. The 21st century in
literature refers to world literature produced during the 21st century. The measure of years is, for the
purpose of this article, literature written from (roughly) the year 2001 to the present.
Modernists would be more in lines of free verse, no set rhyme scheme, or format unlike conventional
writers. Ancient literature, if that's what you mean by traditional literature, was predominantly oral,
didactic and mythical, full of romanticism and idealism.

It teaches us about life by exposing us to the lives of different people through their stories, and from
these vicarious experiences, we learn important lessons and values. Above all, Literature teaches us
language and the power of communication, a skill we cannot do without in the 21st century.

Convention The most general genres in literature are (in loose chronological order) epic, tragedy,
comedy, and creative nonfiction. The four main literary genres are poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and
drama, with each varying in style, structure, subject matter, and the use of figurative language.

Literary Features. allusion. analogy. character. climax. conflict. dialogue. flashback.