Government Property Senior High

NOT FOR SALE School

NOT

21 Century
st

Literature from the

Philippines and the
World
Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines
Pre-Test
Multiple Choice. Answer the questions that follow. Choose the best answer from
among the given choices.

1. Confucius is a famous ______________ in ancient Chinese history.

A. writer B. narrator C. philosopher D. poet

2. The oldest collection of Chinese poetry is called ___________.

A. Book of Poetry B. Book of Songs C. Book of Changes D. Book of Olds

3. Who was the first writer in Chinese to win Nobel Prize for literature?
A. Kung Fu Tzu B. Mo Yan C. Lu Xun D. Lao Tzu

4. Who is commonly considered the greatest Chinese writer of the 20th century?
A. Lu Xun B. Lao Tzu C. Confucius D. Mo Yan

5. The theme of the The Taximan’s Story is

A. how hardworker the taximan is
B. how the passenger appreciates the taximan
C. how the taximan’s daughter is different compared to other girls.
D. how teenagers nowadays are different compared to older generations

6. The Taximan’s Story is written in ___________ point of view

A. first person point of view C. Second person point of view
B. third person point of view D. Omniscient point of view

7. The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by Singaporeans in any

of the country’s _______ languages.
A. two B. three C. four D. five

8. It is something that shows how two things are alike, but with the ultimate goal of making a
point about this comparison.
A. simile B. metaphor C. analogy D. allegory

9. A figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two
things that are unrelated but which share some common characteristics.
A. analogy B. allegory C. allusion D. metaphor

10. A figure of speech whereby the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event,
or literary work by way of a passing reference.
A. allegory B. analogy C. allusion D. metaphor

11. The sequence of series of events in a story

A. setting B. plot C. theme D. conflict

12. The underlying message that the writer would like to get across.
A. plot B. theme C. conflict D. setting

13. The locale or period in which the action of a story takes place
A. conflict B. setting C. plot D. mood
14. ___________ is considered the world’s first novel.
A. Tale of Genji B. Book of Songs C. Tale of Yasunari D.Book of Poetry

15. The country which has much influence on Japanese literature was ___________.
A. Singaporean B. Chinese C. Mongolian D. Vietnamese

16. It consists of one or two pages of written critique that will succinctly discuss your idea,
realization, or concept regarding a literary selection.
A. essay B. short paper C. narrative D. analysis

17. In the movie The Hunger Games why does the Capitol hold the Hunger Games?
A. To keep the districts happy
B. because they are part of a religious festival
C. as a way to control the size of the population
D. To remind the districts that they are powerless against it

18. Under what circumstances did Katniss first meet Peeta in Hunger Games?
A. They did a project at school together
B. They were both in the woods hunting
C. Peeta was injured and Katniss’ mother helped him.
D. Katniss was looking for food and Peeta gave her bread.

19. How do Katniss and Peeta force the Capitol to declare them both winners?
A. They threatened to run away
B. They threaten to commit suicide.
C. They threaten to cause a rebellion against the Capitol.
D. They threaten that the winner will tell about everything.

20. The bottle fizzed then popped is an example of _________.

A. onomatopoeia B. simile C. repetition D. metaphor

21. The mouse beneath the stone is still as death is an example of _____________.
A. simile B. metaphor C. onomatopoeia D. personification

22. When the word at the end of a line rhymes with another word at the end of another line, it
is called
A. internal rhyme B. end rhyme C. rhythm D. repetition

23. A poem with songlike feel; it focuses on adventure or romance and tells a story it is
called
A. figurative language B. lyric C. narrative D. rhythm

24. The author of a poem is called ___________.

A. narrator B. poet C. author D. writer

25. The movement that opened the avenue for writers to celebrate what is truly African
A. nationalistic B. Negritude C. Africanism D. patriotism

26. Though African writers wrote in European language, they nevertheless embodied the
spirit of __________.
A. patriotism B. nationalism C. truth D. bayanihan
27. He took credit for developing magical realism
A. Mario Vargas Llosa
B. Gabriel Garcia Marquez
C. Julio Cortazar
D. Jose Garcia Villa

28.Which of the following is TRUE about magical realism?

A. It follows the traditional time structure.
B. It occurs because of the use of devices not similar to poetry.
C. The elements of the magical and the ordinary are interwoven seamlessly.
D. Magic realism is like science fiction.

29. Who said that immature poets imitate; mature poets steal?
A. Thomas Hardy C. T.S. Eliot
B. Thomas Babington Macaulay D. William Wordsworth

30. It is imaginative response to an experience reflecting a keen awareness of

language.
A. narrative C. poetry
B. figurative language D. words

31. Poetry uses two kinds of language. What are they?

A. long and short C. lyric and narrative
B. literal and figurative D. emotional and comparative

32. It is the spontaneous overflow of powerful words collected in moments of

tranquillity. This refers to what kind of poetry?
A. lyric C. narrative
B. poetry D. figurative

33. What kind of poetry gives a verbal representation, in verse, of a sequence of

connected events, it propels characters through a plot?
A. narrative C. literal
B. lyric D. figurative

34. In "Death" by Emily Dickinson, the three things that Death's carriage holds are...
A. hope, superstition, and truth
B. clarity, despair, and triumph
C. death, the speaker, and immortality
D. a way out, acceptance, and understanding

35. What does ‘setting sun’ indicate in the poem “Death” by Emily Dickinson?
A. death C. life
B. sun D. sunset

36. Which of the following statements about Emily Dickinson’s poem “Death” is TRUE?
A. It portrays death as something that should be feared.
B. It portrays death as something that should not be feared.
C. It highlights how everyone interprets death in the same way.
D. It highlights how everyone’s interpretation of death is unique.

37. As a literary device, persona refers to what three things:

A. character, voice, and role
B. drama, poetry and prose
C. music, movies, and audiobooks
D. fiction, non-fiction and historical fiction
38. What is a thing that represents something else?
A. symptom B. theme C. symbol D. thesis

39. What is symbolism?

A. Any story that attempts to explain how the world was created
B. A pattern of sound that includes the repetition of consonant sounds
C. An actor’s speech, directed to the audience, that is not supposed to be heard by other
actors.
D. The use of an object, person, situation, or word to represent something else (an
idea) in literature

40. Which of the following is an example of symbolism in literature?

A. Fall representing growing old
B. water symbolizing rebirth
C. The color black to symbolize evil
D. All of these are correct

41. Identify what stage symbolizes.

“All the world’s a stage.
And all the men and women merely players;
they have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,”
A. world B. participants C. play D. theatre

42. What is central idea?

A. tone of the passage
B. theme of the passage
C. a summarized sentence
D. central point that ties everything together.

43. Where could you find central idea?

A. first sentence
B. last sentence
C. not stated by implied
D. all of the above

44. Why would you need to know what the central idea of a paragraph/poem is?
A. I don’t know.
B. So you can find the theme.
C. So you could find the main idea.
D. so you can understand what the article/poem is about

45. In Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda, who is the persona talking to?
A. his mother
B. his sister
C. his other woman
D. a woman that he loves

46. What does rose of salt symbolize in Sonnet XVII?

A. something near the ocean
B. a rose made of salt
C. sand in the ocean
D. flower that grows near the ocean
47. What is the meaning of the 3rd stanza of Sonnet XVII?
A. he simply loves her no matter what happens
B. he is telling his lover about a few things that don’t represent his love
C. he is telling how it is that he does love his partner.
D. he re-emphasizes the fact that his love is not based on beauty

48. To what sense does the second stanza appeal to?

A. smell B. taste C. sight D. touch

49. What is the central idea of the sonnet?

A. one should not fear death
B. growth and decay evident in the battle against time
C. immortality can be reached through the poet's "engrafting
D. to love completely and honestly is the most beautiful thing of all

50. What is literature?

A. It refers to writing considered to be an art form or any single writing deemed to have
artistic or intellectual value.
B. It is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a
specific topic.
C. It is the comparison, analysis, interpretation, and/or evaluation of works of literature.
D. It is subjective writing because it expresses the writer's opinion or evaluation of a text
 Lesson

8 Asian Literature: Chinese

Grade 12, First Semester, Q2 – Week 1

What I Need to Know

In this module, you are going to write a close analysis and critical
interpretation of literary texts and doing an adaptation of these which require
you the ability to:

In this lesson, you are going to:

a. Identify representative texts and authors from Asia, North America,

Europe, Latin America, and Africa; (EN12Lit-IIa-22)
b. Produce a creative representation of a literary text by applying
multimedia and ICT skills; (EN12Lit-IIij-31.1)
c. Do self- and/or peer-assessment of the creative adaptation of a
literary text, based on rationalized criteria, prior to presentation.
(EN12Lit-IIij-31.3)

What I Know
Try your hand on the crossword puzzle. Which ones do you know
about Chinese literature?

Across
1. Confucius is a famous ____ in
ancient Chinese history.
2. The mystic philosophy inspired
by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu
3. oldest collection of Chinese
poetry
5. Chinese literature has very
_____beginnings.
6. It is a series of rulers from the
same family
9. The poet who centers his works
on war and bitter experience.

Down
2. The great poets Li Po and Tu Fu
became popular during this dynasty.
4. He is Kung Fu Tzu, and he founded
Confucianism.
7. Who was the first writer in Chinese to
win Nobel Prize for literature?
8. Who is commonly considered the
greatest Chinese writer of the 20th
century?
 What’s In

Having probed the diversity and vast richness of Philippine literature –

from the country’s pre-colonial oral traditions to the literature at contemporary times,
let us now explore the literature of other countries across the globe and discover the
uniqueness, distinction, and complexity of their literary traditions. We will have a tour
from one continent to another for us to appreciate the literature of each region. Our
exploration will start with our neighboring countries in Asia.
Asian regions that have produced literature through the ages include: East
Asia (China, Japan, Korea); South Asia (which includes India); Central Asia
(Afghanistan, Kazakshtan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Tibet, and Nepal);
the Middle East; and Southeast Asia (which includes the Philippines).
Modern influences on Asian literature include cultural movements, war and
colonization, and influence from the West. ( Simoun Victor D. Redoblado, Brilliant Creations
Publishing, Inc., 2017, 102-105)

Before we take the tour, let’s look back at what you’ve learned from our own
Philippine literature.
Read carefully each statement. Choose the correct answer, and write the letter of the
correct answer in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. What poetry is written and read on a mobile phone?

A. rhyme B. hypertext C. lyric poetry D. textual

2. Which of these statements is NOT TRUE about creative nonfiction?

A. It tells a real story. C. It is a major genre of literature.
B. It tells a realistic story. D. It uses a literary style of writing

3. All of these kinds of electronic literature are of the same genre EXCEPT one.
Which one is it?
A. hyperfiction B. hyperpoetry C. photo poem D. textual

4. Characterized by beauty of expression and form and by the universality of

intellectual and emotional appeal is ____________.
A. literature B. poem C. prose D. story

5. It covers all stories from fantasy to science fiction to slipstream to magic realism to
urban fantasy.
A. Chick lit C. hyper poetry
B. flash fiction D. speculative fiction

6. What is 21st century literature?

A. anything written and published in the year 1900
B. anything written and published in 1990 onwards
C. anything written and published in the year 2000s.
D. anything written and published in the year 2010 onwards

7. “Manananggal Terrorizes Manila and Other Stories” is an example of this 21 st

 century literature genre. What is it?
A. Chick lit
B. Creative Nonfiction
C. Flash fiction
D. Graphic novels.

8. It is consists of heroine-centered narratives that focus on the trials and tribulations

of their individual protagonists.
A. speculative fiction
B. chick lit
C. creative nonfiction
D. flash fiction

9. Flash fiction goes by many names, and they include the following EXCEPT
A. microfiction
B. microstories
C. short-short stories
D. story card fiction

10. It is an online journal or informational website displaying information in the

reverse chronological order, with latest posts appearing first.
A. graphic novels B. blog C. text tula D. hyperpoetry

What’s New
At this point in our study of world literature, we are going to take a look
at Chinese culture. Take a minute or two to remember the things you already know
about China. You will give three(3) of each category that will be asked. Write your
answers in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

A. Entertainment C. History
Name 3 types of Chinese Art Name 3 dynasties in China
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.

B. Food D. Religion
Name 3 crops grown in China Name 3 religions in China
1. 1.
2. 2.
3.
 \What Is It
Chinese literature began more than two thousand years ago, with The Book
of Poetry (Shijing) as its first anthology. This book, compiled sometime after 600 B.C.
by Confucius (551–479 B.C.), is a collection of 305 poems that date back to a period
between approximately 800 and 600 B.C.
Among the rhetorical devices employed in this first poem of The Book of
Poetry is the use of metaphor — crying ospreys compared to the lord and lady, for
instance.
Following The Book of Poetry, highlights of traditional Chinese literature
include The Songs of the South (Chuci); the prose writings in history and philosophy
of the Qin and Han dynasties; Tang poetry; the Song lyric; the prose of the Tang and
Song dynasties; and the short stories, novels, and dramas from the Tang to the Qing
dynasties.
The modern period of Chinese literature, which began in the 1910s, is even
more multifarious and voluminous. Running the risk of abstraction and
oversimplification, Chinese literature is characterized as the expression of both the
heart and the mind, as concerning the individual and society, as variously sublime
and graceful, and as blending reality and the imagination.
Traditional Chinese literature developed under the intellectual influences of
Confucianism, Daoism (Taoism), and Buddhism. Confucianism preaches
benevolence, righteousness, individual effort, commitment to society, and harmony
among people.
Traditional Chinese literature came under the influence of Christianity in the
Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644), when Western missionaries made their way to China.
As music is related to poetry, traditional Chinese poetry was inevitably influenced by
the music of the non-Chinese ethnic groups who resided mostly on the Chinese
borders. In general, traditional Chinese literature, though mainly a product of
Chinese civilization, has absorbed, in its course of development, certain elements
from cultures other than the Chinese.
Chinese literature in the twentieth century made a dramatic turn to the West.
This change affected not just literature but virtually all aspects of Chinese culture.
To be sure, twentieth-century Chinese literature has been receptive to the
literary works of such Eastern countries as India and Japan, but the presence of the
West is quite overwhelming.
In Modern times, Chinese writers have remained prolific. Though the social
impact of literature may be as monumental as it was in the past, the Chinese literary
tradition is nevertheless prosperous. Notable names include Mo Yan, a fictionist who
won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature. Remarkable too were the novels of Yu Hua,
Wang Shuo and Shi Tiesheng, and the stories of Gao Xiaosheng, Wang Zengqi, and
Zhang Chenzhi. ( https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/46722071.pdf & Simoun Victor D. Redoblado,
Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc., 2017), 104)

https://www.slideshare.net/geumjen2/the-literature-of-china
 As religion, war, and politics shaped Asian societies, literature prospered to
mirror these developments. As children of this continent, we need to appreciate the
literary outputs of our Asian neighbors. (Simoun Victor D. Redoblado, (Brilliant Creations
Publishing, Inc., 2017), 102.

Now, be ready to read one of Arthur Waley’s works. Arthur Waley was a 20 th
century scholar who translated numerous Chinese and Japanese classics.

Battle
Chu’ü Yüan
translated by Arthur Waley

“We grasp our battle-spears: we don our breast-plates of hide.

The axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet.
Standards obscure the sun: the foe roll up like clouds.
Arrows fall thick: the warriors press forward.
They menace our ranks: they break our line.
The left-hand trace-horse is dead: the one on the right is smitten.
The fallen horses block our wheels: they impede the yoke-horses!”

They grasp their jade drum-sticks: they beat the sounding drums.
Heaven decrees their fall: the dread Powers are angry.

The warriors are all dead: they lie on the moor-field.

They issued but shall not enter: they went but shall not return.
The plains are flat and wide: the way home is long.

Their swords lie beside them: their blacks bows, in their hand.
Though their limbs were torn, their hearts could not be repressed.
They were more than brave: they were inspired with the spirit of “Wu.”
Steadfast to the end, they could not be daunted.
Their bodies were stricken, but their souls have taken Immortality –
Captains among the ghosts, heroes among the dead.
https://doina-touchingheartsblogspot.com/2019/01/battle-by-chu-yuan-332-295-bc-
from.html

Source: https://mongolempirewhap.weebly.com/conquest.html
 Read another poem written by a modern Chinese poet, Yu Xiuhua, who
became well known in 2014 with her online poem “Crossing Half of China to Sleep
with You.” Explore one of her poems.

On the Threshing Floor, I Chase Chickens Away

Yu Xiuhua
translated by Ming Di

And I see sparrows fly over. They look around

as if it’s inappropriate to stop for just any grain of rice.
They have clear eyes, with light from inside.
Starlings also fly over, in flocks, bewildered.
They flutter and make a sound that seems to flash.
When they’re gone, the sky gets lower, in dark blue.
In this village deep in the central plain
the sky is always low, forcing us to look at its blue,
the way our ancestors make us look inside ourselves,
narrow and empty, so we look out again
at the full September –
we’re comforted by its insignificance but hurt by its smallness.
Living our life this way, we feel secure.
So much rice. Where does it come from?
So much gold color. Where does it come from?
Year after year I’ve been blessed, and then deserted.
When happiness and sadness come in the same color code,
    I’m happy
to be forgotten. But who am I separated from?
I don’t know. I stay close to my own hours.
https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2018/july/two-poems-yu-xiuhua

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pirosmani._Threshing-floor._1916,_Oil_on_cardboard,_72X100.jpg
 What’s More

Compare the work of Chu’ü Yüan with the work of Yu Xiuhua. Consider
the similarities and differences in subject matter, imagery, and style in your
comparison. Copy the diagram in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.
Then, Fill in the Venn Diagram with the similarities and differences of the two
poems.

Battle
Chu’ü Yüan On the Threshing Floor, I Chase
Battle Similarities
Chickens Away
Yu Xiuhua
Subject matter:
Battle Battle
Chu’ü Yüan
imagery:
style:

What I Have Learned

Answer the following questions. Write your answers in your
LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. What emotions do you feel after reading the poem? Why did you feel that way?
___________________________________________________________________

2. How would you compare the two poems? Which elements do they share, and
what differences do they have?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3. What message does each poem convey?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 What I Can Do

Your task is to create a beautiful multimedia presentation that showcases one

of the best Chinese short stories written. Your multimedia must not exceed five (5)
minutes. It must have the complete elements of the story. Be creative and be visually
appealing.
Criteria Description Score
10 points 7 points 4 points
The The The
Visual appeal presentation is presentation is presentation
visually moderately has poor visual
appealing, with appealing appeal, with
harmonious visually, with unbalanced
colors, shapes, generally color
and sizes of harmonious combinations,
figures in the colors, shapes, shapes, and
presentation. and sizes of sizes of figures
figures in the in the
presentation presentation
Cohesion The The The
presentation presentation presentation is
shows all the shows some of confusing; it
elements of the the elements of does not show
short story and the short story all the
blends it well in and blends it in elements of the
the narrative the narrative. short story and
these do not
blend well in
the narrative
Creativity The The The
presentation is presentation is presentation is
unique, somewhat unoriginal, and
interesting, and unique and fun it is not
innovative. It is to watch. pleasant to
a pleasure to watch.
watch.

Score /30
Adopted: DIWA Senior High School Series, DIWA Textbooks, 2016, p. 67
 Post Assessment
Read carefully each statement. Choose the correct answer, and write
the letter of the correct answer in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. Confucius is a famous ____ in ancient Chinese history.

A. historian B. poet C. philosopher D. emperor

2. Name the mystic philosophy inspired by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu.

A. Daoism B. Confucianism C. Taoism D. Buddhism

3. The great poets Li Po and Tu Fu became popular during this dynasty.

A. Shang Dynasty B. Ming Dynasty C. Tang Dynasty D. Hang Dynasty

4. What is the subject matter of the poem “Battle” by Chu’ü Yüan?

A. nationalism B. patriotism C. independence D. loyalty

5. Chinese literature has very _____beginnings.

A. new B. ancient C. recent D. contemporary

6. Which of the following is the oldest collection of Chinese poetry?

A. Book of Psals B. Book of Songs C. Book of poetry D. Book of old

7. Who was the first writer in Chinese to win Nobel Prize for literature?
A. Li Po B. Du Fu C. Lu Xhun D. Mo Yan

8. Which of the following imagery is used in “On the Threshing Floor, I Chase
Chickens Away?
. A. arrows fall thick
B. the virtual spring in the flowering
C. starlings also fly over, in flocks, bewildered
D.the axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet

9. The poet who centers his works on war and bitter experience.
A. Du Fu B. Lu Xhun C. Mo Yan D. Chu’ü Yüan

10. Who is commonly considered the greatest Chinese writer of the 20 th century?
A. Mo Yan B. Du Fu C. Yu Xiuhua D. Lu Xhun
 Lesson

9 Asian Literature: Singaporean

Grade 12, First Semester, Q2 – Week 2

What I Need to Know

You will continue your journey in discovering Asian literature. This time
you will learn about Singaporean literature. Be ready to experience different activities
that are designed to help deepen your understanding about the country’s literature.

In this Lesson, you are going to:

a. Compare and contrast the various 21st century literary genres and
their elements, structures, and traditions from across the globe;
(EN12Lit-IId-25)
b. Produce a creative representation of a literary text by applying
multimedia and ICT skills; (EN12Lit-IIij-31.1)
c. Do self- and/or peer-assessment of the creative adaptation of a
literary text, based on rationalized criteria, prior to presentation.
(EN12Lit-IIij-31.3)

What I Know

Congratulations! You finished exploring Chinese literature. You were able to

compare and contrast two poems written by calibre poets. Now, it’s time for you to
move to another destination - a country which is just a neighbour to us in Southeast
Asia, but before we move on, let’s check what you now know about Singapore’s
literature.
. Read carefully each statement. Choose the correct answer, and write the letter of
the correct answer in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by

Singaporeans in any of the country’s four main languages namely, English, _______,
Malay and Tamil.
A. Singaporean B. Chinese C. Malaysian D. Indonesian
2. The poetry of this Singaporean younger generation is often politically aware,
____________ and cosmopolitan.
A. global B. transnational C. national D. hierarchical
3. What is the predominant mode of expression in Singaporean literature?
A. novel B. drama C. poetry D. song
4. _____________ writing in English did not start in earnest until after independence.
A. Poetry B. Narrative C. Fiction D. Novel
5. Who remains a pioneer in writing novels?
A. Catherine Lim B. Goh Poh Seng C. Kuo Pao Kun D. Robert Yeo
6. At what point of view is The Taximan’s Story is written?
A. first person B. third person C. second person D. omniscient
7. The passenger of the taximan in the story is a ____________________.
A. woman B. teacher C. doctor D. tourist
8. In the Singaporean story The Taximan’s Story, what is the irony?
A. The taximan picks up young girls and their foreign boyfriends in his taxi to make
more money, but his son also hangs out with his foreign friends to make money.
B. The taximan stated that he must sweat a lot, so he could support his family while
he just lets his daughter stay in the house.
C. The taximan talks to his passenger about his life as a taxi man, where he had
been driving the taxi for 20 years, but he said that his life has no improvement.
D. The taximan picks up young girls and their foreign boyfriends in his taxi to make
more money, but his daughter also hangs out with foreign men for money.
9. The passenger of the taximan wants him to take her to the ________________.
A. National hotel of Singapore
B. National University of Singapore
C. National museum of Singapore
D. National airport of Singapore
10. What is the theme of The Taximan’s Story?
A. lack of moral values among teenagers these days
B. the problem of the taximan about his daughter
C. the financial struggle of the taximan
D. the dishonesty of some students towards their parents
 What’s In
Before we move on, let’s check what you’ve learned about Chinese
literature.

Fill in the blanks with word/s that will complete each statement about Chinese
literature. Write your answer in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1-3. Modern influences on Asian literature include ___________ movements, war

and ________________, and influence from the ____________.
4-5. Asian regions that have produced literature through the ages include East Asia,
____________, Central Asia, the Middle East, and ______________.
6. __________________ wrote the poem Battle.
7. On the Threshing Floor, I Chase Chickens Away was written by ______________.
8. The theme of the poem Battle is ______________________.
9. ____________________ was a 20 th century scholar who translated numerous
Chinese and Japanese classics.
10. On the Threshing Floor, I Chase Chickens Away was originally written in
Chinese, but it was translated by _________________ to English.
 What’s New
Create a semantic map about everything you know about Singapore
and its literature. An example of a semantic map is given below. You may create
your own. Write your answer in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

Singapore
 
What Is it
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. A number of Singaporean writers such as Tan Swie Hian and Kuo Pao
Kun have contributed work in more than one language.
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. The poetry of this 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 labelled Confessional for their personalised writing,
often dealing with intimate issues such as sexuality.
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. 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.
Drama in English found expression in Goh Poh Seng, who was also a notable
poet and novelist, in Robert Yeo, author of 6 plays, and in Kuo Pao Kun, who also
wrote in Chinese. The late Kuo was a vital force in the local threatre rrenaissance in
the 1980s and1990s.
Fiction writing in English did not start in earnest until after independence.
Short stories flourished as a literary form, the novel arrived much later. Goh Poh
Seng remains a pioneer in writing novels well before many of the later generation,
with titles like If We Dream Too Long (1972) – widely recognised as the first true
Singaporean novel – and A Dance of Moths (1995).
(https://www.scribd.com/document/412634387/21st-Century-Literature-of-the-Philippines-and-of-
the-World-1)

Below is the text “The Taximan’s Story.” Read the text and identify the points
in which Singaporean literature is similar with Philippine literature and the points in
which they differ.

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,
less car 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 to do? I must work hard if wants to success in Singapore. People like us, no
education, no capital for business, 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,two daughters.Big family! Ha!ha! No good, Madam. In those days, where got
Family Planning in Singapore? People born many, many children, every year, one
childs.Is no good at all. Two children, three children, enough, stop. Our goverment
say stop.

Lucky for me, all my children big now. Four of my sons working–one a
businessman, two clerks, one 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, the cane. My father cane me, 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 to night 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 behaviour of the teenagers today. Ah, madam, 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 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 don’t 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
don’t 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 favourite 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 mak-up, and very bold in her behaviour, 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 some neighbors they pull me away,
and I think 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. ----end----
(https://www.scribd.com/document/412634387/21st-Century-Literature-of-the-Philippines-and-of-
the-World-1)

source: https://www.piqsels.com/sv/search?q=singapore%2C+stad&page=12

 
What’s more
 Answer the questions below. Write your answers in your LITERATURE
ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. Who are the characters presented in the story? Can you describe them?

2. What is the irony in the story?

3. What themes are discussed in the story?

What I Have Learned

Answer the following questions about the story you’ve read. Write your
answers in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. How do you like “The Taximan’s Story?”

______________________________________________________________

2. Do you think the characteristics and personality of the taxi driver is true for
all taxi drivers? Explain your answer.

______________________________________________________________

3. How realistic is this story? _______________________________________

______________________________________________________________

4. What do you think of the taximan? Do you feel sympathy for him?
______________________________________________________________

What I Can Do

Write a comparative analysis of the Singaporean story The Taximan

and a literary work from the Philippines. Your aim is to use defamiliarization which
means that your focus should be on the form and technique used in literature rather
than in its content. Write your analysis in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY
NOTEBOOK.

Rubric:
Criteria Description Score
10 points 7 points 4 points
The analysis is The analysis may be The analysis needs
Analysis comprehensive, given more thorough editing
exhaustive, and comprehension and for comprehension
 logical. must be edited for and logic.
brevity.
Cohesion The paper is The paper is slightly The paper needs
cohesive and all cohesive and may thorough editing
ideas relate with need to rid of some for cohesion and
one another. ideas that do not logic.
relate to the
wholeness of the
paper.
Research The paper is well- The paper needs The research
researched. further research. presented in the
paper does not
suffice at all.
Score /30
Adopted: DIWA Senior High School Series, DIWA Textbooks, 2016, p. 187

Post assessment
Let’s recall our lesson about Singapore literature. Read carefully each
statement. Choose the correct answer, and write the letter of the correct answer in
your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. Poetry writing in English did not start in earnest until after _____________.
A. war B. independence C. World War 1 D. holocaust
2. The __________of this Singaporean younger generation is often politically aware,
transnational and cosmopolitan.
A. novel B. drama C. poetry D. song
3. The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by
Singaporeans in any of the country’s _________ main languages .
A. two B. three C. four D. five
4. What is the predominant mode of expression in Singaporean literature?
A. novel B. drama C. poetry D. song
5. Who remains a pioneer in writing novels?
A. Catherine Lim B. Goh Poh Seng C. Kuo Pao Kun D. Robert Yeo

6. The passenger of the taximan in the story is a ____________________.

A. woman B. teacher C. doctor D. tourist

7. The passenger of the taximan wants him to take her to the ________________.
A. National hotel of Singapore
B. National University of Singapore
C. National museum of Singapore
D. National airport of Singapore
8. What is the theme of The Taximan’s Story?
A. lack of moral values among teenagers these days
B. the problem of the taximan about his daughter
C. the financial struggle of the taximan
D. the dishonesty of some students towards their parents

9. At what point of view is The Taximan’s Story is written?

A. first person B. third person C. second person D. omniscient

10. In the Singaporean story The Taximan’s Story, what is the irony?
A. The taximan picks up young girls and their foreign boyfriends in his taxi to make
more money, but his son also hangs out with his foreign friends to make money.
B. The taximan stated that he must sweat a lot, so he could support his family while
he just lets his daughter stay in the house.
C. The taximan talks to his passenger about his life as a taxi man, where he had
been driving the taxi for 20 years, but he said that his life has no improvement.
D. The taximan picks up young girls and their foreign boyfriends in his taxi to make
more money, but his daughter also hangs out with foreign men for money.

Lesson

10 Asian Literature: Japanese

Grade 12, First Semester, Q2 – Week 2

What I Need to Know

We are now on Lesson 3 which is still about Asian literature, but this
time our focus is on the literature of the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan. Let’s
explore richness of their literature.
 In this lesson, you are going to:

a. Compare and contrast the various 21st century literary genres and
their elements, structures, and traditions from across the globe
(EN12Lit-IId-25)
b. Produce a creative representation of a literary text by applying
multimedia and ICT skills; (EN12Lit-IIij-31.1)
c. Do self- and/or peer-assessment of the creative adaptation of a
literary text, based on rationalized criteria, prior to presentation.
(EN12Lit-IIij-31.3)

What I Know
A. Figures of speech are used in writing to show comparison. Some of
these are simile, metaphor, analogy, allegory, and allusion.
Tell which figure of speech is being defined. Write the correct word in
your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

It is something that shows how

two things are alike, but with the
ultimate goal of making a point
about this comparison.
Ex. I like to imagine that the world is 1. ___________________________
one big machine. ...

A figure of speech that makes an

implicit, implied, or hidden
comparison between two things
that are unrelated but which
share some common
2. ___________________________
characteristics.
Ex. Her long hair was a flowing
golden river.

A
Anfigure of speech
expression in whichone
comparing
abstract
thing withideas and always
another, principles are
described
including the wordsof“as”
in terms characters,
or “like” 3. ___________________________
figures,
Ex. and events.
Ex. The Masque of the Red Death
by Edgar Allan Poe is an allegory for
death. The moral is no man escapes
death.

4. ___________________________

Ex. Her cheeks are red like a rose.

 A figure of speech whereby the
author refers to a subject matter 5. ___________________________
such as a place, event, or literary
work by way of a passing
reference.

B. Fill in each blank with the correct word to complete each statement below about
Japanese literature. Choose from the word bank. Write your answers in your
LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

China ancient myths Heian Tale of Genji literature

classical medieval modern legends history drama
kabuki poetry yomihon

1. The country which has much influence on Japanese literature was ____________.
2. Japanese literature can be divided into four periods: the ___________,
____________, ___________________, and ________________.
3. Ancient literature in Japan deals primarily with ______________ and __________.
4. The classical literature in Japan occurred during the golden age, the
____________ period.
5. ______________ is considered the world’s first novel.
6. ____________ and ______________ intertwined during the Medieval period due
to the influence of the civil wars and the emergence of the warrior class.
7. The early modern period gave way to the rise of new genres like the Japanese
_____________, _______________, _________________, and _____________.

What’s In
In Lesson 2, you’ve learned about the Singaporean literature which is
similar to Philippine literature when it comes to association in culture, customs and
traditions. Now, it is time for you to discover the literary traditions of another Asian
country. Before you proceed, answer the activity below.

Fill in the blanks with word/s to complete each statement. Write your answers in your
LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by

Singaporeans in any of the country’s four main languages namely, English, _______,
Malay and Tamil.
2. The poetry of this younger generation is often politically aware, ____________
and cosmopolitan.
 3. _________ 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.
4. _____________ writing in English did not start in earnest until after independence.
5. _____________ remains a pioneer in writing novels
6. The Taximan’s Story is written in ____________________point of view.
7. The passenger of the taximan in the story is a ____________________.
8. The daughter of the taximan who was no different than other young girls who have
American and European boyfriend is _______________________.
9. The passenger of the taximan wants him to take her to _____________________.
10. The setting of the The Taximan’s story is _______________________________.

What’s New

Identify the figurative language used in each item below. Tell if it is a

sample of simile, metaphor, allusion, analogy, or allegory. Write your answer in
your ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. I could stare into your eyes as / a thousand years come and go.
2. You brag about your backyard so much people will think it's the Garden of Eden.
3. Aesop’s fable “The Hound Dog and the Rabbit” teaches that incentive will spur
effort.
4. Kisses are the flowers of affection.
5. Look, love, what envious streaks
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder East:
Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.

 
What Is It

Japanese literature has been influenced heavily by the Chinese

literature from the ancient period all the way to the Edo Period (1603-1868) which
corresponds to the early modern Japanese literature. Japanese literary works also
reveal elements of Indian and later of Western elements but above all, they reveal a
distinct style which has also greatly influenced both Eastern and Western literatures.

Japanese literature can be divided into four periods: the ancient, classical,
medieval, and modern.

Ancient literature in Japan deals primarily with myths and legends. Tales like
the creation of Japan, wherein the islands came from the gemstones imbued in the
swords of gods are very prominent during this period. The celebrated writers during
this period are Ono Yasumaro, Nihon Shoki, and Man’yoshu who wrote based on
real events in the country.

The classical literature in Japan occurred during the golden age, the Heian
period. During this period, Murasaki Shikibu, one of the greatest Japanese writers,
wrote the seminal text, Tale of Genji. Tale of Genji, considered the world’s first novel,
is a very charming and accurate depiction of the Japanese court during the Heian
period under the reign of Empress Akiko.

History and literature were intertwined during the Medieval period due to the
influence of the civil wars and the emergence of the warrior class. Thus, war tales
are very prominent during this period. Besides war stories and tales, the popular
form of Japanese poetry, the renga, saw its rise.

Modern literature can be further divided into early modern, which happened
during the Edo period, and modern, which started during the Meiji period, when
Japan opened its doors to the West. The early modern gave way to the rise of new
genres like the Japanese drama, kabuki, the poetry form known for its simplicity and
subtlety, haiku, and the yomihon, a type of Japanese book which put little emphasis
on illustration.

The modern period also marked the emergence of new styles of writing.
Japanese writers started to romanticize and tried experimenting with different genres
and subject matters. The Second World War heavily affected Japanese literature but
soon, the distinct Japanese style of writing manage to regain its popularity. Some of
the prominent modern Japanese writers are Yasunari Kawabata, Kobi Abe, Takiji
Kobayashi, and Haruki Murakami to mention a few.
(https://www.scribd.com/document/412634387/21st-Century-Literature-of-the-Philippines-and-of-
the-World-1)

You are now ready to read an excerpt from Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore.

The Boy Named Crow (an excerpt from Kafka on the Shore)
by Haruki Murakami

“So you’re all set for money, then?” the boy named Crow asks in his typical
sluggish voice. The kind of voice like when you’ve just woken up and your mouth
still feels heavy and dull. But he’s just pretending. He’s totally awake. As always.
I nod.
“How much?”
 I review the numbers in my head. “Close to thirty-five hundred in cash, plus
some money I can get from an ATM. I know it’s not a lot, but it should be enough.
For the time being.”
“Not bad,” the boy named Crow says. “For the time being.”
I give him another nod.
“I’m guessing this isn’t Christmas money from Santa Claus.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I reply.
Crow smirks and looks around. “I imagine you’ve started by rifling drawers,
am I right?”
I don’t say anything. He knows whose money we’re talking about, so there’s
no need for any long-winded interrogations. He’s just giving me a hard time.
“No matter,” Crow says. “You really need this money and you’re going to get it
– beg, borrow, or steal. It’s your father’s money, so who cares, right? Get your
hands on that much and you should be able to make it. For the time being. But
what’s the plan after it’s all gone? Money isn’t like mushrooms in a forest – it doesn’t
just pop up on its own, you know. You’ll need to eat, a place to sleep. One day
you’re going to run out.”

“I’ll think about that when the time comes,” I say.

“When the time comes,” Crow repeats, as if weighing these words in his hand.
I nod.
“Like by getting a job or something?”
“Maybe,” I say.
Crow shakes his head. “You know you’ve got a lot to learn about the world.
Listen – what kind of job could a 15-year old kid get in some far-off place he’s never
been to before? You haven’t even finished junior high. Who do you think’s going to
hire you?”
I blush a little. It doesn’t take much to make me blush.
“Forget it,” he says. “You’re just starting out and I shouldn’t lay all this
depressing stuff on you. You’ve already decided what you’re going to do, and all
that’s left is to set the wheels in motion. I mean, it’s your life. Basically, you have to
go with what you think is right.”
That’s right. When all is said and done, it is my life.
“I’ll tell you one thing, though. You’re going to have to get a lot tougher if you
want to make it.”
“I’m trying my best,” I say.
“I’m sure you are,” Crow says. “These last few years you’ve grown a whole lot
stronger. I’ve got to hand it to you.”
I nod again.
“But let’s face it – you’re only 15,” Crow goes on. “Your life’s just begun and
there’s a ton of things out in the world you’ve never laid eyes on. Things you never
could imagine.”
 As always, we’re sitting beside each other on the old sofa in my father’s study.
Crow loves the study and all the little objects scattered around there. Now he’s
toying with a bee-shaped glass paperweight. If my father was at home, you can bet
Crow would never go anywhere near it.
“But I have to get out of here,” I tell him. “No two ways about it.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He places the paperweight back on the table and
links his hands behind his head. “Not that running away’s going to solve everything. I
don’t want to rain on your parade or anything, but I wouldn’t count on escaping this
place if I were you. No matter how far you run. Distance might not solve anything.”
The boy named Crow lets out a sigh, then rests a fingertip on each of his
closed eyelids and speaks to me from the darkness within.
“How about we play our game?” he says.
“All right,” I say. I close my eyes and quietly take a breath.
“OK, picture a terrible sandstorm,” he says. “Get everything else out of your
head.”
I do as he says, get everything else out of my head. I forget who I am, even.
I’m a total blank. Then things begin to surface. Things that – as we sit here on the
old leather sofa in my father’s study – both of us can see.

“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing direction,”

Crow says.
Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing direction. You
change direction, but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm
adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just
before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn’t something that blew in from far away,
something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside you.
So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and
walk through it, step by step. There’s no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense
of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverised bones. That’s the
kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.
And that’s exactly what I do. I imagine a white funnel stretching vertically up
like a thick rope. My eyes are closed tight, hands cupped over my ears, so those fine
grains of sand can’t blow inside me. The sandstorm draws steadily closer. I can feel
the air pressing on my skin. It really is going to swallow me up.
The boy called Crow rests a hand softly on my shoulder, and with that the
storm vanishes.
“From now on – no matter what – you’ve got to be the world’s toughest 15-
year-old. That’s the only way you’re going to survive. and in order to do that, you’ve
got to figure out what it means to be tough. You following me?”
I keep my eyes closed and don’t reply. I just want to sink off into sleep like
this, his hand on my shoulder. I hear the faint flutter of wings.
“You’re going to be the world’s toughest 15-year old,” Crow whispers as I try
to fall asleep. As if he were carving the words in a deep blue tattoo on my heart.
And you really have to make it through that violent, metaphysical storm. No
matter how metaphysical or symbolic it might be, make no mistake about it: it will cut
 through flesh like a thousand razor blades. People will bleed there, and you will
bleed too. Hot, red blood. You’ll catch that blood in your hands, your own blood and
the blood of others.
And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through,
how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is
really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be
the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.
On my fifteenth birthday I’ll run away from home, journey to a far-off town and
live in a corner of a small library. It’d take a week to go into the whole thing, all the
details. So I’ll just give the main point. On my fifteenth birthday I’ll run away from
home, journey to a far-off town, and live in a corner of a small library.
It sounds a little like fairytale. But it’s no fairy tale, believe me. No matter what
sort of spin you put on it. (Marikit Tara A. Uychoco, Rex Bookstore 2016), 152-155

source: p113/nick-ian/art/The-Boy-Named-Crow-456862974

 
What’s more

A. Answer the following questions. Write your answers in your LITERATURE

ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. What does the boy feel toward Crow? Give textual evidence to prove your
point.

2. How would you describe the boy named Crow?

3. What does the sandstorm represent? Give textual evidence to prove this.
4. Why does the boy in the story have to be the toughest 15-year-old in the
world?

B. Among the figures of speech you’ve learned from the previous activity (metaphor,
simile, analogy, allusion, allegory), which of them are used in the excerpt The Boy
Named Crow? Extract the part that shows the figure of speech and then identify what
it means. The first one is done for you.

1. Sentence – Money isn’t like mushrooms in a forest; it doesn’t just pop up on its own
Figure of speech used - simile
Meaning – Money is going to run out one day.
2. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________
3. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________
4. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________
5. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________

What I Have Learned

Answer the two questions below. Write your answers in your LITERATURE
ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. Could you relate to the main character of the story? Why or why not?
__________________________________________________________

2. Do you think all of us have experienced the storm that the text is talking
about? Support your answer._______________________________________
______________________________________________________________
 What I Can Do

It is Asian week at your school, and you are tasked to create an

infographic digital poster that features the characteristics of Japan’s literary texts.
Your poster must be colourful, interactive, and informative. It will be judged using the
rubric below.

Criteria Description Score

10 points 7 points 4 points
The poster is The poster is The poster has poor
Visual appeal visually appealing, moderately visual appeal, with
with harmonious appealing visually, unbalanced color
colors, shapes, and with generally combinations,
sizes of figures in harmonious colors, shapes, and sizes of
the presentation. shapes, and sizes of figures in the
figures in the presentation
presentation
Information The poster presents The poster The poster does not
the right somewhat presents have sufficient
information to the the right information or
audience. information to the presents the wrong
audience. information to the
audience.
Graphics Relevance All graphics are All graphics are Only some of the
related to the topic related to the topic graphics relate to
and make it easier and most make it the topic. One or
to understand. All easier to two borrowed
borrowed graphics understand. Some graphics have
have a note about graphics have a sources noted.
their source. note about their
source.
Score /30
Adopted: DIWA Senior High School Series, DIWA Textbooks, 2016, p. 199

Post assessment

Read carefully each statement. Choose the correct answer, and write
the letter of the correct answer in your LITERATURE ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK.

1. I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. This is an example of _______.
A. simile B. metaphor C. analogy D. allusion

2. Her long hair was a flowing golden river is an example of what figurative
language.
A. analogy B. metaphor C. allusion D. allegory
3. The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe is a/an ________ for death
where the moral is no man escapes death.
A. allegory B. analogy C. allusion D. metaphor
4. Her cheeks are red like a rose. What is this an example of?
A. simile B. metaphor C. allusion D. allegory

5. What country has much influence on Japanese literature?

A. USA B. Korea C. China D. Thailand

6. The classical literature in Japan occurred during this period.

A. Nara B. Heian C. Muromachi D. Edo

7. What is considered as the world’s first novel?

A. The Tale of Genji
B. The Tale of Vesperia
C. Tales of Amadou Koumba
D. Tales of the World

8. What does sandstorm represent in the story The Boy Named Crow?
A. the way the world tries to take us away from our problems
B. running away could resolve a problem
C. the challenges and problems we face in our journey in life.
D. a small fate that keeps changing our directions

9. According to the boy named Crow, what does Kafka have to become?
A. a criminal on the run
B. a metaphysical concept
C. the world’s smartest fifteen-year-old
D. the world’s toughest fifteen-year-old

10. What does the boy feel toward Crow?

A. He is afraid of him.
B. He just ignores him.
C. He has no fear of Crow.
D. He baits him and laughs in his face