LITERATURE DURING

THE AMERICAN REGIME

Group Members:
Bea Cobarde
Judivine Decipulo
Tea Anwin Miron
Honey Grace Pacturan
 HISTORICAL
BACKGROUNDPhilippine
Literature in the American
Regime(1900-1942; 1943-1946)

American colonization began in 1898 when Spain ceded the Philippines to

America.
Filipino resistance to American colonization ended on July 4, 1902 through
Roosevelt’s announcement.
Acculturation of Filipino into American way of life began thus affecting the
literatures of the Philippines.
 American Regime
Influences
A NEW LANGUAGE
Americans went into extensive effort to propagate
American English language.
American textbooks in English were used in schools.
English: the language era
EGALITARIAN PUBLIC-SCHOOL SYSTEM
Added factor for the linguistic change.
25%
University of the Philippines was established(1908).
The Philippine Collegian: outlet to produce literature by
students and faculty.
 American Regime
Influences
THE MUSHROOMING OF NEWSPAPER'S AND PERIODICALS
A driving force in the development of Philippine literature in English.
The Philippine Review (1916), The Citizen (1918), Philippine Nat’l
Weekly (1917), The Philippine Republic (1923)
The College Folio: first student publication of the state university and
contained better production of the Filipino writers in 1920’s.
The Filipino People by Manuel Quezon: published some poem, stories,
essays in English by Filipino students in America. 25%
The Philippine Free Press: first magazine that gave serious attention to
development of short stories.
 American Regime
Influences
Period of Imitation, Changes in Content and Style
Writers imitate model both from England and the United
States(Hemingway, O. Henry Saroyan, etc.)
Literary technique was criticized by famous English professors but
did not deal on the contents.
A steady Growth in Form
Novel writing by the Filipino writers.(A Child of Sorrow, The
Filipino Rebel, The Winds of April ). 25%
Filipino Short Stories in English- a comprehensive anthology of
short stories edited by Jose Garcia Villa.
 American Regime
Influences
Filipino Love Stories by Paz Marquez Benitez(1927).

Footnote to youth by Jose Garcia Villa lauded as distinguished collection

of stories.

25%
‘’Filipino writers had acquired the mastery
of English writing. They known
confidently and competently wrote on a
lot of subjects although the old-time
favorites of love and youth persisted.’’

25%

 THE FENCE
A short story by Jose Garcia Villa
SETTING OF THE STORY
The story is set is a desolate place where two nipa huts are the only visible
houses. The occupants of both the houses are distant and cold towards each
other. Their attitudes reflect the remoteness and emptiness of their
location. They have an unyielding fence between them to stay at arm's
length from each other.
Characteristics
OVERVIEW OF THE STORY
The story revolves around Aling Biang whose heart was
hardened by the betrayal, hurt and emotions she felt when her
neighbor and her husband slept together one night, thus a
fence has been built. This also caused her to forbid her sickly
child from making any connections with their neighbor’s
family. But her son, Iking longed for attention and company,
he eventually resisted from her mother’s rules when he saw the
girl from the neighborhood, but he could not do more as he
was very sick. Aling Biang did not notice how her fences was
hurting her son’s soul.
JOSE GARCIA VILLA
(August 5, 1908 – February 7, 1997)
A Filipino poet, literary critic,
short story writer, and painter.
National Artist for
Literature(1973)
Guggenheim Fellowship in
creative writing
Known as comma poet,
Doveglion
Introduced the reverse
consonance rhyme scheme
 CHARACTERS OF
THE STORY
ALING BIANG- Unforgiving woman who was
betrayed by her husband with her neighbor.
ALING SEBIA- Aling Biang’s neighbor who
has not seen a feeling of remorse having
caught with her neighbor’s husband.
Iking- Aling Biang’s son who wanted to
reconcile with their neighbor.
Aling Sebia’s daughter- A girl who is good in
playing guitar that made Iking fall in love.
 " The prime
teaching of the story
is the importance of
forgiveness"
THE END