At the end of this module, the student will be able to:

1. Gain the necessary information through the course orientation;

2. Define/find the meaning of literature;

3. Explain the nature, significance, and relevance of studying Philippine literature; and

4. Describe the context of Philippine literature in terms of literary genres, elements, and
standards of evaluation.

What is literature?

The word literature is derived from the Latin term litera (letter) which means anything written. It
is defined as life
itself. [1] A search for larger and deeper meaning in life as against an easy acceptance of life’s
routine and reader-made
notions. It is an expression of life in words of truth or beauty; a written record of man’s spirit,
thoughts, emotions,
aspirations; the history and only history of human soul.

Literature is also defined as the total of preserved writings belonging to a given

language or people. The class or the total of writings of a given country or people which is
notable for literary
form of expression, as distinguished from works merely technical, from journalistic or other
ephemeral writings.
Therefore, in order to know the history of a nation’s spirit, one must read its literature.

Literature unlocks the deeper and broader knowledge of human nature; if you search deeper
his history, it records his deeds and ideal, and to understand this, you must
read his literature, where you can find his ideals recorded. You could find in it not only what our
ancestors did, but what they thought and felt; how they looked on life and
death; what they loved, what they feared, and what they reverenced in God and
man (love, duty, faith, friendship, freedom).

Because literature deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of man, literature can be said
to be the story of man. His loves, griefs, thoughts, dreams and aspirations
coached in beautiful language.

Why Study Philippine literature?

The study of literature has two aspects: one, of simple enjoyment and appreciation; the
other, of analysis and description. Emotional enjoyment is conditioned by
intellectual insight; that is, in order to appreciate, one must first understand. Aside from the
pleasure of reading, the study of literature has one definite object: that is to know MAN; man is
ever a dual creature; he has an
outward and inner nature; he is not only a doer of deeds but a dreamer of
dreams. And to know him, one must search deeper than history.

Not only learning about the historical aspects of the Philippines but also keeping alive
the thoughts and beliefs as well as the cultural variations of the ancestors
that differentiate the country from the rest of the world. Many writers have
the talent to bring the past back to life with emotive language and metaphor in
order to help readers to imagine scenarios that may have happened decades or
centuries age. Hence, it is impossible to overestimate the practical importance
of literature which preserves ideals from fathers to sons while men, cities,
government, and civilizations vanish from the face of the earth.

The study of Philippine literature provides the following benefits and importance:
1. Improves the command of the language
2. Teaches about the life, cultures and experiences of the Filipino people in other parts of the
world
3. It gives information about other parts of the world which may never be able to visit in one’s
lifetime.
4. It entertains and provides useful occupation in your free time.
5. It makes a wiser and more experienced person by forcing you to judge, sympathize with or
criticize
the characters you read about.

Source: (Shimmer Chinodya, 1992:36)

Literary Genres - characterized by a particular manner

of presentation to show clearly the relationship that exist among the author,
the audience, and the art work itself.

1. Short story – popular type of narrative which does not allow many themes and subplots.
2. Novel - comparatively long fictional narrative.
3. Drama – tells a story and presents actions through performers on stage; drama and
tragedy.
4. Essay – encompass all forms of writing that is not fiction, drama, or poetry.
5. Epic – stories of heroic exploits which has mythic or partly historical base, and a poetic
form.

https://www.google.com/search?q=literary+genre&rlz=1C1CHBD_enPH902PH902&sxsr

Elements of Literature

¡ Point of view – the consciousness by which the story is told. Point of view is another element
of the narrative, through which a
writer tells the story. Authors use first-person point of view or third-person point of view.
First-person point of view indicates that the main character is telling the story, whereas the
third-person point of view directs that the
narrator is telling the story. A novel can be written in the first-person narrative, third-person
narrative, omniscient point of view, limited omniscient point of view, stream of consciousness
and objective point of view. These
points of view play an important role in the distinct structure of the story or a play.

A. Character- includes personalities of the characters in the story. These are the persons or
animals involved in a story in order to show some truth about human experience. A good
character should be
alive to appreciate the story well. In a story, the character is recognized by his appearance,
actions, thoughts, reactions of others and direct statement of the author or the narrator.
However, the bet story is one in which the narrator does not tell much directly about what the
character is like.

B. Scene/setting – concern with the detailed physical description such as landscape, homes,
and
community. The setting helps generate the mood, atmosphere and tone which influence or
reflect the character. Setting
is important in understanding the background and impact of the story or incidents in the story.
Where the setting threatens the characters, it creates the conflict which is important in fiction
writing or literature.

C. Image – an effort to recreate reality as closely as possible, to make concrete the abstract that
is arouses the five senses.

D. Plot – the arrangement of details according to a pattern. Plot is the serial arrangement of
incidents, ideas or events. In literature, the plot encompasses all the incidents and provides
aesthetic pleasure. The story of the novel progresses through various plots and conflicts. Plots
of dramas are divided into "Acts" and "Scenes". Drama has five essential
parts. These are:

1. Introduction of the story where the characters and setting are introduced.
2. Rising action is a series of episodes in a narrative which occur after the exposition and lead
to the climax of the story. Rising action usually comprises the majority of the plot, as the author
must include all necessary
events and information in the rising action for the eventual climax and denouement to be
significant to the reader.
3. Climax or turning point of a narrative work is its point of highest tension and drama, or it is
the time when the action starts during which the solution is given.
4. Falling action of a story is the section of the plot following the climax, in which the tension
stemming from the story's
central conflict decreases.
5. Denouement of a story is the section of the plot following the climax, in which the tension
stemming from the story's central conflict decreases and the story ends.

E. Conflict – a struggle between two forces: between two persons, between man and forces
outside himself, or between two sides of man’s nature. Be it a short story, drama or novel, conflict
is the essential element of all
these literary forms. A plot becomes interesting and intriguing when it has its share of inbuilt
conflict and twists. Conflict can be internal conflict or external. It can take place between two
men, between the character and his psychology, between the character and circumstances or
between character and society.

Source: https://selfpublishing.com/literary-elements-list/

Literary Standards are a set of characteristics to determine whether or not a work is literary.

1. Artistry – the quality which appeals to the sense of beauty

2. Intellectual Value – stimulates thought and enriches our mental life by making us realize
fundamental truths about life and human nature
3. Suggestiveness – associated with the emotional power of literature It moves and stirs our
feeling and imagination, giving and evoking visions above and beyond the plane of ordinary life
and experience
4. Spiritual Value –elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which make us better persons.
The capacity to inspire is part
of the spiritual value of literature
5. Permanence – a great work of literature endures. It can be read again and again as each
reading gives fresh delight and new insights and opens new worlds of meaning and experience.
Its appeal is lasting.
6. Universality – great literature is timeless and timely. Forever relevant, it appeals to one and all,
anytime, anywhere because it deals with elemental feelings, fundamental truths, and universal
conditions.
7. Style – this is the peculiar way in which the writer sees life, forms his ideas and
expresses them. Great works are marked as much by their memorable substance as
by their distinctive style. Style should suit content.