21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
3rd Quarter Examination Reviewer
I. PRE-COLONIAL TO CONTEMPORARY
LITERATURE
1. PRE-COLONIAL– Oral literature was widely
used.
 Literature was used to establish
pass down traditions. At the same
time, literature was spread orally.
 Some notable oral literature are the
following:
o Folk Songs – Sarong Banggi
o Epic – Biag ni Lam-Ang,
Ibalong
o Tanaga – short poem with
mono rhyme
o Provebs – also known as
salawikain
o Fable - folk tale with animals
as characters
2. SPANISH – The introduction and integration of
Christianity to literature is the highlight of this
period.
 Literature was divided into religious
and secular.
3. NATIONALISTIC – Literature was used to
write for the masses and to fight for the
country’s freedom.
 Noli Me Tangere & El
Filibusterismo were two of the
notable works which awaken the spirit
of nationalism in the hearts and minds
of the Filipinos.
 Newspapers such as the Diariong
Tagalog (by Marcelo H. Del Pilar) and
La Solidaridad (by Graciano Lopez-
Jaena).
4. AMERICAN – English language was
introduced to the Filipinos.
 It was divided into two periods:
Period of Apprenticeship and
Period of Emergence.
 During the Period of
Apprenticeship, Filipinos tried to
utilize English as a new means to
write literature. It resulted to
awkward and artificial works.
 In the Period of Emergence, Jose
Garcia Villa – earned the
international title “Poet of the
Century”.
5. JAPANESE – The Filipino writers broke away
from the Balagtas Tradition and finally
mastered English to write literature.
 During the War Years, poets wrote in
free verse. It is also the time where
fiction (stories) prevailed over
poetry.
 In the Period of Maturity and
Originality, the all-time greats
(literary giants) of Filipino literature
emerged. It is also the time where the
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards,
the most prestigious and longest-
running award, were won by many
Filipino writers.
6. REBIRTH OF FREEDOM – Filipinos regained
their freedom on July 4, 1946.
 Newspapers were abundant during
this period.
 The Palanca Memorial Awards for
Literature (headed by Carlos
Palanca, Sr.) was launched in 1950
and served as inspiration to Filipino
writers.
7. CONTEMPORARY/MODERN – Literature
was utilized as a means to promote activism.
 Writers faced the heavy challenge
of producing literature to help end the
dictatorship of the first Marcos
president.
 In September 18, 1986, the former
President Corazon Aquino delivered
her speech in Washington D.C.
II.DIMENSIONS OF LITERARY TEXT &
FORMALIST CRITICISM
1. DIMENSIONS OF LITERATURE
 GEOGRAPHIC – focuses on the
setting (place of origin)
 LINGUISTIC - focuses on
language and how language
is used
 ETHNIC – focuses on the
culture, traditions, and belief
systems
 PERSONAL – focuses on the self
2. FORMALIST CRITICISM
 Focuses on the literary
elements such as the language,
structure, and tone, figures of
speech
o SOME COMMON
FIGURSE OF SPEECH
 SIMILE –
comparison of 2 or
more things using
“like” and/or “as”
in comparing
 METAPHOR –
direct comparison
 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
3rd Quarter Examination Reviewer
 SYMBOLISM – an
object that
represents a
deeper or bigger
concept
 HYPERBOLE – a
statement that
expresses
EXAGGERATION
 Sees the literary piece as an
independent work of art and can
be interpreted by itself
 Focuses on the work and not
the author
III. FILIPINO WRITERS ACROSS THE
REGIONS AND ACROSS BICOL
1. KRISITAN SENDON CORDERO
 His books of poetry in three languages
have won the Madrigal-Gonzales
Best First Book Award, the
Philippine National Awards and
the Gintong Aklat wards( Golden
Book Awards).
 A Bicolano literary artist, from the
City of Iriga
 A recipient of Carlos Palanca
Memorial Awards for Poetry in
Filipino
 In 2017, he represented the
Philippines in the International
Writing Program at the University of
Iowa.
2. ABDON M. BALDE, JR.
 born in Busac, Oas, Albay
 A contemporary Bicolano writer in
Bikol, Filipino and English
 Awarded as one of the Outstanding
Bikolano Artists for 2009 in
Literary Arts category in Naga City
 In 2012, he was named Poet
laureate of Albay.
3. MERLINDA BOBIS
 grew up in Albay, Philippines at the
foot of an active volcano
 As a child her main interest was
painting.
 wrote a masterly poetic drama titled
Daragang Magayon (Beautiful
Maiden) which merited a Palanca
Award
 Notable works: Fish-Hair Woman,
Coffee Grove, Banana Heart Summer,
Dwell, The Kissing
4. GIL L. GREGORIO
 From Naga City, Camarines Sur
 been into poetry writing since 1983
while serving as one of the staffs of
the Nueva Caceres Bulletin, the
official publication of the
University of Nueva Caceres.
 A regular contributor to the Bicol
literature publication, An
Tambobong nin Literaturang
Bikolnon
 Notable Work: A View from Afar
5. FRANCISCO SIONIL JOSE or F.Sionil
Jose
 From Rosales, Pangasinan
 His works reflect the consistent
spousal of the aspirations of Filipinos:
National Sovereignty and Social
Justice
 Notable Works: Rosales Saga, The
Pretenders, The Molave and the
Orchid (2004)
6.CIRILO F. BAUTISTA
 From NCR
 a poet, fictionist and essayist
 Notable Works: Summer Suns (1963),
The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus
(2001),Pedagogic (2008),Third World
Geography (2005)
7.FRANCISCO PEÑONES JR.
 sounded a clarion call in his poem An
Opon SaIbalon: Kan Mahale an
Maskara (The Board in Ibalon
When Unmasked) which won a CCP
award
 Promotes ARTIVISM (Activism through
Art)
8. CARLOS O. AUREUS
 Uses Theology and Philosophy in
his works
 In ten well-written stories, a ovel
and a play, he wins the coveted
Palanca, CCP, Free Press and
Graphic literary awards.
EMELINA G. REGIS
 won a Palanca Award for her
Environmental play Dalawang
Mukha ng Kagubatan (Two
Faces of the Forest).
10. BARBARA BARQUEZ RICAFRENTE
 writes poems and paints with
rage.
 She is the first novel awardee of
the U.P. Creative Writing Center.
 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
3rd Quarter Examination Reviewer
11.MARIA LILIA F. REALUBIT
 a recipient of the national award  TYPES OF A CHARACTER
“Alagad ni Balagtas” by the (According to Importance)
Unyon ng Mga Manunulat sa o MAJOR CHARACTER –
Pilipinas the most important
 a National Book Awardee (1987) for characters in the story,
her book “Philippine Drama: Twelve carries out the
Plays in Six Regional Languages”. development of the story
 wrote the first book on Bikol history o MINOR CHARACTER –
and literature: “Bikols of the usually unchanging, roles
Philippines.” do not greatly affect the
12.JAIME JESUS BORLAGDAN story’s progression
 Known as Jimple Borlagdan  TYPES OF CHARACTER
 wrote Maynila: Libro ng Pobya (According to roles)
13.ESTELITO “ESTING” BAYLON JACOB o PROTAGONIST – the
 wrote the collection of poetry in Bikol main character in the
entitled Mga Nirukitdukit and story
“Pinagrok asin Iba pang o ANTAGONIST – the
Rawitdawit” character who stands
against the protagonist
IV. 21st CENTURY LITERARY GENRES 2. SETTING
1. A genre is a category of literary  TIME, PLACE, WEATHER,
composition SOCIAL CONDITION,
2. CHARACTERISTICS OF 21st Century MOOD/ATMOSPHERE
Literature 3. THEME – the central idea where a story
 Gender-Sensitive revolves around, a reality of life
 Technologically Alluding 4. CONFLICT – the collective term for any
 Culturally Pluralistic problem in the story
 Challenges Norms and Conventions  EXTERNAL – a character against
in the society outside forces
 Operates on Extreme Fiction and o MAN VS. MAN
Extreme Reality o MAN VS. NATURE
 written from year 2001 and
o MAN VS. SOCIETY
onwards
 INTERNAL – a character
3. 21st CENTURY LITERARY GENRES:
struggling with inner forces,
 Blog – web log, an online journal
usually involves the self,
which discusses any topic of interest
conscience
 Sci-Fi – Science Fiction, futuristic,
o MAN VS. SELF
talks about time travel, extra-
5. POINT-OF-VIEW – the angle a story is
terrestrial beings, mecha, multiverse,
told
and anything our present is yet to
 FIRST PERSON – “I” tell the story.
experience.
 SECOND PERSON – “You” are being
 Chic Lit - a fiction which addresses
told the story
issues of modern womanhood, often
 THIRD PERSON LIMITED – The
humorously or lightheartedly
narrator DOES NOT KNOW
 Flash Fiction – a very short story,
EVERYTHING.
ranging from 1- 1000 words
 THIRD PERSON OMNICSCIENT –
 Illustrated Novel – usually 50%
The narrator KNOWS EVERYTHING.
illustrations, 50% words
6. PLOT – the sequence of events in a
story
V. LITERARY ELEMENTS
 EXPOSITION
1. CHARACTER – people (or animal/or
 RISING ACTION
inanimate objects given human abilities and
 CLIMAX
attributes) in the story that carries out the
 FALLING ACTION
story’s plot
 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
3rd Quarter Examination Reviewer
 RESOLUTION

VI. ADDENDUMS
1. Istorya – Bikol equivalent of fiction
2. Oral Tradition – a dynamic and highly diverse oral-
aural medium for evolving, storing, and transmitting
knowledge, arts, and ideas.