MC ELT 8 – TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT IN LITERATURE STUDIES
A. Overview of the Nature of Literature and its Genre
“Literature is strewn with the wreckage of those who have minded beyond reason the opinion of
others.” – Virginia Wolf
“Literature is always anticipates life. It does not copy it but molds it to its purpose. “– Oscar
Wilde
“Literature is an imitation of a sequence of events. It can be categorized and thereby, understood
according to the method of operation and execution of each category.” - Aristotle
“Literature is the safe and traditional vehicle through which we learn about the world and pass on
values from one generation to the next. Books save life.” – Laurie Anderson.
“Literature is where I go to places in human society and in the human spirit, where I hope to find
not absolute truth but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and of the heart.” -
Rushdie
Literature as a Significant Human Experience
Personal Value: Enjoyment, Imagination and Inspiration, Vicarious Experience, Understanding and
Empathy, Cultural Heritage, Moral Reasoning, Literary and Artistic Preferences
Academic Value: Improving Reading Skills, Developing Writing Voice and Style, Learning Content-
Area Knowledge, Promoting Art Appreciation.
Definitions of Literature:
 Scylar (1998: 83) defines literature as “any writing on a subject: the body of published
work concerned with a particular subject."
 Hancock (2006) believes that literature is a body of written works: the body of written
works of a culture, language, people or a period of time.
 Hancock (2006) also defines literature as being written works of fiction and non- fiction in
which compositional excellence and advancement in the art of writing are higher priorities
than are considerations of profit or commercial appeal.
 Encarta (2009) states that Literature is the use of well-chosen words to tell a story
through narrative, involving characters in conflict, or to express an emotion or idea
through artfully arranged images.
 Del Castillo and Medina (1964) states that literature is a faithful reproduction of
life, executed in an artistic pattern. It is the orchestration of the manifold but
elemental experiences of man blended into harmonious and desired patterns of
expressions.
 Literature is an art form, which uses language – preferably in its written form as an
instrument of expression and communication.
 Although literature is linguistic communication, there are other forms of that
communication that are not included in the concept of literature; including the whole
range of extensive written works, which acquire book format, such as philosophical
and political essays, technical exhibitions, historical chronicles and analyzes, etc .;
and oratory.
 Literature is classically described as the “Art of Expressing Beauty through
words”and unless reality is provocative, magical, or pain and hardship is enjoyed.
 Literature is not a corpus of works, nor is it an intellectual category, but a writing
practice.
 The word literature comes from the Latin term “litterae”, which refers to the whole
of knowing how to write and read well.
 Literature was the knowledge and science of letters.
 Literature is an essential part of history.
 Literature serves as a manifestation of existence, a result of art, and a window
to an ideology.
 Life is manifested in the form of literature.
 Literature is the mirror of society.
 Literature is used for entertainment, to instruct and improve the readers.
 "Literature is the reflection of human experience."
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 Themes related to the human experience:
a. Parent / child relationship- These stories often capture the love, challenges, and
growth within families, making the literature feel personal and connected to our
lives (e.g. Charlie and the chocolate factory by Roald Dahl).
b. Death- It is something everyone goes through, making it a shared part of human
existence (e.g. Bridge to Terabithia By Katherine Paterson).
c. Loneliness- One of the many things that people experience in life. It makes us think
about how important it is to have friends and connections, highlighting that feeling
alone is a tough part of being human (e.g. Cast away by William Broyles Jr).
d. Growing up- Applies to everyone, representing a shared aspect of the human
experience. It involves physical, emotional, and intellectual transformations,
influencing an individual’s identity and outlook on life (e.g. 13 going on 30 by Josh
Goldsmith).
 These themes show timeless lessons, evoke emotions, and provide inspiration. They
add depth and meaning to stories, making them relatable and enjoyable for
everyone.
Purposes of Literature
Parkinson and Thomas (2005) have listed the benefits of teaching literature in the language
classroom as collected from various authors and research studies.
1. Cultural enrichment- promotes cultural understanding and awareness
2. Linguistic model- examples of “good" writing, linguistic diversity, and expressive ranges.
3. Mental training- train the mind and sensibility
4. Extension of linguistic competence- stretches the competencies of learners who have
mastered linguistic rudiments.
5. Authenticity- Read literature is a genuine linguistic material to be studied and
6. Memorability- can be a memorized archive of linguistic usage
7. Rhythmic resources assimilate- the rhythms of language
8. Motivating material- engages with and motivates a learner to deal with subjects and themes
of interest to the learner
9. Open to interpretation- serves as a basis for "genuine interaction" between learners
10 Convenience- literature is a handy resource
3 purposes and benefits of studying and learning literature:
 language acquisition, cultural competence, real-life issues and experiences.
It can be deduced that teaching literature will allow learners to enhance their language
competence by identifying correct linguistic patterns and structures from these texts.
These texts can also be representative of a particular race or group which students can gain
insight vicariously about sudden culture.
This literature can communicate to the learner and to everyone else how life can be relatable,
relevant, inspiring, and interesting through the real-life depiction of existing personal and social
issues.
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 Frameworks to consider in Teaching literature
 Studying literature therefore is worthwhile and beneficial for young and old, rich and poor,
men and women to the disadvantage, oppressed, and vulnerable. a. Literary Criticism Theories
 Literature is inclusive for all as it showcases significant human experiences for everyone.
b. Genres, Branches, and Authors

 To improve your command of the language c. Cultural and Historical Contexts

 To teach you about life, culture, and experience of people in other parts of the world d. Models and Approaches in Teaching Literature

 To give you information about other parts of the world which you may never be able to visit e. Comprehension Levels in Reading in Literature
in your lifetime

 To entertain you and provide useful occupation in your free time

 To make you a wiser and more experienced person by forcing you to judge, sympathize with,

or criticize the characters you read about

 To help you compare your own experience with the experiences of other people

 To give you information that may be useful in other subjects, for example, in Geography,

Science, History, Social Studies, and so on.

Reasons why literature is important

1. Expanding thoughts and understanding

2. Develop critical thinking skills.

3. Glimpse of the past.

4. Understanding other cultures and beliefs.

5. Polishes writing skills.

6. Knowledge of Human Psyche

7. Helps to understand ourselves.

8. Source of entertainment

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Literature comes from the Greek word litera means “letter”.
Two classifications: utilitarian literature, creative literature
Utilitarian literature - anything that has letters that are for practical, daily life use.
Examples: Memoranda, News reports, Speeches, editorials
Creative Literature - appeals to the aesthetics as shown in the writing styles of authors,
poets, novelists, and playwrights. Style is expressed in the form of writing which might
coincide with the known characteristics of the genre.
Major divisions: prose and poetry.
1. PROSE
is creative literature without much regard to metrical structure.
It can be spoken or written as long as it is in ordinary form.
prose can be divided into fiction and non-fiction.
a. Fiction – is any narrative which does contain facts or real events, rather it is based on
imagination.
- It usually has illustrations.
- It is written in chapters or chronological order.
- Subjective, Flexible
Purpose: To entertain the readers.
Sub Genres: Novel, Novellas and Short Story
Novel - a long fictitious narrative with a complicated plot. Approximately 40,000 words or more.
Example: harry potter, to kill a mocking bird
Novellas - is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. Approximately 17,500 to 40,000
words.
Example: the old man and the sea , the house on mango
Short Story - a fictitious narrative compressed into one unit of time, place and action.
Approximately 17,500 words or less.
Example: the gift of the magi, the lottery
Fantasy- concerned with magic, the impossible, or the fantastic.
Fables- a short story meant primarily for children whose main purpose is to advance a moral or a
lesson.
Folktales- a kind of story that gets passed on from generation to generation.
Historical- is a literary genre where the story takes place in the past.
Mystery- is a genre of literature that revolves around solving a puzzle or uncovering a secret.
Romance- a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.
Thriller- is a suspenseful movie, TV show, book, or play.
b. Nonfiction - refers to factual stories about real people, places, and events. In works of
nonfiction, authors relay accurate, verifiable information. It is the widest form of literature which
contains informative, educational and factual writings.
- Objective. To educate or inform the readers.
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Memoir - is a narrative, written from the perspective of the author, about an important part of their
life. Example, Hunger by Roxane Gay
Essay- is a piece of writing that is written to convince someone of something or to simply inform the
reader about a particular topic. Example, Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
Biography- the story of a real person's life. Example, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Autobiography- the biography of oneself narrated by oneself. Example, The Diary of Anne Frank by
Anne Frank
History- is the study of events that took place in the past. Example, Sapiens by Yuval
Noah Harari
Feature writing- is a longer piece of writing than a news story. Example, Kitchen Confidential by
Anthony Bourdain
Journals- is a scholarly publication containing articles written by researchers, professors and other
experts.
Epistles- is a long, formal letter.
Periodicals- are works published on a regular basis such as newspapers, magazines, and academic
journals.
References- are non-fiction books that contain factual information about a subject or subjects.
2. POETRY
- “the rhythmical creation of beauty” – Edgar Allan Poe
- it is a form of creative literature that utilizes words uniquely and specially.
- Poetry uses figurative language, imagery, rhyme, and other stylistic devices to formulate verses
and lines.
a. Lyric- poems express observations, emotions, and feelings in a metered verse
structure.
Genres: songs, sonnets, odes, elegies, haiku and tanka.
b. Narrative- are story poems- they narrate plots in metrical form and the elements of
a story are present in them.
Genres: epics, metrical tales, metrical romances, and ballads.
Lyric Poetry
Song- a short metrical composition intended or adapted for singing, especially one in
rhymed stanzas; a lyric; a ballad.
- these have 12 syllables and slowly sung to the accompaniment of guitar or banduria.
Sonnet- traditionally, a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter. Usually deal with
love.
- originated in 13th-century Italy where it was perfected by the poet Petrarch
- derived from the Italian word ‘sonnetto’ which means ‘little song’.
Petrarchan (Italian) sonnets: ABBA ABBA CDE CDE
Shakespearean (English) sonnets: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Ode- The word ‘ode’ is derived from the Greek word ‘aeidein’ which means ‘to sing or
chant’,
- were originally performed with a musical instrument.
- is typically written to praise a person, event or thing and they are usually quite short
in length.
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 Narrative Poetry

Elegy- doesn’t have rules like some of the other forms of poetry but it does have a set Epics - - deals with some great deeds like the founding of a nation or the forging of national
subject: death unity.
- They often use religious or cosmological themes.
- They are usually written about a loved one who has passed away, but can also be written
about a group of people, too. Metrical tales - written in verse.
- It is classified as either a ballad or a metrical romance.
Haiku- an ancient form of Japanese poetry
Metrical romance- a type of metrical tale composed of a long rambling love story in verse.
- three lines (tercet) ; 5-7-5 syllabic pattern
- It is centered around the adventure of knights and lords and their royal ladies during the
- Do not have rhyme age of chivalry.
- It is heavily flavored with romance, fantastic events, supernatural occurrences, and magic.
- Written to evoke a particular mood/ instance.
Ballad- typically tells a dramatic or emotional story.
Tanaka- is a thirty-one-syllable poem, traditionally written in a single unbroken line.
-four lines (quatrain)
- “short song,” - have a rhyme scheme of ABAB or ABCB.

- 5-7-5-7- 7 syllable count form.( five lines). Stanza = a set amount of lines in poetry grouped together by their length, meter or rhyme
scheme.
Acrostic - spells out a name, word, phrase or message with the first letter of each line of the
poem. Couplet = a two-line stanza.
- It can rhyme or not, and typically the word spelt out, lays down the theme of the poem.
Tercet = a three-line stanza.
Limerick - are funny (and sometimes rude) poems
Quatrain = a four-line stanza.
- popularized by Edward Lear in the 19th century.
Cinquain = a five-line stanza.
- rhyme scheme of AABBA

- lines one, two, five are in longer length than lines three, four . The last line is often the Sestet = a six-line stanza.
punchline.
Meter = the pattern of stressed syllables (long-sounding) and unstressed syllables (short-
Free verse - is a popular style of modern poetry sounding) in poetry.

- there is a fair amount of freedom when it comes to writing a poem. Rhyme scheme = the pattern of rhyme that comes at the end of each line or vere.

- Free verse can rhyme or not, it can have as many lines or stanzas as the poet wants. Syllable = the single, unbroken sound of a spoken or written word.

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3. DRAMA Elements of Tragedy: Themes, Emotions

 is performance literature Elements of Comedy: Humor, Irony, Satire

 It is a portrayal of events (fictional or true) with the delivery of written dialogue in
either prose or poetry structure.
 class
 They can be performed on stage, on television, in film, or even on the radio.
 For fiction prose, narrative poetry, and drama, they can be classified into genres
according to content or plot theme.
Comedy - comes from the Greek term “komos” meaning festivity or revelry.
c. Melodrama - is a work with exaggerated, sensational events and characters.
- It is highly emotional, focusing on exciting but over-the-top situations that are designed
to encourage emotional responses in the audience.
- characters are assigned stereotypical or simple roles, often in “good versus evil” situations.
d. Satire - This genre uses comedy to illuminate social issues or to highlight character or
physical flaws in well-known individuals.

- This form usually is light and written with the purpose of amusing, and usually has a happy e. Farce - is a type of dramatic comedy in which, Its primary goal is to entertain the
ending. audience by making them laugh.

Tragedy - is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or - often relies on absurd situations, silly or even raucous jokes and humor, and stereotypical
sorrowful events that befall a main character. characters.

Elements of Drama: Plot, Characters , Setting , Dialogue (Soliloquy, Aside) , Movement ,

Music , Theme

New genres: dramatic monologues, tragicomedies, melodrama, satires, and farce.

a. Dramatic Monologue - is a long speech delivered by a single character in a story, play, and
poetry.

- can be delivered from one character to other characters or from a character to the
audience.

- they can be romantic, conversational, or philosophical.

- allow audiences to understand the speaker better and to get a sense of their motivations,
feelings, and thoughts.

b. Tragicomedy - a genre that navigates the fine line between laughter and tears, taking
the audience on an emotional roller coaster ride.

- the characters might face dire situations, but there's always a moment of levity to balance
the scales.

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 Contemporary Genres

“Genre is a bookstore problem, and not a literary problem”- Rick Moody

This means that….

 Authors wrote texts not because they would want to have their masterpieces boxed to a
particular genre shelf but rather for readers to enjoy the piece as it is.
 While it is helpful to identify the genre of texts in order to bring forth expectations
from the literary piece, authors appeal that the literary pieces must be read for what
they uniquely are.
 This is the contention of modern/ contemporary and 21st century literature –
interdisciplinary, inter-genre, and plural in purpose and meaning.
 Paulo Freire even recognized the reinvention of texts stating that a text cannot stand
alone.
 It has to be shared, discussed, adapted – because a literary text carries with it personal
experiences and insights of the author, the reader, and the world. Therefore, a fresher
perspective on literature is that it is evolving, it differs with whoever reads the text, and
is to be savored rather than technically analyzed.
 As such, literary texts are not merely words on a page. This can be taken literally.
 Literature in the 21st century can now be presented in computer screen or in a mobile
application.

Spoken word poetry, screen plays, movies, television series, audio books, text messages, blogs,
podcasts, instant messaging, Youtube videos, pictures memes, and scripts must not be included in
the definition of “literary texts”.

Technology brought about an enriched experience of literature which transcends from the
limitations of print.

As long as the reader is digitally literate and is able to analyze and judge if a such literary text is
valuable, then literature continues to flourish.