Philippine

Literature During
The American
Regime.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:

• Identify the literary forms that emerged during the American

Colonial Period.
• Interpret and analyze representative texts during the American
colonial period.
• Recognize the contribution brought to the Philippine Literature
under the American Regime.
• Create a 500 word essay about the significant contribution of
Americans to Philippine Literature.
 Unlocking Difficulty.
• Homely- (adj)- unattractive usually refers to the looks of
people/ animals.
• Ex: Even though the street dog was more homely than the
pedigreed one, we decided to adopt it because of its sweet
nature.
• 2.Grudgingly (adverb) - in a reluctant and resentful manner.
• Example : He isn’t a very good person, but I have to
grudgingly admit that he’s a talented worker.
• 3. mock (adjective) - not genuine; without sincerity; in jest
• Example: She decided to tease him by expressing mock
disappointment in his gift.
• 4. impel (verb) - to force someone or to be forced to do
something.
• Example: My poor mid-term grades impelled me to spend
more time studying.
5. Wince (verb) - an involuntary grimace caused by guilt, pain, or
distress.
Example: I winced when the nurse put antiseptic on.
 Br ief Hist o ry

• • The Filipino Revolutionists won against the Spaniards who

colonized for more than 300 years.
• • June 12, 1898 raised the Philippine flag as a symbol of our
independence. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was selected the first
president of the Philippine Republic but this was short lived.
• • The Filipino-American war resulted in the defeat of Gen.
Miguel Malvar in 1903. The peace movements started as early
as 1900.
• • Many Filipino started writing again and the nationalism of the
people remains undaunted. Filipino writers went into all forms
of literature like news reporting, poetry, stories, plays, essays
and novels. Their writings clearly depicted their love of country
and their longings for independence.
• • A new group started to write in English. Hence, Spanish,
Tagalog, the Vernaculars and finally, English, were the
mediums used in literature during these times.
 Literary Pieces that Flourish during
the American Colonial Period

Dead Stars by Paz

Marquez Benitez
stand out as a model
of perfection in
character delineation,
local color, plot and
message.
• • Education became a very important issue
for the united states colonial government,
since it allowed it to spread their cultural
values, particularly the English language, to
the Filipino people. By 1901, public
education was institutionalized in the
Philippines, with English serving the
medium of instruction.
 Timeline of Development of Philippine
Literature under American Regime.
• The Period of Re-Orientation (1898-1910)
• The Period of Re-orientation covered the early years of American period
and the landing of the Americans to Philippine shores including the
Philippine-American War. Even during the war, the Americans
established public school system in areas that have been
pacified. English language was used as medium of instruction in public
schools as early as 1900 in the Corregidor Island.
• The first English teachers were the American
soldiers stationed in various areas.
• Later on, the professional teachers arrived via US Army
transport ship “USS Thomas” hence, these pioneering
teachers were called “Thomasites.”
• These Thomasites established numerous public
Elementary, Secondary and Tertiary schools throughout
the archipelago.
• Filipino writers became apprentices to
American writers, first learning to
emulate their styles before creating their
own.
• Essays and short stories became popular
literary mediums.
 The Period of Imitation (1910-1924)

• This period was characterized by the Filipino

writers imitating the American and English writers.
The UP College Folio, the school publication of the
University of the Philippines, published literary
compositions in English written by the pioneers in
English poetry, essays and short stories.
 Period of Self- Discovery and Growth (1925-1941)

• In this period Filipino writers acquired mastery of the

English Language. Evidently, they began to write
confidently and competently. They wrote in free verse,
sonnets, odes, elegies and others. They even started to
write novels and dramas.
• Essays and short stories became popular literary mediums.
• Paz M. Latorena January 17, 1908 – October 19, 1953) was one of the notable writers of the first
generation of Filipino English writers, in both literary writing and education. She was a poet, editor, author,
and teacher. She is the one who wrote DESIRE.
Guide Questions:

• What is the story about? Does its message and/or lesson still apply today? 
• What events during the American colonial period could have inspired the
author to write this story?
• Which parts of the story reflect the Filipino experience during the
American colonial period? 
• Why did the author use English to write the story despite the use of
Tagalog in literature flourishing at the time?
• Do you think the story would have benefited from being written in
Tagalog or any of our national languages instead?
• INDIVIDAL
• Instruction: Answer the following questions below in a 1\2 sheet of paper.
• How can you share with other people the significance of literature during
the American colonial period?
• What do you think is the importance of learning about literature during the
American colonial period?
• As aGrade 11student, do you think it is necessary to study both literature
and history? Why?  
• How does learning about literature during the American colonial period
give you a better appreciation of both literature and history?
 INDIVIDUAL
Instructions: a. Create a 500 word essay about the significant
contributions of Americans to Philippine Literature.
• LIST DOWN FIVE EXAMPLES OF
GOOD MANNERS THAT YOU
OBSERVE DURING GATHERINGS.
• EXPLAIN IN ONE TO TWO
SENTENCES PER EXAMPLE WHY
YOU OBSERVE THOSE PARTICULAR
FORMS OF GOOD MANNERS.
• OBJECTIVES
• At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
 recognize the life and works of Aurelio Tolentino
 analyze the writing convention of Aurelio
Tolentino;
 create a 300 word reflection about the different
behavior/manners during the American colonial
period;
 appreciate the importance of learning the proper
behavior/manners in the American colonial period.
 Impact Of The American Colonial Period On Literature

• An initial bloom in literature in Spanish before English

became more widespread through promotion and
schooling.
• Comics and statistical editorial cartoons began
appearing in publications.
• Tagalog drama went from merely a form of
entertainment to an expressions of revolt.
• English Sarswela stage musical began to emerge.
• Filipino writers became apprentice to
American writers, first learning to
emulate their styles before creating
their own.
• Essays and short stories became
popular literary mediums.
 Unlocking difficlty
•1. dukha; destitute (adjective) – Poor
2.m od a ; (noun) - d istinc tiv e m a nner of d ressing Ma rc ia c la im s
tha t the c la shing p a tterns she wea rs a re just p a rt of her sty le.
(style)

3.m a ring a l; (a d jec tiv e) -showing g ood ta ste For her wed d ing ,
C elia wa nts a ll the d ec ora tions to b e sim p le a nd eleg a nt.
( elegant)
4.botito (noun) - During the Spanish colonial period,
botitos were often worn by both m en a nd wom en.

5.ka lsonsily o; (noun) - c lothing worn under outer

c lothes.
• FILIPINO AUTHOR DURING
• THE AMERICAN
COLONIZATION: ARELIO
TOLENTINO
• He was born on October 3, 1867 in Guagua, Pampanga.
His parents were Leonardo Tolentino & Petrona Valenzuela.
• He obtained a bachelor of arts degree at Colegio de San Juan
de Letran and took law at the University of Santo Tomas.
• Due to his play Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas (Yesterday,
Today, and Tomorrow), he became known as the Father of
Tagalog Drama.
• Tolentino moved to Tondo, Manila, where he met Andres
Bonifacio.
• Tolentino served as a notary in the district of Morong
but was arrested for being a Katipunero and a Mason.
• After nine months, he was given a pardon on May
17, 1897.
• Advocate of using Tagalog as a language that unifies
Filipinos
• Plays, news articles, and poems