21 Century Literature

st

from the Philippines

z and the World
 Lesson 3
Philippine Literature during the
z American Colonial Period
 z
LEARNING COMPETENCIES:

Identify the literary forms that emerged in

the American colonial period and Japanese
1 colonial period (EN12Lit-IIa-22).

Determine the events in American and

2 Japanese periods that influenced the
literary texts discussed (EN12Lit-IIb-32); and

3 Distinguish notable writers in each colonial

period (EN12Lit-IIa-22).
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OBJECTIVES

1. identify the literary forms that

emerged during the American and
Japanese colonial period; and
2. interpret and analyze representative
texts during the American and
Japanese colonial period.
 z
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What is the most important

contribution of Americans to our
literature and culture?
 z WARM UP

True Or Not True: Write “T” if the statement is true, “N” if it is

not.
1. Philippines is the first colony of USA.
2. The United States of America’s policy to colonize the
Philippines is called “benevolent assimilation.”
3. All Filipino citizens had access to free education even
before the Americans came.
4. At the beginning of the American colonial period, Filipino
writers readily abandoned Spanish for English.
5. The American colonial period is referred to as the
“Apprenticeship Period” of Philippine literature.
 Vocabulary Words
z
homely (adjective) - unattractive; usually refers to the looks of people/animals
1 Even though the street dog was more homely than the pedigreed one, we decided
to adopt it because of its sweet nature.

grudgingly (adverb) - in a reluctant and resentful manner

2 He isn’t a very good person, but I have to grudgingly admit that he’s a talented
worker.

mock (adjective) - not genuine; without sincerity; in jest

3 She decided to tease him by expressing mock disappointment in his gift.

impel (verb) - to force someone or to be forced to do something

4 My poor mid-term grades impelled me to spend more time studying.

wince (verb) - an involuntary grimace caused by guilt, pain, or distress

5 I winced when the nurse put antiseptic on my wound.
 Vocabulary Words
dukha; destitute
(adjective) - poor; of cheap make botito
Jim looked destitute because of the stained and 6 (noun) - Spanish for men’s side-buttoned/spring-side boots
ripped shirt he wore.

moda; style
9 During the Spanish colonial period, botitos were often
worn by both men and women.

(noun) - distinctive manner of dressing

Marcia claims that the clashing patterns she

7 kalsonsilyo; underwear
wears are just part of her style. (noun) - clothing worn under outer clothes

maringal; elegant 10 In a corporate setting, it is inappropriate to wear

clothes that show your underwear.
(adjective) - showing good taste

For her wedding, Celia wants all the

8
decorations to be simple and elegant.
 Vocabulary Words
blockade
(verb) - to seal off an area to ensure no one can
enter or leave
11 beacon
In order to trap the criminal, the policemen (noun) - a guiding light; can be literal or
blockaded the entire district.
14 allegorical

scour Nelson Mandela served as a beacon of hope for all

the victims of apartheid in South Africa.
(verb) - to perform a thorough search 12
Joseph scoured his entire closet for his
nose
(verb) - to investigate or pry into something
missing sock.
cluster 15 Nancy nosed around her suspect’s house for
(noun) - a group of similar things placed in close
proximity to each other 13 clues.

She made a corsage out of a cluster of small flowers.

 Vocabulary Words
fine
(adjective) - very thin (refers to thread, filament, or
hair) trilling
Her eyelashes were long and numerous, though each
16 (noun) - a sound made by alternating two notes quickly
strand was fine.

restively
19 Aurora spent many afternoons listening to the trilling of
the birds in the forest.

(adverb) - impatiently (while under restriction)

Toby kept tugging restively at his too-tight collar. 17 lustily

(adverb) - loudly; vigorously
rank 20 The crowd cheered lustily when Rodrigo kicked the
(adjective) - having a strong and unpleasant smell ball into the goal.

The rank smell of raw meat at the butcher shop

made Ina pinch her nose.
18
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Significant events during the American

Colonial Period:
● On April 11, 1899, John Hay, the US Secretary
of State, signed an agreement wherein Spain
surrendered the remaining colonies of the
Spanish empire, including the Philippines, to
the United States for 20 million dollars.
● Education was first headed by American
soldiers, and then teachers called the
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Significant events during the American

Colonial Period:
● Public education was made free, and the
medium of instruction used was English. This
created a new educated middle class in the
country.
● Alongside the use of English in education,
Filipinos learned American models of
thought, culture, and ways of life.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

✔ American colonial period is divided into two

periods: the period of apprenticeship (1910-
1930) and the period of emergence (1920-
1930).
✔ The surrender of first Philippine President
Emilio Aguinaldo in 1901 signified the end of
the military struggle for independence.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

✔ Aguinaldo promised allegiance to America

but still continued to be very vocal
of achieving independence for the
Philippines.
✔ In 1935, Aguinaldo was soundly defeated
by Manuel L. Quezon as the first President
of the Commonwealth.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Impact of the American Colonial Period on

literature:
● An initial boom in literature in Spanish before
English became more widespread through
promotion and schooling.
● Comics and satirical editorial cartoons began
appearing in publications.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Impact of the American Colonial Period on literature:

● Tagalog drama went from merely a form of
entertainment to an expression of revolt.
● English sarsuwela (stage musicals) began to emerge.
● 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.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Dimensions of Philippine Literature
✔ During the transition period many Filipino writers still
preferred to write in Spanish since English was still a
foreign language to them.
✔ Filipino writers were into all forms of literature during
the period of apprenticeship but most of their works were
critiqued as an imitation of English and American models.
✔ Short stories became the most prevalent literary form
during the latter part of American colonial period.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Dimensions of Philippine Literature
✔ The existence of American literary works and
periodicals as well as the coming of American teachers
encouraged many aspiring Filipino writers to use the
English language.
✔ A new type of literature began when American system
of education and English language were introduced.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Dimensions of Philippine Literature
✔ At the beginning, most of the literary works
written in English were considered imitative in
nature, but then later on evolved to a new variety
of subjects, styles, and conventions of writing.
✔ Common theme in plays was all about
nationalism.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Other Type of Literature Existed during American
Colonial Period
✔ Short Stories. These are stories that can typically be
read in one sitting revolving around one subject and
may range between 1,000 up to 20,000 words. The first
short story written in English is entitled "Dead Stars" by
Paz Marquez Benitez.
 Warm Up!

Manners Matter
1. List down five good manners you observe during gatherings.
2. Explain in one to two sentences per example why you observe
them.
5 Good Manners I Observe during Gatherings
1
2
3
4
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Some Notable Writers

✔ Juan C. Laya. He won first prize for his novel "His
Native Soil" in the First Commonwealth Literary Awards
in 1940.
✔ Zoilo M. Galang. His work entitled "A Child of
Sorrow" in 1921 is considered as the first Filipino novel
in English.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

About Aurelio Tolentino

● He was born on October 3, 1867 in Guagua, Pampanga.
● He obtained a bachelor of arts degree at Colegio de San Juan
de Letran and took law at the University of Santo Tomas.
However, his father’s passing forced him to stop his schooling.
● He helped in printing and distributing La Solidaridad.
● He was imprisoned during the 1896 revolution. He was again
sent to prison by Americans in the American colonial era.
● He was also one of the witnesses who signed the Declaration of
Philippine Independence in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

About Aurelio Tolentino

● Due to his play Kahapon, Ngayon, at Bukas
(Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow), he became known
as the Father of Tagalog Drama.
● He was an advocate of using Tagalog as a language
that unifies Filipinos from different regions.
● Because of this, he founded the El Parnaso Filipino,
a school that promotes Tagalog literature.
 Warm Up!

True or False: Write T if the statement is true, and F if it is false

1. The Japanese entered Manila on January 3, 1942.

2. Manuel E. Arguilla, one of the most promising writers during
the Japanese period, survived the war.
3. The Philippines was the cause of war between Japan and the
United States of America.
4. One of the writers during this era described it as “pessimistic
and bitter.”
5. There was strict censorship in print media during this period.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Significant Events during the Japanese

Occupation
● During World War II, the Philippines was
occupied by the Japanese from 1941 to 1945.
● During the war between Japan and the United
States, President Manuel L. Quezon and
General Douglas MacArthur fled to the US.
Before leaving, MacArthur made a promise: “I
shall return.” He came back to Leyte in 1944.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

● The Fall of Bataan and the Death March

were results of the final major battles of
the Japanese invasion.
● Victory over Japan Day was declared
after Japan surrendered to the U.S. on
August 15, 1945. The inauguration of the
First Philippine Republic on July 4, 1946.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

✔ Japan invaded the Philippines on December 8,
1941 which was strongly opposed by the Guerillas.
✔ Captured soldiers and American deportees were
forced to have "Death March“ to a prison camp where
they walked for 100 kilometers from Mariveles,
Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga. An estimated
10,000 prisoners died here.
✔ Aguinaldo cooperated with the Japanese to end
Filipino and American opposition.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

✔ Japanese colonizers failed to gain the trust of
Filipinos.
✔ The resurgence of World War II forced former
President Manuel L. Quezon and Vice-President
Sergio Osmeña Sr. to immediately leave the
Philippines and sought residence in the United States
as the Commonwealth government was
suddenly in exile.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!
✔ There was a great tension between the two major groups:
HUKBALAHAP (unified guerilla army against Japanese
invasion) and KALIBAPI (political party approved by the
Japanese).
✔ Jose P. Laurel was appointed as the President of the
Philippines under the Japanese-sponsored Republic.
✔ In 1942, Mc Arthur escaped but promised to return which
he did in 1944. The US victory in the battle of Leyte gulf
signaled the beginning of Philippine liberation from the
Japanese.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!

Impact of the Japanese Occupation on Literature

● Filipino literature in English was limited.

● Philippine literature in general flourished in this period,
especially those that were written in Tagalog and other
Philippine languages. English plays during this period
were translated into Filipino or the vernacular.
● More original dramas in Filipino were written.
 z
Impact of the Japanese Occupation on
Literature

Filipino writers of other literary forms such as

short stories, essays, and poetry were given
distinct honors.
Without Seeing the Dawn by Stevan Javellana
was published in the United States in 1947. It
depicts the experiences of Filipinos during the
war between the Americans and the Japanese.
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Dimensions of Philippine Literature
✔ All forms of writings were censored during this
time because there was no freedom of speech and
of the press.
✔ Only those who were living in the United States
such as Carlos P. Romulo and Manuel L. Quezon
could write freely.
✔ The use of English language was stopped in
almost all publications and only Tagalog and the
vernaculars were permitted.
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✔ Few literary works were printed and mostly
considered as pessimistic and bitter according to
the author Victoria Abelardo.
✔ Another type of poetry that emerged is the Haiku
consisting of three lines with 5-7-5 syllables or 17
syllabic poetry in all.
 z
✔ Tagalog short stories flourished and some of the
best works were compiled by the Liwayway
magazine editors in Ang Pinakamabuting Maikling
Kathang Pilipino ng 1943. Some notable stories
were “Lupang Tinubuan” by Narciso G. Reyes,
“Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa” by Liwayway Arceo,
“Nayon at Dagatdagatan” by N. V.M. Gonzalez,
and “Suyuan sa Tubigan” by Macario Pineda.
 z
✔ Opera and classical music gained popularity.
✔ Among the other types of literature emerged
were essay (e.g. "Literature and Society" by
Salvador P. Lopez) and autobiography (e.g. "The
Good Fight" by Manuel Quezon).
 Warm Up!

Moving Away
If you were to move to a totally unfamiliar place, what would be the first
few things that you would do? Give three examples and explain each.

What would you do in your new place? Explanation

1

3
 zLEARN ABOUT IT!
Some Notable Writers

✔ Carlos P. Romulo. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his notable works such as "I
Saw the Fall of the Philippines", "I See the Philippines Rise", "Mother America",
and "My Brother Americans".
✔ Narciso Reyes. He won first prize with his short story "Lupang Tinubuan".
 zLEARN ABOUT IT!
About Manuel Arguilla

● He was born in Bauang, La Union on June 17, 1911.

● He was the editor-in-chief of their high school
newsletter La Union Tab.
● He earned an education degree in 1933 at the
University of the Philippines and was a member and
eventually president of the UP Writers Club, as well as
the editor of the Literary Apprentice.
● He was also the editor of Welfare Advocate, the
publication of Bureau of Public Welfare where he
worked after teaching in the University of Manila.
 zLEARN ABOUT IT!
About Manuel Arguilla

● His literary works were compiled in a book, How My Brother Leon

Brought Home a Wife (and Other Stories), which won first prize in
the first Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940.
● Most of his stories depict events in his hometown.
● He used a lot of local color in his literary pieces.
● He became a teacher, writer, and fighter when he joined the
freedom forces of the country and fought against the Japanese
army in 1941. He was captured in 1944 along with his family, and
he was sentenced to death. He was executed on October 1944 at
the age of 33.
 z DEVELOPING MASTERY

Desire
Paz Latorena IV. Sa Pagbibihis
(Excerpt from Dakilang Asal)
Paru-parong Bukida Aurelio Tolentino
The Voice of Bataan (
Part Two)
Morning in Nagrebcan
Carlos Bulosan
(Excerpt 1)
Manuel Arguilla
 GENERALIZATION
z

How does learning about literature during the American

colonial period give you a better appreciation of both
literature and history?
How does learning about Aurelio Tolentino’s life and
works help you become a better person?
How does learning aabout literature during the
Japanese occupation give you a better appreciation of
both literature and history?
How does learning about Manuel Arguilla’s life and works
help you become a better Filipino?
z
EVALUATION

 READY FOR A QUIZ

z
ASSIGNMENT
● Find a partner.
● Write a short story (500 words) of your own, in
English, following the following parameters:
○ The story must be based in the present time
and in the Philippines.
○ The story can be realistic, fantasy, or even
science fiction.
○ The story must contain examples of local
color.
○ The story must make use of vivid imagery.
z
ASSIGNMENT
● After you finish writing their story, answer the
following questions on a separate sheet of paper:
○ What is the theme of your story? Why did you
choose that theme?
○ What events in real life inspired you to choose your
plot and theme?
○ List down the examples of local color you used in
your work. Why did you choose these particular
examples?
● Prepare to share your work in class.