1: Introduction to Philippine Literature

What is the origin of the word literature?

The word literature is derived from the Latin word "littera", which means "a letter of the alphabet".

How does Britannica define literature?

Britannica defines literature as a body of written works associated with imaginative and creative works of poetry and prose, classifiable by language, national origin, historical period, genre, and subject matter.

In what two forms can literature exist?

Literature can either be in oral form (passed down through generations) or written form (later documentation of oral traditions).

What are literary texts?

Literary texts are the products of written literature, characterized by psychological characterization, chronology, and the use of literary devices like metaphor and symbolism.

What features make a text literary?

A text is considered literary if it includes psychological characterization, chronology, and literary devices such as metaphor and symbolism.

Why do people commonly read literature?

People commonly read literature for entertainment and learning.

What are the three main characteristics of literary text?

(1) It narrates a story, (2) expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas from imagination or real-life, and (3) delivers significant information that crosses time, place, culture, and language.

What is literary structure in its most common form?

The most common literary structure is the narrative structure, composed of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (denouement).

What is a broader definition of literary structure according to The Great Soviet Encyclopedia?

It includes not only content and form but also the features of genre, style, literary trends, and art as a whole.

According to Murphy, what does literary structure involve?

Murphy explains literary structure as the arrangement of various elements based on purpose, style, and genre to effectively convey meaning to the audience.

The products of written literature are called ?

literary text

Literary structure

refers to the organizational method used in literature in which the most common type is the narrative. Parts of the narrative structure (or plot) are the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (denouement).

What are the two major forms of literature?

Poetry and Prose

What is poetry?

This literary type is usually written in lines and is characterized by having the element of rhythm, sound, imagery, and form. Its main purpose is to express feelings, thoughts, and ideas.

What are the three types of poetry?

narrative, dramatic, and lyrical poetry

Narrative Poetry

This poetry tells a story and has the elements of a narrative such as characters, setting, conflict, etc.

Dramatic Poetry

This is an emotionally appealing drama written in verse that tells a story and is intended to be recited or sung in front of the audience by a character speaking in poetry.

Lyric Poetry

It is the most common type of poetry that focuses on expressing feelings rather than telling a story.

Prose

In contrast to poetry, this literary piece applies a natural flow of speech and grammatical structures which are mainly consisting of complete sentences arranged logically and sequentially in a paragraph form.

What are the two types of prose?

Fiction and Non-fiction

Fiction

serves as a product of the writer's wild imagination and creative thinking where the characters react to the conflict and various issues central to the main idea of a literary work. Its three types are: short story, novel, and novella. The main genres are crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, western, inspirational, historical fiction and horror.

Non-fiction

are stories inspired by real events where the writers aim to present, interpret, or describe experiences based on facts. The judgments, opinions, and commentaries of the writers may be presented in the form of essays, journals, diaries, feature articles, editorials, and the like.

Genre

refers to the forms of literature. The general ones are oral and written. The main types are prose and poetry. There are many other forms that have sprung through the years.

What are literary elements?

are identifiable characteristics of a whole text, common to all literary and narrative forms, such as theme, setting, conflict, and point of view; they are inherent to storytelling and must be specifically identified to be used in textual analysis.

What are the common literary elements found in a story?

The common elements of a story include setting, character, conflict, theme, point of view, and plot.

What are the elements of plot?

Plot consists of the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (denouement).

What are the four essential elements of poetry?

The four essential elements of poetry are form, imagery, rhythm, and sound.

What is the role of imagery in literature, especially poetry?

Imagery allows readers to "see pictures in words" and adds color and vividness to any type of literature, especially poetry.

How are rhythm and sound related in poetry?

Rhythm falls under the broad category of sound; rhythm refers to the beat’s flow (fast or slow), while sound includes rhymes and devices like repetition, alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia.

What literary devices are included under sound in poetry?

Sound includes repetition (repeating words/phrases), alliteration (same consonant sounds), assonance (same vowel sounds), and onomatopoeia (words imitating sounds).

What is the effect of rhythm and sound in poetry?

Rhythm and sound give poetry its musical effect, enhancing the reader’s auditory experience and emotional engagement.

What is meant by “traditions” in literature?

Traditions refer to the specific traits of literary works that define a generation or period in history, reflecting interconnectedness beyond just shared geography or group.

What is a literary tradition according to the Curriculum Guide?

A literary tradition is a collection of works with underlying coherence—linked by structure, cultural meanings, historical moments, and references—forming a recognizable identity like the Irish Literary Tradition

What makes it possible for someone outside a culture to write within that culture's literary tradition?

By drawing on the same mythology, structure, cultural references, and historical focal points, even someone outside the culture can write within that tradition.