21st literature

Literature

Comes from the Latin word 'literatura', meaning 'writing formed with letters'; any written text that contains the spirit of a group of people.

Importance of Literature

It molds a man as a total human being; educates, entertains, and reflects thoughts and feelings.

Oral Traditions

The art of storytelling passed down from generation to generation without a specific plot.

Critical Theories of Literature

Different views and lenses to understand and interpret literary pieces.

Mimetic Critical Theory

Focuses on realities of life, depicting situations that may happen in real life.

Affective Critical Theory

Focuses on emotions evoked through literature, e.g., poems about loss or grief.

Expressive Critical Theory

Focuses on venting one's experiences through writing, representing the author's presence.

Objective Critical Theory

Views literature as a piece of writing, assessing its conventions and technical elements.

Metafiction

A narrative technique that includes a story within a story to enhance understanding.

Spanish Period Literature

Literature influenced by Spain where Catholicism and Spanish language shaped Filipino writing.

American Period Literature

Characterized by themes of nationalism, freedom of speech, and the shift from Spanish to English.

Elements of a Short Story

Include character, setting, theme, conflict, and plot.

Conflict in Literature

Struggles that characters encounter, necessary for creating drama in the story.

Theme

Central idea or moral lesson that reflects an author's thoughts on human nature.

Persona

The imaginary speaker in a poem; distinct from the writer.

Vision in Poetry

The message or theme that the persona of the poem conveys.

Addressee

The imaginary receiver of the poem's message; not always for everyone.

time

temporal setting

space

spatial setting

setting

• The most basic element

• Time and place of where the story occurred

• Sets the mood and atmosphere of the story

• Seen at the start

• Does not need to be specific

character

• Persons, animals, or human like objects that move the story from one event to another

• Representation of human beings in the story

• Characterization

  • Author gives every character a unique trait that will be vital to the characters in the story

  • Method used by the writer to reveal the personality of the character even physical attributes

protagonist

main character

antagonist

opposes the main character

anti hero

protagonist that acts like the bad guy

static character

stays the same throughout the story

dynamic character

changes on to events in the story

flat character

we know little information about

round character

we know a lot of information about

plot

• foundation/back bone of the story

• Chain of events and character actions

aristotelian plot

•  beginning, middle, and ending

exposition

expose characters and setting

rising action

start of major conflict

climax

turning point; has most tension

falling action

ease any build up; tie loose ends

resolution denouement

story end

flashback

 presenting events that happened prior to the current action taking place

foreshadowing

• clues/hints to indicate events that will occur later in the story

Deus ex Machina

• “God is a machine”. Unexpected power on event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a story

in medias res

story commences in the middle

plot twist

change in the unexpected direction or outcome of the plot of the short story; R.L Stein says: beginning, middle, end, plot twist

conflict

• Struggle a character encounters

• Without it, there is no plot

• Creates drama in the story

theme

• Central idea

• Authors thoughts and beliefs about a topic of human nature

• Moral lesson

• Not a one word, should be a statement that is universal/relatable to people