21st Century Literature from the Philippines to the World Handout

Periods of Philippine Literature

 Pre-Historic Period
 Spanish Period
 American Period
 Japanese Period
 Philippine Republic
 Martial Law
 Contemporary Period

Period of Activism (1970-1972)

Historical Background – according to Pociano Pineda, youth activism in 1970-72 activism was due to domestic
and worldwide causes. Activism is connected with the history of our Filipino youth. Because of the ills of society, the
youth moved to seek reforms. Some continued to believe that the democratic government is stable and that it is only
the people running the government who are at fault. Some believed that socialism or communism should replace
democracy.

Spanish Period

More productive part of the period. The propagandist raised led by Dr. Jose Rizal batted for assimilation.

Writer Guide or Organization

P – oets
E – ssayist
N – ovelist

Doctrina Cristiana – catholic book of prayers and doctrines

Pseudonyms

 Rizal – Dimas Alang and Laong Laan

 Del Pilar – Plaridel
 Jaena – Diego Laura
 Jose Ma. Panganiban – Jomapa

Canonical Philippine Artists

 Edith L. Tiempo  Lazaro Francisco

 Bienvenido Lumbera  Alejandro Roces
 NVM Gonzalez  Carlos P. Romulo
 Virgilio Almario  Jose Garcis Villa
 Cirilo F. Bautista  Rolando S. Tinio
 Nick Joaquin  Francisco Arcellana
 F. Sionel Jose  Levi Celerio
 Amado V. Hernandez  Carlos Quirino

Nestor Vicente Madali “NVM” Gonzalez

Major Works

The Winds of April, Seven Hills Away, Children of the Ash-Covered Loam and Other Stories, The Bamboo
Dancers, Look Stranger, on this Island Now, Mindoro and Beyond: Twenty-One Stories, The Bread of Salt and Other
Stories, Work on the Mountain, The Novel of Justice: Selected Essays 1968-1994, A Grammar of Dreams and Other
Stories.

Genres of Literature

 Fiction
 Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Folktales, Mystery, Adventure
 Folktales – Fable, Fairy Tale, Legend, Tall Tale, Myth
 Non-Fiction
 Biography, Encyclopedia, Magazine, Brochure, Memoir, Autobiography, Textbook, Research Report,
Newsletter, Editorial, Essay, How-To, Almanac, Atlas, Advertisement
 Poetry
 Free Verse - List poem, Poem of Address, Narrative Poem
 Structured – Couplet, Haiku, Cinquain, Diamante, Acrostic, Biopoem

LITERAL – the actual, dictionary meaning of the word; language that means what it appears to mean.

FIGURATIVE – language that goes beyond the normal meaning of the words used.

FIGURES OF SPEECH
1. ALLITERATION – the repetition of the initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or sounds.
Ex: You’ll never put a better bit of butter on your knife.
2. ANAPHORA – the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
Ex: “We shall go on the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and ocean, we shall ......”
3. ANTITHESIS – an opposition of contrast of ideas; two opposite ideas are put together to achieve a contrsting
effect.
Ex: “Speech is silver, but silence is gold.” , “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
4. APOSTROPHE – when you speak up into an object, an idea, or someone who doesn’t exist as if it is a livng
person
Ex: “Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.”
“Oh, pillow, thank you for being my shoulder when I’m alone.”
5. ASSONANCE – identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words.
Ex: “It beats as it sweeps as it cleans.” , “Johnny went here and there and everywhere.”
6. CHIASMUS – a verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the
parts reversed
Ex: “I flee who chases me, and chase who flees me.” , “Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.”
7. EUPHEMISM – a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or
unpleasant
Ex: “Pre-loved” for second hand, “Passed away” instead of died, “Healthy” instead of fat
8. HYPERBOLE – an extravagant statement; use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis
Ex: “I am so hungry I could eat a horse.” , “I have a million things to do.”
9. IRONY – the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning
 Situational Irony – actions or events have opposite result from what is expected.
Ex: “A pilot with a fear of heights.”
 Verbal Irony – someone says the opposite of what they really mean or intend
Ex: Saying “oh great” after failing the exam.
 Ramatic Irony – occurs when the audience or reader of a text knws something that the characters do not
Ex: In horror movies, the audience is aware that there is killer in the house, but the character does not.
10. LITOTES – figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its
opposite
Ex: If a person is very intelligent, someone might say, “he’s not dumb.” Or “he’s not unintelligent”
 11. METAPHOR – comparison between two relatively unlike things without the use of “like” or “as”
Ex: Time is a theif.; He has a heart of stone.; You are my sunshine.
12. ONOMATOPOEIA – the information or use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or
actions they refer to
Ex: “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is.”
“The firecracker made a loud ka-boom!”
13. OXYMORON – figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear side by side
Ex: “O miserable abundance, O beggarly riches!” ; “Cruel kindness”
14. PARADOX – existing belief or perceived opinion. Statement that appears to be self – contradictory.
Ex: “War is peace.” ; “Freedom is slavery.” ; “A rich man is no richer than a poor man.”
15. PERSONIFICATION – figures of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human
qualities or abilities
Ex: “The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.” ; “She did not realize that opportunity was knocking at her
door.”
16. SIMILE – comparison between two fundamentally dissimilar things that have certain qualities in common
Ex: “My love is like a red, red rose.” ; “You were as brave as the lion.”

Footnote to Youth
by: Jose Garcia Villa
Dudong,17, is impatiently waiting for his father to return home so that he can tell him of his love for Teang and his
desire to marry her. He feels that at 17 he is a grown man and is ready for the next important step in his life. When
he tells his father that he has asked Teang to marry him and wants his blessing, there is a long and cruel silence.
His father asks if he must marry her because Dudong is very young. Dudong resents his father's question, and
finally his father gives his consent.

Nine months later, Dudong is waiting outside while Teang gives birth to their first son, Blas. He feels young and
inexperienced, a contrast to how he felt nine months ago. Dudong did not want any more children, but they came
anyway. For the next six years, Teang gave birth. Seven children in all.

Teang did not complain. However her body was now shapeless and thin from bearing so many children and from
the hard work of caring for them and the household. Even though she loved Dudong, she cried and wished that she
had not married so young. There had been another suitor, Lucio, who was nine years older than Dudong. She chose
Dudong because he was so much younger. Lucio had married after she married Dudong, however, he was
childless. She wonders if she had married Lucio, would she be childless? She feels that would have been a better
lot in life. But she loves Dudong, even though life has made him old and ugly.

One night Dudong goes outside and thinks about his life. He wants to have the wisdom to know why life does not
fulfill Youth's dreams. Why did life forsake you after love? He never finds the answer.

When Blas turns 18, he comes home and tells Dudong that he wants to marry Tena. Dudong at this time is only 36
years old, but he is portrayed as a much older man. Dudong does not want Blas to marry so young. He asks the
same question his father asked him. Does Blas have to marry Tena? He does not want him to make the same
mistake he did. Blas also reacts with resentment. Dudong realizes that he is dealing with Youth and Love, and they
will triumph over this situation. After that, comes real life. He gives his consent, feeling sad and sorry for his son.

He called this "Footnote to Youth" because a footnote is an additional comment or reference on the content of the
text. He is telling youth to pay attention to the lesson of this story.