Introduction to Literature

Philippine Literature
 Literature
 Literature is an art of expression.
It originated from the Latin word
“LITERRA” which means “an
individual written character.
 Literature represents
1. Language or people
2. Culture or tradition
3. Passion and dignified thoughts
-It introduces new world of experience.
It records experience of man. It
imitates and interprets life through
language.
*Everything that is written is Literature
Importance of Literature
 Literature molds man as a total
human being , sympathetic , aware,
and sensitive. It educates and
entertains.
 It also leads us to understand the life
of man. It is important to us because
it speaks to us and it affects us.
Two Major Types of Literature
1. ORAL- includes ballads, myth,
jokes, and fables

2. WRITTEN- drama, novel, poetry

and nonfictional literature
 Kinds of Literature
According to Structure
Fictional Literature
- refers to a product of one’s
imagination or imaginative mind.
Examples:
1. Drama
2. Short story
3. Novel
4. Myth,
5. Folktale
6. Poetry
Poetry
-is an artistic piece of philosophical,
personal, imaginative or inspirational
nature that is laid out in lines.

Prose
-is a literary piece that is written
without metrical structure.
 Non-Fictional Literature
-comes out from one’s personal
experiences, a true account of
information.
This includes:
1. Essay
2. Literary criticism
3. Journal
4. Newspaper
5. Diary
6. Magazine
Literary Genres (Forms)
 Poem
A type of composition which is
written in verses having standard
measurements and written with a
higher intensity of artistic beauty.
William Wordsworth refers to it as –
“the spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings in tranquility”
 A Poet employs the ff. in
constructing a poem:
1. Diction- it includes denotation and
connotation of words.
Connotation refers to an abstract
meaning of a word while Denotation
means a literal of primary meaning
of a certain word.
2. Imagery- visual descriptions
3. Symbolism-can take several form generally
and object to give entirely a different
meaning that is much deeper and
significant
4. Rhythm and Rhyme- refers to a pattern of
rhymes that is created using words that
produce the same or similar sounds.
Together they mean as the recurrence of
similar sounds creating a musical gentle
effect.
*Poems are difficult to understand you need
to use literary approaches and historical
backgrounds in reading literary form.
 Poems are Classified into three:
1. Lyric Poem- refers to short poems
which expresses the personal thoughts
or emotions of the poet.
2. Narrative Poem-tells a story it can be
ballad or an epic.
3. Dramatic Poetry- is a theatrical dialogue
performed on stage. It can be a tragedy,
comedy, melodrama or tragicomedy.
 Short Story
 Refers to a small commercial fiction ,
true or imaginary, and smaller than a
novel. It is composed with an easy
beginning illustrated in its exposition, a
conflict that holds the problem to be
solved in the selection, a concrete
theme that presents the subject matter
of the story, some dialogues and
actions that picture the rising action
and climax, an ends with a resolution.
Essay
 Literary composition that presents
the author’s or writer’s point of view
about any particular topic in a
detailed way. Essays are most of the
time descriptive, lengthy, subject-
oriented, and comparative.
SHORT STORIES
Lesson II
Definition
 is a piece of prose fiction which
can be finished reading in one
sitting.
 It is a ‘bite size’ version of a
novel.
 1. Plot and Structure
-is the sequence of events or incidents through
which an author constructs a story.
Structure- means the layout of the work. It
presents how each event leads or causes to
the next.
 The Plot has the following:
1. Conflict- It is where plot is often created .
It is a controlling impulse in a connected
pattern of causes and effects. It is
considered to be the major element of the
plot because it arouses curiosity, causes
doubts, creates tensions, and produces
interest.
* If there is no tension there is no interest.
 Two types of conflicts
a.) External Conflict- between a
character and an outside force, such
as another character, nature , society,
or fate.
b.) Internal conflict- takes place within
the mind of the character who is torn
between opposing feelings or
between different courses of action.
This is also called dilemma.
 Five Stages of Plot
1. Exposition- introduces the story’s
characters, setting, and conflict
2. Rising- action occurs as complications,
twists, or intensifications, of the
conflict occur.
3. Climax- is the emotional high point of
the story. It is the most exciting part
of the story.
4. Falling action-logical result of a climax
5. Resolution-final outcome of the story.
It may be happy, sad, or indeterminate.
 2. Character & Characterization
 Verbalrepresentation of a human being.
Every story has a character. The
character is either the protagonist- the
good guy or the antagonist which is the
opposite.
 Types of Characters
1. Flat- has one or two predominant traits.
One who has unchanging traits. Example: a
father who is strict.
2. Round – complex and has different traits.
Example: a father, an executive director, a
goon, a bad husband,,,etc.
3. Static Character- a character that remains
essentially the same through out. Example
of this is a daughter who remains a baby
from start to finish.
4. Developing Character- a character that
undergoes a significant change during
the story. There are three conditions
that regulate change.

Example: A daughter who suffers from

the beginning, who strives hard to
better her life and become rich, and
help her parents and become happy at
the end.
3. Setting
 Refers to
the story’s overall context. It
answers the questions :

 When?
 Where?
 What circumstances the action occurs?
Setting as Place- refers to the physical
environment where the story takes
place.
Setting as Time- includes time in all of its
dimensions. To determine the
importance of what was going on at
that time.
Setting as a Cultural Context- Setting also
involves the social circumstances of the
time and place. Consider social events
and social political issues of the time.
Effects of Setting- creates atmosphere,
gives insight to characters, and provides
connections to other parts of the
story.
4. Point of View
 Itsimply refers to “Who is telling the
story?”
 To determine the POV you need to
know who is narrating the story and
how much do they know.
Point of view depends on two
factors
a.) Physical situation of the narrator as an
observer
b.) Speaker’s intellectual and emotional
position
First person- I, We
Second Person-You ( uncommon)
Third Person- He, she, they
Omniscient-all knowing
Limited Omniscient- some insight.
 5. Theme
 It is a the central idea or message of a story,
often a perception about life or human
nature.
 Stated Theme
– are directly presented in the story.
Implied Theme- must be inferred by considering
all the elements in the story and asking what
message of life is conveyed.
 6. Tone & Style
Tone –is the method used by the writers and
speakers to reveal attitude or feelings.
Ex: Nostalgic way

Style- is the manner which an author uses

words, constructs sentences, incorporates
non literal expressions, and handles rhythm,
timing, and tone.