Name: Magno, Prexy Ross M.

Date: November 10, 2016

Subject: Philippine Literature

Prof.: Dr. Javier, Deborah

Assignment No. 1

1) Definition of Literature.
Literature, a body of written works. The name has traditionally been
applied to those imaginative works of poetry and prose distinguished by
the intentions of their authors and the perceived aesthetic excellence of
their execution. Literature may be classified according to a variety of
systems, including language, national origin, historical period, genre,
and subject matter.
Definitions of the word literature tend to be circular. The 11th
edition of Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary considers literature
to be writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing
ideas of permanent or universal interest. The 19th-century critic Walter
Pater referred to the matter of imaginative or artistic literature as a
transcript, not of mere fact, but of fact in its infinitely varied forms.
But such definitions assume that the reader already knows what
literature is. And indeed its central meaning, at least, is clear enough.
Deriving from the Latin littera, a letter of the alphabet, literature is
first and foremost humankinds entire body of writing; after that it is the
body of writing belonging to a given language or people; then it is
individual pieces of writing.
But already it is necessary to qualify these statements. To use the
word writing when describing literature is itself misleading, for one may
speak of oral literature or the literature of preliterate peoples.
The art of literature is not reducible to the words on the page; they are
there solely because of the craft of writing. As an art, literature might
be described as the organization of words to give pleasure. Yet through
words literature elevates and transforms experience beyond mere
pleasure. Literature also functions more broadly in society as a means
of both criticizing and affirming cultural values.
(Source: Encyclopedia Britannica)
2) Differentiate literary form and terms.
Literary form is the organization, arrangement, or framework of
a literary work; the manner or style of constructing, arranging, and
coordinating the parts of a composition for a pleasing or effective result,
while the literary term is a figure of speech whereby the author refers
to a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by way of a

passing reference. It is up to the reader to make a connection to the

subject being mentioned.
a. Example of Literary form and example.
1. Prose Ordinary writing, without metrical structure, expressed in a
commonplace manner.
a. Fiction - The class of literature comprising works of imaginative
narration. Fiction in Verse is full-length novels with plot,
subplots, themes, with major and minor characters. Fiction of
verse is one of the genres of literature in which the narrative is
usually presented in blank verse form.
a. Novel A fictional prose narrative of considerable length
and complexity in which the actions, speech, and
thoughts of the characters serve to unfold the plot;
usually over 50,000 words (e.g. Po-on by F. Sionil Jos).
b. Novella A fictional prose narrative longer than a short
story and shorter than a novel; usually between 20,000
and 50,000 words (e.g., Three Filipino Women by F.
Sionil Jos).
c. Short Story-A brief fictional work that usually contains
only one major conflict and at least one main character
(e.g.Puppy Love and Thirteen Short Stories by F. Sionil
Jos).
d. Mythology is a type of legend or traditional narrative.
This is often based in part on historical events, that
reveals human behavior and natural phenomena by its
symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods. A
body of myths, as that of a particular people or that
relating to a particular person. (Bathala)
e. Fantasy is the forming of mental images with strange or
other worldly settings or characters; fiction which invites
suspension of reality. (e.g. Leche by R. Zamora Linmark)
f. A Fable is a story about supernatural or extraordinary
people Usually in the form of narration that demonstrates
a useful truth. In Fables, animals often speak as humans
that are legendary and supernatural tales. (e.g. Why
Dogs Wag their Tails)
g. Fairy Tales or wonder tales are a kind of folktale or fable.
Sometimes the stories are about fairies or other magical
creatures, usually for children (e.g. Manananggal)
h. Science Fiction is a story based on impact of potential
science, either actual or imagined. Science fiction is one

of the genres of literature that is set in the future or on

other planets. (e.g.Doktor Satan by Mateo Cruz Cornelio)
i. Realistic Fiction is a story that can actually happen and is
true to real life. (e.g. When the Elephants Dance by Tess
Uriza Holthe)
j. Folklore are songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a
person of folk that was handed down by word of mouth.
Folklore is a genre of literature that is widely held, but
false and based on unsubstantiated beliefs. (e.g.The
Monkey and the Turtle by: Jose Rizal)
k. Historical Fiction is a story with fictional characters and
events in a historical setting. (e.g. Florante at Laura by
Francisco Balagtas)
l. Horror is an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by
literature that is frightfully shocking, terrifying, or
revolting. Fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread
in both the characters and the reader. (e.g.Yanggaw)
m. A Tall Tale is a humorous story with blatant
exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the impossible
with here of nonchalance. (e.g.The Story of Dumalawi)
n. Legend is a story that sometimes of a national or folk
hero. Legend is based on fact but also includes
imaginative material. (e.g. Why Do Pineapple Fruits Have
Many Eyes?)
o. Mystery is a genre of fiction that deals with the solution
of a crime or the unraveling of secrets. Anything that is
kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown. (e.g.
Smaller and smaller circles by F. H. Batacan)
b. Nonfiction -The branch of literature comprising works of
narrative prose dealing with or offering opinions or conjectures
upon facts and reality.
a. Essay A short, nonfiction narrative work of prose
literature that is analytic, speculative, or interpretive in
nature, dealing with or offering opinions or conjectures
upon facts and reality, and written from the authors
point of view . (e.g. The Philippines A Century Hence by
Jos Rizal).
b. Journalism Presentation of facts describing news
events written to be published by the media
(newspapers, magazines, television, or radio) (e.g
Aurelio Alvero)
c. A Biography is a written account of another persons life.
(e.g. Jose Garcia Villa)

d. Narrative Nonfiction is information based on fact that is

presented in a format which tells a story. (e.g. Tikim by
Doreen G. Fernandez)
e. An Autobiography gives the history of a persons life,
written or told by that person. Often written in Narrative
form of their persons life. (e.g. Jos Del Castillo)
f. Speech is the faculty or power of speaking; oral
communication; ability to express ones thoughts and
emotions by speech, sounds, and gesture. Generally
delivered in the form of an address or discourse (e.g. The
Filipino Is Worth Dying For by Benigno Aquino Jr.)
c. Drama is the genre of literature thats subject for
compositions is dramatic art in the way it is represented. This
genre is stories composed in verse or prose, usually for
theatrical performance, where conflicts and emotion are
expressed through dialogue and action.
a. One-act play A short play that takes place in one act
(e.g., Cadaver by Allfredo S. Florentino).
b. Screenplay A sequence of instructions designed for
producing a motion picture, including character and
scene descriptions, dialogue, and sometimes, camera
positions and movement. Often a screenplay is an
adaptation of an existing drama or novel (e.g., Paul
Haggis by Quentin Tarantino).
d. Poetry Text in rhythmic or metric form, often employing
rhyme; usually shorter and more concentrated in language and
ideas than either prose or drama; poetic language is used for
its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to its meaning.
a. Sonnet A 14-line lyric poem written in iambic
pentameter, having a specific thematic structure and
rhyme scheme (e.g., Morning Coffee, Before Work
(Philippine Sonnet) Jose Rizal M. Reyes).
b. Ode A lyric poem that is serious and thoughtful in tone
with a formal stanzaic structure (e.g., Ode To My Pearl
Of The Orient Seas (Philippines) - Poem by Jett Franco).
c. Epic An extended narrative recounting actions, travels,
adventures, and heroic episodes and written in a high
style (e.g., Biag ni Lam-ang by: Pedro Bucaneg).
1. Ballad A poem, usually with three stanzas of seven, eight, or ten
lines and a shorter final stanza (or envoy) of four or five lines. Each
stanza ends with the same one-line refrain (e.g., Ballad of Magellan
by: Paul Rugg and John P. McCann).