Philippine Literature: An Introduction to Oral Traditions and Literary Genres | Summaries Nursing

SOCIETY AND LITERATURE

Unit 1

Introduction to

Society and Literature

WHAT IS SOCIETY?

The term society is derived from the Latin word socius which means

companionship or friendship.

“Society is the union itself, the organization, the sum of formal

relations in which associating individuals are bound together.”

- Prof. Giddings

“ A Society is a collection of individuals united by certain relations or

mode of behavior which mark them off from others who do not

enter into these relations or who differ from them in behavior”.

- Morris Ginsberg

”Society is the complex of organized associations and institutions with

a community”.

- G.D.M. Cole

“Society is a web of social relationship”.

- Mclver

NATURE OF SOCIETY

Society consists of People

Mutual awareness and Mutual Interaction

Cooperation and Division of Labour

Society is Dynamic

Social Control

WHAT IS CULTURE?

Culture is a complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts,

morals, laws,

customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by human as a

member of society.

Culture is a total system of customs, beliefs, knowledge, laws, means

of expression, and so forth.

Culture is the continuation of generations

Culture has something to do with value systems that construct social

and personal behavior.

What do you think of the world now? How do you see the society now?

What made you think of those? Were your responses influenced b y a person?

a thing? or an event?

Everything happening in the world now is known by record of

events. History is traced from the significant events that we read in

most books. Wars... Calamities... Freedom or Independence...

Success…

The Birth of Literature

What is Literature?

The body of written works of a language, period, or culture.

The profession of an author; production of writings, esp. of

imaginative prose, verse, etc.

The art or occupation of a literary writer.

Imaginative or creative writing, especially of recognized artistic

value.

Etymologically: the Latin word “literatura” is derived from

“littera” (letter), which is the smallest element of alphabetical writing.

The word text is related to “textile” and can be translated as “fab ric”:

just as single threads form a fabric, so words and sentences form a

meaningful and coherent text.

Literature or text as cultural and historical phenomena and to

investigate the conditions of their production and reception.

The Beginning of Literature

Before writing developed as a system of signs, whether pictographs or

alphabets, “texts” were passed on orally. The predecessor of literary

expression, called “oral poetry, ” In

21st century, Audio-literature and the lyrics of songs display the

acoustic features of literary phenomena through the medium of radio

and other sound carriers.

In the Middle Ages the visual component of writing was highly

privileged in such forms as richly decorated handwritten

manuscripts, the arrival of the modern age - along with the invention

of the printing press- made the visual element disappear or reduced

it to a few illustrations in the text.

Only in DRAMA - union between the spoken word and visual

expression DRAMA, which is viewed as literature, combines the

acoustic and the visual elements. The symbiosis of word and image

culminates in FILM.



FILM is interesting for textual studies, since word and picture are

recorded and, as in a book, can be looked up at any time. Methods

of literary and textual criticism are, therefore, frequently applied to

the cinema and acoustic media.

Computer hypertexts and networks/ the Internet are the latest hybrids

of the textual and various media writing is linked to sounds, pictures

or even video clips within an interdependent network. The written

medium is obviously the main concern in the study of literature or

texts the stage, painting, film, music or even computer network

Genre

A Genre is a French word meaning “type” or “kind” of literature.

The genres of literature are poetry, drama, fiction (short story, non-

fiction, and novel) and film.

Prose is straight writing in paragraph form (e.g. newspaper, novels,

magazines).

Poetry is a particular arrangement of words on a page for heightened

emotional effect.

All writing falls into one of these two categories: Fiction & Non-fiction

Fiction is not true. It is drawn from the imagination of the author.

Nonfiction is true. It is based on real events or facts.

LITERARY GENRES

Ancient: Fables, Tales

Not Realistic

No details

Quick and simple plots

Nonhuman characters

They aim at a quick and simple moral (lesson)

Epics

usually operate on a large scale, both in length and topic, such as the

founding of a nation (Virgil’s Aeneid) or the beginning of world

history (Milton's Paradise Lost), they tend to use an elevated style of

language and supernatural beings take part in the action.

Novels & Short Stories

Verisimilitude: Realistic (life-like) presentation of events

Real (human characters)

Minute details

Not reality but an illusion of reality

Modern fiction is the genre of the Middle Class. The Industrial

Revolution created the Middle Class and the novel became the new

form of literature which represented the difficulties encountering

Middle Class people.

Science Fiction and Mystery

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.

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.

Novel

Novel is a long prose narrative that usually describes fictional

characters and events in the form of a sequential story. It rests on t he

consensus that the novel is today the longest genre of narrative

prose, followed by the novelette and the short story. However, there

is no consensus as to the minimal required length. In part because of

this wide variation, the boundary between a novella and a novel may

be arbitrary and difficult to determine.

History, Biography/Autobiography & Fiction

History: an objective presentation of reality

Biography/Autobiography: a subjective presentation of reality.

Fiction: An illusion of reality.

Folklore, Legend, Mythology

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.

Legend is a story that sometimes of a national or folk hero. Legend is

based on fact but also includes imaginative material.

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.

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Unit 1 Introduction to Society and Literature WHAT IS SOCIETY?  The^ term^ society^ is^ derived^ from^ the^ Latin^ word^ socius^ which^ means companionship or friendship.  “Society^ is^ the^ union^ itself,^ the^ organization,^ the^ sum^ of^ formal relations in which associating individuals are bound together.”

Prof. Giddings  “^ A^ Society^ is^ a^ collection^ of^ individuals^ united^ by^ certain^ relations^ or mode of behavior which mark them off from others who do not enter into these relations or who differ from them in behavior”.
Morris Ginsberg  ”Society is the complex of organized associations and institutions with a community”.
G.D.M. Cole  “Society^ is^ a^ web^ of^ social^ relationship”.
Mclver NATURE OF SOCIETY  Society^ consists^ of^ People  Mutual^ awareness^ and^ Mutual^ Interaction  Cooperation^ and^ Division^ of^ Labour  Society^ is^ Dynamic  Social Control WHAT IS CULTURE?  Culture^ is^ a^ complex^ whole^ which^ includes^ knowledge,^ beliefs,^ arts, morals, laws,  customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by human as a member of society.  Culture^ is^ a^ total^ system^ of^ customs,^ beliefs,^ knowledge,^ laws,^ means of expression, and so forth.  Culture^ is^ the^ continuation^ of^ generations  Culture has something to do with value systems that construct social and personal behavior. What do you think of the world now? How do you see the society now? What made you think of those? Were your responses influenced by a person? a thing? or an event? Everything happening in the world now is known by record of events. History is traced from the significant events that we read in most books. Wars... Calamities... Freedom or Independence... Success… The Birth of Literature What is Literature?  The body of written works of a language, period, or culture.  The profession of an author; production of writings, esp. of  imaginative^ prose,^ verse,^ etc.  The^ art^ or^ occupation^ of^ a^ literary^ writer.  Imaginative^ or^ creative^ writing,^ especially^ of^ recognized^ artistic  value.  Etymologically: the Latin word “literatura” is derived from  “littera”^ (letter),^ which^ is^ the^ smallest^ element^ of^ alphabetical^ writing.  The^ word^ text^ is^ related^ to^ “textile”^ and^ can^ be^ translated^ as^ “fabric”: just as single threads form a fabric, so words and sentences form a meaningful and coherent text.  Literature or text as cultural and historical phenomena and to investigate the conditions of their production and reception. The Beginning of Literature  Before^ writing^ developed^ as^ a^ system^ of^ signs,^ whether^ pictographs^ or alphabets, “texts” were passed on orally. The predecessor of literary expression, called “oral poetry, ” In 21st century, Audio-literature and the lyrics of songs display the acoustic features of literary phenomena through the medium of radio and other sound carriers.  In^ the^ Middle^ Ages^ the^ visual^ component^ of^ writing^ was^ highly privileged in such forms as richly decorated handwritten manuscripts, the arrival of the modern age - along with the invention of the printing press- made the visual element disappear or reduced it to a few illustrations in the text.  Only^ in^ DRAMA^ -^ union^ between^ the^ spoken^ word^ and^ visual expression DRAMA, which is viewed as literature, combines the acoustic and the visual elements. The symbiosis of word and image culminates in FILM.   FILM is interesting for textual studies, since word and picture are recorded and, as in a book, can be looked up at any time. Methods of literary and textual criticism are, therefore, frequently applied to the cinema and acoustic media.  Computer hypertexts and networks/ the Internet are the latest hybrids of the textual and various media writing is linked to sounds, pictures or even video clips within an interdependent network. The written medium is obviously the main concern in the study of literature or texts the stage, painting, film, music or even computer network Genre  A^ Genre^ is^ a^ French^ word^ meaning^ “type”^ or^ “kind”^ of^ literature.  The^ genres^ of^ literature^ are^ poetry,^ drama,^ fiction^ (short^ story,^ non- fiction, and novel) and film.  Prose is straight writing in paragraph form (e.g. newspaper, novels, magazines).  Poetry^ is^ a^ particular^ arrangement^ of^ words^ on^ a^ page^ for^ heightened emotional effect. All writing falls into one of these two categories: Fiction & Non-fiction  Fiction is not true. It is drawn from the imagination of the author.  Nonfiction is true. It is based on real events or facts. LITERARY GENRES Ancient: Fables, Tales  Not Realistic  No details  Quick^ and^ simple^ plots  Nonhuman^ characters  They^ aim^ at^ a^ quick^ and^ simple^ moral^ (lesson) Epics  usually^ operate^ on^ a^ large^ scale,^ both^ in^ length^ and^ topic,^ such^ as^ the founding of a nation (Virgil’s Aeneid) or the beginning of world history (Milton's Paradise Lost), they tend to use an elevated style of language and supernatural beings take part in the action. Novels & Short Stories  Verisimilitude:^ Realistic^ (life-like)^ presentation^ of^ events  Real^ (human^ characters)  Minute^ details  Not reality but an illusion of reality  Modern^ fiction^ is^ the^ genre^ of^ the^ Middle^ Class.^ The^ Industrial Revolution created the Middle Class and the novel became the new form of literature which represented the difficulties encountering Middle Class people. Science Fiction and Mystery  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.  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. Novel  Novel is a long prose narrative that usually describes fictional characters and events in the form of a sequential story. It rests on the consensus that the novel is today the longest genre of narrative prose, followed by the novelette and the short story. However, there is no consensus as to the minimal required length. In part because of this wide variation, the boundary between a novella and a novel may be arbitrary and difficult to determine.  History,^ Biography/Autobiography^ &^ Fiction  History:^ an^ objective^ presentation^ of^ reality  Biography/Autobiography: a subjective presentation of reality.  Fiction:^ An^ illusion^ of^ reality. Folklore, Legend, Mythology  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.  Legend^ is^ a^ story^ that^ sometimes^ of^ a^ national^ or^ folk^ hero.^ Legend^ is based on fact but also includes imaginative material.  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.

Elements of Literature Plot  A^ plot^ in^ fiction^ is^ the^ arrangement^ of^ events^ in^ a^ story.^ It^ has^ an exposition, a conflict (complication of events and a conclusion), and a resolution.  Plots^ differ^ with^ reference^ to^ the^ above^ arrangements.^ For^ example: there are stories which do not have a climax or a resolution. The arrangement of the parts of the plot is the writer’s choice Characters There are Flat and Round characters.  A^ Round^ character:^ a^ major^ character^ (usually^ the^ protagonist)^ who experiences change.  A Flat character: a minor character Narrator’s Point of view  a^ term^ used^ to^ describe^ the^ way^ in^ which^ the^ reader^ is^ presented^ with the story; also defined as the vantage point from which the author presents the story.  First Person point of view (Uses personal pronouns: I, me, mine, we, us, our) - the narrator is the main character who tells his/her own story.  Third^ Person^ point^ of^ view^ (Uses^ personal^ pronouns:^ he,^ she,^ it,^ they, them, etc.) - This narrator is an outside narrator. A. Third Person: Objective This narrator is like a news reporter. He tells us the facts only. He cannot enter into the thoughts of the characters. B. Third Person : Limited This narrator can see into the mind of only one character. C. Third Person : Omniscient This narrator can relate the thoughts of all the characters.  The^ objective^ point^ of^ view^ is^ the^ point^ of^ view^ from^ a^ distanced, informational perspective, as in a news report  The subjective point of view involves a personal perspective. The Stream of Consciousness Technique  One^ modern^ and^ sophisticated^ technique^ of^ narration^ is^ the^ Stream^ of Consciousness Technique.  In the S of C techniques the writer introduces to us a narrator who oscillates between past, present and future in a haphazard manner; without attention to the chronological sequence of events  Some critics describe the S of C techniques as “human mind at work”; human mind is not rhythmic in its perception of things. Aesthetic Distance  We need to be aware of the difference between the author/writer and the narrator: they are not the same.  The^ aesthetic^ distance^ is^ the^ distance^ that^ the^ writer^ maintains^ between himself and the narrator.  Students^ usually^ confuse^ the^ narrator^ with^ the^ writer.^ In^ fiction^ the author does not appear in the story or the novel. It is the narrator who tells the story. Narrator/Author  What^ if^ the^ narrator^ is^ the^ same^ as^ the^ Author?^ The^ work^ then^ becomes an autobiography and not fiction. Symbolism  There^ are^ conventional^ symbols:^ symbols^ that^ are^ used^ by  many^ writers^ and^ that^ are^ known^ to^ almost^ all^ people.^ The^ Dove:^ a symbol of Peace  There are private symbols that are used by one writer in one work of literature Symbols are naturally known to allow for different interpretations. Atmosphere  The^ atmosphere^ of^ the^ story^ is^ generally^ created^ by^ the^ author^ and^ it contributes to the meaning of the story. An atmosphere can be described as dark, sunny, gloomy, rainy, silent, boisterous ---etc.  A^ protagonist^ who^ initiates^ a^ journey^ at^ night^ may^ be^ seen^ as^ a^ fearless adventurer or a gloomy ignorant mishap. Language  The language of a story or a novel may be one of the concerns of the critic. The language of a story may be described as slang, standard, difficult, poetic, prosaic --- etc.  The^ language^ of^ a^ story^ may^ not^ be^ described^ as^ difficult^ if^ we,^ as foreign readers, find very many new words. This reality may be attributed to our language proficiency and not the difficulty of the language of the story Style  Style^ is^ the^ way^ the^ writer^ presents^ his/her^ story  The^ style^ of^ a^ story^ can^ be^ described^ as^ lucid,^ boring,^ tense, complicated, sophisticated --- etc.  A writer may choose at certain episodes to use long sentences; short sentences at other episodes. Irony Time and Place  Writers^ usually^ locate^ their^ stories^ within^ a^ specific^ time^ and^ place  Awareness of the time and place of a story illuminates our perception  A story located in London during the post World War era may inform our reading of that story. Themes  The^ theme^ of^ the^ story^ is^ the^ message^ that^ the^ writer^ aims^ at^ conveying to us.  The message that the writer intends to convey to us may not be the same message that we find. This reality is referred to as the intentional fallacy.  A^ writer^ may^ intend^ to^ present^ to^ us^ the^ negative^ consequences^ of prejudice and we as readers may find the same work a terrible source of prejudice. Brief History of Literature in the Philippines The Three Literary Periods The Pre-Colonial Period  This existed before the Spanish occupation in the 1500s  It^ is^ oral^ in^ nature^ and^ is^ full^ of^ lessons^ and^ ideas^ about^ life,^ its blessings, and its consequences.  It contains ideas from birth to the grave.  The^ oral^ characteristic^ of^ pre-colonial^ literature^ gives^ the^ possibility^ for many alterations  In^ the^ Philippine^ context,^ no^ matter^ how^ it^ may^ be^ considered^ as^ altered, pre-colonial literature is still revered to by many  Filipinos.  The^ sources^ are^ usually^ the^ local^ native^ town^ folk. Forms

Oral Literature  Riddles  Proverbs
Folk Songs  (^) Lullabies  (^) Drinking Songs  (^) Love Songs  (^) Songs of Death  (^) Religious Songs
Folk Tales  (^) Myths  (^) Legends  (^) Fables  (^) Epics Riddles (Mga Bugtong)  (^) These are statements that contain superficial words, but they function figuratively and as metaphors , and are in the form of questions.  (^) These are questions that demand deeper answers.  (^) Deals with everyday life.  (^) It usually has mundane things as answers.  (^) This is used in the past as a form of game in small or large  (^) gatherings. EXAMPLES
Isa ang pasukan, tatlo ang labasan Answer: DAMIT
Kung kailan mo pinatay, saka pa humaba ang buhay. Answer: KANDILA
Ako ay may kaibigan, kasama ko kahit saan. Answer: ANINO
Isang balong malalim, punong-puno ng patalim. Answer: BIBIG
Buto’t balat, lumilipad. Answer: SARANGGOLA Proverbs (Mga Salawikain)  (^) These are statements that are considered as wise.  (^) These are usually given by parents or elders of the community.  (^) There is belief that experience is the best teacher. EXAMPLES  (^) Pag may tiyaga, may nilaga. They don't call them the fruits of labor for nothing. Hard work and perseverance are needed to reach your goals. But if you keep trying, one day

Philippine Literature: An Introduction to Oral Traditions and Literary Genres, Summaries of Nursing

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