21st century literature from the philippines and the world

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21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Modules in this course
 21st Century Literature in Various Regions
 Literary Texts of Different Regions and Genres
 Literary Genres, Traditions, and Forms from Different Cultures
 Basic Textual and Contextual Reading Approaches
21st Century Literature in Various Regions
13 topics130 questions
Topics under this module
 Philippine Literature during the Precolonial Period
 Philippine Literature during the Spanish Colonial Period
 Philippine Literature during the American and the Japanese Periods
 Philippine Literature in the Postwar and Contemporary Period
 Life and Works of Jose Garcia Villa
 Life and Works of Carlos P. Romulo
 Life and Works of Francisco Arcellana
 Life and Works of Nestor Vicente Madali (N.V.M.) Gonzalez
 Life and Works of Edith L. Tiempo
 Life and Works of F. Sionil Jose
 Life and Works of Virgilio S. Almario
 Life and Works of Alejandro Roces
 Life and Works of Bienvenido S. Lumbera
 Objective
 At the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify the characteristics of precolonial
literature of the Philippines.
 What texts are considered precolonial literature?
Learn about it!
The precolonial literature includes all literature produced before the Spanish colonization like
chants, proverbs, songs, and folk narratives. These were all passed down from generation to
generation by word of mouth.
Philippine folk narratives are varied and distinct. They depict the people’s livelihood, customs,
and traditions.
1. Folktale – This is a characteristically anonymous, timeless, and placeless tale circulated
orally among a people.
2. Fable – This features animal characters or inanimate objects that behave like people.
3. Legend – This is presented as history but is unlikely to be true.
4. Myth – This is told to explain a belief, a practice, or a natural phenomenon.
5. Epic – This narrative poem celebrates the adventures and achievements of a hero.

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Folktales
 Folktales about Juan are very popular. Some emphasize certain virtues, and some serve as
warning about behavior. Also, some are for the reader’s amusement.
Example 1:
Juan Gathers Guavas (A Tagalog Folktale)
One day several neighbors came to Juan’s home to visit. His father wanted to give the guests
something to eat, so he sent Juan to get some ripe guavas for them.
Full of mischief, Juan decided to play a joke on his father’s guests. He went to get the guavas and
ate all of them while thinking of a good joke. Then he saw a wasp’s nest hung nearby. With some
difficulty he managed to take it down and put it into a tight basket. He hastened home and gave
the basket to his father. Quickly he left the room where the guests were and closed the door and
fastened it.
As soon as Juan’s father opened the basket, the wasps flew over the room. With the door locked,
the people fought to get out of the windows. After a while Juan opened the door. When he saw the
swollen faces of the people, he cried.
“What fine, rich guavas you must have had! They have made you all so fat!”
Example 2:
Juan Pusong and His Father’s Cows (A Visayan Folktale)
One day Juan Pusong's father put his cows out to pasture. Juan slipped away from home and took
the cows into the forest and tied them there. When his father found out that the cows were missing,
he looked around for them. While looking, he ran into his son.
“Where did you come from?” he asked.
“I just came from school, Father. How about you, where are you going?”
“I am looking for our cows.”
“You don’t say!" said Juan.
By that time, everybody knew about Juan’s power as a seer. So, he took a little book from his
pocket and looked into it. He said, “Our cows are tied together in the forest.” So, his father went
to the forest and found the cows.
Later on, people would discover that Juan could not read even his own name. Consequently, his
father beat him for the trick he had played on him.
Fable
 The monkey is a common animal character in Philippine fables. It is often depicted as a
cunning animal.
Example:
The Monkey and the Crocodile (A Tagalog Fable)
One day, a monkey saw a tall macopa tree laden with ripe fruits, which stood by a wide river. It
was hungry, so it climbed the tree and ate all of the fruits. When it climbed down, it could find no
means by which to cross the river. Then it saw a young crocodile who had just woken up from its
siesta. It said to the crocodile in a friendly way, “My dear crocodile, will you do me a favor?”
The crocodile was greatly surprised by the monkey’s amicable salutation. So, it answered humbly,
“Oh, yes! If there is anything I can do for you, I shall be glad to do it.” The monkey then told the

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crocodile that it wanted to get to the other side of the river. Then the crocodile said, “I’ll take you
there with all my heart. Just sit on my back, and we’ll go at once.”
The monkey sat firmly on the crocodile’s back, and they began to move. In a short while they
reached the middle of the stream. Then the crocodile began to laugh aloud. “You foolish monkey!”
it said, “I’ll eat your liver and kidneys, for I’m very hungry.” The monkey became nervous. Trying
to conceal its anxiety, it said, “I’m very glad that you mentioned the matter. I thought myself that
you might be hungry, so I have prepared my liver and kidneys for your dinner. Unfortunately, in
our haste to depart, I left them hanging on the macopa tree. Let us return, and I’ll get them for
you.”
Convinced that the monkey was telling the truth, the crocodile turned around and swam back to
the direction of the macopa tree. When they got near the riverbank, the monkey nimbly jumped up
onto the land and scampered up the tree. The crocodile came to realize what happened and said,
“I am a fool.”
Legend
 There are different Filipino legends of the great flood. The story of Bukidnon, for instance,
tells that a huge crab caused the water to rise by going into the sea. On the other hand, the
Igorot story tells that the sons of Lumawig the Great Spirit caused the flood.
Example 1:
The Flood Story (A Legend of Bukidnon)
A long time ago there was a very big crab which crawled into the sea. When it went in, it crowded
the water out so that it ran all over the earth and covered all the land.
Now about one moon before the flood happened, a wise man had told the people that they must
build a large raft. They did as he commanded and cut many large trees until they had enough to
make three layers. These they bound tightly together; when it was done, they fastened the raft with
a long rattan cord to a big pole in the earth.
Soon after the raft was done, the flood came. White water poured out of the hills, and the sea rose
and covered even the highest mountains. The people and animals on the raft were safe, but all the
others drowned.
Soon the waters went down, and the raft was again on the ground. It was near their old home, for
the rattan cord had held.
The people on the raft together with the animals were the only ones left on the whole earth.
Example 2:
The Flood Story (A Legend of the Igorot)
Once upon a time, the world was flat, and there were no mountains. There lived two sons of
Lumawig, the Great Spirit. The brothers were fond of hunting; since no mountains had formed,
there was no good place to catch wild pig and deer. The older brother said, “Let us cause water
to flow over all the world and cover it, and then mountains will rise up.”
So, the brothers caused water to flow over all the earth. When it was covered, they took the head-
basket of the town and set it for a trap. They were very much pleased when they went to look at
their trap, for they had caught not only many wild pigs and deer but also many people.
Lumawig looked down from his place in the sky and saw that his sons had flooded the earth.
However, there was just one spot which was not covered. All the people in the world had been
drowned except a brother and a sister who lived in Pokis.
Then Lumawig descended, and he called to the boy and girl, saying, “Oh, you are still alive.”
“Yes,” answered the boy, “we are still alive, but we are very cold.”

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So, Lumawig commanded his dog and deer to get fire for the boy and girl. The dog and the deer
swam quickly away. Lumawig waited a long time, but the dog and the deer did not return. All the
time the boy and girl were growing colder.
Finally, Lumawig himself went after the dog and the deer. When he reached them, he said, “Why
are you so long in bringing the fire to Pokis? Get ready and come quickly while I watch you, for
the boy and girl are very cold.”
Then the dog and the deer took the fire and started to swim through the flood. When they had gone
only a little way, the fire was put out.
Lumawig commanded the dog and the deer to get more fire, and they did so. However, they swam
only a little way again when that of the deer went out.That of the dog would havebeen extinguished
also had not Lumawig gone quickly to him and taken it.
As soon as Lumawig reached Pokis, he built a big fire which warmed the brother and sister. The
water evaporated so that the world was as it was before, except that now there were mountains.
The brother and sister married and had children, and thus there came to be many people on the
earth.
Myth
 There are Philippine versions of the creation myth. The Igorot’s story tells that Lumawig
the Great Spirit created people. On the other hand, the Tagalog story tells that the first man
and woman came from a bamboo.
Example 1:
The Creation (An Igorot Myth)
In the beginning, there were no people on the earth. Lumawig, the Great Spirit, came down from
the sky and cut many reeds. He divided the reeds into pairs which he placed in different parts of
the world, and then he said to them, “You must speak.” Immediately the reeds became people, and
in each place was a man and a woman who could talk. However, the language of each couple
differed from that of the others.
Then Lumawig commanded each man and woman to marry, which they did. By and by there were
many children, all speaking the same language as their parents. The children married and had
many children of their own. In this way, there came to be many people on the earth.
Now Lumawig saw that there were several things which the people on the earth needed to use, so
he set to work to supply them. He created salt and told the inhabitants of one place to boil it down
and sell it to their neighbors. However, the people could not understand the directions. The next
time he visited them, they had not touched the salt. So, he took the salt away from them and gave
it to the people of a place called Mayinit.
The people of Mayinit did as Lumawig directed. Because of their obedience, he told them that they
should always be owners of the salt and that the other peoples must buy of them.
Then Lumawig went to the people of Bontoc and told them to get clay and make pots. They got the
clay, but they did not understand the molding; the jars were not well shaped. Because of their
failure, Lumawig told them that they would always have to buy their jars, and he removed the
pottery to Samoki.
Lumawig told the people of Samoki what to do, and they did just as he said. Their jars were well
shaped and beautiful. Then Lumawig saw that they were fit owners of the pottery, and he told them
that they should always make many jars to sell.
In this way, Lumawig taught the people and brought to them all the things which they now have.
Example 2:

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The Creation (A Tagalog Myth)
When the world first began there was no land. There were only the sea and the sky, and between
them was a kite. One day the bird which had nowhere to light grew tired of flying about, so she
stirred up the sea until it threw its waters against the sky. The sky, in order to restrain the sea,
showered upon it many islands until it could no longer rise, but ran back and forth. Then the sky
ordered the kite to alight on one of the islands to build its nest, and to leave the sea and the sky in
peace.
Now at this time the land breeze and the sea breeze were married, and they had a bamboo as their
child. One day when the bamboowas floating about on the water,it struck the feet of the kitewhich
was on the beach. The bird, angry that anything should strike it, pecked at the bamboo. Out of one
section came a man and from the other a woman.
The earthquake called on all the birds and fish to see what should be done with the man and the
woman, and it was decided that they should marry. Many children were born to the couple, and
from them came all the different races of people.
Aftera while the parents grew very tired of having so many idle and useless children around. They
wished to be rid of them, but they knew of no place to send them to. Time went on, and the children
became so numerous that the parents enjoyed no peace. One day, in desperation, the father seized
a stick and began beating them on all sides.
The beating frightened thechildren so much that they fled in different directions. Some seek hidden
rooms in the house. Some concealed themselves in the walls. Some ran outside, while others hid
in the fireplace. Several fled to the sea.
Now it happened that those who went into the hidden rooms of the house later became the chiefs
of the islands; and those who concealed themselves in the walls became slaves. Those who ran
outside were free men; and those who hid in the fireplace became negroes; while those who fled
to the sea were gone many years, and when their children came back they were the white people.
Epic
 The Philippine epics are sung or chanted in episodes. They feature supernatural characters
and reflect the society where they originated. Also, there are different versions of a story.
Examples:
Biag ni Lam-ang
This Ilocano epic tells the adventures of Lam-ang, a man with supernatural powers. He goes to
war at nine-months-old and seeks the killers of his father. He embarks on a quest with his animal
friends and meets his future wife, Innes Kanoyan. He is swallowed by a fish and resurrected from
death by his animal friends.
Hinilawod
This epic is of the Sulod, a group of people living in the mountains of central Panay. It tells the
story of three very strong men, namely, Labaw Donggon, Humadapnon, and Dumalapdap. They
are the sons of Datu Paubari, the ruler of Halawod, and the goddess Alunsina. The exploits of
each son concerns beautiful women that he wants to have as a wife.
Darangan
This Maranao epic depicts the adventuresof a brave warrior named Bantugan. He owns a magical
sword protected by a spirit. Aftera battle, he rests and accidentally falls into thewater. A crocodile
finds him and brings him to the enemies. He fights, regains his strength, and wins the war.
Summary

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The precolonial literature of the Philippines includes all literature produced before the Spanish
colonization. It includes chants, proverbs, songs, spells, and different folk narratives like folk tales,
fables, legends, myths, and epics that were all passed down from generation to generation through
the word of mouth.
Philippine Literature during the Spanish Colonial Period
 Lesson5 chapters
 Questions
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 name some literary works published during the Spanish Colonial Period, and
 analyze some literary works.
What literary works were published during the Spanish occupation of the Philippines?
What do those works reflect about the life of Filipinos during this period in history?
Notes on the Spanish Colonial Period (1521–1898)
 Expeditions to the Philippines were sent by Spain in the 16th century. In their conquest,
the Spaniards brought Christianity with them. The clergy made a great impact on faith,
education, and government.
 Through the Manila-Acapulco trade (1565–1815), liberal ideas entered the country. Also,
the trade gave rise to a wealthier middle class. Children in middle class families could then
be sent to Europe to get an education. Upon their return, they brought European ideals of
liberty and freedom with them. Such ideals would then give rise to Filipino nationalism.
 hilippine Literature
 during the Spanish Occupation
 The Spanish missionaries taught the gospel through the native language, so they hired
natives to translate Spanish religious instructional materials. Eventually, the natives
became fluent in Spanish and became known as ladinos.
 Ladinos mainly wrote devotional poetry. Two of them were Fernando Bagongbanta and
Gaspar Aquino de Belen. Bagongbanta wrote “Salamat nang walang hanga/gracias de sin
sempiternas,” which appeared in Memorial de la vida cristiana en lengua tagala (1605), a
book containing basic Catholic doctrines. On the other hand, de Belen wrote “Ang Mahal
na Passion ni Jesu Christong Panginoon natin na tola” (1704), the earliest version
of pasyon.
 Also, the native drama called the komedya or moro-moro was popular. It depicted the war
between Christians and Muslims, wherein the former always wins. The poet Jose de la
Cruz (1746–1829) was a master of such art form.
 Native literature continued. Though the Spaniards destroyed the written literature in their
effort to replace it with their own, the oral tradition survived and flourished in areas beyond
the reach of the Spaniards.
Francisco Baltazar (1788-1862), the master of traditional Tagalog poetry, became well-known
for his work Florante at Laura (1838–1861), the most famous metrical romance of the country.
Pedro Paterno (1857–1911) wrote Sampaguitas y poesias varias (1880), the first poetry
collection in Spanish by a Filipino; and the novel in Spanish Ninay (1885), considered to be the
first Filipino novel.

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Jose Rizal (1861–1896), a prominent ilustrado and the country’s national hero, is famous for the
novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. These novels portray the corruption and abuse of
the Spanish officials and the clergy.
Andres Bonifacio (1863–1897), the founder of the Katipunan, wrote the poem “Pag-ibig sa
Tinubuang Lupa.” This poem appeared in the Kalayaan, the official newspaper of the Katipunan,
in March 1896.
Leona Florentino (1849–1884), known as the “mother of Philippine women’s literature,” was a
poet in both Ilocano and Spanish. Twenty of her poems were preserved and exhibited in Europe.
The poems were included in the Encyclopedia International des Oeuvres des Femme in 1889.
Summary
Philippine Literature during the Spanish occupation was mostly influenced by Christianity as well
as the European ideals of liberty and freedom through trade. Filipino writers either wrote in
Spanish or in their own tongue or both.
Philippine Literature during the American and the Japanese Periods
 Lesson4 chapters
 Questions
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 identify some Filipino writers who produced significant works of literature during the
American and Japanese Periods (1898–1945), and
 analyze a poem by the Filipino poet Fernando Maramag.
Who wrote during the American and Japanese Periods?
What kind of literary forms did they produce?
W
Notes on the American Occupation
(1898–1940)
 The US established a civil government in 1901. Free public education was introduced.
Also, English was the medium of instruction.
 In 1934, President Roosevelt signed a bill making the Philippines a commonwealth. On
May 14, 1935 Manuel L. Quezon was elected president.
Literary Works Produced
The production of literary works in English is the direct result of the American colonization of the
Philippines. The first collection of poetry in English is Filipino Poetry (1924), edited by Rodolfo
Dato. The short story “Dead Stars” (1925) by Paz Marquez Benitez is considered as the first
Filipino modern short story in English. A Child of Sorrow(1921) by Zoilo M. Galang is the first
Filipino novel in English. The novel His Native Soil (1940) by Juan C. Laya won first prize in the
First Commonwealth Literary Awards in 1940.
Filipino writers in English during the apprenticeship period (1900–1930) imitated American
writing. The poet Fernando Maramag writes in the Romantic tradition in his sonnet “Moonlight
on Manila Bay” (1912). Filipino fictionists copied Sherwood Anderson, William Saroyan, and
Ernest Hemingway. Jose Garcia Villa used the Anderson pattern. Manuel Arguilla and N. V. M.

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Gonzalez were influenced by Anderson and Hemingway. Francisco Arcellana was influenced by
Saroyan.
What were the usual themes in their works?
Notes on the Japanese Occupation
(1941–1945)
 On December 8, 1941, the Japanese attacked Manila.
 On January 2, 1942, Japanese occupied Manila. They set up a Council of State in the
country and started propaganda to remold the Filipinos.
 In October 1943 the Japanese declared the Philippines “independent.” On September 20,
Jose P. Laurel was elected president.
 MacArthur and his Allied forces returned to the country in 1944. They landed on Leyte on
October 20, and the biggest naval battle in history ensued.
 The Japanese surrendered formally on September 2, 1945.
Literary Works Produced
During the occupation, publications were censored by the military. Also, Tagalog was declared an
official language (together with Nihonggo). In effect, Philippine literature in English came to a
halt. Some Filipino writers then turned to writing in Filipino.
The Tagalog short story reached its maturity during the period. The best works were compiled by
the Liwaywaymagazine editors in Ang PinakamabutingMaikling Kathang Pilipino ng 1943, which
came out in 1944. It is a collection of stories that won a contest sponsored by the Japanese. The
top four stories were “Lupang Tinubuan” by Narciso G. Reyes, “Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa” by
Liwayway Arceo, “Nayon at Dagat-dagatan” by N. V. M. Gonzalez, and “Suyuan sa Tubigan” by
Macario Pineda
Summary
The American occupation of the Philippines spurred the writing of Filipinos in English. On the
other hand, the Japanese occupation censored literary works yet contributed to the maturity of the
Tagalog short story.
Philippine Literature in the Postwar and Contemporary Period
 Lesson6 chapters
 Questions
Objective
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify postwar and contemporary literary authors
and their works and name their contributions to the development of literature in the Philippines.
What are the literary works published during the postwar and contemporary period in literature?
Postwar and Contemporary Literature
Postwar and contemporary literature include all literary works written and published in the
Philippines from 1946.
After World War II, the Philippines had to deal with the economy and the need for rehabilitation
and reconstruction of infrastructures. There was political, economic, and social confusion, as well
as great poverty, and these issues found their way into the short stories and novels during that time.
During the postwar period, Filipino writers got their inspiration from American teachers and were
able to learn their techniques, which also helped in mastering the English language.

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Writers wrote fiction that focused on courageous deeds as well as the sacrifices and suffering in
the lives of Filipinos. It was also common for writers to write about the experiences of the Filipino
people under the Spanish and American rule and the Japanese Occupation. Other subjects and
themes include:
 religious faith
 superstitions
 fantasy
 social problems
 poverty
 politics
 nationalism
 morality
Literary Works
Philippine literature flourished even more during the postwar and contemporary period. Writers
were able to produce short stories, novels, essays, and poems that continue to be read by Filipinos
today.
Examples:
Some works written in the postwar and contemporary period are:
May Day Eve by Nick Joaquin, 1947
Waywaya by F. Sionil Jose, 1983
We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers by Alejandro Roces, 1948
The Return by Edith L. Tiempo
History and Philippine Culture by Horacio de la Costa, 1965
Without Seeing the Dawn by Stevan Javellana, 1947
Explanation:
Nick Joaquin, a National Artist for Literature awardee, wrote articles under the name of Quijano
de Manila. His short story "May Day Eve," published in 1947, is about love in a patriarchal society.
It also made use of magic realism.
F. Sionil Jose, one of the most widely read Filipino writers in English, wrote the short story
"Waywaya," which is about pre-Hispanic society and the people’s struggle for moral order.
Alejandro Roces, a Filipino author, essayist, and dramatist, wrote the short story "We Filipinos
Are Mild Drinkers." This story focuses on the drinking habits and culture of Filipinos and
Americans.
Edith L. Tiempo's poem "The Return" is a sentimental piece that talks about life in old age.
Horacio de la Costa wrote the essay "History and Philippine Culture," which emphasizes the
importance of understanding and presenting a nation’s culture.
StevanJavellana wrote the first postwar Filipino novel in English, Without Seeing theDawn. This
novel narrates what people experienced during World War II under the Japanese rule in the
Philippines.
Tip

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To be able to fully appreciate literature in the Philippines, as a reader and a critic, you must also
be aware of the country’s history, culture, society, and psyche (human spirit).
Life and Works of Jose Garcia Villa
 Lesson6 chapters
 Questions
Objective
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to recognize Jose Garcia Villa’s contributions to the
development of Philippine literature.
Who is Jose Garcia Villa?
What are his contributions to Philippine literature?
Jose Garcia Villa
 Jose Garcia Villa was a Filipino literary critic, poet, painter, and short story writer. He was
born on August 5, 1908 in Manila.
 He gained both local and international recognition for his works. He was named as the
National Artist for Literature in 1973, and he was also a recipient of the Guggenheim
Fellowship.
 During his college years, he wrote Man Songs, a collection of controversial poems that was
considered too bold by the University of the Philippines and became the ground for his
suspension from the said institution.
 Some of his well-known literary works are "Mir-i-nisa" (won in the Philippines Free Press
in 1929), and "Footnote to Youth" (published in 1933).
Jose Garcia Villa as a Poet
 As a poet, Jose Garcia Villa is known for introducing the reversed consonance rhyme
scheme. According to Villa, in this method, the last sounded consonants of the last syllable,
or the last principal consonant of a word, are reversed for the corresponding rhyme. Thus,
a rhyme for light would be words such as tile, tall, tale,etc.
 He is also known for his comma poems, where he employed a comma after every word.
 He used the pseudonym Doveglion, which is derived from dove, eagle, lion.
 He died on July 7, 1997.
Analyzing a writer's works will help you understand and identify his or her contributions to
Philippine literature.
Example:
One of Jose Garcia Villa's well-known works is "Footnote to Youth."
a. Setting
The short story is set in a small town.
b. Plot
 Exposition
Dodong, a seventeen-year-old boy, tells his parents that he wants to marry his girlfriend
Teang.

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 Rising Action
Teang secretly regrets marrying Dodong at a young age. She wonders what can happen if
she has married Lucio, who is nine years older than Dodong.
 Climax
Dodong wonders why life does not get to fulfill all of a youth’s dreams.
 Falling Action
Blas tells Dodong about his plan to marry Tona.
 Conclusion
Dodong wants to keep Blas from marrying Tona, but he cannot do anything about it. He
feels sorry for Blas.
c. Theme
The story focuses on the consequences of marrying at an early age and starting a family.
Explanation:
In the story "Footnote to Youth," Dodong is the symbol for the Filipino youth. His decision to
marry his love interest, Teang, at the age of seventeen demonstrates the passion of teenagers when
it comes to relationships.
Those of the younger generation usually strive for new pursuits to learn things on their own, often
rejecting their elders’ guidance. From the story, it is depicted that lessons are learned through
experience. Dodong, as well as Teang, had many realizations when he became a parent.
Tips
 In analyzing a literary work, make sure that you read it thoroughly and analyze it well.
 Study the background of the author, as this will give you insights regarding the setting
of the story and the historical and/or social influences of the time and place in which the
author lived.
 Analyze the concepts presented in the literary work by relating them to practices and
traditions in the Philippines or in the place used as the setting of the story.
Life and Works of Carlos P. Romulo
 Lesson4 chapters
 Questions
Objective
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify Carlos P. Romulo's contributions to the
development of Philippine literature.
Who is Carlos P. Romulo?
What are his contributions to the development of Philippine literature?
Carlos P. Romulo
 Carlos P. Romulo was a Filipino diplomat, statesman, journalist, and soldier. He was born
on January 14, 1898 in Intramuros, Manila and grew up in Camiling, Tarlac.
 He was the first Filipino journalist who was awarded with the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism.
He was also the first Asian who served as the president of the United Nations General
Assembly.

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 "I am a Filipino" is one of the many essays written by Carlos P. Romulo. It was published
in The Philippines Herald in August 1941.
 He also wrote the book entitled I Saw the Fall of the Philippines, in which he narrated his
personal experiences as an aide-de-camp to General Douglas MacArthur in Corregidor.
This book was followed by a sequel, I See the Philippines Rise, a journalistic account of
the Philippine War in 1944.
 Among his other famous literary works are Mother America: A Living Story of Democracy,
a discussion of his political ideals about American democracy in the Philippines, and I
Walked with Heroes, his autobiography.
 He was conferred as National Artist for Literature in 1982.
 He died on December 15, 1985.
About the Essay I am a Filipino
 I am a Filipino is one of the valuable contributions of Carlos P. Romulo to Philippine
literature. Analyzing it would help one understand what he thinks of the Filipino and what
it means to be one.
 In the essay, the author speaks of the pride and dignity of the Filipino race, which is
something he wants the future generation to uphold and cultivate.
 The essay also explains the Filipino identity as a product of the fusion of Western culture
(Spanish and American) and Eastern culture (Japanese occupation and Malayan roots).
 Carlos P. Romulo stresses that the fight for freedom sprung up from one’s pride of being a
Filipino. He takes pride in the bravery and sacrifices of the heroes who fought for freedom
like Lapu-Lapu , Diego Silang, Jose Rizal , Gregorio del Pilar, Antonio Luna, and Manuel
L. Quezon.
 He also emphasizes the beauty of the Philippines as blessed with bountiful natural
resources and colorful history and culture.
 Summary
 Carlos P. Romulo is a profound writer who wrote the essay I am a Filipino, which is one
of the great contributions to Philippine literature not only because it shows one’s love for
his country and freedom but also of being proud as a Filipino.
Life and Works of Francisco Arcellana
 Lesson5 chapters
 Questions
Objective
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify the contributions of Francisco Arcellana
to Philippine literature by analyzing his literary works.
Who is Francisco Arcellana? What are his contributions to Philippine literature?
Francisco Arcellana
 Francisco Arcellana is a Filipino teacher and a contemporary writer. He is one of the
prominent Filipino fictionists in English.

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 He is known for innovating and exploring new literary forms and experimenting with
different techniques in short story writing.
 He was a member of the group The Veronicans, which was composed of influential Filipino
writers who aimed to use sensible literature in order to create a greater impact on the
Philippines.
 He was also the first director of the University of the Philippines Creative Writing Center.
 Some of his well-known literary works are the short stories "The Man Who Would Be
Poe," "Death in a Factory," "A Clown Remembers," "The Mats," and "Lina."
 In 1990, he was awarded as the National Artist for Literature.
 His short stories "Flowers of May," "Christmas Gift," and "The Mats," were adapted as
screenplays.
Analyzing a writer's literary works will help in identifying his contributions to Philippine literature.
Example:
Below are details regarding Francisco Arcellana's "The Mats."
a. Setting
The short story is set in the afternoon until evening at the house of the Angeles family.
b. Plot
 Exposition
Mr. Angeles comes from a periodic inspection trip in Mariveles. During the trip, he writes
to his family and gets them excited about the exceptionally beautiful and colorful mats he
bought from an artist.
 Rising Action
Upon arriving, he gives the mats one by one to his children. Each mat is woven with his
child’s name and symbols. They are all happy to receive the mats.
 Climax
There are three mats that are to be unfolded. In a loud voice, he offers the three mats to his
dead children named Josefina, Victoria, and Concepcion.
 Falling Action
Nana Emilia, anguished, said he should not have bought mats for them, but Mr. Angeles
insists that they must be remembered.
 Conclusion
The children feel the tension and see the grief in the face of Mr. Angeles and the sadness
of Nana Emilia. The father unfolds the three mats in silence.
 c. Theme
Coping with the death of a loved one is a struggle. Commemorating his or her life is painful,
but it must be faced with courage and faith.
 Explanation:
 Francisco Arcellana presented the story using a distinct style. He focused on the characters'
actions and dialogues to reveal the innermost feelings and motives of the characters, which
set the dramatic tone of the short story.

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 Summary
 Francisco Arcellana is a Filipino fictionist who demonstrated his craftsmanship in writing
great literary pieces such as "The Mats," a story that highlights Filipino family values and
pictures an interesting character coping with the death of loved ones. In this short story, he
uses writing techniques such as emphasizing the characters’ actions and dialogues to reveal
their inner motives and emotions.