Lesson 3: THEORIES OF LITERATURE

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME

The learner…
 evaluates the elements and devices of a literary piece using theories of
literature (CLO 2)

INTRODUCTION
Approaching a literary work is an interpretative activity. Unlike scientific-technical
texts and business correspondence, literary texts direct the reader’s attention to the
message and form, of which, the aim is to co-create a text for appreciation. Thus, the
transaction among writer (producer), text, and reader (receiver) is one that is symbolic.

PREPARATION
Directions: With a partner, think of a rose. Give it 1-2 minutes. After which, exchange
answers by asking one another the following questions:
1. What color is your rose?
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2. How does it your rose look like?
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3. Do you have the same answers? Yes or no? Why?
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PRESENTATION
Literary Theories
Based from the “rose” activity, you have different colors and description of its appearance. It so
because of the power of impression! The same goes for the reading of literature. Since it is
mainly an interpretative activity, the goal is always to find meaning from a certain
perspective. This is called critical reading. Moreover, when we read a work of literature by
viewing it from a dominant position, we are already theorizing about or approaching how a
particular issue or message is seen, heard, felt, or otherwise understood. So to speak, imagine
literary theory as a pair of lenses through which you view the text you are reading.

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Generally, there are four approaches in reading literary works: mimetic, in which you view the
text from its external realities, say historically, cultural, social, political, or environmental;
expressive, in which you locate the meaning and significance of the text through the author’s
life, that is his family background, professional status, triumphs and challenges; affective, in
which you situate your understanding of the literary work via how your personal views and
experiences; and objective, in which you engage yourself with how the “internal” elements of
the text organically communicate the message. In this regard, the four major approaches guide
us in our interpretation of the work’s meaning and significance.
However, as critical paradigms emerge one after the other, there’s more to the four ways of
reading literature than meets the eye. We can generate a combination of perspectives.
According to Maramba (as cited in Sialongo et.al. 3-4), the following are:

Formalistic approach Literature is viewed intrinsically. The author, age or any other
external aspects are irrelevant. You focus your attention to the
literary elements.
Moral or humanistic In this approach, you discuss man and his nature by presenting
approach him as a rational being endowed with intellect, good will, and the
ability to control his passions. The question of good or bad is
premised in this approach.
Historical approach The meaning of a literary work is located via its milieu or setting
and the historical moment in which it was written.
Sociological approach The locus of meaning lies in the expression of man within a
social context which necessitates a conflict wrought by his social
class, politics and ideology. Further, it emphasizes social
relevance and social commitment.
Cultural approach This kind of reading situates literature as a manifestation of a
nation’s or race’s culture and tradition encompassing the
interstices of religion, gender, class, environment, technology,
aesthetic practices.
Psychological approach In this approach, you view a literary work as an expression of
personality, inner drives and desires that work the way dreams
do. Your attention is directed to the psychological disposition of
the author in relation to the work, or zero in on any aspect of his
work such as characterization and dialogue in threshing out
leitmotifs, symbols and images.
Impressionistic approach This kind of reading puts your personal encounters and
experiences at the core by elucidating your reaction-response
based from the literary work. Put this way, this approach seeks
to communicate how the literary work makes an impact in your
personal life.

PRACTICE
Directions: Below is a dissertation abstract. What theories are being used by the
researcher in his analysis the dramatic plays? Answer this in a short essay of 2
paragraphs. Be ready to share your work to class.

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TITLE : THE CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE CEBUANO CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL PLAYS
AUTHOR : CHRISTIAN RAY C. LICEN

I. OBJECTIVES

Considered by the United Nations as the third sector of society, the civil society plays a very crucial role in
addressing, mobilizing and intervening in the social affairs of the state and the geopolitical spheres. As a subject
of scholarly inquiry, the epistemological framework of the civil society remains highly contested and historically
contingent. In literature, for instance, there remains a dearth of creative work which symbolically portrays the
civil society and scholarly articles which center on the said subject matter. However, an attempt in constructing
the representations of the civil society has been configured in Cebuano contemporary social plays. Hence, this
literary investigation analyses the representations or portrayals of the civil society using discourse analysis in the
selected Cebuano social plays “Ate” by Emmanuel Mante, “The Advocate” by Fitzgerald Galenzoga, “The World
is an Oyster” by Haidee Palapar, “Happy Birthday to Me” by Nino Ardiza, and the community plays of Nenita
Pacilan. Through an illustration of the ways the dramatic texts signify and frame our material understanding of
the civil society formalistically, affectively and sociologically, the researcher hopes that readers will be engaged in
alleviating the lives of their countrymen and in promoting Philippine cultural value system of halaga, diwa, asal,
and Bayanihan, concept of justice, and the principles of development effectiveness.

II. METHODOLOGY

This literary investigation utilizes discourse analysis, a qualitative research method and aims to illustrate the
ways the dramatic texts signify and frame our material understanding of the civil society formalistically, affectively
and sociologically. The sources of data for include the selected Cebuano social plays “Ate” by Emmanuel
Mante, “The Advocate” by Fitzgerald Galenzoga, “The World is an Oyster” by Haidee Palapar, “Happy Birthday
to Me” by Nino Ardiza, and the community plays of Nenita Pacilan. The analysis consists of the delineation of
aesthetic elements of characterization, setting, and conflict-resolution scheme; descriptive analysis of the
representations of the civil society in terms of Philippine cultural value system, concept of justice, and principles
of development effectiveness; and a short one-act play as proposed creative output.

III. FINDINGS

The following findings are revealed: The civil society is represented in the major characters of the plays “Ate”,
“The Advocate”, and “The World is an Oyster”; the civil society is represented in the minor characters of the plays
“Happy Birthday to Me”, “Pandayon ang hayag nga kaugmaon sa kabataan” and “Ang kinabuhi ni Eric, ang
bagets nga drug addict”. The settings in the plays are all explicit and contemporary which signify that the
Cebuano social plays being investigated are attuned to the pressing issues and concerns of postmodern
Cebuano society. The conflict-resolution scheme exemplified in the selected social plays consists of the
following: conflict is resolved and ending is definite in the plays “The Advocate”, “Happy Birthday to Me”,
“Pandayon ang hayag nga kaugmaon sa kabataan”, and “Ang kinabuhi ni Eric, ang bagets nga drug addict”; the
conflict is resolved yet the ending is symbolic in “The World is an Oyster”; and the conflict is unresolved and the
ending is hanging in “Ate”. That such conflict-resolutions vary from one play to another only attests to the
aesthetic license and prudent decision of the playwright in how they perceived the play to be interpreted by the
reader.

The civil society signifies the Philippine cultural value system of pagpapahalaga as exemplified in the play “Ate”;
the value system of asal in the negative which is masamang asal in the play “The Advocate”; the value system of
diwa as exemplified in the plays “The World is an Oyster” and “Happy Birthday to Me”; and the value system of
bayanihan as exemplified in the plays “Pandayon ang hayag nga kaugmaon sa kabataan” and “Ang kinabuhi ni
Eric, ang bagets nga drug addict”. The civil society signifies different concepts of justice such as justice as
fairness due to internalized oppression in “Ate”; the civil society as co-opted by the elite which results in
environmental injustice in “The Advocate”; the civil society portraying injustice due to social inequality and
appeals to lawfulness in “The World is an Oyster”; the civil society portraying justice as an enabler of human
agency in “Happy Birthday to Me”; the civil society portraying justice as lawfulness in “Pandayon ang hayag nga
kaugmaon sa kabataan”; and the civil society portraying justice as internalized harmony in “Ang kinabuhi ni Eric,
ang bagets nga drug addict. The civil society signifies different key principles of development effectiveness such
as the promotion of solidarity in the plays “Ate” and “Happy Birthday to Me”; an appeal for the civil society to
promote autonomy in “The Advocate”; the promotion of equality and empowerment in “The World is an Oyster”;
promotion of social transformation in “Pandayon ang hayag nga kaugmaon sa kabataan”; the promotion of
people’s sovereignty in “Ang kinabuhi ni Eric, ang bagets nga drug addict”.

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PERFORMANCE
Directions: Read “A Very Short Story” written by award-winning Cebuana writer Cecila
Manguerra-Brainard in this link: https://ceciliabrainard.com/fiction-a-very-short-story-by-
cecilia-brainard/ Then, answer the following questions.

1. What is your overall impression of the micro fiction?

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2. What is the general message of the story?
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3. What literary approach/es informed your understanding of the story? Enumerate

and justify your answer in a short paragraph.
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REFERENCES
1. Manguerra-Brainard, Cecilia. A very short story.
<https://ceciliabrainard.com/fiction-a-very-short-story-by-cecilia-brainard/>
2. Sialongo, Erlinda B., et.al. Literatures of the World. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book
Store, 2007.

Prepared by:
CHRISTIAN RAY C. LICEN, Ph.D

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