MODULE 3

Major Genres of the 21st Century Philippine

National Literature
1. Poetry
It is a literary type written in verses that make up stanzas. It consists of a language with
a strong musical quality in which words are highly-charged with meaning.

Elements of Poetry
a. Sense
It is revealed through words, images and symbols.

a.1. Diction- refers to the denotative and connotative meanings of the lines in
poetry.
a.2. Images and Sense Impressions- refer to the choice of words used to create
sensory images which appeal to the readers’ senses.

b. Sound
It refers to the creative use of words by the poets to imitate sounds.

b.1. Rhythm- the order of alteration of strong and weak elements in the flow of
sound and silence.
b.2. Meter- the duration, stress or number of syllables per line.
b.3. Rhyme Scheme- the formal arrangement of rhymes in a stanza of the whole
poem.

c. Structure
It refers to the arrangement of words and lines to fit together and the organization
of the parts from the whole.

c.1 Word order- a natural arrangement of words in each verse.

c.2 Punctuation- to clearly indicate emotions.
c.3 Shape- the poet’s choice of contextual and visual design, omission of spaces,
capitalization and lower case.
d. Tone
 It refers to the poet’s/speaker’s attitude toward the subject, toward the reader or
toward himself.

e. Voice
It refers to the speaking persona in poetry where specific characters are not
indicated as the speaker.
Classes of Poetry
a. Lyric Poetry
It expresses emotions, mood and reflection of the musical language of the poet.

1. Ode- a majestic type of lyric poetry with expression of enthusiasm and dignity to
someone loved.
2. Elegy- poem with the subject matter of death.

b. Narrative Poetry
It is a long descriptive poem that narrates a story in a sequential order about life and
events that may be real or imaginary.

1. Epic- tells stories about life, quests and adventures of supernatural hero.
2. Ballad- considered to be the simplest and shortest form. Its verses suggest
significant events meant to be sung.

2. Fiction
This refers to any imaginative fact and idea of life. The characters and settings are purely
the works of author’s mind.

a. Chick lit- addresses issues of modern womanhood.

b. Flash fiction- it is a style of extreme brevity.
c. Speculative Fiction- fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy,
horror, weird fiction, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction etc.
d. Novel- lengthy narrative story separated into chapters.
e. Short story- short narrative story which focuses on a single plot and characterized by
its different elements.
The Elements of a Short Story
1. Setting- time, place and condition in which the story takes place.
2. Characters- persons, animals or things moving around the plot story.
Two Major Types of Characters
a. Protagonist- main character
 b. Antagonist- villain
3. Plot- series of actions and events happen in the story.
Five Parts of the Plot
a. Exposition- characters, setting and background are being introduced.
b. Rising Action- marls the onset of the major conflict
c. Climax- highest tension and considered to be the story’s highest point of
interest.
d. Falling Action- marks the revelation and realization of the characters leading the
resolution of the story’s main conflict
e. Denouement- final resolution and outcome

4. Conflict
Refers to the struggle of complication involving the characters of the story.

Types of conflict
a. Man vs. Man
b. Man vs. Himself
c. Man vs. Nature
d. Man vs. Society
e. Man vs. Technology

5. Point of View
This pertains to the voice used by the writer as a narrator
a. Omniscient- allows inner thoughts and feeling of the main characters to be
presented in the text.
b. First Person Point of View- the author is the one observing and speaking in the
story.
c. Third Person or Limited Point of View- author chooses a character as a narrator
who will be the central observer and detects action inside the story.

6. Mood
This refers to the atmosphere and tone of the story.

7. Theme
This pertains to the central idea which conveys the truth and values according to the
author’s purpose and perspective on the human’s experience.

8. Symbols
These are the images and objects used in the story to stand for something other
than themselves.
 3. Creative Nonfiction
It is expository in nature that deals with facts and reality which aims to explain a theory, idea
and a point of view.

a. Autobiography- Story of a person’s life written by himself from his own point of view
according to his personal style.
b. Biography- Story of life of a real person written by someone else.
c. Essays- a piece of writing which often written from an author’s personal point of view.

Literary Devices in Literature

Literary devices are also called literary techniques pertaining to the conventions and structures
employed in different literary writings. It refers to any specific, deliberate constructions or choices if
language which an author uses to convey meaning in a particular way.

1. Aphorism- concise statement that contains subjective truth or observation.

2. Checkhov’s gun- this refers to the insertion of an apparently irrelevant object early in a selection
to which the purpose in revealed later.
3. Cliffhanger- this literary device creates an open ending in the story by leaving the conflict
unresolved. Its purposed is revealed later.
4. Epiphany- it creates a sudden revelation or insight- usually with a symbolic role in narrative.
5. Figure of speech- there are creative group of words used beyond its literal meaning to enhance
sense of impression and intensify idea.
a. Alliteration
The repetition of an initial consonant sound.
Example: She sells seashells by the seashore.
b. Allusion
It refers to any scientific, historical, mythological and biblical event or figure.
Example: “I am not Lazarus nor Prince Hamlet.”
c. Apostrophe
Directly addressing a nonexistent person or an inanimate object as though it were a living
being.
Example: "Oh, you stupid car, you never work when I need you to," Bert sighed.
d. Assonance
Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words.
Example: How now, brown cow?
e. Euphemism
The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit.
Example: "We're teaching our toddler how to go potty," Bob said.
f. Hyperbole
An extravagant statement; the use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or
heightened effect.
Example: I have a ton of things to do when I get home.
 g. Irony
The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Also, a statement or
situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea.
Example: "Oh, I love spending big bucks," said my dad, a notorious penny pincher.
h. Metaphor
An implied comparison between two dissimilar things that have something in common.
Example: "All the world's a stage."
i. Metonymy
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is
closely associated; also, the rhetorical strategy of describing something indirectly by
referring to things around it.
Example: "That stuffed suit with the briefcase is a poor excuse for a salesman," the manager
said angrily.
j. Onomatopoeia
The use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer
to.
Example: The clap of thunder went bang and scared my poor dog.
k. Oxymoron
A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side.
Example: "He popped the jumbo shrimp in his mouth."
l. Paradox
A statement that appears to contradict itself.
Example: "This is the beginning of the end," said Eeyore, always the pessimist.
m. Personification
A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human
qualities or abilities.
Example: That kitchen knife will take a bite out of your hand if you don't handle it safely.
n. Simile
A stated comparison (usually formed with "like" or "as") between two fundamentally
dissimilar things that have certain qualities in common.
Example: Roberto was white as a sheet after he walked out of the horror movie.
o. Synecdoche
A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole.
Example: Tina is learning her ABC's in preschool.

6. Flashback- it is general term for altering sequences of events in the story, taking characters back
to the beginning of the late for instance.
7. Flashforward- it is also called as prolepsis, it is an interjected scene that temporarily jumps the
narrative forward in time.
8. Foreshadowing- it pertains to hinting at events to occur later.
9. Juxtaposition- it involves using two themes, characters, phrases, words or situations together
for comparison, contrast and rhetoric.
10. Rhetorical Question- it is posing a question without expecting something in reply to create
persuasive effects to its readers.
4. Drama
Story written which is intended to be performed and presented on stage.

a. Tragedy- the main character is struggling against dynamic forces.

b. Comedy- it is intended to capture the interest and entertain the audience through wit,
humor and delicate ideas.
c. Tragicomedy- it does not adhere strictly to the structure of tragedy. It blends both aspect of
tragedy and comedy.
d. Farce- drama with exaggerated characters and swift movements. Its plots consist of
humorous events and ridiculous situations.
e. Melodrama- drama which shows events that follow each other rapidly, but seems to be
governed by chance. It possesses a sensational dramatic piece which appeals strongly to the
senses.

Elements of Drama

1. Plot- it refers to the series and arrangement of events in a drama. It consists of five parts:
exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and denouement.
2. Characters- they are the actors who create the entire shape of the actions in the drama through
creating opportunities and conflicts in the story.
3. Setting- it is the time, place and condition where the story takes place. It also refers to the
physical arrangement of the stage to vivify stage directions.
4. Dialogue- it pertains to the lines delivered by the actors and used to advance the action and
narrate the story.
a. Aside- this is a short speech delivered by the actor to the audience in which the other
characters do not hear.
b. Soliloquy- this a short speech delivered by the actor by uttering his inner thoughts to the
audience in order to reveal personal feelings.
5. Gestures- it refers to the physical movements of the character on stage.
6. Music- it is used to add color and dramatic effect in the play.
7. Theme- it is a central idea or message that explains what the play is all about.