Philippine Literature in English II

Comparative Literature 151 or “The Literature of the Philippines in English II” is a three-unit course that involves the study of selected works in the literature of the Philippines, written in or translated into English, from the 1940s to the present.

By the end of the semester students should have a comprehensive knowledge of Philippine literary history from the 1940s to the present. Specifically, students must be able to:

• Trace the developments in Philippine literature in English from the 1940s to the present
  
• Identify distinctive literary styles of writers during this period
  
• Extract underlying themes and issues from the selected literary texts
  
• Analyze the selected literary texts produced during this period    
  
• Apply critical principles, techniques, and methods in the analysis of literary texts
  

To help students achieve these objectives, they will be assigned readings for every session (see “Topics” below). Other readings may be assigned in the course of the semester. Students may also read other sources found in the CHSS Library or the University Library and online on the Internet.

After an orientation to the course, students will read the following assigned materials in preparation for class discussions and application activities on the following:   

Introduction

• Orientation to the course
  
• Review of Philippine literature in English from the late 19th century to 1940
  
• Overview of Philippine poetry from the 1940s to the present: Gémino H. Abad’s “Mapping Our Poetic Terrain: Filipino Poetry in English from 1905 to the Present” (The Likhaan Anthology of Philippine Literature in English from 1900 to the Present, Gémino H. Abad, ed.; Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1998; pp. 3-21)
  
• Overview of Philippine fiction from the 1940s to the present: Jose Y. Dalisay, Jr.’s “The Filipino Short Story in English: An Update for the ’90s” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 139-146)
  
• Overview of Philippine creative nonfiction from the 1940s to the present: Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo’s “Breaking Barriers: The Essay and the Non-Fiction Narrative” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 353-367)
  
• Overview of Philippine drama (and theater) from the 1940s to the present: Doreen G. Fernandez’s “Contemporary Drama to the Early Eighties” (Palabas: Essays on Philippine Theater History; Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1996; pp. 104-125)
  

The Forties

• Nick Joaquin’s “Six P.M.,” “Song between Wars,” “Landscape without Figures” (Prose and Poems; Makati: Bookmark, 1991; pp. 244, 265-266, 271-272)
  
• Carmen Guerrero Nakpil’s “The Extra Bed” and “The War” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 404-406, 443-448)
  
• Estrella Alfon’s “Magnificence” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 193-197)
  
• Wilfredo Ma. Guerrero’s “Wanted: A Chaperon” (Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology, rev. ed.; Bienvenido Lumbera and Cynthia Nograles Lumbera, eds.; Pasig: Anvil Publishing, 1997; pp. 124-137)
  

The Fifties

• Edith L. Tiempo’s “The Return,” “Serpent from the Charmer’s Box,” “Tom-Lin Smiles” (An Edith Tiempo Reader; Gémino H. Abad et al., eds.; Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1999; pp. 190, 193-194, 222-223), and “Marginal Annotations” (Marginal Annotations and Other Poems; Quezon City: Giraffe Books, 2001; p. 8)
  
• Gregorio Brillantes’s “Winter Afternoon in El Dorado” (Looking for Jose Rizal in Madrid: Journeys, Latitudes, Perspectives, Destinations; Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 2004; pp. 65-69)
  
• Gilda Cordero Fernando’s “The Visitation of the Gods” (Story Collection; Quezon City: Anvil Publishing, 1994; pp. 23-35)
  
• Alberto S. Florentino’s “Cadaver” (Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology; pp. 214-219)
  

The Sixties

• Carlos Angeles’s “Landscape II,” “Gabu,” and “Manhattan Rain” (A Native Clearing: Filipino Poetry and Verse from English Since the ’50s to the Present: From Edith L. Tiempo to Cirilo F. Bautista; Gémino H. Abad, ed.; Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1993; pp. 117, 119, 121-122)
  
• Kerima Polotan’s “Small Town Filipinos” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 449-454)
  
• Wilfredo Nolledo’s “Cadena de Amor” (Upon Our Own Ground: Filipino Short Stories in English 1956 to 1972, Volume 1 1956 to 1964; Gémino H. Abad, ed.; Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 2008; pp. 308-325)
  
• Rolando Tinio’s “Claudia and Her Mother” (An Anthology of Winning Works: The 1980s One-Act Play; Makati: Carlos Palanca Foundation, 2000; pp. 302-331)
  

The Seventies

• Emmanuel Lacaba’s “The Gospel According to Pontius Pilate,” “The People’s Warrior,” and “Open Letters to Filipino Artists” (Salvaged Poems; Quezon City: Salinlahi Publishing House, 1986; pp. 51, 219, 220-221)
  
• Jose F. Lacaba’s “The January 26 Confrontation: A Highly Personal Account” (Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage: The First Quarter Storm & Related Events; Pasig: Anvil Publishing, 2003; pp. 40-61)
  
• Cesar Ruiz Aquino’s “Stories” (Tribute: An Anthology of Contemporary Philippine Fiction; Timothy R. Montes and César Ruiz Aquino, eds.; Pasig: Anvil Publishing, 2001; pp. 18-31)
  
• Tony Perez’s “The Wayside Café” (An Anthology of Winning Works: The 1980s One-Act Play; pp. 144-159)
  

The Eighties

• Alfrredo Navarro Salanga’s “For Edwin Thumboo and All of Us Who Suffer through English in Asia,” “Birds,” and “They Don’t Think Much about Us in America” (Turtle Voices in Uncertain Weather: Poems 1980-1988; Virgilio S. Almario, ed.; Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1989; pp. 54-55, 88, 180-181)
  
• Sylvia Mayuga’s “Dear Tetchie Agbayani” and “Coming Home” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 436-437, 455-458)
  
• Jose Y. Dalisay, Jr.’s “Merlie” (An Anthology of Winning Works: The 1980s Short Story; pp. 326-340)
  
• Bobby Flores Villasis’s “Fiesta” (An Anthology of Winning Works: The 1980s One-Act Play; pp. 504-525)
  

The Nineties

• Luisa Igloria “Thinking in Sepia” (High Chair 10, Jan. 2009; http://www.highchair.com.ph/issue10/sepia.htm), “Fear Factor,” and “Email to the Tender Committee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation” (Umbrella Journal 8, Winter 2008; http://www.umbrellajournal.com/winter2008/pop/LuisaA.Igloria.html)
  
• Jessica Zafra’s “A History of Geek Civilization” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 407-410)
  
• Charlson Ong’s “Bearer of Swords” (The Likhaan Anthology; pp. 335-346)
  
• Chris B. Millado’s “PeregriNasyon” (Savage Stage: Plays by Ma-Yi Theater Company; Joi Barrios-Leblanc, ed.; New York: Ma-Yi Theater Company, 2006; pp. 273-304)
  

The Aughties and into the Future

• Andrew Drilon’s “Manila 2004” (Siglo: Freedon; Dean Francis Alfar and Vin Simbulan, eds.; Metro Manila: Mango Books, 2003)
  
• Indira Endaya and Adam David’s Crumbs (2001; http://projectcrumbs.tripod.com/)
  

Final Examination Period

While the course is a lecture class, students will contribute to the discussion of literary texts. On several occasions, discussions will give way to class/group activities, writing exercises, and/or quizzes or examinations. 

Students may refer to the university’s Student Manual regarding policies on absences and their corresponding penalties. However, attendance also means active participation in classroom discussions, activities, writing exercises, quizzes, and examinations. As such, students are expected to take responsibility in examining, exploring, critiquing literary texts up for discussion. They are also expected to have completed reading assignments before the scheduled discussion.  

Students will be assigned to report on a set of readings. They will lead the discussion on the writer’s work/s, as scheduled in the course outline. They will also write a critical paper on the writer’s work/s, and submit it as their midterm requirement.

Students will also write for their final requirement individual critical comparative analyses of writers listed in the course outline with other writers from the 1940s to the present. This project will allow them to further explore the literary landscape of the period.

Students will also take the occasional quiz, the midterm and final exams, and participate in class/group activities and exercises. 

Students commit plagiarism when they present as their own someone else’s work or ideas. Work that may be suspected of plagiarism will be returned to the student for corrections, and will earn the student a warning. Such work will only be evaluated once the necessary corrections have been made. Repeated submission of plagiarized material by a student will result in, depending on the offense, a failing mark for the work or failing mark for the course or possible expulsion from the university.  

Grades of papers submitted beyond the deadline may be deducted points for each calendar day the paper is late. No make-up test will be given for short quizzes since topics covered will be discussed during class sessions. 

A student’s rating will be computed according to its corresponding percentage of the final grade: class participation (discussions, quizzes, activities, exercises) (30%); midterm and final exams (30%), and the individual analysis/alternative assignment (40%). ✍

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