PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS

LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

GLOBAL CURRENTS

and WORLD LITERATURE

______________________________________________________
Module 2

for
Hospitality and Management

May C. Castillo, Ph.D.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

GLOBAL CURRENTS
AND WORLD LITERATURE

What Is This Module About?

This module will introduce
you to the various literatures
of Asia. These literary pieces
give you a glimpse of the
cultures, traditions, values,
and philosophies of selected
Asian countries.

In studying these texts,

you are expected to analyze,
interpret, and evaluate the
elements included by the
author. In so doing, you are
asked to read between and
beyond the lines, relate your
experiences, and provide
insights in relation to the
texts.

What Do You Need To Know?

UNIT 1: TERMS TO REMEMBER

On Arranging the words

Words follow each other in a sequence determined by the writer.

Although in some ways these sequences seem arbitrary and
mechanical, in another sense they help to determine the nature of
the text. These various ways of organizing words have been identified.

Point of View: The author’s point of view concentrates on the vantage point of the
speaker, or “teller” of the story or poem. This may be considered the poem’s
“voice” This is also sometimes referred to as the persona.
• 1st Person: the speaker is a character in the story or poem and tells it
from his/her perspective (uses “I”).
• 3rd Person limited: the speaker is not part of the story, but tells about the
other characters through the limited perceptions of one other person.
• 3rd Person omniscient: the speaker is not part of the story, but is able to
“know” and describe what all characters are thinking.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

Line: The line is fundamental to the perception of poetry, marking an important visual
distinction from prose. Poetry is arranged into a series of units that do not
necessarily correspond to sentences, but rather to a series of metrical feet.

Verse: One single line of a poem arranged in a metrical pattern. Also, a piece of poetry
or a particular form of poetry such as free verse, blank verse, etc., or the art or
work of a poet. A stanza is a group of verses.

Stanza: A division of a poem created by arranging the lines into a unit, often repeated
in the same pattern of meter and rhyme throughout the poem; a unit of poetic
lines (a “paragraph” within the poem).

Stanza Forms: The names given to describe the number of lines in a stanzaic unit
like couplet (2), tercet (3), quatrain (4), quintet (5), sestet (6), septet (7), and
octave (8).

Rhetorical Question: A question solely for effect, which does not require an answer.
By the implication the answer is obvious, it is a means of achieving an emphasis
stronger than a direct statement. Example: Could I but guess the reason for that look?;
O, Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

Rhyme Scheme: The pattern established by the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza

or poem, generally described by using letters of the alphabet to denote the
recurrence of rhyming lines, such as the ababbcc of the Rhyme Royal stanza
form.

Enjambment: The continuation of the logical sense — and therefore the grammatical
construction — beyond the end of a line of poetry. This is sometimes done with
the title, which in effect becomes the first line of the poem.

Form: The arrangement or method used to convey the content, such as free verse,
ballad, haiku, etc. In other words, the “way-it-is-said.”
• Open: poetic form free from regularity and consistency in elements such as
rhyme, line length, and metrical form
• Closed: poetic form subject to a fixed structure and pattern
• Blank Verse: unrhymed iambic pentameter (much of the plays of Shakespeare
are written in this form)
• Free Verse: lines with no prescribed pattern or structure — the poet
determines all the variables as seems appropriate for each poem
• Couplet: a pair of lines, usually rhymed; this is the shortest stanza
• Heroic Couplet: a pair of rhymed lines in iambic pentameter (traditional heroic
epic form)
• Quatrain: a four-line stanza, or a grouping of four lines of verse

Fixed Form: A poem which follows a set pattern of meter, rhyme scheme, stanza
form, and refrain (if there is one), is called a fixed form.

• Epigram: a pithy, sometimes satiric, couplet or quatrain comprising a single

thought or event and often aphoristic with a witty or humorous turn of thought

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

• Epitaph: a brief poem or statement in memory of someone who is deceased,

used as, or suitable for, a tombstone inscription; now, often witty or humorous
and written without intent of actual funerary use
• Haiku: a Japanese form of poetry consisting of three unrhymed lines of five,
seven, and five syllables. These are very brief descriptions of nature that
convey some implicit insight or essence of a moment. Traditionally, they
contain either a direct or oblique reference to a season
• Limerick: a light or humorous form of five chiefly anapestic verses of which
lines one, two and five are of three feet and lines three and four are of two feet,
with a rhyme scheme of aabba.
• Pantoum: derived from the Malayan pantun, it consists of four-line stanzas
with lines rhyming alternately; the second and fourth lines of each stanza
repeated to form the first and third lines of the succeeding stanza, with the first
and third lines of the first stanza forming the second and fourth of the last
stanza, but in reverse order, so the opening and closing lines of the poem are
identical.
• Sonnet: a fourteen-line poem in iambic pentameter with a prescribed rhyme
scheme; its subject was traditionally love.
• Shakespearean Sonnet: a style of sonnet used by Shakespeare with a rhyme
scheme of abab cdcd efef gg
• Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet: a form of sonnet made popular by Petrarch with
a rhyme scheme of abbaabba cdecde or cdcdcd
• Spenserian Sonnet: a variant of the Shakespearean form in which the
quatrains are linked with a chain or interlocked rhyme scheme, abab bcbc cdcd
ee.
• Sonnet Sequence: a series of sonnets in which there is a discernable unifying
theme, while each retains its own structural independence. All of
Shakespeare’s sonnets, for example, were part of a sequence.

On the IMAGES of words

People generally don’t respond very strongly to abstract words. Thus, use words
which do carry strong visual and sensory impact, words which are fresh and
spontaneous but vividly descriptive. It is better to show the reader than to merely tell
him.

Imagery: The use of vivid language to generate ideas and/or evoke mental images,
not only of the visual sense, but of sensation and emotion. Literature uses words
to evoke “images” that carry depths of meaning. The writer’s carefully described
impressions of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch can be transferred to the
thoughtful reader through imaginative use and combinations of diction.

Related images are often clustered or scattered throughout a work, thus serving
to create a particular mood or tone.
Examples:
• Sight: Smoke mysteriously puffed out from the clown’s ears.
• Sound: He could hear a faint but distinct thump thump thump.
• Touch: The burlap wall covering scraped against the little boy’s cheek.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

• Taste: The candy melted in her mouth and swirls of bittersweet chocolate and
slightly sweet but salty caramel blended together on her tongue.
• Smell: Cinnamon! That’s what wafted into his nostrils.

Louis Armstrong’s song “What a Wonderful World” is a good example of

imagery.

ACTIVITY NO. 1: IMAGERY

An alien visits your place and asks about different things. Using
imagery, describe the following words using sensory images:

1. flashlight 4. tears
2. Ice cream 5. sampaguita
3. Grasses

Synesthesia: An attempt to fuse different senses by describing one kind of sense

impression in words normally used to describe another.
Example: The sound of her voice was sweet.
Example: a loud aroma, a velvety smile

Tone, Mood: The means by which a text reveals attitudes and feelings, in the style
of language or expression of thought used to develop the subject. Certain tones
include not only irony and satire, but may be loving, condescending, bitter, pitying,
fanciful, solemn, and a host of other emotions and attitudes. Tone can also refer
to the overall mood of the text itself, in the sense of a pervading atmosphere
intended to influence the readers’ emotional response and foster expectations of
the conclusion.

How Do You Rate Yourself?

ACTIVITY NO. 2:

Up to this part, rate your understanding of the terms and concepts

in literature (1 – lowest and 10 – highest).

Which areas do you need more elaboration in? Write 3 questions

that you want to be answered related to the previous lesson.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

What Do You Need To Know?

UNIT 2:
STRATEGIES FOR READING A WORK OF
LITERATURE

Reading literature in an effort to respond to it requires more than

just a quick read-through. Reading with the intent of writing about
the work requires multiple readings of the text. When reading the
Grisham novel at the beach, we usually read the text only once and often quickly. The
following strategies offer suggestions for reading a story, poem, play, or novel for
coursework:

1. When reading through the work for the first time, read as you would at the
beach: get the “gist” of the plot (yes, poems often have a plot, too), the characters,
and a general idea of the meaning of the piece. Enjoy the work and don’t be stressed
out about any upcoming writing assignment!

2. During the second read, pay particular attention to words that you do not know
and look up those words in the dictionary. If a word has multiple meanings listed,
consider each of the meanings. You may find it helpful to write the meanings of the
words in the margin of the text or on a separate note card, so that you can easily refer
to them when reading, writing, and thinking about the work.

3. Think about the setting of the work and its culture. Is the work set in the 20th
century or another time? Is it set in the U.S. or another country? In what region of the
U.S. or world? What are customs, traditions, and lifestyles like in that particular
region? What is the socioeconomic status of the characters—are they rich, middle
class, poor? What is the ethnicity of the characters? Considering these issues gives
valuable insight into the work’s meaning and perspective.

4. During subsequent readings, methodically begin to pay attention to how

characters interact with one another, how the writer uses words to convey meaning,
how the characters speak, who is telling the story, the kinds of images the writer uses,
or any other aspect of the text that seems important to you. Ask yourself what you
think about each aspect and why you think that way. Many students find it helpful to
keep a reading journal, as well, when they read through a text. In a reading journal,
you can record your thinking about the work. As you continue analyzing the text, add
to your notes.

5. Annotating the text (by underlining or circling passages and writing in the
margins) is helpful because your annotations can refer you to particular sections of the
work later. Since you will need to draw the evidence for your interpretation from the
work itself, having already marked sections of the work will aid you in garnering your
evidence when writing the paper later.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

LET’S READ
ACTIVITY NO. 3: READING ASSIGNMENT

Read the following literary pieces. Make your annotations in

preparation for the writing activity. Employ the strategies for reading
the texts.

1. “The Chinese Cinderella”

2. “The Prophet”
3. “The Mole”
4. “The Taximan’s Story”

What More Do You Need To Know?

UNIT 3: LITERARY ELEMENTS

Literary critics and scholars use discipline-specific terms

to talk about a work of literature. By using the same
“jargon” or language, literary critics do not have to define
i common ideas constantly. The following are terms that
may help you as you read and write about literature:

➢ Character: A character is a “person” in a literary work. Characters have moral

and psychological features that make them human in some way or another. We
often think of characters as being either flat or round. Flat characters are one-
dimensional; they act stereotypically or expectedly. Round characters, on the
other hand, are more complex in their make-up; they may act in contradictory or
unexpected ways.

➢ Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing uses either action or mood to prepare the reader

for something that will happen later in the work of fiction or drama. It is often
helpful to think of foreshadowing as clues that a detective might follow when
solving a mystery. The writer leaves hints along the way to set the stage for what
is to come later.

➢ Narrator: The narrator of a literary work is the person who tells the story.
Sometimes the person who tells the story is a character within the work; we call
this person a first- person narrator. Other times, the story is told by someone who
is not part of the action; this type of narrator is called a third person narrator. A
third person narrator can know everything about the characters—their history, their
minds, their emotions—in which case, the narrator is considered an omniscient
narrator (“all-knowing”). An omniscient narrator can also move back and forth
through time and space. A third person narrator who has only limited knowledge
of the events and characters, or who only knows the minds of some characters
and not others, is a limited omniscient narrator.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

➢ Plot: The term plot refers to the action or “story line” of the literary work. Drama
and fiction have plots, but sometimes poems do also. Plot usually involves conflict
between two or more characters or between a character and himself or herself.
Traditionally, the plot of drama or fiction follows a particular pattern, which includes
the exposition (where the conflict or action begins), the rising action (the events
that promote the conflict), the climax (the point of greatest emotional tension in the
work), and the resolution or denouement (where the loose ends are wrapped up).
However, literary works do not have to follow this pattern.

➢ Setting: Setting is where the action takes place and includes both the physical
location as well as the time period.

➢ Symbolism: Writers use symbolism so that a person, object, or event can create
a range of emotional and intellectual responses in the readers. For example, using
a flag as a symbol might conjure patriotic feelings in one person, anti-patriotic
feelings in another, or perhaps, like a warning flag, a sense of danger. By using
symbols, the writer can evoke a wide body of feelings.

UNIT 4: NARRATIVE-TEXT STORY-GRAMMAR COMPONENTS

Story-grammar components define the typical structure of a

fiction story. In studies of retellings, story events usually occur
in a similar pattern. Here are the elements of story grammar:

SETTING: The setting provides the reader with relevant

information about the location and time of the story. The author
usually gives a description of the time and place. A discussion
of the setting is important to prepare the readers for the story.

CHARACTERS: At the beginning of the story, along with the setting, the main
characters are introduced. The goals of the main characters drive the plot of the story
(i.e., goals, attempt/actions, and outcomes).

INITIATING EVENT: The transition from the initial setting occurs when an initiating
event causes a change of state in the story. If the initiating event did not occur, the
story would stay in the setting. Each narrative contains an initiating event.

The goal, attempt, and outcome sequences form the episodes of the story.

GOAL: The goal is a reaction of the main character to the initiating event. The goal is
what the character desires in the story. A character’s goal may be unstated. Also, more
than one character will have goals in the story. The conflict between characters’ goals
is what gets the story moving.

ATTEMPTS/ACTIONS: Each character will complete a series of attempts to reach

his/her goal. The actions in the story are referred to as attempts.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

OUTCOMES: Following the attempts, an outcome will occur. The outcome signals if
the character has reached his/her goal. If goal success is reached, the story will end
or a new goal will be set. If the outcome signals goal failure, the character may
abandon the goal, make additional attempts to reach the goal, or create a new goal.

STORY ENDING: Students may confuse the outcome with the story ending. The
ending follows the goals, attempts, and outcomes and brings closure to the story. This
category may be added at the end to separate the outcome and story ending.

Let’s Try This

ACTIVITY NO. 4: NARRATIVE TEXT STORY-FOCUSED
QUESTIONS FOR TEXT ANALYSIS

Choose an appropriate text from the assigned readings to

illustrate based on the template. Fill out the information
necessary to complete the text below.

Title of Book :____________________

Setting: What is the setting of the story?
Time:
Place:
Characters: List all of the characters that appear in the story.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
As you look at the list of characters, determine whether the characters have a goal
and attempt to reach the goal. Make sure to include all characters that are needed to
make the story unfold and come to life.
Initiating Event: What is the initiating event?
Goal: What is the goal of ?
(You will need to consider this for each main character.)
Attempts/Action: What did do to reach his/her goal?
(You will need to consider this for each main character.)
Outcome: Did reach his/her goal? If yes, how was this
accomplished?
(You will need to consider this for each main character.)
Story Ending: How does the story end?
After you have finished analyzing the story ask yourself,
“Have I included all of the characters that influence the events in the story?”

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

ACTIVITY NO. 5: GUIDE QUESTIONS

As you read the assigned texts, consider the

following questions. Identify which text can provide
answers for the following questions and explain your
answers:
• What do we learn about what each society considers proper or improper
behavior, again based on the text itself?
• Is family love or romantic love more important in the text, and why?
• What kind of behavior does society expect from its people? How do we know,
based on the text?
• How do the text provide insights on how to confront some issues in life?
• What causes the conflicts of the main character/s?
• How does the text manifest the culture of the people?
• Paraphrase: “Over and over I ask myself whether the gesture you so dislike
might not have been a confession of a love that I could not put into words.”
• Does he really love his wife? Why or why not?
• What conclusion does the poet seem to make at the end of the poem? Do
you agree with him?
• What are the values found in the story:
1. Factual values
2. Emotional values
3. Human values

LET’S TRY THIS

RESPONDING TO LITERATURE

ACTIVITY NO. 6: JOURNAL WRITING

In your reading journal or notebook, write about your initial reaction

to the text you’ve selected. Consider the following questions as
points of departure for your crash-through journal writing with as
much detail as you can at this point:

• What is my “gut reaction” to this text? Do I like the work? What, specifically, do I
like or dislike about it?
• Do I like the characters? Why? Are there any characters that I dislike? Why?
• How are the experiences of this character (or these characters) like or unlike my
own experiences? Does the difference in our experience make the work more
difficult to understand? Does the similarity in our experience make me connect
with the character(s) more closely?
• What is the setting of the work? What do I know about this setting?
• How is it like or unlike my own experience?
• What is the title of the work and why did the author choose that title? What
alternative titles might the author have chosen and why?

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

• Who is “telling” the story? Why did the author select this character to tell the story?
How would the story be different if told from someone else’s point of view?
• Why might the author have written this work?
ACTIVITY NO. 7: LITERARY INTERPRETATION

Exploring Your Topic

To get ready to write your analysis, it may help you to examine what you already think
about the text after your initial reading. After your initial reading, follow the reading
strategies outlined previously as you read through the work several more times to
prepare for your writing assignment.

For this activity, write about a piece of literature you’ve been assigned to read for your
course. Your essay should be an argument that provides your interpretation/analysis
of the work and supports that claim with appropriate and sufficient details (evidence)
from the work.

ACTIVITY NO. 8: PAIR AND SHARE

Share your literary write-ups (Activities 7 and 8) with a friend and

exchange ideas or insights about these. Note some differences or
similarities in stating your interpretations or analysis of the texts.

LET’S DO THIS
ACTIVITY NO. 9: READING COMPREHENSION

INSTRUCTIONS: Make literary analyses of the assigned literary

pieces. Please follow the template which includes the given parts as
shown below. Use landscape orientation on 8.5”x13” bond paper.

LITERARY PIECES Plot Theme Character Analysis Setting

(5 and
sentences) Tone
1. “The Chinese Cinderella”
2. “The Prophet”
3. “The Mole”
4. “The Taximan’s Story”

*** Refer to the attached files for the stories.

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 PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY - ALAMINOS
LITT 2 Global Currents and World Literature May C. Castillo, PhD

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