Introduction To 21st Century Literature_a.docx

Introduction to 21st Century Literature I.

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What is 21st century literature? a. Generally, these are works that are written and published starting from the year 2000. b. It is a bit too early to give a definite and elaborate description of the 21st century literature in the Philippines and the world. It is possible, however, to approach contemporary literature as a reaction to and dialogue with existing forms of expressive culture. The 21st century a. As we engage in technology more and more, we create and discover more existing forms of expressive culture as well. We have a wide range of resources through the internet and this gave opportunities to people, especially the youth, to begin writing and expressing their thoughts, ideas, and feelings. b. Example: WattPad, which became popular to the Filipino youth in 2006. i. The idea is to create an e-book reading application, as e-books are becoming in demand during that time, however, the founders thought that it would be time consuming to maintain their own catalog, so they decided to let the community decide what they want to read, and they can also upload their works and content into the application. This had made it possible for the youth to read more and to start creating their own compositions. c. Examples of literary genres in the 21st century Philippine literature i. Creative nonfiction 1. It’s a rich mix of flavors, ideas, and techniques, some of which are newly invented and others as old as writing itself. Creative nonfiction can be an essay, a journal article, a research paper, a memoir, or a poem; it can be personal or not, or it can be all of these. 2. Examples: a. “The Cardinal’s Sins, the General’s Cross, the Martyr’s Testimony, and Other Affirmations” by Gregorio C. Brillantes b. “Manananggal Terrorizes Manila and Other Stories” by Jessica Zafra c. “Sapay Koma” by Jhoanna Lynn Cruz ii. Hyperpoetry 1. Hypertext poetry and hypertext fiction are new genres of literature that use the computer screen as medium, rather than the printed page. The literary works rely on the qualities unique to a digital environment, such as linked World Wide Web pages or effects such as sound and movement. Hypertext “poetry” can consist of words, although not necessarily organized into lines and stanzas, as well as, sounds, visual images, movement or other special effects. Although the poem may be dazzling with sounds, perhaps of a lawnmower, while the words “mowing,” “stop,” “Sunday,” and “morning” float across your computer screen in pseudo-three-dimensional letters, one will have been hard pressed to identify the use of any formal poetics. iii. Mobile phone text tula

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1. A cell phone novel, or mobile phone novel is a literary work originally written on a cellular phone via text messaging. This type of literature originated in Japan, where it has become a popular literary genre. However, its popularity has also spread to other countries internationally, especially to China, United States, Germany, and South Africa. Chapters usually consist of about 70-100 words each due to character limitations on cell phones. Chick lit 1. This is genre fiction, which “consists of heroin-centered narratives that focus on the trials and tribulations of their individual protagonists”. The genre often addresses issues of modern womanhood – from romantic relationships to female friendships to matters in the workplace – in humorous and lighthearted ways. 2. Examples: a. Spotlight New Adult by Mina V. Esguerra b. Tall Story by Candy Gourlay c. All’s Fair in Blog and War by Chrissie Peria Speculative fiction 1. It covers all stories from fantasy to science fiction to slipstream to magic realism to urban fantasy — so on and so forth. In other words (or in other worlds), it encompasses all the stories that are removed from the reality that we are currently living in. As the introduction states, “speculative fiction is a type of story that deals with observations of the human condition but offers the experience through a different lens…and challenges us to see what tomorrow could be like or what the mythic past of our imagination actually is.” 2. Examples: a. Smaller and Smaller Circles by FH Batacan b. Sink by Isabel Yap c. The Secret Origin of Spin-Man by Andrew Drilon Flash fiction 1. Flash fiction goes by many names, including microfiction, microstories, short-shorts, short short stories, very short stories, sudden fiction, postcard fiction and nanofiction. While it can be difficult to pinpoint an exact definition of flash fiction based on word count, consideration of several of its features can help provide clarity, like its brevity, length, background and purpose. 2. Examples: a. 100 Kislap, by Abdon M. Balde Jr. b. Karapote: Antolohia Dagiti 13 a Nasuerte A Sarita, by Ariel S. Tabag Blog 1. A blog (shortening of “weblog”) is an online journal or informational website displaying information in the reverse chronological order, with latest posts appearing first. It is a platform where a writer or even a group of writers share their views on an individual subject. Graphic novels

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1. The ‘graphic novel’ has existed as an art form arguably from the time our species learned how to paint. However, the term has only been in use since the 1960’s, and though it’s often a hotly debated issue, it’s generally accepted that a graphic novel is a longer work or collection of works presented in ‘comics’ style. 2. Examples: a. The Mythology Class (Nautilus comics) by Arnold Arre b. Light (Anino comics) by Rob Cham c. Sixty Six (Anino comics) by Russell Molina d. Maktan 1521 by Tepai Pascual The 21st Century Literature a. Contemporary writers often consciously draw inspiration and ideas from the writers who have come before them. As an outcome, many works of 21st literature deal with the events, movements and literature of the past in order to make sense of the current times. b. In addition, the technological developments of the 21st century have directed other writers to theoretically write about the future, usually to comment on the present and suggest introspection. c. Themes of literary works of the 21st century i. Identity 1. With increasing globalization, intersections of cultures and more vocal discussions of women’s rights and LGBT rights, identity has become a common theme in 21st century literature. In a world that is now able to exchange ideas more quickly than ever before via the Internet and other technological advancements, people have relatively more freedom to draw from multiple cultures and philosophies and question the concept of the self and its relation to the body, brain and “soul.” ii. History and memory 1. Often contemporary literature explores the notion of multiplicities of truth and acknowledges that history is filtered through human perspective and experience. iii. Technology 1. Today, technology is more integrated into people’s lives than ever before. Dreams of what technology could potentially help people become and anxieties regarding the demise of humanity because of technology can be seen in 21st century literature. Additionally, many 21st century works of literature explore what it means when all of humanity’s experiences are filtered through technology. iv. Love, sex, family, religion approached in a different way 1. They are more liberal and unfiltered in a sense, just like the world we live in. For this reason, the language and tone that are commonly used doesn’t really follow a rule just like the traditional and classical works, as long as it is able to express and convey the authenticity and the essence of the meaning of the work and the identity of the characters. 2. [?]Examples of this would be the works of Bob Ong, Ricky Lee, and Bebang Siy. The poems of Maria Cecilia dela Rosa are perfect

examples of 21st century literature as she conveys a different flavor and turn to her works. The Famous Writers of 21st Century Philippine Literature  Abdon M. Balde Jr.

 Beverley Siy

 Allan Popa

 Charlson Ong

 Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo

 Danton Remoto

 Gemma Nemenzo

 Dean Francis Alfar