Yuson, Cassey C. - Written Work 2

Identify the writer’s thesis and purpose.

All written pieces of literature have a thesis and a purpose. It depends on what the author has planned for their writing. In “Philippine Literature” by Frank R. Blake, the author’s purpose was to inform. To educate all those interested in the multiple languages in the archipelago. The paper was filled with information about the most prominent pieces in Philippine literature. It also discussed the different tribes and their respective languages. Furthermore, the author points out that even though there is a multitude of languages in our country, some writings can’t be claimed as literature in the sense that it isn’t elegant and artistic. Therefore, the author’s thesis is that the term Philippine literature is a category for any written speech in a language that is considered part of the Philippines. The paper was very comprehensive, and I learned many things in the mere ten pages it had. It was condensed and filled with data, and it was interesting to read.

 

2.    Analyze the structure of the passage by identifying all the main ideas.

The paper entitled “Philippine Literature” by Frank R. Blake is an educational piece written with the intent to inform the masses about the written works in our country. It is written in a way that is easy to understand due to the structure of the passages. After reading this piece of literature, I concluded that the author structured their paragraphs in a way that the main ideas were enumerated and elaborated. It is also structured in a way that the main ideas are arranged in time order.

Following the introductory paragraph, where the author introduced their thesis and the different tribes and their respective languages, is the first main idea: the Mohammedan tribes and their two principal languages. What follows is an exposition on the Moro’s writings and the similarity it holds to the Arabic language. This pattern follows with all the other main ideas. The introduction of the main idea, then an in-depth explanation. After the Mohammedan tribes, it goes Christian tribes, Spanish colonization, and American colonization.

I liked the author’s text structure because it made the passage easy to understand. It was arranged chronologically, so a timeline was easy to imagine. The author’s choice was good.

 

3.    Has the article been presented clearly, accurately, with order and coherence?

After reading the entirety of “Philippine Literature” by Frank R. Blake, I believe that the article was exceptional at getting the point across. The vocabulary was easily understandable for an eleventh grader like me. There were a lot of examples of Philippine literature. The article was also full of references, which checks accuracy. And finally, as I have mentioned before, the chosen text structure was good. It was easy to read because the main ideas were organized and elaborated thoroughly. So, to answer the question, yes! I feel that the article has been presented accurately, with order and coherence.

 

4.    How is Philippine literature presented by the author?

Frank R. Blake’s purpose was to inform the readers about the wonder that is Philippine literature. Just like every country, the Philippines is proud of the writings its citizens have created. And in this paper, the author dove deep into the intricacies of the Philippines’ many languages and their literature.

Frank R. Blake started the paper by announcing the existence of the many tribes in the archipelago. He explained that each tribe has different languages. That some were in the same linguistic family as the languages in other countries. And even though there is a multitude of languages in this country, some do not have written works that are considered literature. Therefore, Frank R. Blake deduced that Philippine literature is a term for any written speech in a language that is considered from the Philippines. It is a broad term and encompasses a lot of written works.

The author also implied that a lot of Philippine literature is religious, for example, translations of religious articles like sermons, doctrines, and the Bible. However, there are those which are purely fictional, like folktales. Proverbs and riddles are famous among Filipinos, as well.

Even though the author continuously points out that some languages in the Philippines do not have real literature, I am proud of the fact that our country has one of the most diverse pieces of literature you will ever find. Newspapers and periodicals are written in not only one but multiple languages! Most prominent of all is Tagalog, Bisayan, and Ilokan. Nevertheless, Frank R. Blake stated that if national literature will ever be written, it will most likely be in Tagalog. Considering that most of the citizens in this country speak the language, it is understandable.

 

5.    Discuss the significant developments in the history of Philippine literature from pre-colonial to colonial periods according to Blake.

As they say, change is constant. Languages will evolve, and they will change due to different circumstances. Whether it was because a country was colonized. Or because enough time has passed, that language has progressed. The Philippines has undergone many trials and tribulations throughout the years, so, unsurprisingly, our literature has been affected drastically.

During the pre-colonial period, the distinct tribes had their languages. They had alphabets native to them, even if there were no written works. Their literature was usually passed through oral communication from one generation to the next. Some, like the Mohammedans, have writings that are not unlike the Arabic alphabet. But, time passes, events occur, and language changes.

When Spain colonized the Philippines, Christianity became prevalent. New alphabets have been established, and therefore, literature has adjusted. Religious works became widespread. Sermons, doctrines, etc. Although, some pieces that tell of a remarkable tale and adventure like “Florante at Laura” started to appear. All inspired by the current period, of course. After the colonization of Spain came the Americans. And with-it popularized plays and dramas such as “Hindi ako patay.”

Thus, we have established that literature will change due to the current circumstances. Because of the Philippines’ eventful history, our country is considered a melting pot. Different languages and different cultures mixed into one country. And now? Literature is diverse, and it is a reflection of the struggles and triumphs of our ancestors.