Contemporary literature

Reflects current trends in life and culture and because these things change often, contemporary
literature changes often as well.

Reflects author's perspective and can be cynical.

Questions facts, historical perspectives and presents 2 contradictory arguments side by side

The 2000s
Saw a steep increase in the acceptability of literature of all types, inspired by the coming of age of
millions of people who enjoyed the work of writers of speculative fiction

Chinese literature
Affected by the impact of the Internet, which has become an important medium for the dissemination
of politically sensitive works.

Resurgence of science fantasy not seen since the late Qing dynasty

Sinophone literature

Modern poetry

No epics of either folk or literary variety and hardly any narrative or descriptive poems that are long by
the standards of the world literature

Sinophone literature
Redefines Chinese literature as a field determined by language rather than purely by geography

Modern Chinese poetry

Depends on end rhyme and tonal metre for its cadence

Characterized by its compactness and brevity

the Chinese poet

Stressing the lyrical, it refrains from the exhaustive.
Marks instead the heights of his ecstasies and inspiration or the depths of sorrow and sympathy

Japanese literature
Marked by a strong and intentional break with tradition and the nation-centered and group orientation
values.

This break included:

A strong reaction against established religious, political, and social views.

Feminism, individualism, internationalism, liberalism, and proletariand emerged during this period

Concerned with the subconscious.

New literary forms and style like:

A novel in 1st POV is written like an autobiographical confessional type of narration

Indian Literature
Realism

Simultaneous co-existence of the postcolonial state apparatuses with an ideology which was:
Liberal and Humanist, seen in the areas of public life like the academic scene
Realism
Outcome of the creation of a reading public which was trying to construct an identity in the context of
the anti-colonial struggles and nation-building.

This combined liberal-reformist ideology with an affirmation of an 'Indian' cultural specificity.

This concept however was middle-class and Hindu

The realist novel

Its focus on growth and individual freedom is transformed in the Indian context with the economic
conditions of uneven capitalism

Basis for Realism

-The economic: seen the existence of capitalist exploitation
-Political, and
-Social conditions

African literature
Distinct influence from African current events and recent history.

Themes:
-Postimperialism
-Cultural upheaval
-Violence

These are topics present in previous centuries which are still very much relevant in modern day
African nations.

African poetry
A form of protest.

Theorists describe it as having a postcolonial viewpoint, referring to:

The period after European nations tried to govern African nations

Africa's moderm history

Influenced by neocolonialism, cultural change, and clashes between political parties and religious
ideologies

Modern African writer

Look away from the internal, individual struggle and instead shift the focus to the:
Struggles of African nations still trying to develop after gaining independence from European
imperialism

-economic struggles of the people

-divisions of classes
And various other conflicts that modern day African nations face

Philippine literature
Martial Law made writers use: symbolisms and allegories to drive home their message, at the face of
heavy censorship

Theater was used as a vehicle for protest like PETA (Phil. Educational Theater Association) and UP
Theater.

From 80s onwards, writers show: dynamism and innovation

Its diversity & richness evolved with the country's history. Best appreciated in the context of the
country's pre-colonial cultural traditions, and the socio-political histories of its colonial and
contemporary traditions

Martial Law
Repressed and curtailed human rights, including freedom of the press

Filipino writers
Has become more conscious of his art with the proliferation of writers workshops here and abroad
and the bulk of literature available to him via the mass media including the Internet

Philippine literary awards

Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature
The Philippine Free Press
Philippine Graphic
Home Life and Panorama literary awards
-encourage writers to compete with his peers and hope that their creative efforts will be awarded in
the long run

American literature
Concerned with relationships and connections between people and emotion-provoking storytelling is
common.
The value of media in culture is changing the way this movement is perceived

Diversity and acceptance

Address universal themes seen through the eyes of their culture

Juxtaposition of the ordinary with magical elements

Fantastic elements are interwoven into realistic fiction