PROSE

This chapter deals with the definition, elements, kinds and history of prose. It also enumerates
notable artists and their contribution in this field.

Definition

Prose is that broad genre of literature that is written in paragraph form. It is an expression that
does not have a regular rhythmic pattern. It differs from poetry in the sense that it does not have
measure and rhyme, besides rhythm with sustained regularity. All genres of prose, except essays, have
the following elements; settings, characters, theme, pilot, conflict and point of view.

Elements

Since most of the prose forms are narrative, the succeeding elements pertain to narrative prose.

Setting

Setting refers to the time and locale of the story. It has the following elements: locale (broad
category of place), time of year, time of day, elapsed time, mood and atmosphere, climate, geography,
man-made geography, eras of historical importance, social/political/cultural environment, population,
and ancestral influences (Jessica Morrells’s “Between The Lines”).

Plot

The plot is the chronological sequence of events in the story. Jf is divided into the following
parts: exposition, rising incident/s, complication, crises, climax, denouement, or resolution, failing
incident/s, and conclusion.

Exposition

The first part of the plot, the exposition introduces the setting and the characters of the story. It
is also called the introduction or status. When the story starts in the conflict or in the middle, it is called
in medias res.

Rising Incident/s

The rising incidents are those incidents that lead to the complication.

Complication

The complication is the longest part of the narrative, in which the conflict develops.
Crisis

The crisis is the problem of the story.

Climax

The climax is the highest point of the story, during which the readers know how the conflict will
be resolved.

Denouement or Resolution

The denouement or resolution is the part of the plot in which the conflict is resolved.

Falling Incident/s

The falling incidents are those incidents that lead tot he conclusion. Shorter than the rising
action, the falling action may still have some suspended moments but, for the most part, gives the
reader or audience a sense of completion, with the various unsettled issues at work within the plot
reaching some state of resolution.

Conclusion

The conclusion is the last part of the story’s plot. It gives the story some finality. There are times,
however, when the story ends with a cliffhanger and the reader is left to make his conclusion.

Conflict

Conflict is the motivating, driving force that involves both characters and readers in the
narrative. Synonymous with opposition, conflict is classified into social, physical, metaphysical, and
internal or personal conflict.

Social Conflict

Social Conflict exists when the protagonists and the antagonists are opposed to each other.
Known as “man versus man” conflict, it is exemplified by Cinderella opposed by her stepmother and
stepsisters.

Physical Conflict

Physical conflict occurs when the protagonist struggles against physical forces such as natural
calamities, illness, and the like.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere is either the psychological environment or the predominant tense or mood of
the literary piece.
Kinds of Prose
Prose works are classified into fiction, drama and essay.

Fiction

The counterpart of narrative poetry, fiction includes prose works that tell a story. It is classified
into short stories, novels, and novelettes.

Short Story

A short story is a narrative prose that has one to ten pages, a single setting, few characters, a
singular theme, and a simple plot, stories of theme, and stories pf atmosphere or setting. A story of
character focuses on the protagonist who takes an active role in the development of the plot; a story of
plot centers on the series of events that influence the actions of the protagonist; a story of theme
emphasizes the central idea which the writer intends to relate to the life of the protagonist; and a story
of setting places utmost importance to the time and locale of the story a through vivid description of the
two and how these affect the protagonist.

Novel

A novel is a narrative prose that has about 50 pages or more, multiple setting, many characters
(20 or more), a plurality of themes, and a complicated plot. Because of its length, it is read in more than
one sitting. Novels are classified into detective novel, romance novels, philosophical novels, historical
novels, religious novels, symbolic novels, naturalistic novels, realistic novels, stream-of-consciousness
novels, bildungsnoman, novels of the sea, novels of the soil, and novels of adventure.

Novelette

A novelette is a short novel. It is a narrative prose intermediate between a novel and a short
story.

Drama

The counterpart of dramatic poetry, a drama or play is a narrative prose intended to be

performed in a stage. It is classified into tragedy, comedy, tragicomedy, farce, melodrama, closet
drama, and a religious play.

Closet Drama

A closet drama is a drama that is intended to be read, not to be staged or performed.

Essay

The counterpart of lyric poetry, an essay is a prose work dealing with a single subject, usually
representing the writers personal experience and outlook. It is either a formal or an informal essay.
Essays are grouped into reflective essays, critical essays, editorial essays, nature essays, scientific essays,
narrative essays, descriptive essays, speculative essays, socio-political essays, character sketch essays,
and biographical essays. They are analyzed based on the following items: SOAPS (Speaker— the writer
himself, Occasion, Audience— the reader/s, Purpose— the writers objective or goal in writing, and
Subject— the topic of theme), appeals (Ethos or ethical appeal—convincing by means of the writer’s
character or credibility; Logos or logical appeal— persuading by the use of logical reasoning, and Pathos
or emotional appeal— persuading by appealing to the readers emotions), diction (word choice), syntax
(word arrangement), imagery (visual auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, kinesthetic, and thermal),
tone (the writers attitude or feeling about his subject), and details.

Formal Essays

A formal essay is an essay which has for its subject matter “high-brow” topics such as scientific
findings, societal problems, religious conflicts, etc. Its language is technical, highly standardized, and
educated. Also, called impersonal, unfamiliar or heavy essay, it has a serious, objective, and a
dispassionate tone.

Informal Essay

An informal essay is an essay which has for its subject matter topics that are light or familiar
such as pencils or waiting for a ride. Its language maybe colloquial or even slangy. Also called personal,
familiar, or light essay, it has a conversational, flippant, and subjective tone.
Notable Artists
Local Prose Writers

Bautista, Lualhati

One of the most famous contemporary novelists, Bautista wrote novels (Gapo, “Dekada 70”,
“Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?” and “Desaparecidos”), some of which were turned into movies.

Hernandez, Amado Vera

National artist of the Philippines for literature, Hernandez was married to the national artist of
the Philippines for theater, dance and music, Atang De la Rama. A writer and a labor leader, he was
known for his criticism of social injustices in the Philippines and was later imprisoned for his involvement
in the communist movement. Among his short stories are “Wala nang Lunas”, “Kulang sa Dilig”, “Langaw
sa Isang Basong Gatas”, “Dalawang Metro sa Lupang Di-Malipad ng Uwak”, and “Ipinanganak and Isang
Kaaway sa Sosyedad”.

Dalisay, Jose Jr. (Born January 15, 1954)

A writer of scripts for the late Lino Brocka (National Artist of the Philippines for Theater and
Film), Dalisay is a recipient of numerous awards and prizes for fiction, poetry, drama, non-fiction, and
screenplay, including 16 Palanca Awards. Since 1984, he has authored more than 15 books, some of
which are "Oltimer and Other Stories" (1984), "Sarcophagus and Other Stories (1992)”,"Penmanship and
Other Stories (1995)."The Island(1997), and "Selected Stories (2005).

Roces, Alejandro R. (July 13,1924-May 23, 2011)

National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 2003, Roces was a Filipino essayist, dramatist,
and author famous for his short stories "We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers" (Best Short Story in the
University of Arizona) and “My Brother's Peculiar Chicken” (Martha Foley's Best American Stories in
1948 and 1951). His publications include Of Cocks and Kites (1959), Fiesta (1980), and Something to
Crow About (2005). He received numerous awards, among which were the Patnubay ng Sining at
Kalinangan Award, the Diwa ng Lahi Award, the Tanging Parangal of the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, and
the Rizal Pro Patria Award. He served as Secretary of the Department of Educationunder Pres. Diosdado
Macapagal's administration.

Villa, Jose Garcia (August 5, 1908-February 7, 1997)

National Artist of the Philippines for Literature in 1973, Villa was a Filipino poet, literary critic,
short story writer, and painter awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in creative writing by Conrad Aiken.
Known as the “Comma Poet" because of his excessive use of commas, he introduced the "reversed
consonance rime scheme" in poetry-writing. He became popular for espousing the “art for art's sake"
philosophy and for using the pen name Doveglion, derived from “Dove, Eagle, and Lion." the animals
explored by E. Cummings in his poem “Doveglion: Adventures in Value” dedicated to Villa. His anthology
of Filipino short stories in English titled Philippine Short Stories: Best 25 Short Stories of 1928 was
published in 1929. His poems, together with those of Jose Rizal and Nick Joaquin, were included among
the 1,600 poems written by hundreds of poets from all over the world and included in World Poetry: An
Anthology of Verse from Antiquity to Our Time published in 2000. His short stories were compiled in the
books, “Philippine Short Stories" (1929) and “Footnote to Youth and Other Stories" (1933).

Foreign Prose Writers

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

Named as the “Father of Literary Criticism”, Aristotle is one of the three greatest Greek
philosophers. He wrote “Organon” (logic), “Poetics” (theory of tragedy), and scientific research.

Confucius (551-479 B.C.)

Named as the “Father of Chinese Literature”, he is believed to be the founder of the religion
called Confucianism. He authored works complied by his followers into the so-called Confucian Classics
(“The Book of Songs”, “The Book of Changes”, “The Book of Rites”, “The Book of Poetry”, and “The
Spring and Autumn Animals”) and the Four Books (“The Analects”, “Doctrine of the Mean”, “The Great
Learning”, and “The Book of Mencius”).

Irving, Washington (1783-1859)

An American writer, Irving is known for his legends, “Legend of the Sleepy Hollow” and “Legend
of the Enchanted Soldier”. He also wrote legends of the Dutch and of Granada, Spain.

Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-1849)

Named as the “Father of American Short Story”, Poe authored “The Cask of Amontillado”, “The
Raven”, “The Gold Bug”, and “The Fall of the House of Usher”.

Steinbeck, John (1902-1968)

An American novelist and playwright, Steinbeck is famous for his works, “Cup of Gold”, “To a God
Unknown”, “Tortilla Flat”, “Of Mice and Men”, and “Grapes of Wrath”.