Introduction

to 21st Century Literature of

the Philippines and the World
 Objectives
◌ I can differentiate 21st century literature from
previous literatures.
◌ I can identify the innovations in literature that
took place in the 21st century.
◌ I can contextualize the literary developments of
21st century by identifying its implications and the
reasons that could have ignited it.
◌ I can explain the importance of studying the
literatures of the 21st century.
What is 21st
Century
Literature?
 What is 21st Century
Literature?

◍ 21st century literature constitutes and will

constitute the literatures conceived within

2001-2016 2017 - 2099

◍ It deals with current themes and reflects a

technological culture.
◍ Beyond books and other print sources, it also
includes web pages, blogs, wikis, e-zines, and
other digital literatures.
Characteristics
of 21st Century
Literature
 “
“Something major happened to
literature on or about
December 2000.”
(Isagani Cruz, 2013)
What happened to literature
in the 21st Century?
 “
Centre of Research in Twenty-first
Century Writings said:
“the first decade of the new
millenium witnessed a range of
exciting developments in
contemporary writings in English.”
 1
Innovations in recognized
literary forms
 POETRY
Trends and innovations in the 21st
century.
◍ Spoken Word Poetry, Prose Poetry, Fliptop Battles
◍ Textula
◌ Poems written and read entirely on mobile
phones
◍ Photo poems
◌ the use of real-life images or electronically
generated images to represent a textual poem.
Textula
 POETRY
What happened to the poetry of the
21st century?
Traditionally In the 21st Century
◍ Form is important ◍ Form is given less focus
◍ Written to be read alone ◍ Written to be performed
or to be read silently on large audiences
◍ Limited to printed text ◍ Can be produced and read
in various ways
Graphic Novel Illustrated Novel
 NOVEL
Trends and innovations in the 21st
century.
◍ Illustrated Novels use both traditional text and
illustrated images to convey a narrative.
◍ Graphic Novels use comic form to convey its narrative
◍ Digi-Fiction attempts to combine different forms of media.
In order to get the full narrative readers must engage in
navigation, reading, viewing, and listening in all formats.
◍ Doodle Fiction incorporates doodle drawing and handwriting
fonts to add humor
◍ Text Talk Novels are written in blog, email, or instant
message format.
Doodle Fiction
Digi-Fiction Text Talk Novel
 NOVEL
What happened to the novels of the
21st century?
Traditionally In the 21st Century
◍ Uses traditional text ◍ Images, video, and the
alone to convey a internet, and other
narrative. forms of media go side
by side with traditional
text to convey the
narrative
 SHORT STORY
Trends and innovations in the 21st
century.
◍ Flash Fiction uses a certain number of
words (ranging from 50-750) in telling a
story, usually with an unexpected twist at
the end.

◍ Six-Word Story, Twitterature (140),

Dribble (50), Drabble (100), Sudden
Fiction (750), Dagli (150)
 SHORT STORY
What happened to the stories of the
21st century?
Traditionally In the 21st Century
◍ Long and composed of at ◍ Designed to be read and
least 1,000-4,000 words comprehended in a very
short period of time (5-10
◍ Designed to be read in
mins.)
one sitting usually (20 ◍ Length is usually
mins. – 40 mins.) restricted by the number of
words
 NONFICTION
Trends and innovations in the 21st
century.

◍ Creative Nonfiction uses fiction-like

characteristics of writing to deliver
factual and accurate narratives.

◍ Blogs, FaceBook Confessions

 NONFICTION
What happened to the essays of the
21st century?
Traditionally In the 21st Century
◍ Formal and serious ◍ Less restrictive in form
◍ Clear and direct and more personal
 ACTIVITY
Within your groups try to figure out the
following for each literary form:

◌the shift or change that is taking place

◌its implication on the modern world and
its readers
◌the reason behind the shift or emergence
 POETRY

Change Implication/s Reason/s

◍ The shift from ◍ Manner of delivery ◍ Poetry merged with
silent personal is more important the technological
reading to than form culture of the era,
performative social ◍ Poetry does not end which is to share,
recitations in on the product but to show, and to
large audiences should be performed socialize.
◍ Readers and poets
become less
restricted and more
social
 NOVEL

Change Implication/s Reason/s

◍ Authors incorporate ◍ Music, videos, and ◍ The rise of 21st
various forms of images are equally century skills gave
media to aid relevant medium to rise to the use of
deliver a message other forms of media
traditional text in in literature.
telling a and a story.
◍ Literature can be more
narrative. ◍ Today, readers use immersive with other
multimedia to give forms of media.
and receive ◍ Storytelling is not
information. limited on text alone.
 SHORT STORY

Change Implication/s Reason/s

◍ Short stories are ◍ The world is fast- ◍ The limiting nature
now designed to be paced, time runs of social media,
read in haste and fast, and a dose of such as, Snapchat,
speed, to be exact, quick read is what Instagram, Twitter,
and to be minimal people mostly need. Vine, etc., made us
as possible. to become consumers
and creators of
things quick,
short, and exact.
 NONFICTION

Change Implication/s Reason/s

◍ Forms are becoming ◍ The rise of social ◍ The world has
less restrictive media and blogging become an open
and more personal sites has given us book, where
avenues to voice out everyone could
what we want through write about
various forms of everything.
media, and one of ◍ It made us embrace
which is through our right for free
digital text. speech, which often
lead us to some
repercussions.
 2
Developments in digital
writing, creative writing,
and literary genres.
◍Blogs, Wattpad, e-zines

◍The rise of speculative fiction

and intertextuality.
 3
The coping of the publishing
industry with technological
advances which have resulted
to the rise of the eBook
corporate sponsorship
What can we
expect from
21st Century
Literature?
According to Jorge Carrion, 21st Century
Literature...
◍ has conflicting narrative models
◍ is anti-monumental
◍ does not aim to be literary, hence “it
wanted to be unliterary as possible.”
◍ is riddled with “bad writing,” which
could be both intentional and naive.
◍ is shifting from traditional supports
to digital ones
According to Jorge Carrion, 21st Century
Literature...
◍ is characterized by multiplication of
amateur texts
◍ works are usually done and read online
◍ alternates between digital and
corporal, electronic textuality and
print, unpaid and non-lucrative
projects to copyright laws.
 ASSIGNMENT
Why study 21st Century Literature?
◌ Given the demands of the modern times, is it
still essential for us to study literature,
particularly 21st century literature? Why?
◌ How could it help you as a student? As an
individual living in the 21st century?
◌ What standards are being upheld in studying
21st century literature and literature in
general?
Secure a copy and read Butch Dalisay’s
“Building the National” (2010).