Week 4-5 - Japanese Era Literature Flashcards
The Japanese has invaded the Philippines in the 8th of December, 1942. The
Japanese forces landed on Lingayen Gulf. Clark Air Base and Nichols Field
were some of the first landmarks that the Japanese attacked. The Japanese
occupied Manila on the 2nd of January 1942.
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Philippine literature delivered in English were halted by the reigning
colonizers. Newspapers, with the exception of Tribune and the Philippine
Review, Pillars, Free Philippines and Filipina, almost all newspapers in
English have been ordered by the Japanese to stop its operations.
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Freedom of speech was unknown during this regime. This censorship has
brought only a few literary works printed. Thus, Philippine Literature has
halted.
However, with their influence, they have instilled and reinforced the
importance of loving one’s motherland. It was believed that this colonization
gave rise to the golden years of short stories. The use of the English language
was prohibited during this era so the use of Tagalog in communicating and
writing was made mandatory, due to the orders of the Japanese.
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Gonzales (1982) has described short stories written in this era as “commonly
with a nationalistic voice but at the same time, careful not to let the
colonizers know.” In addition, writers have emphasized the life during the
regime, the sadness and the suffering. Nicasio (1972) described some of the
works depicting the urban life during that time: the scarcity in basic
necessities and even common decencies. Some works even tell the lives of
people in the provinces, the guerrilla, the Huk and others.
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Liwayway, which was under the Japanese management (Manila Simbun-sya),
is the magazine that recognized the brilliant minds behind literary works of
the era. Writers like Antonio B.L. Rosales and Clodualdo del Mundo have used
this as an instrument to convey their desires to other writers
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Together with Jose Esperanza Cruz, Agustin Fabian, Arsenia Afan, Francisco
Icasiano, Buenaventura Medina and Teodorico Santos, Rosales and del
Mundo aided in bringing “Ang 25 Pinakamabuting Maikling Kathang Pilipino
ng 1943” to life. (Abadilla, 1967) Some of the stories included in the
collection are the following
Lupang Tinubuan - Narciso G. Reyes (First prize)
Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa - Liwayway A. Arceo (Second Prize
Lungsod Ngayon at Dagat-dagatan - N.V.M. Gonzales (Third Prize)
Suyuan sa Tubigan - Macario Pineda
May Umaga pang Daratal - Serafin C. Gunigundo
Sumisikat pa ang Araw - Gemiliano Pineda
Paghihintay - Emilio Aguilar Cruz
Dugo at Utak - Cornelio S. Reyes
Mga Yabag na Papalayo - Lucila A. Castro
Tabak at Sampaguita - Pilar R. Pablo
Madilim Pa ang Umaga - Teodoro A. Agoncillo
Ikaw, Siya, at Ako - Brigido C. Batungbakal
May Uling sa Bukana - Teotimo C. Buhain
Bansot - Aurora I. Cruz
Bahay sa Dilim - Alfredo S. Enriquez
Ang Tao, ang Kahoy at ang Bagyo - Aristeo V. Florido
Nagmamadali ang Maynila - Serafin C. Gunigundo
Si Ingkong Gaton at Kanyang Kalakian - Serafin C. Gunigundo
Mga Bisig - Amando S. Pagsanjan
Kadakilaan sa Tugatog ng Bundok - Brigido C. Batungbakal
Unang Pamumulaklak - Hernando R. Ocampo
Ibon Mang May Layang Lumipad - Amando S. Pagsanjan
Sinag sa Dakong Silangan - Macario Pineda
Mga Diyos - Justiniano del Rosario
Luad - Gloria Villaraza
Carlos P. Romulo also won the Pulitzer Prize for his works, I Saw the Fall of
the Philippines, I See the Philippines Rise and his Mother America and My
Brother Americans.
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The most common forms of poetry during the Japanese era are the following
Haiku, as described by the dictionary, is “an unrhymed verse form of
Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five
syllables respectively.”
TUTUBI (Dragonfly) by Gonzalo K. Flores
Hila mo’y tabak.
Ang bulaklak nanginig
Sa paglapit mo.
(You’re pulling a saber
The flowers shivered
When you approached.)
Haiku, as described by the dictionary, is “an unrhymed verse form of
Japanese origin having three lines containing usually five, seven, and five
syllables respectively.
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Tanaga, like haiku, is short but has measure and rhyme. This consists of four
lines with seven syllables each, with each line ending with a rhyme.
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PALAY by Ildefonso Santos (Liwayway, Oktubre 10, 1943)
Palay siyang matino
Nang humangi’y yumuko,
Ngunit muling tumayo.
Nagkabunga ng ginto.
(He’s a behaved palay
Who bowed when the wind blew
But stood up again
And bore gold.)
Tanaga
Usual Form, as the name suggests, is the usual and common form of poetry
that follows the common structure
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Unlike in the previous eras, most novels weren’t published because of the
scarcity in paper. Stevan Javellana from Iloilo wrote his first and only novel in
English called “The Lost Ones” which depicted the era after the Japanese
invaded the Philippines. It became one of the best selling novels praised by
numerous publications such as the New York Times. Some other notable
works from Filipinos during this era are the following
Tatlong Maria by Jose Esperanza Cruz
Pamela by Adriano P. Adriatico
Magandang Silangan by Gervacio Santiago
Lumubog ang Bituin by Isidro Zanaga Castillo
When the Japanese burned the copies of movies made during the American
regime, playwrights made their reappearance. Their works are shown on big
theaters such as Avenue, Life and Manila Grand Opera House.
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One such work is Panday Pira, a play written by Jose Ma. Hernandez, which
tells the story of an Indio blacksmith from Pampanga who was recognized to
be the first Filipino who made a cannon.
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