Origins and Rise of the Filipino Novel: A Generic Study of the Novel Until 1940

by Resil B. Mojares

This generic study of the Filipino novel situates its development in the context of the narrative tradition and social history of the Philippines. It marks out lines of descent, identifies shifts in modes of narrative representation, considers literary changes in relation to the larger society, and thus offers the reader with a view of the novel not only in itself but also in history.

Genres: History, Literary Criticism

436 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Trained in literature and anthropology, Resil B. Mojares won several National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle for works in fields as diverse as literary criticism, urban and rural history, and political biography.

He has been a recipient of prizes for his short stories, a national fellowship in the Essay from the UP Creative Writing Center, and teaching and research fellowships from the Ford, Toyota, and Rockefeller foundations, Fulbright Program, and Social Science Research Council (New York).

He has served as visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin, University of Hawaii, and University of Michigan.

He teaches at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City.

Reviews

[Teina Hakuto · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good review and critique of selected acclaimed (and not-so acclaimed) Philippine novels in a definite time frame. It was also very important that he included the pre-colonial oral literary tradition, for this cannot be ever taken away from the Filipino consciousness. It would be more interesting if there was also a continuation like this for novels after 1940, but Resil Mojares has already given his reasons not to do it otherwise.