St.

Francis College
Allen Northern Samar

Learning Module in English

(Creative Nonfiction)

Module 3
Principles, Elements, Techniques, and Devices of Creative
Nonfiction

DURATION: 1 WEEK
GRADE LEVEL: 11
LEARNING COMPETENCY:

 Write a draft of a short piece (Fiction, Poetry, Drama, etc.) using any of the literary conventions
of genre following these pointers:
HUMSS_CNF11/12-Ib-d-5

1. Choosing a topic
2. Formulating thesis statement
3. Organizing and developing ideas
4. Using any literary conventions of genre
5. Ensuring that theme and technique are effectively developed

Evaluate other’s draft based on:

1. Clarity of idea
2. Appropriate choice of literary element
3. Appropriate use of the element
4. Effective combination of the idea and chosen literary element

I. CONCEPT

Unit 2, zeroes in on creative nonfiction itself, in particular the various elements that work
together for the creative nonfiction text to effectively serve its purpose. The writer should ensure such
synergy if the text to be made interesting and worth reading. The reader should likewise pay attention to
details not only to help him/her in comprehension, but also to develop a sense of appreciation of the text
and the human realities (either good or bad, both our strengths and our frailties) that the text embodies.

According to Cirilo F. Bautista, It is no wonder that when we deal with literary pieces, we deal
with great human emotions like love, anger, fear, and sadness. It has often been said that literature is
about the “significant human experience”. As humans, we experience the world with different emotions.

II. EXAMPLES AND DISCUSSION

You have learned the different elements of fiction such as plot, point of view, character, setting
etc. A story, as well as the forms of literature, is about the general idea of human experience.
Another element of fiction is the theme meaning of the story. Theme of the story is about the general idea
or general observation about life and people. The theme will lead us to the meaning of the story – the
effect of the story to the reader which in most cases would include lessons learned.
The meaning of the story is about how the reader is moved after reading, and his/her realizations.

A. Pre-Reading

Have you heard of cases involving violence against women and children? Who are usually
responsible for the violence? In what ways can be stopped?

B. Cultural-Historical Background

Manuel E. Arguilla is one of the Philippines’ canonical short story writers in English. He was
born in a barangay called Nebracan in Bauang, La Union. This place is the setting of his famous stories
like Midsummer, and How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife and Other Stories won the
Commonwealth and The Literary Occupation. He was captured and executed by the Japanese in August
1944. The “authenticity” and realism of his stories stems from his familiarity with the countryside and its
people for he, to, was one of them. His early death deprived Philippine literature of one of its most
eloquent voices.

C. Previewing

Scan the story to answer the following questions:

1. Who are the characters in the sstory? How are they related?
2. What domesticated animal also plays in a role in the story?
3. Based on the title of the story, what di you think is its mood?

D. Vocabulary Building

Manuel Arguilla is known for the “local color” of his writings. Local color is a detail that is
particular to the setting of the story. For example, mentioning a jeepney in a poem, a story, or essay
would make the reader think and imagine that the setting is in the Philippines because jeepney is a unique
form of mass transportation in the country. Jeepney is also used as a tourism image for Metro Manila.
Find out what each phrase below means, and how it suggests local color.

1. bamboo footbridge 5. husky legs

2. bare feet 6. piece of firewood
3. live coals 7. slender stalks
4. rice straw 8. fuzzy green leaves
5. husky legs

E. Reading

Read the election that follows. While the countryside is often depicted as less stressful and more
tranquil than the city, this may not be the case all the time. Find out how these complications are
shown in the story.
III. EXERCISES

Directions: Analyze the story by completing the following table.

Elements of Fiction

Elements Aspects Answers/Explanations

Point of View

Characters

Setting

Tone and Atmosphere

Symbols

Irony

Theme

Meaning

IV. EVALUATION

Directions: Read the article below. Complete the tasks and answer the questions that
follow.

Pinoys’ exceptional fanaticism

By Harold V. Gallo

NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines – For the second straight year, the world witnessed how Lebron James
and Miami Heat delivered a hard-earned championship to South Florida. There is no doubt, however, that
the second journey was a lot harder the the first.
 The level of the competition for both the Heat and the Spurs’ Big 3s and their “superting” casts
took basketball to a higher level in the NBA Finals. The game 77 finale turned out be a classic and will go
down the record books as one of the most exciting deciders of ll time.
Except for the unbridles brilliance of James, no single player owned the big moments of the
series.
Who would forget Tony Parker’s Game 1 heroics?

How about the offensive juggernaut by Miami in Game 2?

I’m sure you would remember Danny Green’s machine-gun-like production from rainbow
territory. And Ray Allen’s dagger with 5.2 seconds left in Game 6.
The past finals series proved that NBA is still the best basketball league in the world, one full of
grit, greatness and glory.
As the series spawned excitement across the world, Filipino fans and even the so-called
“bandwagoners” followed the X’s and O’s of the duel and a higher sense of hoops fanaticism for Pinoys
was created. It isn’t shocking what the Philippines is one of the 3 countries in the planet when it comes to
following the NBA.

We, Filipinos, have hoops running in our veins. We are and forever will be legionnaires of the
game. Streets, offices, schools, barber shops (and perhaps, even parlors) tricycle stops, jeepney and bus
stations, turned into Las Vegas, as Pinoys placed bets on their favourite teams. With the gambling went
the excitement and the little bets spiced up the fanaticism.

It is a testament that the drama went its way from the hard courts of Florida and Texas, and into
the homes of Filipinos intently awaiting the result of each match – even if they did not fully understand
what was happening during games.

There are also those who flooded social media with post after post about the finals, with some
sneaking out of work or class just to follow the game on TV, as following the box score through the
Internet wasn’t enough and missing an exciting finale is like missing half of your life.

Haters, Heaters, Spursians, bandwagoners – whatever you call them – joined the world in sharing
the monumental re-coronation of Lebron and his Super Friends, and the humble and gracious acceptance
of defeat by the legendary Tim Duncan and the Spurs. The NBA Finals proved to be a cavalcade of
triumph, humility and professionalism.

For many reasons, the NBA Finals became one of the trending topics on social media, with Game
7 taking over the World Wide Web like basketball never had before.

Questions, doubts, and criticism arose with every move and the answers were provided within a
matter of minutes by the main actors in this showdown. The Heat and the Spurs provided fans with an
unprecedented level of competition, something heaven-sent for die-hard basketball fans like me.

The NBA Finals series is done, but the Pinoy fanaticism never wavered and waned. Next season,
expect more to come from the stars and whoever will step up the 204 podium will have Pinoy fans there
to share every moment.
Note: This article was published at Rappler.com, June 27, 2013
 1.) Task A.
Content

o Describe how the author shows his fanaticism about basketball.

o Discuss how the NBA Finals brings out the best fans among Filipinos.
o Inferring from the selection, what differentiates a Pinoy fan from other fans of the
world?

Task B.
Form and Style

o What it the author’s purpose in this sports blog?

o What is the tone of the story as revealed by the use of descriptive words?
o Identify and discuss the elements of nonfiction found in the blog.

2.) In your journal, write a personal experience by choosing from, the following
topics:

a. My favourite Filipino player

b. If I were a sports icon . . .
c. My favourite game and team

In writing your piece, remember to apply the multiple elements found in creative
nonfiction. In choosing a topic or formulating your thesis statement, organize and develop the ideas in
detail; use any literary conventions of creative nonfiction genre; and ensure that theme and technique are
effectively developed.

V. RESOURCES

Gallo, H. V., & Oliveros, A. N. (2017). "Grammar Essential" Creative Nonfiction Senior Hig School.
Quezon City: Sibs Publishing House Inc.,.

Moratilla, N. A., Teodoro , J. E., & Suarez,, E. L. (2016). Claiming Spaces: Undertanding, Reading, and
Writing Creative Nonfiction. Quezon City: The Phoenix Publishing House Inc.

Villanueva, M. V., & Perez, M. Q. (2016). Approaches to Creative Nonfiction with Exercises. Quezon
City: Sibs Publishing House Inc.,.
 St. Francis College
Allen Northern Samar

Learning Module in English

(Creative Nonfiction)

Module 4
Revising and Editing Creative Nonfiction

DURATION: ONE WEEK

GRADE LEVEL: 12

LEARNING COMPETENCY:

 Revise the draft of a short piece using any of the literary conventions of a genre (e.g. plot for
narrative piece)
HUMSS_CNF11/12-Ib-d-7
I. CONCEPT

Revising gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you have written. Revising is a way to learn
about the craft of writing. Revision is closely tied to critical reading; in order to revise a piece
conceptually, you must be able to reflect on whether the message matches in the writing goal.

Revising gives you the chance to preview your work on behalf of the eventual reader. Revision is
much more that proofreading, though in the final editing stage, it involves some checking of details. Good
revision and editing can transform a mediocre first draft into an excellent final paper. When you revise,
you take a second look at your ideas. You might add, cut, move, or change information in order to make
your ideas clearer, more accurate, more interesting, or more convincing.

II. EXAMPLES AND DISCUSSION

Revising and editing are the two tasks you undertake to significantly improve your essay. Both
are very important elements of the writing process. You may think that a completed first draft means little
improvement is needed. However, even experienced writers need to improve their drafts and rely on peers
during revising and editing. You may know that athletes miss catches, fumble balls, or overshoot goals.
Dancers forget steps, turn too slowly, or miss beats. For both athletes and dancers, the more they practice,
the stronger their performance will become. Web designers seek better images, a more clever design, or a
more appealing background for their web pages. Writing has the same capacity to profit from
improvement and revision.
 The following checklist may be used for revising your own creative nonfiction prose, may be
helpful in offering critique to your peers or even when discussing published work.

MEANING OR ABOUTNESS

o What is the piece about? State what you think the essay is about in one sentence.
o Is the essay’s “aboutness” SHOWN not TOLD? Are specific illustrations and example provided
instead of just an overview of what happens?
o Is the leap of significance made for the reader?

TENSION

o Where does the tension in the essay lie?

o Are there several kinds of tensions at work?
o Are there tensions left unresolved?
TIME

o How has the writer treated the movement of time?

o If there are varying time periods, does the writer move the reader through it smoothly,
effectively?

SENSE OF PLACE

o Is the setting rendered in sensory detail? Do the details heighten the atmosphere?
o Are they authentic believable?
o Does the author’s treatment of the setting enhance the reader’s understanding of what the essay is
about.

CHARACTERS (the same litmus test as fiction and this includes the first person (1) of the nonfiction
essay)

o What complexities do they reflect?

o What details of the lives move you?
o Identify details actions, speeches that enhance the essay’s sense of character.

DIALOGUE

o Identify dialogue in which the characters’ voce seem especially in tune with who they are.
o Too much dialogue? Too little dialogue?

VOICE

o Is the tone of the essay consistent?

o DO the words, sentences, rhythms used hit the same note?
Do the words, sentences, etc. suit the time, place, and situation?
SCENE

o Consider the way in which the writer has used the fictional element of scene.
o Is each scene fully rendered? Any missed opportunities?
o Any parts of the essay that would be better enhanced by the use of scene?

THE OPENING

o How does the first line, the opening of paragraph prepare readers for what the essay will be
about?
o What promises does it make to the reader?
o Does the opening break the contract with the reader?
o What evidence of the “about” is found at the beginning?

THE END

o In what way does the essay come full circle?

o Is the ending satisfying?

CLARITY OF PROSE

o Do the sentences actually say what you mean?

o Any awkward sentences, paragraphs?

TITLE

o Is it effective? Appropriate?
o How could it be better?

Use these questions to formulate your critiques and to revise – feel free to vary these questions as
they are designed to simply get you started and to be a guide.

Some others to consider:

o Did you like the essay? Why or why not?

o What works well? What does not?

o Were you genuinely interested in what happened in the essay? Why or why not?

o Are there grammatical errors, misspellings?

o Is there awkward language or metaphors that don’t work?

o Are there parts of the essay that retard movement of have no purpose?

o Is the most the most effective order of scenes?

III. EXERCISES

Offer your nonfictional story to a workshop group (or in any literary FB page), or to a teacher to
receive feedback, and write/enumerate the feedback you received.
IV. EVALUATION

Directions: Revise your draft after you received their feedback. (Notebook)

V. RESOURCES

Gallo, H. V., & Oliveros, A. N. (2017). "Grammar Essential" Creative Nonfiction Senior Hig School.
Quezon City: Sibs Publishing House Inc.,.

Moratilla, N. A., Teodoro , J. E., & Suarez,, E. L. (2016). Claiming Spaces: Undertanding, Reading, and
Writing Creative Nonfiction. Quezon City: The Phoenix Publishing House Inc.

Villanueva, M. V., & Perez, M. Q. (2016). Approaches to Creative Nonfiction with Exercises. Quezon
City: Sibs Publishing House Inc.,.