Sociological and

Political
Literary Criticism
Literature
• “It is an enduring expression of significant
human experience in words well-chosen and
arranged”

• Human experience= Life of the people

-members of the society

• Words=symbolic language
- culture of the people
 “Fiction is a metaphoric
reenactment of affairs. It
requires of the writer a
profound understanding of his
society and a sincere desire to
change it.”

• - Cirilo Bautista
SOCIETY
• It is a group of people occupying a
geographical territory, with a common
culture, and interacting with each other.
Culture
• It is is the total and distinctive way of life or
designs for living of any society. It
encompasses learned behaviors, beliefs,
attitudes, values, and ideals characteristics
of certain societies.
Sociological Criticism
• It starts with the conviction that
art’s relation to society is vitally
important and that these
relationships may organize and
deepen one’s aesthetic response to a
work of art.
Sociological Criticism
• Art is not created in a vacuum; it is
the work not simply of a person, but
of an author fixed in time and space,
answering to a community to which
he is important
 “Literature is the
consequence of the
moment, the race and the
milieu”

• Taine (1863), History of English Literature

“Literature is not only the
effect of social causes, but
also the cause of social
effects”
Tasks of Sociological Critics
• “Sociological critics argue that literary works
should not be isolated from the social
contexts in which they are embedded”
(DiYanni 1571).

• They focus on the values of the society and how

these values are reflected in literary works.

• They emphasize the ways power relations are

paved out by varying social forces and
institutions.
 Social Forces:
• I. External Conditions of the Physical Environment
affecting man's impulses, feelings, thoughts, and actions.
• (a) Climate; (b) Soil; (c) Physical configuration,—
mountains, valleys, etc; (d) Water supply; (e) Flora; (f)
Fauna.
• II. External Social Factors affecting man as a social
being.
• (a) Presence or absence of other groups.
• (b) Attitude of other groups, — hostility or friendliness.
• III Forces in Man's Psychical Nature.
• (a) Appetitive, hunger, thirst, and sex appetite.
• (b) Hedonic, aversion to pain, love of warmth, ease, and
sensuous pleasure.
• (e) The welfare interests, — centering on measures
intended to conserve the group and contribute to its welfare.'
• (c) Egotic, ambition, shame, envy, pride, vanity, love of
liberty, of power, and of glory.
• (d) Affective, — sympathy, sociability, love, hate, spite,
jealousy, anger, revenge.
• (e) Recreative, — play impulses, desire for self-expression.
• (f) Religious, desire for relationship with the Unknown
either through ecstasy or through relations of patronage and
submission.
• (g) Ethical, — love of fair play, sense of justice.
• (h) Aesthetic, desire for enjoyment of the pleasures of
perception, or the beautiful.
• (i) Intellectual,— curiosity, love of knowing, learning, and
teaching.
• IV. Interests growing out of combinations of human desires
in large part socially conditioned and directed towards the
objects presented by physical stimuli and the external social
factors.
• (a) The wealth interests, — directed towards securing
wealth.
• (b) The political interests, — looking towards protection
in the exercise of complete, individual self-expression.
• (c) The religious interests, — looking toward alliance
with the Unknown for release, protection, or advantage.
• (d) The intellectual interests, — yearnings for diversified
experience, for interpretation of the mysterious, release from
fear and control through understanding.
Tasks of Sociological Critics
• “Sociological critics argue that literary works
should not be isolated from the social contexts in
which they are embedded” (DiYanni 1571).

• Sociological critics attempt to analyze literature

from one of these two lenses:
▫ Conditions of production, such as schools,
magazines, publishers, and fashions.
▫ The applicability of a given work—fiction
especially—in studying the dynamics of a given
society.
What do Sociological Critics Study?
Sociological critics examine expressions of specific
areas in literary works, including:

• Economic conditions during which a piece

was written
• Political arena and popular political
beliefs
• Cultural issues
Types of Sociological Criticism
 Feminist Theory: What are the women doing
in the story? How do they interact with men?
What is the woman’s role in society?
 Marxist Theory: developed in the 1930s and
often advocates Marxism. In what social class
does each character belong? How does the
assigned social class impact the character? How
do characters of different social classes
interact?
The basic precepts & most
important considerations of
socio-political criticism:

• Sheldon Grebstein (1968), Prespectives in

Contemporary Criticism
• Literary work cannot be fully
understood apart from the
milieu or culture or civilization
in which it was produced.
• Society can impinge upon a work in
two ways: either as a specific material
factor or a force or as a tradition of
collective spiritual and cultural
trends- conventions.
• The critic is responsible to the
literature of both past and present-
because the need of each generation
needs various emphasis; a critics
work is simultaneously transient and
unending.
Questions a sociological critic may
ask:
• What socio-political constructs evolve out of the
events in the novel?
• How did the author utilize these socio-political
constructs in the novel?
• How do the characters delineate their social
and political roles in the novel?
• What social forces and institutions are
represented in the work? How are these forces
portrayed?
Questions a sociological critic may
ask:
• What political and economic elements influence
the lives of the characters?
• What economic issues appear in the piece of
work? To what extent are the lives of the
characters influenced by these issues?
• To what extent are the decisions of the characters
influenced by social, political and economic
forces?
 By Alberto S. Florentino

• This is a story of how wrong decisions become

greater burdens to a family.  Mario’s family
happens to be in the lower bracket of society.  He
cannot even provide for his family’s basic needs. 
Albeit all this hardships, his wife Gloria, still
manages to keep her good virtuous.  She insists
that the way they are living is a much better than
the one they will have if they do wrong acts.   
 By Alberto S. Florentino

• But Gloria’s entire constant reminder to Mario

did not prosper.  Mario decided to come back to
his old life of crime when he lost his job when he
tried to steal an apple for his daughter.  He keeps
on insisting that his priority is to provide what
his wife and daughter needs.  He left with Pablo,
his old crime buddy, even if Gloria pleaded very
hard for him not to go with the man.   
 A. What are the social problems
reflected in Alberto S. Florentino’s
“The World is an Apple” ?
• 1. Poverty
“Mario: Yes, she did. (Pause) Do you remember that
day I took her out for a walk? On our way home we passed
a grocery store that sold “delicious” apples at seventy
centavos each. She wanted me to buy one for her, but I did
not have seventy centavos. What I did is to buy her one of
those small, green apples that they sell on the sidewalk but
she just threw it away, saying it was not a real apple. Then
she cried. So when I saw this apple roll out of the broken
crate, I thought that Tita would love to have it.
 A. What are the social problems
reflected in Alberto S. Florentino’s
“The World is an Apple” ?
• 2. Unemployment

Mario: (Stares at the ground): Gloria, I’ve lost my job.

Gloria: (Rises shocked) Oh No!
Mario: (Looks up at her) It is true, Gloria.
Gloria: What about your pay for the whole week?
Mario: I lost my job a week ago.
Gloria: And you never even told me!
 A. What are the social problems
reflected in Alberto S. Florentino’s
“The World is an Apple” ?
• 3. Malnutrition
Pablo: See what happened to your daughter. This is
what honesty has done to her. And how can honesty help
her now? She’s not sick and she needs no medicine. You
know that. You know very well what she needs: food. Good
food. She’s undernourished, isn’t she?
 A. What are the social problems
reflected in Alberto S. Florentino’s
“The World is an Apple” ?

• 4. Crime
Mario (Turns around and holds her arm,
stammering): Gloria, … you…. You must try to
understand… I tried… I tried long and hard… but could not
lift us out of this kind of life…
 b. How did the author portray the
socio-political problems using the
following elements?
1. Setting

SCENE: An improvised home behind a portion

of the Intramuros walls. Two boxes plan the
doorway. At left is an acasia tree with a wooden
bench under it.

1950-1960 the play was written

 b. How did the author portray the
socio-political problems using the
following elements?
2. Characters

Gloria (Pulls away from him): You’re going! I can

see that you want to go with him. Ohhh…
(cries) You’ll leave me here again,
wondering weather you’ll be shot in the head
or sent to jail.
b. How did the author portray the socio-
political problems using the following
elements?
2. Characters

Mario: Why did God create apples for the rich

alone? Didn’t he create the world for everyone?
That’s why I tried to bring apple for Tita. When
we brought her into the world, we sort of
promised her everything. She had a right to have
life.
b. How did the author portray the socio-
political problems using the following
elements?
2. Characters
Gloria: That’s the trouble with you, when you think
of your own stomach, you think of nothing else!
Mario: I was not thinking of myself!
Gloria: Whom were you thinking of- me? Did I ever
ask you to bring home apples? I am not as crazy
as that.
Mario: I was thinking of our child.
b. How did the author portray the socio-
political problems using the following
elements?
2. Characters
Pablo: How can you be sure? When he and I were
pals we could go to first-class air-conditioned
movie houses every other day. I’ll bet all the
money I have here now that he has not been to one
since you “liberated” him from me. And that was
four years ago.
Pablo: You call this living? This, Gloria, is what you
call dying- dying slowly- minute by minute.
b. How did the author portray the socio-
political problems using the following
elements?
2. Theme
• Dishonesty
Gloria: What about your pay for the whole week?
Mario: I lost my job a week ago.
Gloria: And you never even told me!

• Faith in God
Gloria: I knew God won’t let us down. He never lets
anybody down. I’ll pray tonight and ask him to let
you have that job.
b. How did the author portray the socio-
political problems using the following
elements?
2. Theme
• Love for family

Mario: They’ll do anything to keep me out. But don’t

worry. I’ll find another job. It isn’t really so hard to
look for a job nowadays. (From this point he avoids
her eyes) You know, I’ve been job-hunting for a
week now. And I think I have found a good job.
The Socio-Political Constructs in
Azucena Grajo-Uranza’s
Bamboo in the Wind

by Shiela Perez Amparo (March1997)

1. The social and political constructs
that led to the declaration of martial
law in the Philippines

• No continuity of presidential policies

• The foregoing scenarios in the Philippine history
brings about a certain socio-political issues
2. The socio-political constructs in
Bamboo in the Wind
• Social injustice- Larry with the military when
he was unjustly incarcerated in Camp Crame
after a quarrel with Wilfred Teodico.

“ You may come out now, he said to the young man. As you can see,
the door is open.”
“Is there one set of rules for senators and another set for ordinary
people? “He asked again sarcastic.
“You should be thankful you’ve got a senator to speak to you,” said the
lieutenant.
And if I didn’t? He challenged. You’d let me rot here invoking your
suspension of the privilege of the writ?
2. The socio-political constructs in
Bamboo in the Wind
• Prison cell scene- inequality

“Look Ramon… I’ve been thinking over what you just said about
losing the fight from sheer indifference. And yet, we’re letting
Teotico go scot-free… What was uppermost in my mind while
I was being hauled off was what if I had no one influential to
help me? I was brave- cocky, even-only because I know that
safety was just a phone call away. And I thought of all the
youngsters caught in demos and spirited away, and all those
who had crossed the military or the powerful and had no one
to help them… You’re right, Ramon, help must be made
available to them. “
3. Character delineation of social and
political roles in the novel
• Larry Esteva- most significant major character
• “…Larry plodded ahead, eager to finish what he had
come to say. They are not influential people, Benny
like you are. The police3 had them tied up in
technicalities Benny they are underpaid and they are
not your enemies.”
• “ Benny.. these people work with their hands and
have very little opportunities. It becomes our duty to
protect them and see that they get just
compensation for their labor.
• “We are the squatters of the land papa. And it is the
tenats who have a real right to it?”
3. Character delineation of social and
political roles in the novel
• Ramon- “ My idea is to establish a 24 hr, round the
clock aid office which anyone victimized by the
military or the police may call…It seems to me… that
because of the suspension of the privilege of the writ
of habeas corpus, people changed with anything
from subversion to jay-walking are held
incommunicado by the authorities, invoking the
suspension of the privilege of the writ.
• when he was offered by American friend of Sylvia in
her party, a research grant, an offer with an
apparent hidden agenda “You son of a bitch!”
 3. Character delineation of social and
political roles in the novel
• Connie- activist
• “What have you got to do with this business in Sapang
Bato? Her father sized her up as she stood frowning before
him.” Don’t gloss over it, father…I already know the facts. I
just want to find out whether you’re going to pull my leg, or
you’re going to be honest with me—and she added
meaningfully, for once.
• “ Now, just wait a minute, young lad, her father spoke
indignantly. And when did I start owing you an explanation
for my actions?
• “ Starting right now, father, because I will not be
embarrassed and I will not be ashamed, and I refuse
to feel guilty for what you do with people who are
too helpless to defend themselves against you.
• “He rose, livid with rage. Are you calling me a bully?
• “Worse, her daughter answered, a scoundrel.
• Father- government needs the land
• “ The government father, or the people running the
government ? People like you. That is what makes
this country so rotten. People like you have
consistently confused you personal interest with the
interest of the nation.
4. The evolved concept of the new
Filipino Identity
• Characters- search for identity in the order of
things during the martial law
• Filipino character showed in the lines by Larry -
“ We have been used to an abusive colonial
government, Kevins. And we have to pretend
meekness in order to survive… I guess we’re
really like the bamboo. We don’t fight the wind.
We bend with it- but…we never break.”
• Every literary piece that is set in socio-political
perspective yields some constructs that help
define the new Filipino identity.

• Human dimensions presented in Uranza’s novel

sustain the hypothesis and the new Filipino
identity emerges in the order of things as treated
in the novel.