DOCUMENT RESUME ED 042 742 TE 001 609 AUTHOR Tyler, Priscilla, Ed. TITLE Writers the Other Side of the Horizon: A Guide to Developing Literatures of the World. INSTITUTICN National Council of Teachers of English, Champaign, Ill. PUB DATE 64 NOTE 61p. EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF-$0.50 HC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Authors, Cultural Images, *Cul .) al Interrelationships, Folk Culture, Legends, *Literary Influences, *Literature, Literature Appreciation, Local Color Writing, Mythology, Non English Speaking, Spanish American Literature, *Twentieth Century Literature, *World Literature ABSTRACT The processes by which man creates new literary forms 3.s the focus of this book. Four articles concentrate on literary modes common to many societies, though written in different languages: (1) Robert A. Charles reviews Alaska's oral native folktales and the range of the contemporary writing scene in Alaska from professional authors to documentary journalists; (2) Harley D. Oberhelman compares the cowboy literature of North, Central, and South America; (3) haurice D. Schmaier analyzes Patrick White's -Qu as an example of a new chapter in Australian literature; and (4) Len Topham describes a grass-roots theater developing in India. Four other art!cles are concerned with world literature written in English:(1) Leonard Casper finds a great range of literary achievements in the American-influences Filipino-English literature; (2) Frederic G. Cassidy discusses the distinctive style and tone of West Indian literature; (3) Lucile Clifton illustrates how South African writers shape the African image through symbols and choice of themes; and (4) Harold R. Collins reports on the Nigerians writing about the meeting and interaction cf Western and native cultures. [Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document. ](JMC) U.S. DIPAITHEIT Of HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELTAPE OFFICE Of EDUCATION THIS DOCUHEN1 HAS MN RIPPODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.POINTS Of VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPKO, OffICIAL OFFICE Of EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. WRITERS THE OTHER SIDE N -4-ti OF THE HORIZON O A GUIDE TO DEVELOPING LITERATURES OF THE WORLD Edited by PRISCILLA TYLER University of Illinois PEMM4SVON TO Mt/4MM tml COPT PpGm1f0 MAMMAL IT ',limbo,. owe 0 t.9 TO UK Ott OACATetATIOIPS OPtfftMeG OM* AGitttstWtS WON Mt of OCI Of tOuCAT0% fultmilt REPPO OvCTsON Ou ItoOt tNt tit PPM fitOuRPft WISP:A 0114 COP, IPGmt OWNit 0 0 NATIO2tAt. C013XCIL or TtACHLRS or EXOUSI1 Copyright 1964, National Council tu of Teachers of English, 50 South Sixth Street, Chaspaign, Illinois 61820 PREFACE The process by which the peoples of the world make new literary forms is the theme of this anthology. The articles bear witness to man's verbal engagement with his changing experience, to his development of new literary modes, varying as he varies, and to the emergence in each century of new literary communities. The work of some new literary communities seems to move into the future like "running springs," their new way with words sweeping the reaches of language as if to suggest that very little has yet been tried. The student of these new literatures faces the future, not the past. Three English literary communities have beeu developed in the twentieth century in the Philippines, the Caribbean, and Africa. They differ from earlier English literary communities (Britain, American, Canada, Australia) because they coexist with those of other languages in a bilingual atd multilingual society. English literacy in a world sense has a new breadth of meaning, implying, as it does, a knowledge of the literatures of growing numbers who speak English as a second language. The articles in this series trace the process of emerging literatures in two world contexts: the world community of many languages and the world community of English. Papers in the first division discuss some literary modes common to different societies, though written in different languages. Those in the second division treat the newly developing segments of world English. I. THE WORLD COMMUNITY OP LANGUAGES The first article shows literature finding its place in the developing culture of Alaska. The mythology of the Indian and the American immigrants' response to their new land are reflected in the oral and written literary life of the forty-ninth state. That man's response to land from continent to continent has been similar, as the land has been similar, and that his folk and literary heroes reflect this timilariy, though in different languages, is brought out by Oberhelman. The gaucAo of the pampas, the vaquero of Mexico, the Unser° of Venezuela, and the cowboy of North America are all the same horse-loving cattlemen on the grassy plains of both continents. As creative keepers of a vast land environment, the gaucho or the cowboy captures the imagination of storytellers and finds his place in folktale, song, and novel. In Australia, we see through an analysis of Patrick White's novel, Foss, another rehearsal in words of man's distinctive experience on a new continent. Topham describes how, in India, compelling experiences on a continent old in culture worded for a new and growing contemporary theater. II. Tan Womb Cossunlerry or Exuma Three centers are producing new English literatures in the twentieth century: Africa, the West Indies, and the Philippines. Theca Ifish literatures are developing in bilingual and multilingual societies. The impact of ether languages is obvious in the more experimental of these writers. As we write in American English, so there are writers now in Filiploo-English, C,arib.Englisl, and Afrioo.English. The writers of these Englishes, living as they do in a bilingual culture and speaking English as a second language, draw on the resources of their native lineup to enrich the world. English.Cassidy (West Indies) and Casper (Philippines)describe the decisions authors in bilingual societies must make as to the language they use. Harold Collins and Ladle Clifton in their studies of African non's are more concerned with the decisions authors must make as to the segment of culture which should be the substance of their writing. As King Arthur and his knights emerged as valid "matter" to write about in English (the matter of Britain) and the cowboy emerged as valid "matter" to write about in the Americas, African writers are di coveringwith no precedents to guide themwhet is "time matter of Afries."These authors extend our linguistic mantes* and our cultural understanding by their writings, and they do more than this. By writing in English, many are avowedly writing for a world audience. Thq renew in our time the Renaissance dream of a world audience for a world developed culture. With one exception, these papers were given at the 1963 San Francisco convention of the National Council of Teachers of English. They, with others on similar topics, made the world community of language, and particularly that of English, one of the major themes of the conference.It is hoped that this book will be a reminder of the window on the world our classrooms may have through a world view of literature, especially literature in English. The book may be used in the classroom not only to establish concepts and give an overview but also to suggest specific works for group or individual reading.(Footnotes indicated within the text of an essay appear at the end of the essay.) PRISCILIA TYLER University of Illinois 1: It 1111.10,.-.1111011JC. THE CONTRIBUTORS LEONARD CASPER is Professor of English at Boston College. He hastaught at the University of the Philippines and at the Ateneo de Manila. Portions of the text of "Runaway Child," in altered form, are appearing simultaneously in The Wounded Diamond: Studies in Modern Philippine Literature (Bookmark: Manila, 1964), Casper's most recent volume. FREDERIC G. CASSIDY is Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He wac born in the British West Indies and isa consultant to the Dialect Survey of the British Caribbean. ROBERT A. CHARLES is Associate Professor and Chairman of the HumanitiesDi- vision at Alaska Methodist University, Anchorage. lie is coeditor of the Alaska Literary Directory. LUCILE CLIFTON is Professor of English at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. She has travelled in Europe, South Africa, Bermuda, and Cuba. HAROLD R. COLLINS is Associate Professor of English at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. He is a specialist in fiction written by West Africans. HARLEY D. OBERHELMAN is Associate Professor of Spanish and Head of the Department of Foreign Languages at Texas Technological College, Lubbock, Texas. Ile has been a Fu 'bright lecturer at the National University of Tucuman in Argentina. MAURICE D. SCHMAIER is Instructor of English at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has studied on a IN !bright grant at the University of Adelaide and Canberra University College, Australia. HELEN TOPIIAM is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Rani', Honolulu. She has worked actively with the University of Hawaii Theatre Group, the Honolulu Community Theatre, and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth. PRISCILLA TYLER is Associate Professor of English at the University of Illinois, Urbana, and a Counselor in Teacher Education. She has beena faculty member in the Harvard Graduate School of Education and at Western Reserve University. CONSULTANT READERS TOR THIS MANUSCRIPT OaoaeL. Awns:mom, Professor of English, New York University; Associate Secretary, Modern Language Association of America Ltoxtt. STIVINSON, Professor of English, Doke University NCYE COAINfITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS Mats R. &mutt, Professor of English, University of Illinois; Executive Secretary, National Council of Teachers of English, Chairman JAM111 E. Bran, Assistant Professor of English, Wisconsin Stale UniversityOshkosh Ow.svx Ltoorrr, Associate Professor of English and Provost, University of Washington VINOINIA M. Ram, Supervisor of Elementary School Education, Oakland (California) Publics Schools ENID M.