From Reading a Text to Becoming the Text: Towards Deeper Engagement in Philippine Literature through Reader Response–Subjective Interpretation in a Tertiary Context
Abstract
Literature, as an academic resource, encourages reflection, cultural appreciation, and language awareness. In Philippine tertiary classrooms, it also deepens critical thinking and affirms identity by connecting with Filipino students’ lived realities. To facilitate such an experience, a streamlined, structured instructional approach is essential to promote a deeper and more engaging reading process. Without such an approach, responses may be constrained in depth and articulation. The present study contends that Bleich’s (2019) method of subjective interpretation, streamlined in this context as an instructional model, fosters an accessible and supportive learning experience. The study begins by assessing the quality of readers’ responses in the absence of a framework as they engage with Edilberto Tiempo’s Philippine short story “The Witch,” and then advances to refining these responses through the application of Bleich’s framework. Specifically, it is a qualitative inquiry analysing the students’ evaluation of their own subjective interpretation experience. The results gathered from a representative sample of Philippine Literature students from a Philippine State University in the Visayas region revealed that, compared to the freely written readers’ response, the subjective interpretation was more elaborate and expressive. The framework prompted students to think beyond mere emotional reactions, with many referencing their personal experiences and cultural practices while demonstrating an awareness of language. The study concludes that a structured reader response pedagogical framework empowers students to engage with Philippine literature more deeply by anchoring interpretation with collective identities and lived experiences through a collaborative learning community where their voices are as valued as the text itself.
Keywords: Reader Response; Subjective Interpretation; Literary Criticism; Teaching Philippine Literature; Communal Interpretation
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