Niegas, Francis John R.

III-Medtech Wedding Dance By Amador Daguio

Mr. Alegre Lit 1

Synopsis: In the culture of tribes in the mountains, it was mandatory for a couple to have a child to follow after the husband/fathers name. Awiyao and Lumnay were married for seven years, but unfortunately they are not able to conceive a child. Because of their customs about having children to carry on their family name, they must be separated for they cannot conceive a child. And Awiyao must marry another woman, Madulimay. The wedding day came. That night after the wedding Awiyao goes to his and Lumnays house to invite her to their traditional wedding dance. But then, Lumnay refuses to go to their wedding dance. In the middle of their conversation, they just found out that they are still in love with each other. Awiyao goes back to the wedding, to the wedding dance. Lumnay wants to go there too but she wants to put an end to their custom about separating if a couple cant bear a child. But unfortunately, she cant do it.

Analysis:

There are things/deeds in our society that are legally right but are morally wrong. In the story it is amenable to marry another woman if she cannot bear the man a child. That fact is correct and is doable in terms of culture and legality, but in the eyes of God it is wrong. According to Mark 10:9, Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. In our present time, many people underestimate the importance of marriage. Some people think that marriage is just a ceremony; a contract; a cultural rite. They dont see the gravity of exchanging vows in front of the Lord. Its such a pity that many people still resort to annulment and divorce. Separation breaks the heart of God. The sad truth is that they miss the true value of love.

Characters: Awiyao: The husband who has to marry another woman Lumnay: The wife of Awiyao who wants to end their tradition but cannot Madulimay: Awiyaos new wife

Setting: -Mountains in the Philippines -Awiyao and Lumnays house -Place where the wedding and wedding dance took place

Conflict: -Man VS Society -Man VS Himself(applicable on Lumnays part)

Niegas, Francis John R. III-Medtech Of Cocks and Hends By Alejandro Roces

Mr. Alegre Lit 1

Synopsis: Kiko had a very weird chicken. It is so peculiar that it looks like a hen and at the same time looks like a rooster. They argued so much to the point that they almost got whipped by their parents. Their argument even reached lunch time. While they were are arguing during lunch their mother barged in saying that their chicken looks like a binabae, a rooster that looks like a hen. It should have ended the argument but their father suddenly said that its not a rooster. Kiko and his brother eventually realized that even their parents are now arguing. After that, they both went to the chief of the barrio to seek wise counseling. Unfortunately, the chief didnt know if the chicken was a hen or a rooster. They then went to Mr. Eduardo Cruz, a man who studied poultry raising in the University of The Philippines. They thought that he could answer their question, but unfortunately, he didnt. The chicken that they had has both the characteristics of a hen and a rooster, according to Mr. Cruz. Eventually they decided to put the peculiar chicken in a cock fight. They made a deal that if it won, its a rooster, but a hen if its the other way around. And so their chicken fought and won, but eventually laid an egg.

Analysis:

Arguments are normal when it comes to siblings. It is actually a thing that bonds siblings together. In arguments comes tension, but resolution comes afterwards. That is one thing that is shown in the story. Another thing is believing and consulting the elderly. Filipinos believe that men with gray hair are full of wisdom. Maybe this is because when one is old, he/she already has experienced a lot in life, hence, knowing the pros and cons of deeds in life.

Characters: Narrator Kiko Mother Father Teniente del barrio/chief of the village Mr. Eduardo Cruz

Setting: -Cornfield -Their house -The chiefs quarters -Katubusan(where Mr. Eduardo Cruz is) Conflict: -Man VS Man

Niegas, Francis John R. III-Medtech Divide By Two By Francisco Arcellana

Mr. Alegre Lit 1

Synopsis: Belle and his husband finds themselves into a tight situation. Their neighbor put a division between their house and Belles and her husbands. The problem here is that the partition is not equal, not equally divided by two. So Belle starts to nag his husband about this. Then came the time when they decided to write their neighbors a letter, a concise but a not so friendly one. After the letter has been sent to the neighbor, the inevitable then comes. The two men decided to talk and face each other to settle the score. In the middle of the heat of situation, Belle then rises and declares war. In reality, it is really Belle who her husband needs to deal with, not their neighbors. It is Belle and her husband who are divided by two.

Analysis: There are things in this story that are presented in a subtle manner. For example is the husbands stature, the work, educational attainment, and personality. In the story, the husband portrayed a man who is lacking educational attainment; a man who is rude, a man who is insensitive to his own wife, a man who is easily influenced by pressure. Most of the time, the husband didnt listen to his wife, Belle. He just listened to their neighbors piano playing to escape from reality. Belle, on the other hand is bossy, manipulative and aggressive. It might appear that the value of the story is focused on how they treat their neighbors. The story actually focuses on the husband and Belle herself. If youll look closely, Belle and her husband are the ones who are divided by two. They do not show the values of a couple that are in a good and harmonious relationship. For instance is Belle is interested in their neighbor, and at the same time her own husband shows interest in their neighbors wife. Once a again this is an example of couples being lost in their own twisted dilemmas.

Characters: Belle Belles husband Their male neighbor/the doctor of mathematics Their male neighbors wife

Setting: -Belle and her husbands house -Their neighbors house -Street

Conflict: -Man VS Man

Niegas, Francis John R. III-Medtech The World Is an Apple By Alberto Florentino

Mr. Alegre Lit 1

Synopsis: Mario is an old man who got fired from work from stealing an apple. He said that he stole an apple for his sick daughter. He had to steal to feed his family for he used all his salary to satisfy his own selfish desires. One day he came home from work, Gloria saw Mario and she was asking for money for their daughter. Mario said that he has no money and that he was fired from work. Gloria then wondered how he lost her husband lost his job by just stealing an apple. Then Pablo, his crime buddy showed up and barged in their conversation. Pablo tells Gloria that Mario has a new job with him. Gloria then tells Mario that what he is doing is dangerous and risky, but unfortunately, those words fell on deaf ears. Mario tells Gloria not to wait for him for hell come home very late. Mario then leaves with Pablo, leaving Gloria crying.

Analysis: Kapit sa Patalim is a Filipino hyperbole expressing an unwanted decision that is need to be done. It is usually expressed by Filipinos who are living in extreme poverty. Their need for survival then pushes them to do things that are dangerous in order to survive everyday life. Many poor Filipinos are practicing this. It is the reason why there are black markets, drug pushing, drug abuse, human trafficking, robbery, mugging, killing, and etc. They say they have no choice for they are in need. Some say that it is God to blame that they are poor. Well they are all wrong. We are human beings made by God made with free will. Free will is a powerful privilege that God gave us, its the reason why we always have a choice. We have the power in our hands to shape and hone our own future. And by Gods grace and mercy, we can do all things. We just have to simply trust Him. God gave us the power to work and to create. Life is just a matter of choice.

Characters: Mario: The poor man who got fired from work for stealing an apple Gloria: Marios wife Daughter: The sick child of Mario and Gloria Pablo: The man who influences Mario to succumb to selfish desires

Setting: -House(behind Intramuros Walls) -Marios work

Conflict: -Man VS Himself

Niegas, Francis John R. III-Medtech Children of the Ash-Covered Loam By Nestor Vicente Madali Gonzalez

Mr. Alegre Lit 1

Synopsis: The story is about a seven-year-old boy named Tarang and his family living in Mindoro, as they take on kaingin system to prepare the earth for the coming planting season. This tradition is well known specially by farmers not only here in the Philippines but other nations in past civilizations. It is Tarangs first time to go with his parents to the ash-covered field where they will soon plant seeds. His father brought with him a chicken. His father bartered his mothers camisa in exchange of the chicken to be offered to the spirits. As the other farmers gather around the clearing, Tarang watches with awe and wonder as his father laid the pullets neck upon the flat of the tree stump, and without a word cut the head off. He watches closely as his father held the headless pullet up with one hand, to let the blood spurt well and make a long leap. The following day, everyone gathered on the same spot where Tarangs father killed the chicken. The ritual is practiced by farmers in Mindoro before planting because it is believed that by offering the blood of an animal and other objects to the spirits of the earth will yield them rich crops and abundant harvest.

Analysis: This story portrays a different side of the Filipinos the belief in superstitions. There are still countless Filipinos believing in superstitions, powers of the spirits of nature, guardians of earth, water and fire, deities, and etc. The Kaingin system is one of the cultural beliefs that are done in some parts of the country, especially in rural areas. They believe that if they offer a sacrifice for nature, nature itself will give them a bountiful harvest. It is sad to think that many of our countrymen are still enslaved by these practices. They miss the fact that what they are doing will only be in vain. God is the God of all seasons. He is in control of everything. Only He can control the winds, the rain, and the sun.

Characters: Tarang: the main character Tatay: Tarangs father Nanay: Tarangs mother Cris: Tarangs baby sister Paula: the one who gave Tarang the pig Tio: Longinos: Tarangs uncle Tia Pulin: Tarangs aunt Tia Adang: Tarangs aunt Setting: -Malig, Mindoro

Conflict: -Man VS Society -Man VS Nature

Niegas, Francis John R. III-Medtech Hill of Samuel By Alfred A. Yuson

Mr. Alegre Lit 1

Synopsis: There was a man named Samuel who practiced occult practices that hypnotized women in order for him to be satisfied sexually. He would ground leaves of elixir and use it to hypnotize women and execute his lustful desires unto them Dignos, the son of Samuel came back to where his father used to wield his sexual rite. He looked for the hill where his father did his orders and begot to the place through the helpless acquiescence of an aunt. He met his cousin Orlando and his girlfriend, Lumen whose features Dignos instantly desired. He went to prepare the place of the ritual and in no time he drove his mystical power to work laying aside the protestations of the malesin the community and attracted with a magnetic devilish power all the women including Lumen who was to be the main dish for his lustful appetite. Orlando, coming from a distant place from which he did amystical form of healing, tried to catch up with the ongoing sexual ritual of his cousin for fear of losing Lumen but he was powerless to the already frenzied horde of hypnotized women.

Analysis:

Evil is around us. Evil is everywhere in fact. All of these is because of the fall of man. We were made in Gods image, good, loving, pure, and powerful. Unfortunately, we sinned againt God. According to Romans 3:23, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. . God Himself is holy; he cannot stand sin. We are sinners now in nature, we are separated from God. God Himself is holy; he cannot stand sin. In this story, lust is a major factor. It is lust that drove Samuel to practice the occult. It is the same as with Dignos, his son. Sin is a trap by set by Satan. In satisfying sinful desires, there is always danger, discord, chaos, hurt, agony, confusion, hatred, anger, and etc. This story is reality. Countless people in our present time do crazy things to the extent that theyd lose their own soul just to satisfy the insatiable hunger of sin. Once you satisfy your sinful desires, it just grows bigger and bigger. It has no end. It will consume you, your love for others and your love for God. And eventually, youll die in terms of physical death and spiritual death. Sin separates man from God. According to Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death. Fortunately one man died for our sins. He made a way for us to be with God once again. It is just up to us if were going to accept it, embrace it, and live for it. I believe that Jesus the only answer for all these madness here on earth.

Characters: Samuel Dignos Orlando Lumen Candida Semela

Setting: Hill of Samuel

Conflict: -Man VS Man