MANILA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL

English 8
First Grading Period
Rabatan, Philip Anthony U.
Grade 8- Marconi
Miss Leversia E. Rivera
August 10, 2019
Reaction Paper on Francisco Sionil Jose’s “Po-on”

The Similar Characteristics of My Family and Po-on’s Characters

Istak. Dalin. Padre Jose. How can I ever forget the names of those people whose world I visited as
I read F. Sionil Jose’s Po-on? In the novel, faith, hope and love are shown by the characters as
though it’s all very simple, and they do this despite their poverty and own weaknesses.

My mother’s characteristics are the same as Dalin. From my mother, I found the most important
and most beautiful characteristic a woman can possess and it is devotion. Her courage and devotion
to duty never wavered. As a student, I experience the world as dangerous. I feel alone. I don't have
love inside and I have overwhelming needs and feelings. This is painful. But safety can only be
found in my mother. Without her, I will remain in a state of panic or anxiety, unable to love or
learn. My mother's consistent, caring, and soft and understanding attention gives me and my sibling
a safe place to turn; she transforms the dangerous world into a place of safety. Just like what Dalin
did to Istak, despite of many obstacles and wars, she still stays with Istak until he die.

My father’s characteristics are like Istak’s characteristics. Istak understands that love for country,
which involves sacrifice, is essential to discovering the meaning of his own existence. He did die
(to my great sorrow) but he gave honor to the country by proving to the Americans that Filipinos
are capable of many things. A good father makes all the difference in a child's life. My father is a
pillar of strength, support and discipline. His work is endless and, oftentimes, thankless. But in the
end, it shows in the sound, well-adjusted children he raises. My father is like Istak because he
spends quality time with his love ones. He takes the time to listen to us and have a good, easy chat
with us. Like Istak, my father illustrates the importance of affection by professing his love for my
mother in front of me and my sibling. He teaches us to deal with conflict with a family member
and with others by being firm but reasonable at the same time.

My younger brother and I are like Istak and An- no. We sometimes have misunderstanding and
we fight each other but I know we love and respect each other. It's important to set an example for
my sibling by always being respectful. I always teach my younger sibling to respect ourselves by
always being ourselves Be respectful to him, of course, but we should also be respectful to our
parents, our teachers, our friends, and even perfect strangers. Being respectful will help us a lot in
life and if we learn it from someone we really respect, it will become a lifelong habit.