Information About the Short Story “CADAVER”

I. About the “CADAVER”

 “Cadaver” is a short story about the Poverty. It tells the tale of the poverty
stricken and the lifestyle of the urban poor

II. About the Title

 It called Cadaver which pertains to a corpse or a dead human body.

III. About the Author

 He is a naturalized citizen from Manila, Philippines

 He is a Filipino playwright and book publisher.

 He published/edited 75 books under his imprints from 1959-2001

 His plays in English Center on the conflict in the everyday lives of

ordinary Filipinos.

 Has lived 20 years in New york City since 1983 and lives with his wife in
the heart of Times Square.
 Short Summary
This play is set on the edge of a cemetery in an impoverished area of
Manila. It tells the tale of the poverty stricken and the lifestyle of the
urban poor. The characters in the story are Torio, Carding and Marina.
They are underprivileged and deprived of life's basic necessities and
resources.
Torio is very ill and can barely function. "The doctor's afraid that instead
of paying him, I would beg from him." Since they have no money,
doctors refuse to pay Torio a household visit even though he is on his
death bed. Torio and Carding end up explaining to Marina the business
they had devised and how they have been supporting themselves. They
inform Marina about how they were forced to resorte to stealing from the
tombs and graves of the dead in the cemetery in order to earn money.
Torio goes on to explain how it was easier to rob from the deceased then
from the living, because the chances of getting caught were smaller.
"Rich people are always being buried with something valuable on them.
Rings, earrings, necklaces-even gold teeth! Why let these things rot
under the ground while above that ground people like us are starving!"
Torio claims how he was resentful towards the elite because they were
buried with jewels and their expensive belongings. The dead will not
need these treasures in the afterlife and here he was, struggling to get
by.

Torio died because of being wounded from the corpse in the cemetery,
and they have the beliefs that when you get hurt or get wounded from
the dead you will be the next one who will die.
 Elements of Story
I. Setting
This play is set on the edge of cemetery in an impoverished area of
Manila
It is afternoon

II. Characters

Torio- He is around 28 years old, with a square jaw and well-developed

body. He is sick, his eyes being closed as if in sleep. He lives a makeshift
house at the edge of a cemetery in Manila with his wife Marina and steals
jewelries from a grave with his friend Carding. He struggled to live and
get medication for his sickness because of poverty.
Carding- A frail-bodied, slow moving man, in dirty pants and t-shirt. He
is a friend of bedridden Torio living in the same situation in the slums.
And because of desperation for money and pressure from his friend he end
up getting involved in Torio’s antics.
Marina- She is a plain woman of 25 -26 years old, sloppily dressed in a
formless, tunic-like gray dress. And obviously she is the same state of
living like the two, but despite the way of live she is still just compared to
Carding and Torio.
III. Plot
 Exposition

 The play starts with the character of Torio, as he screams in pain

because his wounded left foot, symbolizing the unjust situation of the
dead resting in peace; he barely survives a day without any worries

 Climax

 Teang gave birth to their first born son, named Blas. It was then when
Dodong felt embarrased because he knew that he was not yet ready to
support his family.

 Falling Action

 Dodong and Teang started to experience the hardships and complexities of

being married at a young age.

 sResolution
  Blas, at the age of 18,wanted to marry Tona. Dodong did not object
though he does not want Blas to marry , yet , he even try to make Blas
think twice before rushing into marriage because he does not want Blas to
end up like him.

IV. Conflict
 Man vs Self
 Dodong was struggling because of his sudden decision of getting married at the
age of 17.

V. Theme

 The story “Cadaver” is about Poverty Stricken and the lifestyle of the urban poor.

VI. Point of View

 The story is in third person point of view.

 Literary Criticism based on the Literary Standards
I. Artistry
 The distinct “literariness” in this text is determined by his usage of theme, and
style in order to relay the story in an easily comprehensible way.

II. Style

 Footnote to Youth could be said to portray the philosophy of realism. Realism in

literature attempts to describe life without any kind of idealization or romantic
notions wherein human life and social conditions are presented in its actual state.

III. Intellectual Value

  Footnote to Youth is much advised to be incorporated to the secondary curriculum
where younger students could glean lessons on about the pitfall of early marriage
due to the alarming rise of teenage pregnancy and marriages in the country.

IV. Spiritual Value

 The story did not mention the relationship of the characters with God, but implied
that no human are wise enough to solve the riddles of life. At the end of the day,
we will just lift up our decisions to the Highest and ready for the consequences it
may bring.

V. Suggestiveness

 Footnote to Youth is suggestive. The author let the readers think how they want
the story end. He let them decide if we would make a positive ending or make an
ending with unresolved problem of teenage marriage that has been a cycle of their
life.

VI. Universality

 The story does not only apply to Dodong but also to the youth of his age who are
in quest of his wisdom.
 “Dodong is Villa’s representation of a youth who had been waylaid by love. He
had also served as a caution to those youth that love must not overpower wit and
defy reasons. “
-O.J.G. Agbing-

VII. Permanence

 The Footnote was published in 1933 and the theme of the story which is teenage
marriage until now, is one of the social problems that we are encountering. The
lessons that the story has given us maybe applied until this day and will remain
unchanged until there are youth who are reckless and irresponsible of their actions
towards love and marriage.