LIT102-ASEAN-Literature-Module (1).pdf

ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 2 Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 3 Foreword Literature has no boundaries. It is from anywhere, anytime, and any age. This instructional material tries to bind together people and culture of ASEAN countries in the hope that this becomes an instrument to orient the people of the diversity and similarities of member countries. This becomes the basis of now students and future professionals and technicians to deal and adapt to the ASEAN environment. This minimizes the possible barriers in business, education, engineering, and other trades. This may also encourage collaboration and cooperation among member countries. This may include academic update, economic growth, and trade facilitation. This also considers peace and stability of the members. Moreover, as communication to neighboring countries is at the click of the finger, learning language and culture through this instructional material adds confidence in communicating with neighboring countries. This instructional material includes the basic member countries like Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. Each country showcases important pieces of literature. Every piece is considered a lesson. Activities are done before reading the piece. These are to set the context of each piece for a better understanding. The traditional vocabulary building is dealt with to ensure better perusal of the piece. Various techniques may be used to enhance student vocabulary. New and important words and expressions are lifted from the text. Language use is enhanced through this vocabulary building. Added are motive questions or guides while reading. After Reading Activities do not only deal with the readers’ understanding but also analyzing to figure out matters on culture, values, and craftsmanship of the authors. These make use of the readers’ higher order thinking skills which may help them in dealing with various situations. This instructional material attempts to make the readers creative. Every lesson has creative activity using skills and language learned. It may be individual, dyadic or group. In addition, each lesson poses On A Personal Note activity making the readers express more their ideas on the focus of each piece of literature. Technology is used in publishing individual output. This aims to make the learners express with basis and to have more sensible ideas. In capsule, this material is an attempt to make the learners read, think, express, create, appreciate, and connect to the neighboring countries in the region. This makes them know no boundaries in learning and in trade. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 4 Table of Contents Title Page Preface Acknowledgment Introduction Table of Contents Topic 1 Philippines Si Mabuti by Genoveva Edroza- Matute Tata Selo by Rogelio Sikat Morning in Nagrebcan by Manuel E. Arguilla Topic 2 Vietnam A Cherished Daughter School Boy's Apology Inside the Submarines Topic 3 Brunei Borneo's Green Heart Travel Brunei Darrussalam by Bandar Seri Begawan The Oilfield Labourers Topic 4 Myanmar The Kindergarten Teacher The Wedding Reception Because of Just Being Rohingya Topic 5 Thailand Boatman's Love Song Three Line Poem by Uten Mahamid Summary Collection of Thai Century Literatures Smile of the Rice Goddess by Chiranan Pitpreecha E-san by Nai Pee What is such forging? by Ujjeni A Poet pledge 1 and A Poet's Pledge 2 by Angkarn Kalayanapong Mere Movement by Naowarat Pongpaiboon Maum by M. R. Kukrit Pramoj Champoon by Dhep Mahapaoraya The Barbs by Phaitoon Thanya Topic 6 Cambodia The Crocodile and the Five Judges The Two Women Scrambled for a baby Bed Bug and the Louse Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 5 Topic 7 Laos There is not Only You by Dana Kanlagna The Bewail of Mother by Dr. Thongkham Onemanisone The Mosquito (A Tale from Laos) Topic 8. Indonesia Mrs. Geni in December by Arswendo Atmowiloto Only in Poetry by Ajip Rosidi The Birth of a Poem by Subagio Sastrowardojo Topic 9 Singapore Grandfather's Story by Catherine Lim The Exile by Edwin Thumboo Sunflowers for a Friend by Lee Yzu Pheng Topic 10 Malaysia Friend (Sahabat) by Anwar Ridhwan In the Distance (Saujana) by Kemala The Frying Pan (Kuali Hitam) by Zurinah Hassan Appendices Rubrics Glossary Bibliography Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 7 Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 8 Philippines Fiction 1 Objectives A. Discuss the theme of the fiction based on experience. B. Compare the language used in the fiction and the present language. C. Talk about the emotions given by the fiction. D. Criticize characters’ roles, values, and abilities. E. Create performing art from the theme of the fiction. F. Write commentary on women's roles. Pre-reading Activity Teen-agers are fond of name-calling. They do it to everyone and teachers are not exceptions to this. Share to class the names you have given your teachers. Do not give the real name or identity of the teacher. Tell also why you have given the name. Vocabulary at Work Say something about these Filipino words. malirip agam-agam napatda naulinig kandungan magmasid kariktan Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 9 While Reading Why did her students call her Mabuti? Si Mabuti Ni Genoveva Edroza-Matute Hindi ko siya nakikita ngayon. Ngunit sinasabi nilang naroroon pa siya sa dating pinagtuturuan, sa walang pintang paaralang una kong kinakitaan ng sa kanya. Sa isa sa mga lumang silid sa ikalawang palapag, sa itaas ng lumang hagdang umiingit sa bawat hakbang, doon sa kung manunungaw ay matatanaw ang maitim na tubig ng isang estero. Naroon pa siya't nagtuturo ng mga kaalamang pang-aklat, at bumubuhay ng isang uri ng karunungang sa kanya ko lamang natutuhan. Lagi ko siyang inuugnay sa kariktan ng buhay. Saan man sa kagandahan; sa tanawin, sa isang isipan o sa isang tunog kaya, nakikita ko siya at ako'y lumiligaya. Ngunit walang anumang maganda sa kanyang anyo. at sa kanyang buhay. Siya ay isa sa mga pangkaraniwang guro noon. Walang sinumang nag-ukol sa kanya ng pansin. Mula sa pananamit hanggang sa paraan ng pagdadala niya ng mga pananagutan sa paaralan, walang masasabing anumang pangkaraniwan sa kanya. Siya'y tinatawag naming lahat na si Mabuti kung siya'y nakatalikod. Ang salitang iyon ang simula ng halos lahat ng kanyang pagsasalita. Iyon ang mga pumalit sa mga salitang hindi niya maalala kung minsan, at nagiging pamuno sa mga sandaling pag-aalanganin. Sa isang paraang alirip, iyon ay nagiging salaminan ng uri ng paniniwala sa buhay. "Mabuti," ang sasabihin niya, "ngayo'y magsisimula tayo sa araling ito. Mabuti nama't umabot tayo sa bahaging ito. Mabuti, Mabuti!" Hindi ako kailanman magtatapat sa kanya ng anuman kung di lamang nahuli niya akong lumuluha nang hapong iyon, iniluha ng bata kong puso ang pambata ring suliranin. Noo'y magtatakipsilim na at maliban sa pabugso-bugsong hiyawan ng mga nagsisipanood sa pagsasanay ng mga manlalaro ng paaralan, ang buong paligid ay tahimik na. Sa isang tagong sulok ng silid-aklatan,pinilit kong lutasin ang aking suliranin sa pagluha. Doon niya ako natagpuan. "Mabuti't may tao pala rito," wika niyang ikinukubli ang pag-aagam-agam sa narinig. "Tila may suliranin, mabuti sana kung makakatulong ako." Ibig kong tumakas sa kanya at huwag nang bumalik pa kailanman. Sa bata kong isipan, ay ibinilang kong kahihiyan at kababaan ang pagkikita pa naming muli sa hinaharap, pagkikitang magbabalik sa gunita ng hapong iyon. Ngunit, hindi ako makakilos sa sinabi niya pagkatapos. Napatda ako na napaupong bigla sa katapat na luklukan. "Hindi ko alam na may tao rito... naparito ako upang umiyak din." Hindi ako nakapangusap sa katapatang naulinig ko sa kanyang tinig. Nakababa ang kanyang paningin sa aking kandungan. Maya-maya pa'y nakita ko ang bahagyang ngiti sa kanyang labi. Tinanganan niya ang aking mga kamay at narinig ko na lamang ang tinig sa pagtatapat sa suliraning sa palagay ko noo'y siyang pinakamabigat. Nakinig siya sa akin, at ngayon, sa paglingon ko sa pangyayaring iyo'y nagtataka ako kung paanong napigil niya ang paghalakhak sa gayong kamusmos na bagay. Ngunit siya'y nakinig nang buong pagkaunawa, at alam ko na ang pagmamalasakit niya'y tunay na matapat. Lumabas kaming magkasabay sa paaralan. Ang panukalang naghihiwalay sa amin ay natatanaw na ng bigla kong makaalala. "Siyanga pala, Ma'am, kayo? Kayo nga pala? Ano ho iyong ipinunta ninyo sa sulok na iyon na iniiyakan ko?" Tumawa siya Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 10 nang marahan at inulit ang mga salitang iyon; "ang sulok na iyon na... iniiyakan natin... nating dalawa." Nawala ang marahang halakhak sa kanyang tinig: "Sana'y masabi ko sa iyo, ngunit ang suliranin... kailanman. Ang ibig kong sabihin ay... maging higit na mabuti sana sa iyo ang...buhay." Si Mabuti'y naging isang bagong nilikha sa akin mula nang araw na iyon. Sa pagsasalita niya mula sa hapag, pagtatanong, sumagot, sa pagngiti niyang mabagal at mahihiyain niyang mga ngiti sa amin, sa pagkalim ng kunot sa noo niya sa kanyang pagkayamot, naririnig kong muli ang mga yabag na palapit sa sulok na iyon ng silid-aklatan. Ang sulok na iyon... "Iniiyakan natin," ang sinabi niya nang hapong iyon. At habang tumataginting sa silid namin ang kanyang tinig sa pagtuturo'y hinuhulaan ko ang dahilan o mga dahilan ng pagtungo niya sa sulok na iyon ng silid-aklatan. Hinuhulaan ko kung nagtutungo pa siya roon, sa aming sulok na iyong... aming dalawa. At sapagkat natuklasan ko ang katotohanang iyon tungkol sa kanya, nagsimula akong magmasid, maghintay ng mga bakas ng kapaitan sa kanyang mga sinsabi. Ngunit, sa tuwina, kasayahan, pananalig, pag-asa ang taglay niya sa aming silid-aralan. Pinuno nya ng maririkit na guni-guni an gaming isipan at ng mga tunog ang aming mga pandinig at natutuhan naming unti-unti ang kagandahan ng buhay. Bawat aralin namin sa panitikan ay naging isang pagtighaw sa kauhawan naming sa kagandahan at ako'y humanga. Wala iyon doon kanina, ang masasabi ko sa aking sarili pagkatapos na maipadama niya sa amin ang kagandahan ng buhay sa aming aralin. At hindi naging akin ang pagtuklas na ito sa kariktan kundi pagkatapos lamang ng pangyayaring iyon sa silid-aklatan. Ang pananalig niya sa kalooban ng Maykapal, sa sangkatauhan, sa lahat na, isa sa mga pinakamatibay na aking nakilala. Nakasasaling ng damdamin. Marahil, ang pananalig niyang iyon ang nagpakita sa kanya ng kagandahan sa mga bagay na karaniwan na lamang sa amin ay walang kabuluhan. Hindi siya bumabanggit ng anuman tungkol sa kanyang sarili sa buong panahon ng pag-aaral namin sa kanya, Ngunit bumabanggit siya tungkol sa kanyang anak na babae, sa tangi niyang anak... nang paulit-ulit. Hindi rin siya bumabanggit sa amin kailanman tungkol sa ama ng batang iyon. Ngunit, dalawa sa mga kamag-aral namin ang nakababatid na siya'y hindi balo. Walang pag-aalinlangan ang lahat ng bagay at pangarap niyang maririkit ay nakapaligid sa batang iyon. Isinalaysay niya sa amin ang katabilan niyon. Ang paglaki ng mga pangarap niyon, ang nabubuong layunin niyon niyang baka siya ay hindi umabot sa matatayog na pangarap ng kanyang anak. Maliban sa iilan sa aming pangkat, paulit-ulit niyang pagbanggit sa kanyang anak ay iisa lamang sa mga bagay na "pinagtitiisang" pakinggan sapagkat walang paraang maiwasan iyon. Sa akin, ang bawat pagbanggit niyon ay nagkakaroon ng kahulugan sapagkat noon pa man ay nabubuo na sa aking isipan ang isang hinala. Sa kanyang magandang salaysay, ay nalalaman ang tungkol sa kaarawan ng kanyang anak, ang bagong kasuotan niyong may malaking lasong pula sa baywang, ang mga kaibigan niyong mga bata rin, ang kanilang mga handog. Ang anak niya'y anim na taong gulang na. Sa susunod na taon niya'y magsisimula na iyong mag-aral. At ibig ng guro naming maging manggagamot ang kanyang anak at isang mabuting manggagamot. Nasa bahaging iyon ang pagsasalita ng aming guro nang isang bata sa aking likuran ang bumulong: "Gaya ng kanyang ama!" Narinig ng aming guro ang sinabing iyon ng batang lalaki. At siya'y nagsalita. "Oo, gaya ng kanyang ama," ang wika niya. Ngunit tumakas ang dugo sa kanyang mukha habang sumisilay ang isang pilit na ngiti sa kanyang labi. Iyon ang una at huling pagbanggit sa aming klase ang tungkol sa ama ng batang may kaarawan. Matitiyak ko noong may isang bagay ngang mali siya sa buhay niya. Mali siya nang ganoon na lamang. At habang nakaupo ako sa aking luklukan, may dalawang dipa lamang ang layo sa kanya, kumirot ang puso ko sa pagnanasang lumapit sa kanya, tanganan ang kanyang mga kamay gaya ng ginawa niya nang hapong iyon sa sulok ng silid-aklatan, at hilinging magbukas ng dibdib sa akin. Marahil, makagagaan sa kanyang damdamin kung may mapagtatapatan siyang isang tao man lamang. Ngunit, ito ang sumupil sa pagnanasa kong yaon; ang mga kamag-aral kong nakikinig ng walang anumang Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 11 malasakit sa kanyang sinasabing, "Oo, gaya ng kanyang ama," habang tumatakas ang dugo sa kanyang mukha. Pagkatapos, may sinabi siyang hindi ko makakalimutan kailanman. Tiningnan niya ako ng buong tapang na pinipigil ang pagnginig ng mga labi at sinabi ang ganito: "Mabuti.. mabuti gaya ng sasabihin nitong iyon lamang nakararanas ng mga lihim na kalungkutan ang maaaring makakilala ng mga lihim na kaligayahan." "Mabuti, at ngayon, magsimula sa ating aralin". Natiyak ko noon, gaya ng pagkakatiyak ko ngayon na hindi akin ang pangungusap na iyon, nadama kong siya at ako ay iisa. At kami ay bahagi ng mga nilalang na sapagkat nakaranas ng mgan lihim na kalungkutan ay nakakilala ng mga lihim na kaligayahan. At minsan pa, nang umagang iyon, habang unti-unting bumabalik ang dating kulay ng mukha niya, muli niyang ipinamalas sa amin ang mga natatagong kagandahan sa aralin namin sa panitikan. Ang kariktan ng katapangan; ang kariktan ng pagpapatuloy anuman ang kulay ng buhay. At ngayon, ilang araw lamang ang nakararaan buhat nang mabalitaan ko ang tungkol sa pagpanaw ng manggagamot na iyon. Ang ama ng batang iyon marahil ay magiging isang manggagamot din balang araw, ay namatay at naburol ng dalawang gabi at dalawang araw sa isang bahay na hindi siyang tirahan ni Mabuti at ng kanyang anak. At naunawaan ko ang lahat. Sa hubad na katotohanan niyon at sa buong kalupitan niyon ay naunawaan ko ang lahat. After Reading Narration: 1. Who is telling the story? 2. What point of view is used? 3. Why is she telling the story? 4. How is the story told? What technique is used? 5. What do you think if the story is told in another perspective? An author uses narrative conventions in writing fictions. They are the techniques used by the author in making meaning in the fiction. These may be particular to characters, development of plot, settings, point-of-view, or style. With regard to plot convention, it has a number of techniques. These are backstory, tells the events of the story that happen before the present story; Chekhov’s gun, tells of an inherent object inserted in the narrative;in medias res, narration that starts at the middle of the story; narrative hook, tells a catchy story opening to hook the attention of the readers; story within a story or hypodiegesis, tells a story within a story; deus-ex- Machina,tells a good character in a bad situation ensures character wins with an unexpected or implausible used to resolve the situation; plot twist, tells a surprise ending; poetic justice, tells a reward to the good characters and punishes the bad characters; cliffhanger, tells and abrupt ending which places the main characters in a perilous situation with no resolution; flashback, tells an interjected scene of the story that takes it back in time from the current point in the story and often used to tell the events that happened before another important event; flash forward tells a scene that takes the narrative to a future time from the current point of the story ; foreshadowing, indicates or hints something is coming in the latter part of the story. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 12 Point-of-view is a narrative convention which tells from whose perspective is the story told. It may be a character, first person point-of view; third person narrator, telling the story by an impersonal narrator not affected by story situations; and unreliable narrator, telling the story by an insincere narrator, misleading the readers; stream of consciousness, exposing the character’s mind to the readers through his monologue; audience surrogate, character who expresses queries or agitations which are the same questions that readers would ask. Another convention is style. There are also a number of techniques under this convention. Figures of speech like hyperbole, metonymy, euphemism, oxymoron, and many more are style techniques. Pathos or emotional appeal is another style technique used to inspire or pity a character. In addition to these techniques for style are sensory detail, which forms mental images of scenes using descriptive words; Leitwortstil, which repeats on purpose the words that usually express a motif or theme important to the story; dramatic visualization, which presents an object or character with much description or gestures and dialogues making scenes vivid for the audience. Theme: 1. What reality of life is shown in the story? 2. Which parts of the story reveal this? 3. If you were Mabuti, how will you react to people’s negative comments to you? 4. If you knew your teacher’s secret, will you react the same as the student who said “Gaya ng kanyang ama?” 5. If you were Mabuti, how will you respond to this reaction? The theme of the story is the underlying message or the central idea. It is about life that the author is conveying in the story which is universal in nature.it is about human experience. Short stories often have one theme. The theme is entwined in the story which is reflected in the characters’ words and actions, events, and other elements. The reader can ask himself the following to get the theme: What is the author trying to convey in the characters and events of the fiction? What are the key phrases or sentences? Repeating symbols or motifs is a writer’s way of revealing the theme. What’s the big idea - love, hate, war, passion, peace, friendship, crime ? Does the title suggest the theme? What does the story tell about human life? Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 13 Emotional Appeal: 1. How did you feel while reading? 2. Read the story parts that make you feel that way. 3. What are in these line that make you feel that way? Emotional appeal moves the emotion of the reader or audience. It is a way or method used by the author to create emotional response among his reader or audience. Persuasive writing is used. The language should sway the emotion to convince the readers. The author fills more emotional content with descriptive details to make the readers feel the scene. Metaphor or simile is often used to create comparison to feel the connection in the story. Authors show emotional scenes rather than telling, making characters sympathetic or unsympathetic, using words which can greatly affect reader emotions, turning the story in an unexpected direction, and using details to mire readers in the reality of the scene. Literary Approach: Feminism 1. Is Matute’s creation of Mabuti moral? 2. Comment on Mabuti’s support to her daughter’s dream of becoming a doctor. 3. Does Matute elevate or not women’s role in society through Mabuti? Feminism uplifts women goals by defining and establishing equality in the family,civil, social, political, and economic arena. Feminist literature is often associated with literary pieces written by women that deal with women in the society.It also involves characters or ides which chide the common gender norms dominated with masculinity. This approach gives an impact to the voice of women. New Historicism 1. What expressions in the story tell you this story was written long time ago? 2. Is the case of Mabuti still present in schools? 3. If you were an owner of a school, will you hire a teacher like her? New Historicism deals with the cultural context during the writing of the piece of literature. This approach interprets literature for its meaning or idea in a particular socio-historical atmosphere.it needs an understanding of the author’s milieu and the cultural context during its production. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 14 Creating With Them Students bring songs with lyrics which they think have the same theme like the story or songs which represent the story. Students are grouped and exchange ideas to which song can best represent the story as to its theme. Each group presents a dance number using the song. Each group briefly explains the choice of song and the steps in the dance. On A Personal Note Have a short write up about Mabuti as a woman. Send your work to the teacher through messenger. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 15 Fiction 2 Objectives A. Give the fiction a satisfying ending. B. Expose the era of the fiction. C. Justify the focus of the fiction. D. Evaluate the acts of the characters. E. Compare Philippine society then and now Pre-reading Activity Have three pairs in front. Stick them together using packaging tape round their arms and calves (one side only). Have them tour the classroom in bondage. Ask them to free themselves in front without scissors, cutters, and knives. Interview 1. Was it good to be in bondage? 2. If you were not freed, what will you do? 3. Give the moral lesson of the experience. Vocabulary at Work paulik-ulik istaked cabesa tinungkod propitaryo lilik naembargo While Reading Do you pity Tata Selo or not? Tata Selo ni Rogelio Sikat Maliit lamang sa simula ang kalumpon ng taong nasa bakuran ng munisipyo, ngunit ng tumaas ang araw, at kumalat na ang balitang tinaga at napatay si Kabesang Tano, ay napuno na ang bakuran ng bahay-pamahalaan. Naggitgitan ang mga tao, nagsiksikan, nagtutulakan, bawat isa’y naghahangan makalapit sa istaked. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 16 “Totoo ba, Tata Selo?” “Binawi niya ang aking saka kaya tinaga ko siya.” Nasa loob ng istaked si Tata Selo. Mahigpit na nakahawak sa rehas. May nakaalsang putok sa noo. Nakasungaw ang luha sa malabo at tila lagi nang may inaaninaw na mata. Kupas ang gris niyang suot, may mga tagpi na ang siko at paypay. Ang kutod niyang yari sa matibay na supot ng asin ay may bahid ng natuyong putik. Nasa harap niya at kausap ang isang magbubukid ang kanyang kahangga, na isa sa nakalusot sa mga pulis na sumasawata sa nagkakagulong tao. “Hindi ko ho mapaniwalaan, Tata Selo,” umiiling na wika ng kanyang kahangga, “talagang hindi ko ho mapaniwalaan.” Hinaplus-haplos ni tata Selo ang ga-daliri at natuyuan na ng dugong putok sa noo. Sa kanyang harapan, di kalayuan sa istaked, ipinagtitilakan ng mga pulis ang mga taong ibig makakita sa kanya. Mainit ang Sikat ng araw na tumatama sa mga ito, walang humihihip na hangin at sa kanilang ulunan ay nakalutang ang nagsasalisod na alikabok. “Bakit niya babawiin ang saka?” tanong ng Tata Selo. “Dinaya ko na ba siya sa partihan? Tinuso ko na ba siya? Siya ang may-ari ng lupa at kasama lang niya ako. Hindi ba’t kaya maraming nagagalit sa akin ay dahil sa ayaw kong magpamigay ng kahit isang pinangko kung anihan?” Hndi pa rin umalis sa harap ng istaked si Tata Selo. Nakahawak pa rin siya sa rehas. Nakatingin siya sa labas ngunit wala siyang sino mang tinitingnan. Hindi mo na sana tinaga ang Kabesa,” anang binatang anak ng pinakamayamang propitaryo sa San Roque, na tila isang magilas na pinunong bayan nakalalahad sa pagitan ng maraming tao sa istaked. Mataas ito, maputi, nakasalaming may kulay, at nakapamaywang habang naninigarilyo. “Binabawi po niya ang aking saka,” sumbong ni Tata Selo. “Saan pa po ako pupunta kung wala na akong saka?” Kumumpas ang binatang mayaman. “Hindi katwiran iyan para tagain mo ang Kabesa. Ari niya ang lupang sinasaka mo. Kung gusto ka niyang paalisin, mapapaalis ka niya anumang oras.” Halos lumabas ang mukha ni Tata Selo sa rehas. “Ako po’y hindi ninyo nauunawaan,” nakatingala at nagpipilit ngumiting wika niya sa binatang Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 17 nagtapon ng sigarilyo at mariing tinapakan pagkatapos. “alam po ba ninyong dating amin ang lupang iyon? Naisangla lamang po nang magkasakit ang aking asawa, naembargo lamang po ng Kabesa. Pangarap ko pong bawiin ang lupang iyon kaya nga po ako hindi nagbibigay ng kahit isang pinangko kung anihan. Kung hindi ko na naman po mababawi, masasaka man lamang po.nakikiusap po ako sa Kabesa kangina. ‘kung maaari po sana, ‘Besa’’, wika ko po, ‘kung maaari po sana, huwag naman po ninyo akong paalisin. Kaya ko pa pong magsaka, ‘Besa. Totoo pong ako’y matanda na, ngunit ako pa nama’y malakas pa.’ Ngunit…Ay! Tinungkod po niya ako nang tinungkod, Tingnan po n’yong putok sa aking noo, tingnan po ‘nyo.” Dumukot ng sigarilyo ang binata. Nagsindi ito at pagkaraa’y tinalikuran si Tata Selo at lumapit sa isang pulis. “Pa’no po ba’ng nangyari, Tata Selo?” Sa pagkakahawak sa rehas, napabaling si Tata Selo. Nakita niya ang isang batang magbubukid na nakalapit sa istaked. Nangiti si Tata Selo. Narito ang isang magbubukid, anak-magbubukid na naniniwala sa kanya. Nakataas ang malapad na sumbrerong balanggot ng bata. Nangungulintab ito, ang mga bisig at binti ay may halas. May sukbit itong lilik. “Pinuntahan niya ako sa aking saka, amang,” paliwanag ni Tata Selo. “Doon ba sa may sangka. Pinaalis ako sa aking saka, ang wika’y iba na raw ang magsasaka. Nang makiusap ako’y tinungkod ako. Ay! Tinungkod ako, amang, nakikiusap ako sapagkat kung mawawalan ako ng saka ay saan pa ako pupunta?” “Wala na nga kayong mapupuntahan, Tata Selo.” Gumapang ang luha sa pisngi ni Tata Selo. Tahimik na nakatingin sa kanya ang bata. “Patay po ba?” Namuti ang mga kamao ni Tata Selo sa pagkakahawak sa rehas. Napadukmo siya sa balikat. “Pa’no po niyan si Saling?” muling tanong ng bata. Tinutukoy nito ang maglalabimpitong anak ni Tata Selo na ulila na sa ina. Katulong ito kina Kabesang Tano at kamakalawa lamang umuwi kay Tata Selo. “Pa’no po niyan si Saling?” Lalong humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Tata Selo sa rehas. Hindi pa nakakausap ng alkalde si Tata Selo. Mag-aalas-onse na nang dumating ito, kasama ang hepe ng pulis. Galing sila sa bahay ng kabesa. Abut-abot ang busina ng dyip na kinasaksakyan ng dalawang upang mahawi ang hanggang noo’y di pa nag-aalisang tao. Tumigil ang dyip sa di-kalayuan sa istaked. “Patay po ba? Saan po ang taga?” Naggitgitan at nagsiksikan ang mga pinagpawisang tao. Itinaas ng may-katabaang alkalde ang dalawang kamay upang payapain ang pagkakaingay. Nanulak ang malaking lalaking hepe. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 18 “Saan po tinamaan?” “Sa bibig.” Ipinasok ng alkalde ang kanang palad sa bibig, hinugot iyon at mariing ihinagod hanggang sa kanang punog tainga. “Lagas ang ngipin.” Nagkagulo ang mga tao. Nagsigawan, nagsiksikan, naggitgitan, nagtulakan. Nanghataw ng batuta ang mga pulis. Ipinasya ng alkalde na ipalabas ng istaked si Tata Selo at dalhin sa kanyang tanggapan. Dalawang pulis ang kumuha kay Tata Selo sa istaked. “Mabibilanggo ka niyan, Tata Selo,” anang alkalde pagkapasok ni Tata Selo. Umupo si Tata Selo sa silyang nasa harap ng mesa. Nanginginig ang kamay ni Tata Selo nang ipatong niya iyon sa nasasalaminang mesa. “Pa’no nga ba’ng nangyari?” kunot at galit na tanong ng alkalde. Matagal bago nakasagot si Tata Selo. “Binawi po niya ang aking saka, Presidente,” wika ni Tata Selo. “Ayaw ko pong umalis doon. Dati pong amin ang lupang iyon, amin, po, Naisangla lamang po at naembargo—“ “Alam ko na iyan,” kumukupas at umiiling na putol ng nabubugnot na alkalde. Lumunok si Tata Selo. Nang muli siyang tumingin sa presidente, may nakasungaw nang luha sa kanyang malalabo at tila lagi nang may inaaninaw na mata. “Ako po naman, Presidente, ay malakas pa,” wika ni Tata Selo. “Kaya ko pa pong magsaka. Makatuwiran po bang paalisin ako? Malakas pa po naman ako, Presidente, malakas pa po.” “Saan mo tinaga ang Kabesa?” Matagal bago nakasagot si Tata Selo. “Nasa may sangka po ako nang dumating ang Kabesa. Nagtatapal po ako ng pitas na pilapil. Alam ko pong pinanonood ako ng kabesa, kung kaya po naman pinagbuti ko ang paggawa, para malaman niyang ako po’y talagang malakas pa, kaya ko pa pong magsaka. Walang anu-ano po, tinawag niya ako at nang ako po’y lumapit, sinabi niyang makakaalis na ako sa aking saka sapagkat iba na ang magsasaka. ‘Bakit po naman, ‘Besa?’ tanong ko po. Ang wika’y umalis na lang daw po ako. ‘Bakit po naman, ‘Besa?’ Tanong ko po uli, ‘malakas pa po naman ako, a’ Nilapitan po niya ako. Nakiusap pa po ako sa kanya, ngunit ako po’y… Ay! Tinungkod po niya ako ng tinungkod nang tinungkod.” “Tinaga mo na no’n,” anag nakamatyag na hepe. Tahimik sa tanggapan ng alkalde. Lahat ng tingin—may mga eskribante pang nakapasok doon—ay nakatuon kay Tata Selo. Nakayuko si Tata Selo at gagalaw-galaw ang tila mamad na daliri sa ibabaw ng maruming kutod. Sa pagkakatapak sa makintab na sahig, hindi mapalagay ang kanyang may putik, maalikabok at luyang paa. “Ang iyong anak, na kina Kabesa raw?” usisa ng alkalde. Hindi sumagot si Tata Selo. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 19 “Tinatanong ka anang hepe.” Lumunok si Tata Selo. “Umuwi na po si Saling, Presidente.” “Kailan?” “Kamakalawa po ng umaga.” “Di ba’t kinakatulong siya ro’n?” “Tatlong buwan na po.” “Bakit siya umuwi?” Dahan-dahang umangat ang mukha ni Tata Selo. Naiiyak na napayuko siya. “May sakit po siya.” Nang sumapit ang alas-dose—inihudyat iyon ng sunod-sunod na pagtugtog ng kampana sa simbahan na katapat lamang ng munisipyo—ay umalis ang alkalde upang mananghalian. Naiwan si Tata Selo, kasama ang hepe at dalawang pulis. “Napatay mo pala ang kabesa,” anang malaking lalaking hepe. Lumapit ito kay Tata Selo na Nakayuko at di pa natitinag sa upuan. “Binabawi po niya ang aking saka.” Katwiran ni Tata Selo. Sinapo ng hepe si Tata Selo. Sa lapag halos mangudngod si Tata Selo. “Tinungkod po niya ako ng tinungkod,” nakatingala, umiiyak at kumikinig ang labing katwiran ni Tata Selo. Itinayo ng hepe si Tata Selo. Kinadyot ng hepe si Tata Selo sa sikmura. Sa sahig napaluhod si Tata Selo, nakakapit sa uniporment kaki ng hepe. “Tinungkod po niya ako ng tinungkod… Ay! Tinungkod po niya ako ng tinungkod ng tinungkod…” Sa may pinto ng tanggapan, naaawang nakatingin ang dalawang pulis. “Si Kabesa kasi ang nagrekomenda kay Tsip, e,” sinabi ng isa nang si Tata Selo ay tila damit na nalaglag sa pagkakasabit nang muling pagmalupitan ng hepe. Mapula ang sumikat na araw kinabukasan. Sa bakuran ng munisipyo nagkalat ang papel na naiwan nang nagdaang araw. Hindi pa namamatay ang alikabok, gayong sa pagdating ng buwang iyo’y dapat nang nag-uuulan. Kung may humihihip na hangin, may mumunting ipu-ipong nagkakalat ng mga papel sa itaas. “Dadalhin ka siguro sa kabesera, Selo,” anang bagong paligo at bagong bihis na alkalde sa matandang nasa loob ng istaked. “Don ka suguro ikukulong.” Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 20 Wala ni papag sa loob ng istaked at sa maruming sementadong lapag nakasalampak si Tata Selo. Sa paligid niya’y natutuyong tamak-tamak na tubig. Naka-unat ang kanyang maiitim at hinahalas na paa at nakatukod ang kanyang tila walang butong mga kamay. Nakakiling, naka-sandal siya sa steel matting na siyang panlikurang dingding ng istaked. Sa malapit sa kanyang kamay, hindi na gagalaw ang sartin ng maiitim na kape at isang losang kanin. Nilalangaw iyon. “Habang-buhay siguro ang ibibigay sa iyo,” patuloy ng alkalde. Nagsindi ito ng tabako at lumapit sa istaked. Makintab ang sapatos ng alkalde. “Patayin na rin ninyo ako, Presidente.” Paos at bahagya nang narinig si Tata Selo. Napatay ko po ang Kabesa. Patayin na rin ninyo po ako.” Takot humipo sa maalikabok na rehas ang alkalde. Hindi niya nahipo ang rehas ngunit pinagkiskis niya ng mga palad at tiningnan niya kung may alikabok iyon. Nang tingnan niya si Tata Selo, nakita niyang lalo nang nakiling ito. May mga tao namang dumarating sa munisipyo. Kakaunti lang iyon kaysa kahapon. Nakapasok ang mga iyon sa bakuran ng munisipyo, ngunit may kasunod na pulis. Kakaunti ang magbubukid sa bagong langkay na dumating at titingin kay Tata Selo. Karamihan ay taga-Poblacion. Hanggang noon, bawat isa’y nagtataka, hindi makapaniwala, gayong kalat na ang balitang ililibing kinahapunan ang Kabesa. Nagtataka at hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin sila kay Tata Selo na tila isang di pangkaraniwang hayop na itatanghal. Ang araw, katulad kahapon, ay mainit na naman. Nang magdadakong alas-dos, dumating ang anak ni Tata Selo. Pagkakita sa lugmok na ama, mahigpit itong napahawak sa rehas at malakas na humagulgol. Nalaman ng alkalde na dumating si Saling at ito’y ipinatawag sa kanyang tanggapan. Di-nagtagal at si Tata Selo naman ang ipinakaon. Dalawang pulis ang umalalay kay Tata Selo. Halos buhatan siyang dalawang pulis. Pagdating sa bungad ng tanggapan ay tila saglit na nagkaroon ng lakad si Tata Selo. Nakita niya ang babaing nakaupo sa harap ng mesa ng presidente. Nagyakap ang mag-ama pagkakita. “Hindi ka na sana naparito Saling,” wika ni Tata Selo na napaluhod. “May sakit ka, Saling, may sakit ka!” Tila tulala ang anak ni Tata Selo habang kalong ang ama. Nakalugay ang walang kintab niyang buhok, ang damit na suot ay tila yaong suot pa nang nagdaang araw. Matigas ang kanyang namumulang mukha. Pinalipat-lipat niya ang tingin mula sa nakaupong alkalde hanggang sa mga nakatinging pulis. “Umuwi ka na, Saling” hiling ni Tata Selo. “Bayaan mo na…bayaan mo na. Umuwi ka na, anak. Huwag, huwag ka nang magsasabi…” Tuluyan nang nalungayngay si Tata Selo. Ipinabalik siya ng alkalde sa istaked. Pagkabalik niya sa istaked, pinanood na naman siya ng mga tao. “Kinabog kagabi,” wika ng isang magbubukid. “Binalutan ng basang sako, hindi ng halata.” Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 21 “Ang anak, dumating daw?” “Naki-mayor.” Sa isang sulok ng istaked iniupo ng dalawang pulis si Tata Selo. Napasubsob si Tata Selo pagkaraang siya’y maiupo. Ngunit nang marinig niyang muling ipinanakaw ang pintong bakal ng istaked, humihilahod na ginapang niya ang rehas. Mahigpit na humawak doon at habang nakadapa’y ilang sandali ring iyo’y tila huhutukin. Tinawag siya ng mga pulis ngunit paos siya at malayo na ang mga pulis. Nakalabas ang kanang kamay sa rehas, bumagsak ang kanyang mukha sa sementadong lapag. Matagal siyang nakadapa bago niya narinig na may tila gumigising sa kanya. “Tata Selo…Tata Selo…” Umangat ang mukha ni Tata Selo. Inaninaw ng mga luha niyang mata ang tumatawag sa kanya. Iyon ang batang dumalaw sa kanya kahapon. Hinawakan ng bata ang kamay ni Tata Selo na umabot sa kanya. “Nando’n amang si Saling sa Presidente,” wika ni Tata Selo. “Yayain mo nang umuwi, umuwi na kayo.” Muling bumagsak ang kanyang mukha sa lapag. Ang bata’y saglit na nag-paulik-ulik, pagkaraa’y takot at bantulot nang sumunod… Mag-iikaapat na ng hapon. Padahilig na ang sikat ng araw, ngunit mainit pa rin iyon. May kapiraso nang lihin sa istaked, sa may dingding na steel matting, ngunit si Tata Selo’y wala roon. Nasa init siya, nakakapit sa rehas sa dakong harapan ng istaked. Nakatingin siya sa labas, sa kanyang malalabo at tila lagi nang nag-aaninaw na mata’y tumatama ang mapulang sikat ng araw. Sa labas ng istaked, nakasandig sa rehas ang batang Inutusan niya kanina. Sinabi ng bata na ayaw siyang papasukin sa tanggapan ng alkalde ngunit hindi siya pinakinggan ni Tata Selo, na ngayo’y hindi pagbawi ng saka ang sinasabi. Habang nakakapit sa rehas at nakatingin sa labas, sinasabi niyang lahat ay kinuha na sa kanila, lahat, ay! Ang lahat ay kinuha na sa kanila… After Reading Emotional Appeal (dyadic activity, few minutes are given to couples then discussion by class) 1. How do you feel about Tata Selo? 2. Read the lines that make you feel that way. 3. What is used by the author in those lines making you feel that way? 4. If it were not written that way, do you think you will still feel the same? Theme 1. What reality does the fiction present? 2. What makes you think about it? What clues does the author use to show the theme? 3. As a young person, what can you do about it? Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 22 Narration 1. What narration is used in this fiction? 2. Is there any other narration that will make this fiction more appealing? 3. Do you like the ending? How do you say that? 4. If you were to end this fiction, how will it be? An author uses narrative conventions in writing fictions. They are the techniques used by the author in making meaning in the fiction. These may be particular to characters, development of plot, settings, point-of-view, or style. With regard to plot convention, it has a number of techniques. These are backstory, tells the events of the story that happen before the present story; Chekhov’s gun, tells of an inherent object inserted in the narrative;in medias res, narration that starts at the middle of the story; narrative hook, tells a catchy story opening to hook the attention of the readers; story within a story or hypodiegesis, tells a story within a story; deus-ex- Machina,tells a good character in a bad situation ensures character wins with an unexpected or implausible used to resolve the situation; plot twist, tells a surprise ending; poetic justice, tells a reward to the good characters and punishes the bad characters; cliffhanger, tells and abrupt ending which places the main characters in a perilous situation with no resolution; flashback, tells an interjected scene of the story that takes it back in time from the current point in the story and often used to tell the events that happened before another important event; flash forward tells a scene that takes the narrative to a future time from the current point of the story ; foreshadowing, indicates or hints something is coming in the latter part of the story. Point-of-view is a narrative convention which tells from whose perspective is the story told. It may be a character, first person point-of view; third person narrator, telling the story by an impersonal narrator not affected by story situations; and unreliable narrator, telling the story by an insincere narrator, misleading the readers; stream of consciousness, exposing the character’s mind to the readers through his monologue; audience surrogate, character who expresses queries or agitations which are the same questions that readers would ask. Another convention is style. There are also a number of techniques under this convention. Figures of speech like hyperbole, metonymy, euphemism, oxymoron, and many more are style techniques. Pathos or emotional appeal is another style technique used to inspire or pity a character. In addition to these techniques for style are sensory detail, which forms mental images of scenes using descriptive words; Leitwortstil, which repeats on purpose the words that usually express a motif or theme important to the story; dramatic visualization, which presents an object or character with much description or gestures and dialogues making scenes vivid for the audience. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 23 Literary Approach (Feminism) 1. What do you think is the illness of Saling? 2. How is Saling depicted in the fiction? 3. What do you think the mayor did to her? Why didn’t she want to go home? 4. If you were the author how will you make Saling react to the situations? 5. What does the author want to tell of the role of the mayor towards Saling? (New Historicism) 1. What in the fiction can you base your assumption of the year it was written? 2. Compare the culture of the people on this kind of situation during the time of its writing and the present time. (Formalism) 1. What pictures of scenes or places or things become vivid in your mind as they are described in the fiction? 2. Do they have meanings or are they symbols of what? 3. How do the incidents help you create conclusions about the characters and events? Another approach that shapes the mind of literary enthusiasts is formalism which is also called new criticism. This uses close reading of a piece of literature. This means that the formalists’ interpretation of a work of art is formulated by the information and details of the piece itself. Formalists do not interpret a work based on matters that are outside the confines of the work like history, politics, society, time or even the author. They see it autonomously and can be gauged through internal structure and language. Considered are form, structure, technical features as more important than the content and context. Formalists focus is on rhetorical and logical connections within the writing. Moreover, formalists look into the sound and syntax of poetic language, rhyme, repetitions and word pictures. This criticism favors medium over content. Also, this criticism philosophically questions the method of communicating ideas and value expression. It looks into the manipulation of language by the artist to achieve the aesthetic effect. Creating With Them Students in groups produce TV news reports. The report should have a live feed of the news about Tata Selo. A balanced news should show different angles of the news. It should try to bring out the truth about the incident. Other groups should comment on the news report presented by a group. On A Personal Note Write a blog about the story of Tata Selo. Upload it in the class’ page. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 24 Fiction 3 Objectives A. Criticize the characters of the fiction. B. Enumerate the symbols found in the fiction and their meanings. C. Compare the mothers in the fiction. D. Explain the themes of the fiction. Pre-reading Activity Three students are asked to go in front of the class, one after the other. Each talks about his/her pet/s. They are asked about the care given to their pets and what they get in return of having pets. Vocabulary at Work stray goats bitch rice straw clay stove husky legs bawl whore While Reading Many netizens upload their pictures in the morning writing “woke up like this.” Will you do the same when your morning is like this story? Morning in Nagrebcan by Manuel E. Arguilla It was sunrise at Nagrebcan. The fine, bluish mist, low over the tobacco fields, was lifting and thinning moment by moment. A ragged strip of mist, pulled away by the morning breeze, had caught on the clumps of bamboo along the banks of the stream that flowed to one side of the barrio. Before long the sun would top the Katayaghan hills, but as yet no people were around. In the grey shadow of the hills, the barrio was gradually awaking. Roosters crowed and strutted on the ground while hens hesitated on their perches among the branches of the camanchile trees. Stray goats nibbled the weeds on the sides of the road, and the bull carabaos tugged restively against their stakes. In the early morning the puppies lay curled up together between their mother’s paws under the ladder of the house. Four puppies were all white like the mother. They had pink noses and pink eyelids and pink mouths. The skin between their toes and on the inside of their large, limp ears was pink. They Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 25 had short sleek hair, for the mother licked them often. The fifth puppy lay across the mother’s neck. On the puppy’s back was a big black spot like a saddle. The tips of its ears were black and so was a patch of hair on its chest. The opening of the sawali door, its uneven bottom dragging noisily against the bamboo flooring, aroused the mother dog and she got up and stretched and shook herself, scattering dust and loose white hair. A rank doggy smell rose in the cool morning air. She took a quick leap forward, clearing the puppies which had begun to whine about her, wanting to suckle. She trotted away and disappeared beyond the house of a neighbor. The puppies sat back on their rumps, whining. After a little while they lay down and went back to sleep, the black-spotted puppy on top. Baldo stood at the threshold and rubbed his sleep-heavy eyes with his fists. He must have been about ten years old, small for his age, but compactly built, and he stood straight on his bony legs. He wore one of his father’s discarded cotton undershirts. The boy descended the ladder, leaning heavily on the single bamboo railing that served as a banister. He sat on the lowest step of the ladder, yawning and rubbing his eyes one after the other. Bending down, he reached between his legs for the black-spotted puppy. He held it to him, stroking its soft, warm body. He blew on its nose. The puppy stuck out a small red tongue, lapping the air. It whined eagerly. Baldo laughed – a low gurgle. He rubbed his face against that of the dog. He said softly, “My puppy. My puppy.” He said it many times. The puppy licked his ears, his cheeks. When it licked his mouth, Baldo straightened up, raised the puppy on a level with his eyes. “You are a foolish puppy,” he said, laughing. “Foolish, foolish, foolish,” he said, rolling the puppy on his lap so that it howled. The four other puppies awoke and came scrambling about Baldo’s legs. He put down the black- spotted puppy and ran to the narrow foot bridge of woven split-bamboo spanning the roadside ditch. When it rained, water from the roadway flowed under the makeshift bridge, but it had not rained for a long time and the ground was dry and sandy. Baldo sat on the bridge, digging his bare feet into the sand, feeling the cool particles escaping between his toes. He whistled, a toneless whistle with a curious trilling to it produced by placing the tongue against the lower teeth and then curving it up and down. The whistle excited the puppies; they ran to the boy as fast as their unsteady legs could carry them, barking choppy little barks. Nana Elang, the mother of Baldo, now appeared in the doorway with handful of rice straw. She called Baldo and told him to get some live coals from their neighbor. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 26 “Get two or three burning coals and bring them home on the rice straw,” she said. “Do not wave the straw in the wind. If you do, it will catch fire before you get home.” She watched him run toward Ka Ikao’s house where already smoke was rising through the nipa roofing into the misty air. One or two empty carromatas drawn by sleepy little ponies rattled along the pebbly street, bound for the railroad station. Nana Elang must have been thirty, but she looked at least fifty. She was a thin, wispy woman, with bony hands and arms. She had scanty, straight, graying hair which she gathered behind her head in a small, tight knot. It made her look thinner than ever. Her cheekbones seemed on the point of bursting through the dry, yellowish-brown skin. Above a gray-checkered skirt, she wore a single wide-sleeved cotton blouse that ended below her flat breasts. Sometimes when she stooped or reached up for anything, a glimpse of the flesh at her waist showed in a dark, purplish band where the skirt had been tied so often. She turned from the doorway into the small, untidy kitchen. She washed the rice and put it in a pot which she placed on the cold stove. She made ready the other pot for the mess of vegetables and dried fish. When Baldo came back with the rice straw and burning coals, she told him to start a fire in the stove, while she cut the ampalaya tendrils and sliced the eggplants. When the fire finally flamed inside the clay stove, Baldo’s eyes were smarting from the smoke of the rice straw. “There is the fire, mother,” he said. “Is father awake already?”Nana Elang shook her head. Baldo went out slowly on tiptoe.There were already many people going out. Several fishermen wearing coffee-colored shirts and trousers and hats made from the shell of white pumpkins passed by. The smoke of their home-made cigars floated behind them like shreds of the morning mist. Women carrying big empty baskets were going to the tobacco fields. They walked fast, talking among themselves. Each woman had gathered the loose folds of her skirt in front and, twisting the end two or three times, passed it between her legs, pulling it up at the back, and slipping it inside her waist. The women seemed to be wearing trousers that reached only to their knees and flared at the thighs.Day was quickly growing older. The east flamed redly and Baldo called to his mother, “Look, mother, God also cooks his breakfast.” He went to play with the puppies. He sat on the bridge and took them on his lap one by one. He searched for fleas which he crushed between his thumbnails. “You, puppy. You, puppy,” he murmured softly. When he held the black-spotted puppy, he said, “My puppy. My puppy.” Ambo, his seven-year old brother, awoke crying. Nana Elang could be heard patiently calling him to the kitchen. Later he came down with a ripe banana in his hand. Ambo was almost as tall as his older brother and he had stout husky legs. Baldo often called him the son of an Igorot. The home-made cotton shirt he wore was variously stained. The pocket was torn, and it flipped down. He ate the banana without peeling it. “You foolish boy, remove the skin,” Baldo said. “I will not,” Ambo said. “It is not your banana.” He took a big bite and swallowed it with exaggerated relish. “But the skin is tart. It tastes bad.” “You are not eating it,” Ambo said. The rest of the banana vanished in his mouth. He sat beside Baldo and both played with the puppies. The mother dog had not yet returned and the puppies were becoming hungry and restless. They sniffed the hands of Ambo, licked his fingers. They Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 27 tried to scramble up his breast to lick his mouth, but he brushed them down. Baldo laughed. He held the black-spotted puppy closely, fondled it lovingly. “My puppy,” he said. “My puppy.” Ambo played with the other puppies, but he soon grew tired of them. He wanted the black-spotted one. He sidled close to Baldo and put out a hand to caress the puppy nestling contentedly in the crook of his brother’s arm. But Baldo struck the hand away. “Don’t touch my puppy,” he said. “My puppy.” Ambo begged to be allowed to hold the black-spotted puppy. But Baldo said he would not let him hold the black-spotted puppy because he would not peel the banana. Ambo then said that he would obey his older brother next time, for all time. Baldo would not believe him; he refused to let him touch the puppy. Ambo rose to his feet. He looked longingly at the black-spotted puppy in Baldo’s arms. Suddenly he bent down and tried to snatch the puppy away. But Baldo sent him sprawling in the dust with a deft push. Ambo did not cry. He came up with a fistful of sand which he flung in his brother’s face. But as he started to run away, Baldo thrust out his leg and tripped him. In complete silence, Ambo slowly got up from the dust, getting to his feet with both hands full of sand which again he cast at his older brother. Baldo put down the puppy and leaped upon Ambo. Seeing the black-spotted puppy waddling away, Ambo turned around and made a dive for it. Baldo saw his intention in time and both fell on the puppy which began to howl loudly, struggling to get away. Baldo cursed Ambo and screamed at him as they grappled and rolled in the sand. Ambo kicked and bit and scratched without a sound. He got hold of Baldo’s hair and ear and tugged with all his might. They rolled over and over and then Baldo was sitting on Ambo’s back, pummeling him with his fists. He accompanied every blow with a curse. “I hope you die, you little demon,” he said between sobs, for he was crying and he could hardly see. Ambo wriggled and struggled and tried to bite Baldo’s legs. Failing, he buried his face in the sand and howled lustily. Baldo now left him and ran to the black-spotted puppy which he caught up in his arms, holding it against his throat. Ambo followed, crying out threats and curses. He grabbed the tail of the puppy and jerked hard. The puppy howled shrilly and Baldo let it go, but Ambo kept hold of the tail as the dog fell to the ground. It turned around and snapped at the hand holding its tail. Its sharp little teeth sank into the fleshy edge of Ambo’s palm. With a cry, Ambo snatched away his hand from the mouth of the enraged puppy. At that moment the window of the house facing the street was pushed violently open and the boys’ father, Tang Ciaco, looked out. He saw the blood from the toothmarks on Ambo’s hand. He called out inarticulately and the two brothers looked up in surprise and fear. Ambo hid his bitten hand behind him. Baldo stopped to pick up the black-spotted puppy, but Tang Ciaco shouted hoarsely to him not to touch the dog. At Tang Ciaco’s angry voice, the puppy had crouched back snarling, its pink lips drawn back, the hair on its back rising. “The dog has gone mad,” the man cried, coming down hurriedly. By the stove in the kitchen, he stopped to get a sizeable piece of firewood, throwing an angry look and a curse at Nana Elang for letting her sons play with the dogs. He removed a splinter or two, then hurried down the ladder, cursing in a loud angry voice. Nana Elang ran to the doorway and stood there silently fingering her skirt. Baldo and Ambo awaited the coming of their father with fear written on their faces. Baldo hated his father as much as he feared him. He watched him now with half a mind to flee as TangCiaco approached with the piece of firewood held firmly in one hand. He is a big, gaunt man with thick bony wrists and stoop shoulders. A short-sleeved cotton shirt revealed his sinewy arms on which the blood-vessels stood out like roots. His short pants showed his bony-kneed, hard-muscled legs covered with black hair. He was a carpenter. He had come home drunk the night before. He was not a habitual drunkard, but now and then he drank great quantities of basi and came home and beat his wife and Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 28 children. He would blame them for their hard life and poverty. “You are a prostitute,” he would roar at his wife, and as he beat his children, he would shout, “I will kill you both, you bastards.” If Nana Elang ventured to remonstrate, he would beat them harder and curse her for being an interfering whore. “I am king in my house,” he would say. Now as he approached the two, Ambo cowered behind his elder brother. He held onto Baldo’s undershirt, keeping his wounded hand at his back, unable to remove his gaze from his father’s close- set, red-specked eyes. The puppy with a yelp slunk between Baldo’s legs. Baldo looked at the dog, avoiding his father’s eyes. Tang Ciaco roared at them to get away from the dog: “Fools! Don’t you see it is mad?” Baldo laid a hand on Ambo as they moved back hastily. He wanted to tell his father it was not true, the dog was not mad, it was all Ambo’s fault, but his tongue refused to move. The puppy attempted to follow them, but Tang Ciaco caught it with a sweeping blow of the piece of firewood. The puppy was flung into the air. It rolled over once before it fell, howling weakly. Again the chunk of firewood descended, Tang Ciaco grunting with the effort he put into the blow, and the puppy ceased to howl. It lay on its side, feebly moving its jaws from which dark blood oozed. Once more TangCiaco raised his arm, but Baldo suddenly clung to it with both hands and begged him to stop. “Enough, father, enough. Don’t beat it anymore,” he entreated. Tears flowed down his upraised face. Tang Ciaco shook him off with an oath. Baldo fell on his face in the dust. He did not rise, but cried and sobbed and tore his hair. The rays of the rising sun fell brightly upon him, turned to gold the dust that he raised with his kicking feet. Tang Ciaco dealt the battered puppy another blow and at last it lay limpy still. He kicked it over and watched for a sign of life. The puppy did not move where it lay twisted on its side. He turned his attention to Baldo. “Get up,” he said, hoarsely, pushing the boy with his foot. Baldo was deaf. He went on crying and kicking in the dust. Tang Ciaco struck him with the piece of wood in his hand and again told him to get up. Baldo writhed and cried harder, clasping his hands over the back of his head. Tang Ciaco took hold of one of the boy’s arms and jerked him to his feet. Then he began to beat him, regardless of where the blows fell. Baldo encircled his head with his loose arm and strove to free himself, running around his father, plunging backward, ducking and twisting. “Shameless son of a whore,” Tang Ciaco roared. “Stand still, I’ll teach you to obey me.” He shortened his grip on the arm of Baldo and laid on his blows. Baldo fell to his knees, screaming for mercy. He called on his mother to help him. Nana Elang came down, but she hesitated at the foot of the ladder. Ambo ran to her. “You too,” Tang Ciaco cried, and struck at the fleeing Ambo. The piece of firewood caught him behind the knees and he fell on his face. Nana Elang ran to the fallen boy and picked him up, brushing his clothes with her hands to shake off the dust. Tang Ciaco pushed Baldo toward her. The boy tottered forward weakly, dazed and trembling. He had ceased to cry aloud, but he shook with hard, spasmodic sobs which he tried vainly to stop. “Here take your child,” Tang Ciaco said, thickly. He faced the curious students and neighbors who had gathered by the side of the road. He yelled at them to go away. He said it was none of their business if he killed his children. “They are mine,” he shouted. “I feed them and I can do anything I like with them.” Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 29 The students ran hastily to school. The neighbors returned to their work. Tang Ciaco went to the house, cursing in a loud voice. Passing the dead puppy, he picked it up by its hind legs and flung it away. The black and white body soared through the sunlit air; fell among the tall corn behind the house. Tang Ciaco, still cursing and grumbling, strode upstairs. He threw the chunk of firewood beside the stove. He squatted by the low table and began eating the breakfast his wife had prepared for him. Nana Elang knelt by her children and dusted their clothes. She passed her hand over the red welts on Baldo, but Baldo shook himself away. He was still trying to stop sobbing, wiping his tears away with his forearm. Nana Elang put one arm around Ambo. She sucked the wound in his hand. She was crying silently. When the mother of the puppies returned, she licked the remaining four by the small bridge of woven split bamboo. She lay down in the dust and suckled her young. She did not seem to miss the black- spotted puppy. Afterward Baldo and Ambo searched among the tall corn for the body of the dead puppy. TangCiaco had gone to work and would not be back till nightfall. In the house, Nana Elang was busy washing the breakfast dishes. Later she came down and fed the mother dog. The two brothers were entirely hidden by the tall corn plants. As they moved about among the slender stalks, the corn-flowers shook agitatedly. Pollen scattered like gold dust in the sun, falling on the fuzzy· green leaves. When they found the dead dog, they buried it in one corner of the field. Baldo dug the grove with a sharp-pointed stake. Ambo stood silently by, holding the dead puppy. When Baldo finished his work, he and his brother gently placed the puppy in the hole. Then they covered the dog with soft earth and stamped on the grave until the disturbed ground was flat and hard again. With difficulty they rolled a big stone on top of the grave. Then Baldo wound an arm around the shoulders of Ambo and without a word they hurried up to the house. The sun had risen high above the Katayaghan hills, and warm, golden sunlight filled Nagrebcan. The mist on the tobacco fields had completely dissolved. After Reading Character Analysis (triadic activity) Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 30 1. Draw a table with three columns: characters (include animals), positive traits, and negative traits. 2. Fill-out the table. 3. Groups’ outputs are posted on the board/screen for comparison. 4. Students discuss the comparison of the outputs. 5. What are common among the mothers: Nana Elang and the bitch? Is Nana Elang a good mother? 6. Do you like Tang Ciako’s treatment to his wife and children? Is there any remedy to his rudeness? 7. Is he a father worthy of emulation? How did you say that? 8. Who is to blame in the fight of the brothers? Why? 9. What do you think will be the future of the boys? Themes and Symbols 1. What realities of life do you see in the following: Physical fight of the brothers The mother like Nana Elang The reconciliation of the brothers Tang Ciako’s rudeness 2. What do the following symbolize? Give their meanings. The sun at the beginning and end of the story The black-spotted puppy The eating of banana with its skin The single bamboo pole that served as the railing Symbol in literature is anything that stands for something else. Authors use symbols to give deeper and significant meaning to their content or story. Symbolism makes the author convey ideas to readers/ audience in a poetic matter instead of its outright expression. Examples: Poseidon is a symbol for the sea Albert Einstein is the symbol of intelligence and scientific genius The dove is a symbol of peace A ladder may be a symbol for a connection between heaven and earth Visual Appeal 1. Read from the text the parts that give you an image of their poor house and surrounding. 2. What is your interpretation of the image? Emotional Appeal 1. Read the parts that stir your emotion. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 31 2. Do you like them or not? Why? Literary Approach (Feminism) 1. Comment on Tang Ciako’s treatment of Nana Elang. 2. Is the bitch a good mother to her puppies? 3. If you were the author will you treat Nana Elang the same? (New Historicism/Cultural Studies) 1. The author, Manuel E. Arguilla, spent his childhood in Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union, his birthplace. This was a peaceful place he immortalized in his stories. Enumerate the cultures of the place that you have seen in the story. 2. Do you think these are the same at present? 3. Are there words or things in the story which are scarce or not present anymore? Creating With Them In groups, brainstorm how you will make comic strips of the story. The strips can be manually drawn and colored or can be aided by a computer. The art should show the images created in your mind by the story. The boxes can range from10 to 15. Present your strips on the board. On a Personal Note Write a short paragraph on the kind of father or mother you will be in the future. Send it to the teacher via messenger. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 32 Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 33 Vietnam POEM 1 Objectives: A. Analyze sound devices used in poem to express appreciation. B. Create twists in poem ending. Pre-reading: Refresher on poetry terms. Checkout the meaning of the following from reliable books and sites to refresh your ideas on poetry. Types of Poetry: Lyric Poetry Narrative Poetry Descriptive Poetry Subtypes: Sonnet Shakespearean or English Petrarchan or Italian Haiku Elegy Limerick Ballad Ode Epic Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 34 Types of Poetry: Lyric Poetry Narrative Poetry Descriptive Poetry Subtypes: Sonnet Shakespearean or English Petrarchan or Italian Haiku Elegy Limerick Ballad Ode Epic Sound Devices: Alliteration Assonance Consonance Onomatopoeia Rhyme Rhythm Figurative Devices: Simile Metaphor Personification Irony Metonymy Synecdoche Vocabulary at Work: Magpie Quan Matchmaker Areca nuts Suit of clothes Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 35 The Cherished Daughter Mother, I am eighteen this year and still without a husband. What, Mother, is your plan? The magpie brought two matchmakers and you threw them the challenge: not less than five full quan, five thousand areca nuts, five fat pigs, and five suits of clothes. Mother, I am twenty-three this year and still without a husband. What, Mother, dear, is your plan? The magpie brought two matchmakers and you threw them the challenge: not less than three full quan, three thousand areca nuts, three fat pigs, and three suits of clothes. Mother, I am thirty-two this year and still without a husband. What, Mother, darling, is your plan? The magpie brought two matchmakers and you threw them the challenge: not less than one full quan, one thousand areca nuts, one fat dog this time, and one suit of clothes. Mother, I am forty-three this year. Still without a husband. Mother, look, Mother, will you please just give me away? -- Anonymous (c. 1700 AD)-- trans. Nguyen Ngoc Bich from World Poetry: An Anthology of Verse from Antiquity After Reading Understanding: 1. Do you believe that the daughter is cherished? Defend your answer. 2. What is the present day equivalent of magpie from the context? 3. What culture of the Vietnamese is shown in the poem? 4. Comment on the value of challenges of the mother. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 36 5. How do you feel for the daughter at forty-three? Valuing: 1.What family, economic, education, and social values should be cherished based on the poem? 2. Does obedience always give optimistic result? Sound Device: 1. What sound device is used in the poem? 2. Expound on the use of repetition. 3. Do you appreciate the poem through its sound device? Why or Why not? Poetry type: 1. What poetry type is The Cherished Daughter? Support your answer. Creating with Them The poem ends in a question. Answer it or give it your own ending by adding three to four line verse after the last stanza. Read it in class. On A Personal Note Pretend that you are the daughter who is now 32 years old. Write a prayer (all religions pray) with no less than 70 words for you to have a husband or wife. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 37 POEM 2 Objectives: 1. Enumerate the effects of a phenomena to students. 2. Point out devices that make a poem appreciative. 3. Create a poem based on experience. Pre-reading: Surf the internet to have an idea of the last war Vietnam had. Share a bit in class. Vocabulary at Work: Shrivel Dewdrop Partitioned While Reading: There are times when student minds fly away during classroom lessons. Are those experiences that haunt you as grievous as the one in this poem. A School Boy’s Apology By Le Thanh Huan If sometimes I fall asleep in a lecture Or shout and scream as if alone Please forgive me, please don’t be angry For I have no place to play. I’m growing up I want to be a sailor I’m wishing for a giant arena, a stream I feel like yelling my life is beginning Every minute I want to hold tight to my dreams. But the fires of war have shriveled my joys At every step I see guns turned on me At every word I hear the crash of steel Not believing, not understanding I only stare. The slaughter goes on and on, Blood and bones and hatred all strained red. People running from the front to look out for themselves Cheating, lying, stabbing others in the back Some of my friends have fallen. No one knew, no one cared, they were dewdrops that’s all. My home will be burnt to the ground The way back cut off, partitioned… Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 38 After Reading Understanding 1. Why is the persona in the poem apologizing? Is it a proper act? 2. What does the second stanza tell about the persona? 3. What does the use of the word ‘but’ at the start of stanza three suggest? 4. What does this (stanza three) tell about the persona? Valuing: 1. With the persona’s situation in class, many Filipino classmates might laugh at this boy or bully him. How would you react in the situation? 2. If you were a foreign teacher in Vietnam, knowing there was war in the country, what preparation would you do before facing your students? Elements of Poetry: 1. Pick out sound devices in the piece. Tell how each help understand the poem. 2. How effective are the imagery in the piece? 3. What are used by the author to touch the readers’ emotions? Poetry type: 1. What poetry type is A School Boy’s Apology? Why is it so?. Creating with Them Create groups of four. Gather pictures of the Vietnam war to make a collage. Set it as the background picture of this poem. Be ready to discuss your work for a minute in class. On A Personal Note Complete the poem below based on your experience of any catastrophe or phenomenon. If sometimes I fall asleep in a lecture Or shout and scream as if alone Please forgive me, please don’t be angry For I have no place to play. I’m growing up I want to be a ___________ I’m wishing for a giant arena, a ____________ I feel like yelling my life is beginning Every minute I want to hold tight to my dreams. But the ___________ have shriveled my joys At every step I see ___________________ At every word I hear the ________________ Not believing, not understanding I only stare. The ______________ goes on and on, ________________________ all strained __________. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 39 People ______________________________________ Some of my friends have _____________. No one knew, no one cared, they were ____________ that’s all. My home __________________ The way back _____________,______________ Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 40 POEM 3 Objectives A. Expound one’s interpretation of the poem. B. Interpret figurative language. C. Complete cliffhanger. Pre-reading Recall your ideas about submarines. You may watch a video of a submarine while on its voyage to have a background for the poem. Vocabulary at Work Odd-shaped Plastic horizon Vague Illusion Void Rouse While Reading Is the ‘someone’ in the poem right about his reminder or opinion? Inside Submarines by Phan Nhien Hao tr. Linh Dinh We live inside odd-shaped submarines chasing after secrets and the darkness of the ocean on a voyage toward plastic horizons where vague connections can never be reached and hopes are not deployed before the storm arrives and the alarm command starts to rouse the last illusions to stand up and put life jackets on looking to each other for help Once I was at the equator trying to slice the earth in half along the dotted line Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 41 but someone held my hand and said: “If you do that, friend, water will fall into the void, and then our submarine won’t have any place to dive.” Phan Nhiên Hạo was born in Kontum, Vietnam in 1967 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1991. He is the author of two collections of poems in Vietnamese, Thiên Đường Chuông Giấy (Paradise of Paper Bells, 1998) and Chế Tạo Thơ Ca 99-04 (Manufacturing Poetry 99-04, 2004). In 2006, Tupelo Press published Night, Fish, and Charlie Parker, a bilingual poetry collection translated by Linh Dinh. After Reading Understanding: 1. How critical is it to be a crew of a submarine as shared in the first stanza? 2. What is meant by chasing after secrets and the darkness of the ocean ? 3. Can a life jacket save life when a submarine has been hit by anything in the water? 4. How can the persona slice the earth in half along the dotted line? Which is referred to as the dotted line? 5. Why was he trying to slice the equator? 6. Who probably is this someone? 7. What could happen when he sliced the earth? Valuing: 1. Imagine that he sliced earth. Does the ‘someone’ give a sound reminder? Elements of Poetry: 1. Pick out the figurative language used in the poem. Tell how each adds beauty to the poem. Creating with Them The poem is a cliffhanger. What happens next is left to the reader to finish. With a group, write the third stanza for this. A sample start may be I stopped for a while and thought about it or I had orders to follow. I stopped for a while and thought about it _________________________________ _________________________________ I had orders to follow _______________ _________________________________ _________________________________ Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 42 On A Personal Note Write a short weblog (personal opinion, activities, experiences, etc.) on the topic of the poem. Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State University. ASEAN Literature: Discovering Identity Amidst Diversity 43 Geron, C.D., Baxa, E.N., & Bañez, R.M. (2020). ASEAN literature: Discovering identity amidst diversity. Batangas City, Philippines: Batangas State Universi

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