1. Setting| “The first day of the advertisers’ conference had just ended and he was only waiting for Bianca at the balcony of Inday’s candle shop”“”Maybe you’d like to look around in the shop? ” “No, let’s go somewhere else. ” “Neutron’s? ” Bianca nodded. “The evening’s so cool, Paco, let’s enjoy it and walk. “”“He glanced at his watch, quarter to six. ”| Place: 1st: balcony of Inday’s candle shop 2nd: Neutron’sTime: quarter to six| 2. Conflict| “He sometimes sensed a sweet yearning for her. She was young and alive, nice-smelling, pretty…
But he would quickly repress it. “Ye gods, Filo! he’d inwardly cry, “I’m past fifty and happily married. ”| Paco is attracted to Bianca but he is married to Agnes. | 3. Plot a. introduction b. rising action c. climax d. falling action e. denouement| a. “on the cab’s front door was written, Great is your faithfulness. It caught him up as though it laid a mocking charge at his door, and as his heart tingled, he sensed that it was the last incident, entirely factual, which should illuminate the fiction of his past. ”b. Filo sneered at Paco’s recollection. He was only eighteen when he had gone up to Baguio for the first time and proposed to meet the woman caller at Star Café.
She too had long dark hair and wore a tight dark red dress which showed her figure to advantage. No, she was not a Chinese mestiza like Rita, but she was not unattractive. Her name, she had told him over the phone, was Zita. c. “ How could he in his heart return to Agnes if he didn’t face up his feeling for Bianca, make a clean breast of it, and let go? “d. “ “I meant to tell you, Bai… I’m quite drawn to you, but…” But it isn’t right, oh, he shouldn’t have so foolishly blurted, what need to be so honest? ”e. “Was she just saying it?
But, Yes, he thought bitterly, it might be Zita, for she had become a creature of his disappointed memory; but also, No, for it was rather with having to be honest with Bianca, by a hurtful bridge of poor words, that he had crossed over a darkness. He looked at her as though across a great distance, “You may be right, Bai…” he said, and pressed her hand. ”| a. Paco saw a quote from a cab and it strike him. b. Paco is reminiscing while waiting for Bianca. He is thinking what happened when he first went to Baguio. c. He is thinking that he can’t go back to his wife
Agnes without fixing what he’s feeling for Bianca. d. He confessed his feelings to Bianca. e. Bianca said that maybe he is just confused because of his past. | 4. Characters| “She was young and alive, nice-smelling, pretty… ““Agnes was the senior partner with four women friends in a law firm that they had put up. She often came home late, and after kissing him, looking up from his papers at his work table, she would quietly enter their teenage son Dylan’s room and kiss him, already fast asleep, and later carry the laundry in her arms to the washing machine before she retired for the night.
She called it a form of relaxation! She had a remarkable strength of character, managerial, down-to-earth, which often bared his pathetic inadequacy in practical matters, yet capable of gentleness, a rich warmth of affection and intense loyalty, but also to his secret discomfiture a fine, sometimes even caustic moral sense”“ Filo was poor refuge, just as well quite hid. O, he loved Agnes.. ”“he watched Zita cross her legs and lean her head a little on her left hand which she had placed behind her ear, her long dark hair flowing to the small of her back.
She was not unattractive, just about his age, too, and she cut a nice sensuous figure in her red mini. ”| * Paco- loves his wife but is unfaithful * Filo- Paco’s imaginary self * Bianca- young and sweet assistant * Agnes- very busy wife * Zita- a girl who called Paco from the Inn and he saw Zita at the bar. | 5. Theme| “I’m past fifty and happily married. ”“ How could he in his heart return to Agnes if he didn’t face up his feeling for Bianca, make a clean breast of it, and let go? “| Faithfulness| 6. Point of View| | 3rd person|
THE VIRGIN by Kerima Polotan Elements| Lines from Story| Interpretation| 1. Setting| “When she talked with the jobless across her desk, asking them the damning questions that completed their humiliation, watching pale tongues run over dry lips, dirt crusted handkerchiefs flutter in trembling hands, she was filled with an impatience she could not understand. ”| Place: in an office| 2. Conflict| “When she was younger, there had been other things to do— college to finish, a niece to put through school, a mother to care for.
She had gone through all these with singular patience, for it had seemed to her that love stood behind her”| Miss Mijares doesn’t get the chance to marry someone because all she thinks about is her family. | 3. Plot a. introduction b. rising action c. climax d. falling action e. denouement| a. “He went to where Miss Mijares sat, a tall, big man, walking with an economy of movement, graceful and light, a man who knew his body and used it well. He sat in the low chair worn decrepit by countless other interviewers and laid all ten fingerprints carefully on the edge of her desk. b. “How much was he going to get? Miss Mijares asked Ato on Wednesday.
“Three,” the old man said, chewing away on a cud. She looked at the list in her hands, quickly running a pencil down. “But he’s filling a four-peso vacancy,” she said. “Come now,” surprised that she should wheedle so, “give him the extra peso. ” “Only a half,” the stubborn foreman shook his head, “three-fifty. “”c. “The new hand was absent for a week. Miss Mijares waited on that Tuesday he first failed to report for some word from him sent to Ato and then to her. That was regulation.
Briefly though they were held, the bureau jobs were not ones to take chances with. When a man was absent and he sent no word, it upset the system. In the absence of a definite notice, someone else who needed a job badly was kept away from it. ”d. “”I went to the province, ma’am,” he said, on his return. “You could have sent someone to tell us,” she said. “It was an emergency, ma’am,” he said. “My son died. “”e. “In her secret heart, Miss Mijares’ young dreams fluttered faintly to life, seeming monstrous in the rain, near this man — seeming monstrous but sweet overwhelming.
I must get away, she thought wildly, but he had moved and brushed against her, and where his touch had fallen, her flesh leaped, and she recalled how his hands had looked that first day, lain tenderly on the edge of her desk and about the wooden bird (that had looked like a moving, shining dove) and she turned to him with her ruffles wet and wilted, in the dark she turned to him. ”| a. The man is applying for a job in a company. b. The man is hired but his salary was not that big because Ato refused to give him the amount he applied for.
c. The man became absent for a week without reporting some word so Miss Mijares got angry. . He said that he went to the province because his son died but Miss Mijares is still angry. e. One night, they rode the same jeepney but because it is raining so hard the jeepney changed its route and it is not familiar to Miss Mijares. While she is standing, the man went to her and she thought that he is sweet but she must get away but he moved and after some time, she turned to him. | 4. Characters| “Miss Mijares did not look 34. She was slight, almost bony, but she had learned early how to dress herself to achieve an illusion of hips and bosom. She liked poufs and shirrings and little girlish pastel colors.
On her bodice, astride or lengthwise, there sat an inevitable row of thick camouflaging ruffles that made her look almost as though she had a bosom, if she bent her shoulders slightly and inconspicuously drew her neckline open to puff some air into her bodice. ”“He went to where Miss Mijares sat, a tall, big man, walking with an economy of movement, graceful and light, a man who knew his body and used it well. ”| * Miss Mijares- old lady who is alone and doesn’t have husband and children * Worker (unnamed)- a big man who is applying for work| 5. Theme| | It’s better late than never| 6. Point of View| | 3rd person|
LOVE IN THE CORNHUSKS by Aida Rivera-Ford Elements| Lines from Story| Interpretation| 1. Setting| “The rains had made a deep slough of the clay road and Tinang followed the prints left by the men and the carabaos that had gone before her to keep from sinking mud up to her knees. “| Place: in the province| 2. Conflict| “It was Tinang’s first love letter. A flush spread over her face and crept into her body. She read the letter again. “It is not easy to be far from our lover. . . . I imagine your personal appearance coming forward. . . . Someday, somehow I’ll be there to fulfill our promise. . . .” Tinang was intoxicated.
She pressed herself against the kamansi tree. My lover is true to me. He never meant to desert me. Amado, she thought. Amado. ”| A letter from her old lover came to her telling her how much he loves her but Tina is now a mother and a wife. | 3. Plot a. introduction b. rising action c. climax d. falling action e. denouement| a. “Tinang stopped before the Señora’s gate and adjusted the baby’s cap. ”b. “oh, Tinang, you better stop by the drugstore. They asked me once whether you were still with us. You have a letter there and I was going to open it to see if there was bad news but I thought you would be coming. ”c. “My dearest Tinay, Hello, how is life getting along? Are you still in good condition? As for myself, the same as usual.
But you’re far from my side. It is not easy to be far from our lover. Tinay, do you still love me? I hope your kind and generous heart will never fade. Someday or somehow I’ll be there again to fulfill our promise. ”d. “A little green snake slithered languidly into the tall grass a few yards from the kamansi tree. ”e. “inang started violently and remembered her child. It lay motionless on the mat of husk. With a shriek she grabbed it wildly and hugged it close.
The baby awoke from its sleep and cries lustily. Ave Maria Santisima. Do not punish me, she prayed, searching the baby’s skin for marks. Among the cornhusks, the letter fell unnoticed. ”| a. Tinang visited the place where she works before she has a baby. b. Señora told Tinang that she has a letterc. Tinang found out that the letter was from Amado, her past lover and she cried because she still have feelings for him. d. Tina forgot her child and a snake show up and then she remembered the baby. e. She get the baby and hugged it and the letter fell and became unnoticed. | 4.
Characters| “”Didn’t I tell you what it would be like, huh? . . . that you would be a slave to your husband and that you would work a baby eternally strapped to you. Are you not pregnant again? “”“Tito, the young master, had seen her and was calling to his mother. “Ma, it’s Tinang. Ma, Ma, it’s Tinang. ” He came running down to open the gate. ”| * Tinang – Amado’s ex lover. Have a husband and child already. * Señora- Tinang works to them. * Tito- Señora’s son * Amado- ex-lover of Tinang who went away but still have feelings for her. | 5. Theme| “Many weeks and months have elapsed. Still I remember our bygone days. | First love never dies| 6. Point of View| | 3rd person| KARA’S PLACE by Luis Joaquin M. Katigbak Elements| Lines from Story| Interpretation| 1. Setting| “ I guess that’s how I think of them now: they’re visitors, and God knows I don’t get many of those here in Krus na Ligas. ”| Place: Kara’s place|
2. Conflict| “I wonder how I’m going to answer him. Eric knows me well enough to realize that there’s no way in hell I could have failed Math 17. ”| Kara failed her Math subject even though she’s good at it and Eric was surprised why so she told him that her professor tried to harass her. 3. Plot a. introduction b. rising action c. climax d. falling action e. denouement| a. “I guess that’s how I think of them now: they’re visitors”b. “”Hey, Eric,” I smile, ” — come in. ” I point at the chair. “Sit down, feel at home. ” He sits, quite happily obedient, and I can’t help trusty-canine comparisons from springing to my mind. I know, I know, I can be so mean. And to think Eric’s one of those rare persons I actually like. ”c. “”I go there, he’s all smiles, come in, come in, he says. He sits down, points to a chair just opposite him, tells me to sit down. I do.
He starts by saying that I didn’t show up for classes enough, that I’m in trouble because I went over the maximum number of absences. I’m listening, and I don’t know what to say in my defense. Suddenly his hand’s resting on my thigh, and he’s telling me that actually, the attendance really won’t be a problem, as long as I’m not averse to the idea of having a little ‘fun’. “”d. “”Look,” he says, and for the first time he frightens me. I’m looking into his eyes, and I realize that Eric, sort-of-goofy Eric, my old high school friend, is perfectly capable of premeditated violence. Look, we have to do something. He can’t get away with this. “”e. ” I get up, walk over to him, and put my arms around him in a reassuring hug. The last time I hugged Eric was our graduation day, right after the last ceremony, when everyone was laughing and cheering, and throwing their programs in the air because we didn’t have those silly four-cornered caps. That was a good day.
Here, now, his arms wrap around me, and they start to squeeze just a little too tightly. He opens his wet eyes, looks at me, and his head ducks down and his mouth meets mine and I can feel his tongue work its way between my lips. | a. Kara is considering the rodents in her room as her “visitors”b. Eric, her high school friend came to visit Kara in her place. c. Kara and Eric talked about her professor harassing her. d. Eric wants to do something to the professor. e. Eric decide to leave because he was so mad and To their surprise, they end up hugging and kissing each other in a moment, and they part from each other, leaving a sense of confusion to both of them. | 4. Characters| “ I know, I know, I can be so mean. And to think Eric’s one of those rare persons I actually like. ”“Well, there’s Eric, of course.
It’s kind of funny; we’ve known each other for years — went to the same high school and all”| * Kara- kind of mean * Eric- a caring friend of Kara| 5. Theme| | Confused feelings| 6. Point of View| | Between 1st and 3rd person| SINIGANG by Marby Villaceran Elements| Lines from Story| Interpretation| 1. Setting| “I continued to pick out tomatoes for the sinigang we were to have for dinner. “| Place: In the kitchen| 2. Conflict| ““He requested Mom to make me go there. ” We both knew that I could never have refused my mother once she insisted that I attend. “Everyone makes mistakes, Liza. ” Her eyes begged for understanding. ”| Liza was forced to attend her half-brother’s wake because her mom insisted. There he met Sylvia, the mother of her dead half-brother and begged her for understanding. |
3. Plot a. introduction b. rising action c. climax d. falling action e. denouement| a. ““SO, what happened? ”She had finally decided to ask the question. I had been wondering how long my Tita Loleng could contain her curiosity. I continued to pick out tomatoes for the sinigang we were to have for dinner. “b. ““He requested Mom to make me go there. We both knew that I could never have refused my mother once she insisted that I attend. I had even gone out and gotten drunk with some friends the night before we were to leave just so I could have an excuse not to go, but my mom was inflexible. She had ordered my two sisters to wake me up”c. “She was. She looked like she had Indian blood with her sharp nose and deep-set eyes thickly bordered by long lashes. Just like Mom, she still maintained a slim figure though she already had children. The woman, upon seeing my curious stare, had explained, “I am Sylvia. ”All my muscles tensed upon hearing her name.
It took all my self-control to outwardly remain calm and simply raise an eyebrow. ”d. “ I will just go to my room and stretch my back out a bit. ” With a tender pat on my head, she walked out of the kitchen. I breathed a sigh of relief. The questions had stopped, for now. “e. ” The sinigang would be served later during dinner. I pictured myself seated in my usual place beside my father who is at the head of the table. He would tell Mom about his day and then he would ask each of us about our own. I would answer, not in the animated way I would have done when I was still young and his pet, but politely and without any rancor.
Then, he would compliment me on the way I had cooked his favorite dish and I would give him a smile that would never quite show, not even in my eyes “| a. Liza is helping her Tita Loleng prepare Sinigang while sharing stories. b. Liza was convinced to attend her half-brother’s wake because her mother told her to attend. c. Liza, while in the wake of her half-brother Lem, met the mistress of her father and introduced herself to Liza and tried to apologize. d. The question and answer between Liza and Tita Loleng stopped and she is relieved. e. She is not like the old days.
She is ignoring her father now. | 4. Characters| “The woman, upon seeing my curious stare, had explained, “I am Sylvia. ””“I had been wondering how long my Tita Loleng could contain her curiosity. ”| * Liza- a daddy’s girl who got hurt when she met her father’s mistress * Tita Loleng- very curious person * Sylvia- mistress of her father * Liza’s father- unfaithful husband| 5. Theme| “but between us, I knew I was more affected by what Mom had said because right until then, I had always been Daddy’s girl”| A hurt daughter| 6. Point of View| | 1st person|
