Review

1. Summary

The story revolves to a man which is the protagonist in the story who has
realizations to life. The protagonist has a sexual desire towards women. He just
transfers to his new apartment and thought that he is the first occupant of the apartment
unit. He assumed wrong because he discovered that there are “other” occupants in the
area. Not just one, not just two but a thousands of occupants that can create a colony.
Since he, the legit occupant of the area, he fought to his illegal occupants; strategizes
how to omit and get rid of them.

The protagonist struggle extends to his office. He is an advertising guy that needs to
secrete and produce out of the world ideas and concepts on how the product will have a
long and strong impression to the intended market. Advertising industry requires a lot of
time and pressure.

Until one time, he realized that he needs to surrender and accept that in the world
where competitions are rampant, he needs to follow the flow of the river to survive.

2. Character evaluation
Protagonist which is unnamed in the story faces several struggles in his life. His
sexual desire towards women, the call for his work in an advertising agency which took
his time and brought him to pressure in creating bait and effective ads that will hook the
intended market for the product. He also struggled in searching for the peace of mind.
He thought that being in his home will give him peace he needed, but as the story told
us that he even fought for his right to the place where he is staying.

3. Elements
a. Setting
a. Where
- The story took place in three distinct places where
humanity can be gauge; in his apartment, office and in
the market.
 - In his apartment
a. Apartments are the personal sanctuary of
individuals. Here we rest and reflect and we can
be our real self in this location.
- In his office
a. Here we work to earn money. This is where we
created a person to the extent of being slave for
the reason we are working for others and to
benefit ourselves through earning enough to live
and enjoy.
- In the Market
a. This is where we discover ourselves through
different people we encounter on our daily lives.
b. When
- The story occurred throughout the day from morning until
dawn.
b. Choose one and Explain the Conflict(Problem)
a. Man VS society
- The story personifies the man’s struggle to survive. In the
society where we gauge success to the things that we
have. The supposedly wild instinct of humanity was gone.
We are fighting for ourselves, to survive and live. Ants in
the story implied that the changes in the human
preference are being highlighted in recent years. A
person wants pleasure but doesn’t want challenges.
People avoid problems and go for the convenient route to
achieve their goals. They don’t mind to forget or give up
their principles and belief for the sake of survival. Like
ants that are asexual, peoples contentment don’t end.
c. Rising action
a. Brought about the problem
- The man searched for the effective cure to omit his illegal
tenants to his apartment
-
b. Root cause of everything
- When the ants shared occupancy with the protagonist
which he doesn’t like.
d. Climax
a. How did the problem leads to the climax
- One of the scenes that led to the story climax was when
the main person knew that there is a colony or society of
ants that is underneath and living with him in his
apartment.
e. Falling action
a. What causes the climax to dealt
- This is when the protagonist surrenders and realized that
whatever you do in fighting in a war where you know has
a lesser percentage to win, you can’t do nothing.
b. What makes the climax goes down
- When the protagonist submit and accepted the fact that
surrendering in a war with nature will not give you a
chance to win. That is why in the story, he surrenders to
and bath in sugar pool.
f. Resolution
a. How did the story ends
- When the man realized that he can’t do nothing to fight
where the chances of winning is very slim. He surrenders
when he knew to his self that to submit doesn’t mean you
lose. Sometimes, giving-up for the sake of satisfaction
and peace to live with harmony will get you victorious.
Criticism

The short story the tower of ants by Hollym Elizabeth started with a woman who
screamed for her life because of ants. The owner of the apartment, the main
protagonist was confused of where these little creatures came from. From his
knowledge, the apartment was newly built and as far as he is concern, he is the first
occupant of the said estate. This is where the struggles and conflict started.

The first part of the short story tells us that the protagonist has an active sexual
drive towards women. This is evident that in the story, a woman who accidentally
discovered that he has another occupant in his apartment. Another is that, when he
went to his neighbor, he thought that the latter doesn’t like him because he brings
different women almost every day.

In the story also, tells that his war against the little creature started when he was
a kid. He used to take care of ants, fed them and nurture. There’s a scene in the story
where he saw a dying worm in the middle of the heat of the sun. He then saw a military
ant who surveys the place for food. He saw that these creatures, ate the dying worm in
organization. He thought that the incident of ants eating the worm, he will have the
same fate with the worms if he didn’t do something.

As the human nature, the first thing that came to the protagonist mind is to kill
them; and by killing them, his problem will be resolved. But on the other side of his
mind, he also thought that these creatures will not stop bothering and occupying his
space if he will not destroy nor kill the queen ant that reproduce in almost every blink of
his eyes.

The story noted the life of the protagonist as a worker. He was pressured to
produce innovative ideas and concept that his client’s product will get the market’s
attention. As evident by the story, his client went to his office to demand for the phrases
what will be used in advertising their product. The author also noted that advertising
agency is a war.
 On the last part of the story, the protagonist submitted and surrendered that he
cannot defeat the ants in every way he do. As seen in the last paragraph, the thought
that he need to accept the fact that he will live in the apartment with the ants. So, what
he did was, he opened the bathtub’s faucet and pour every sugar he has in the
apartment, he soaked and stayed in the bathtub after soaking, he didn’t use towel to dry
instead he let his wet body with sugar to dry naturally. He lied down to the area where
his board mates will see him.

The story of the tower of ants tells us that we are not alone in the world. There
are creatures that are waiting for our misfortunes and everything. The story personifies
the changes in human instinct. The ants imply humanity that drastically changes in
surviving in this society. The author championed the implication of greediness among
the human race; that people wants pleasure but avoids challenges and trials. People
will do everything to have financial stability. That human race will to everything for fame
compromising their principles and belief.
Final Output

Review and Criticism

Tower of Ants by Hollym Elizabeth NJ, Seoul

In partial fulfillment of the subject

Submitted by

Mr. L Merchader

Submitted by:

Emeline G. Sunga

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