Date Submitted: Nov 06.

2019
Section: HUMSS 12 Compassion

Activity 1: Analysis of a Short Story

The Witch by Edilberto K. Tiempo

Answer the following questions:

1. Who are the main characters in the story? Characterize each of them.
2. What is the setting of the story? How effect is the setting to the plot of the story?
3. What is the major conflict of the story?
4. How did the boy react to Minggay when they first met?
5. Do you think that Minggay is a witch? Explain your answer.

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Yvet Cortez Arlene Bondad
Author’s Biography

Edilberto Tiempo (1913-Sept. 1996)

Fiction-writer and literary critic obtained his M.F.A. from the University of Iowa and his
Ph.D. in English from the University of Denver. In addition to having been a Guggenheim
and Rockefeller fellow, Ed Tiempo, alongside wife Edith L. Tiempo, spent around four
years studying literature and creative writing in the Iowa Writers Workshop. Upon
returning to the Philippines in 1962, the Tiempos founded the Silliman National Writers
Workshop after the objectives of the Iowa writers' clinic. The annual writing workshop in
Dumaguete City is the longest running in Asia.

In the 1960s he taught in two American schools, but it was the Silliman University
Which Tiempo chose as his base, serving as department chair, graduate school dean,
vice-president for academic affairs, and writer-in-residence. He reaped numerous honors
for his writing, among them the Cultural Center of the Philippines Prize, Palanca Awards,
the National Book Award, and a prize in the U.P. Golden Anniversary Literary Contest.

CHARACTERS

Minggay Awok
Round character (Antagonist)
She was speculated as the witch in the story and she was blamed for all the
unfortunate Incidents that happened in their place.
The boy
Flat character (protagonist)
He has portrayed in the story as an obedient and a dutiful lad. He was easily
affected by the rumors sorrounding him, to the point of almost believing them without
reasonable proofs.
Tio sabelo
The head teacher of the barrio school.

SETTING
It takes place in the rural part of Leyte (specifically Libas). The setting of the story
is in Barrio of Libas ( Southern Leyte, Philippines )

CONFLICT
The witch is a story that was written by Edilberto K. Tiempo and talks about a witch
who is allegedly on a vengeful path. The kind of conflict in the story can be classified as
a conflict between man
How did the boy react to Minggay when they first met?
When they first meet the child is scared because everyone knows about this witch
and at their first meeting she wonders why the witch has not moved yet? Why did he
prevent it from attacking, instead of making friends with him?

Do you think minggay is really a witch?

The story never goes to say that Minggay is actually a confirmed witch. However,
we can say that her characters are an icon of social issues, dating back to our
ancestors' indigenous cultures, based on rumors or rumors circulating in the village
about this strange woman, who is thought to be a witch.