PRELIM  Flat - A flat character is the opposite of a round character.

This literary personality is notable for one

kind of personality trait or characteristic. 
LITERATURE AS AN ENDURING EXPRESSION
 Stock - Stock characters are those types of characters who have become conventional or stereotypical
through repeated use in particular types of stories. Stock characters are instantly recognizable to
Literature
readers or audience members
According to Vinuya (2011), literature is man’s vehicle for self-expression: a form of catharsis (relief) and
feelings of friendship. It is the preserver of the culture of a nation; the showcase of people’s national upheavals  Protagonist - The protagonist is the central person in a story, and is often referred as the story's main
(struggles); and, more importantly, it is a means or a tool for cultural transmission. It is through literature (along character. He or she (or they) is faced with a conflict that must be resolved. 
with other arts) that the cultural heritage of the people is passed on from one generation to the next. Of course,
the primordial aim of literature is to entertain.   Antagonist - The antagonist is the character or situation that represents the opposition against which
the protagonist must contend. In other words, the antagonist is an obstacle that  the protagonist must
TYPES OF LITERATURE ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE overcome. 
Prose and poetry are the two common forms of literature; wherein prose is written work, which contains  Deuteragonist - The second most important character next to the protagonist.
sentences and paragraphs, and does not have any metrical structure. As against, poetry is a genre of literature
which is based on a particular form, that creates a rhyme. C. Plot 
 Exposition - It is the part of a story that talks about an important background to the readers-- the
TYPES OF LITERATURE ACCORDING TO GENRES setting of the story, about the characters, happenings, or events that occur before the main plot. 
Literary Genres pertain to the category determined by the technique of the author in delivering his content.   Rising Action – it is a related series of incidents in a literary plot that builds toward the point of
greatest interest. This where the conflict or problem in the story arises in dramatic intensity. 
Examples: Comedy, Tragedy, Horror, Fantasy, Mystery, Mythology, Historical, Musical, Fiction and Non-  Climax – the most intense, exciting, or important event in the story. 
fiction  Falling Action – It is the part of a literary plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the
conflict has been resolved.  
Fiction vs. Non-Fiction  Dénouement – the final part of the plot that explains the outcome of the complex events in the story. 
o Fiction  D. Theme
For the novelist Toni Morisson, “Fiction, by definition, is distinct from fact. Presumably, it is a product of  it refers to the central topic a text treats; it is the general idea or general observation about life and
imagination – invention – and it claims the freedom to dispense with ‘what really happened’ or where it really people. The theme will lead the readers to the meaning of the story. Examples of theme are love,
happened, or when it really happened, and nothing in it needs to be publicly verifiable.”  friendship, war, crime and mystery, revenge, etc.
o Non-Fiction 
It is a writing based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history. E. Narrator
ELEMENTS OF FICTION  It is the voice that narrates the story. The narrator is the technique that writer’s use to create
A. Setting a particular point of view from which they will tell the story, present the actions, and shape the readers’
 it pertains to the time, place, and social context of a story.  responses. 

B. Character THREE KINDS OF NARRATOR

 is a fictional person in a story.  Omniscient – it is presumed to be reliable or all knowing. This narrator exposes the internal thoughts
 The readers’ first reactions to the character are usually based on their subjective capacity to empathize of the characters, emotionally detached from the actions and uses third person pronoun – he, she, it,
with the character’s experiences. and they in point of view. 

TYPES OF CHARACTER  First Person – the narrators report the event in the point of view of the “I” or he himself involved in
the story. It differs from the omniscient point of view for it creates greater degree of intimacy with the
 Dynamic - A dynamic character is a person who changes over time, usually as a result of resolving a readers  
central conflict or facing a major crisis.
 Static - A static character is someone who does not change over time; his or her personality does not  Unreliable – these narrators do not possess the full understanding of the events they narrate, and the
transform or evolve. reader can see more than they do. The narrator’s lack of awareness is evident. 
 Round - A rounded character is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is often portrayed as
a conflicted and contradictory person.
EXAMPLES: Assonance
This is a figure of speech that focuses on the vowel sounds in a phrase, repeating them over and over to
Omniscient great effect. 
It’s midnight and the moon shined so bright when the boy came to see the maiden he loves. He was
contemplating with the thought that he is so bad for killing his own mother just to give her heart to the maiden. Examples:
On his way, his legs were shaking, and his heart didn’t stop pounding. The rain fell and he was so wet when he
Try to light the fire.
fell to the ground, crying, thinking of his mother who loved him so much. 
With the thought that I am so bad for killing my mother just to give her heart to the maiden I love. I’m on my I lie down by the side for my bride.
way to my maiden, my legs were shaking, and my heart kept on pounding. The rain fell and I was so wet and I
fell down to the ground crying, thinking of my mother who loved me so much.  Anaphora
This one uses a specific clause at the beginning of each sentence or point to make a statement. 
First Person
It’s midnight and the moon shined so bright when I came to see my love. I was contemplating with the thought For instance: “Good night and good luck” is an example of the beginning word being the same. The more it
that I am so bad for killing my mother just to give her heart to the maiden I love. I’m on my way to my maiden, is used, the more of an emotional effect is can evoke among those who are listening. Another example is
my legs were shaking, and my heart kept on pounding. The rain fell and I was so wet and I fell down to the "Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition!" from King John by William Shakespeare. 
ground crying, thinking of my mother who loved me so much. 
Hyperbole
This one makes things seem much bigger than they really were by using grandiose depictions of everyday
things. Hyperbole is often seen as an exaggeration that adds a bit of humor to a story. 
Unreliable
It’s dark and the moon shined so bright when the boy came out holding a heart. He left a dead body of a woman Examples:
with a breast cut open. He was teary eyed staring at the dead body but smiled when he opened his wallet and
stared at the picture of a young beautiful lady. He glanced at the heart and said “this is for the beautiful It was as big as a mountain!
maiden”. He ran out holding the heart when it rain and he fell down and started to cry. He remembered the old It was faster than a cheetah! 
woman he left at the house. 
ight and the moon shined so bright when I came to see my love. I was contemplating with the thought that I am It was dumber than a rock!
so bad for killing my mother just to give her heart to the maiden I love. I’m on my way to my maiden, my legs
were shaking, and my heart kept on pounding. The rain fell and I was so wet and I fell down to the ground Simile
crying, thinking of my mother who loved me so much.  For this one, two things are compared that are not really the same, but are used to make a point about each
other. 
F. Tone “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get” is a famous line from the
is the manner, mood, or pervading attitude that writers establish for characters, situations, and movie Forrest Gump that illustrates the simile. This is often used to make an emotional point about
readers such as intimate or distant, ironic or direct, hostile or sympathetic, formal or casual, something. 
humorous or serious, and emotional or objective.  
Figures of Speech Metaphor
Figurative language helps the writer paint a picture in the reader’s mind. Figurative language paints The use of metaphor compares two things that are not alike and finds something about them to make them
meaningful and colorful picture to every mind of the readers to help them grow an interest to what alike.
particular literary text they are reading.  “My heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill” from a book by William Sharp is a good example
of metaphor. Some writers try to use this style to create something profound out of comparing two things
Alliteration that appear to have nothing at all in common. 
This involves using words that begin with the same consonant sound. 
Irony
Examples: This figure of speech tries to use a word in a literal sense that debunks what has just been said. “Gentlemen,
Sally sells seashells by the seashore.  you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!” from Dr. Strangelove is a great example. 

Betty Botter bought some butter “but,” she said, “this butter's bitter!” If I put it in my batter, it will make It is often used to poke fun at a situation that everyone else sees as a very serious matter. 
my batter bitter. But a bit of better butter will make my batter better.” Then she bought a bit of butter better It is a contradiction between what happens and what you expect to happen.
than the bitter butter.
Onomatopoeia
This is the use of a word that actually sounds like what it means. Good examples include “hiss” or “ding-
dong” or “fizz.” These words are meant to describe something that actually sounds very much like the word
itself. This is a trick often used in advertising to help convey what something is really like.  copy,” and “silent yell” are all examples of an oxymoron. Many people use these to promote the humor in a
Personification
This is a way of giving an inanimate object the qualities of a living thing. “The tree quaked with fear as the
wind approached” is an example; “The sun smiled down on her” is another. This can sometimes be used to
invoke an emotional response to something by making it more personal, friendly and relatable. 
Paradox
This figure of speech completely contradicts itself in the same sentence. Famous quotes that illustrate this
from George Orwell’s “1984” include: “War is peace. Ignorance is strength. Freedom is slavery.” Though
we know these things aren’t true, they present an interesting paradox that makes a person think seriously
about what they have just read or heard.  Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín
Pun
This play on words uses different senses of the word, or different sounds that make up the word, to create
something fun and interesting. For instance: “I would like to go to Holland someday. Wooden shoe?” is a
pun that actually means “wouldn’t you?” Sometimes puns are so subtle that they can be tough to pick up
unless you are really listening for them.  o
A boiled egg every morning is hard to beat.
“How do you organize a space party? You planet.”
Understatement
This is a situation in which the thing discussed is made to seem much less important than it really is. This
famous line from Catcher in the Rye is a good example: “I have to have this operation. It isn’t very serious.
I have this tiny tumor on the brain.” Understatement can often be used to comedic effect.  Remorse - deep regret or guilt
Metonymy
One word has a very similar meaning can be used for another in metonymy. Using the word “crown” for
“royalty” or “lab coats” for “scientists” are two examples. In some ways it can be seen as a nickname for
something else; for instance, “The White House said” doesn’t actually mean the White House said it (a
house can’t speak!) but that the President said it. However, we all understand the meaning, and so the
words are interchangeable.   Agueda’s daughter - A vain girl who is persistent to know about her mother’s past.
Antithesis
This is a contradiction that pits two ideas against each other in a balanced way. 
Examples:
Harry Potter & Voldemort ; Snow White & the Witch
“Many are called, but few are chosen.”
“To err is human; to forgive is divine.”
Euphemism
Words that are used to soften the message are often considered euphemisms. “Passed away” is often used
in place of “died” or “killed.” A “misunderstanding” might be used in place of “fight” or “argument.” And
who could forget “wardrobe malfunction,” which is a fancy way of saying “your clothes fell off.” 
Oxymoron
This puts two words together that seem to contradict each other. “bittersweet,” “walking dead,” “original
situation. 
Synecdoche
This is a figure of speech in which one thing is meant to represent the whole. A few good examples include
“ABCs” for alphabet, “9/11” to demonstrate the whole of the tragedy that happened in the United States on
September 11, 2001. This is often used in journalism as a type of shorthand. 
May Day Eve
o Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín also known as Nick Joaquin was born on May 4, 1917 and died on April
29, 2004 
o He was born in Paco, Manila
o He used the pen name Quijano de Manila while writing his works. 
Filipino writer, historian and journalist, best known for his short stories and novels.
Unlocking of Difficulties
Superstition - A belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a
false conception of something.
Incantation - a series of words said as a magic spell or charm.
Mage - a magician or learned person.
Resentful - feeling or expressing bitterness for having been treated unfairly.
CHARACTERS
 Anastasia - A mischievous old woman who believes in superstitions.
 Agueda - A young woman who is bold, liberated, non-conformist who desperately wants to know her
future husband.
 Dona Agueda - a resentful, emotional old woman with gray hair; future of Agueda.
 Don Badoy - lover of Agueda; emotional and resentful old man who has a scar on his cheek.
 Voltaire - grandson of Dona Agueda and Don Badoy who is also superstitious. 
SETTING
 The story starts with a flashback of a May day eve in the year 1847. 
 There was a party held at the house of one of the young men who came from Europe. 
PLOT PYRAMID
 Exposition
Anastasia the mage, told the girls about the legend; that they would be able to know the man fated for them to
marry by reciting an incantation in front of the mirror, but if gone wrong, they would see a devil instead.
  Rising Action
Agueda tried the incantation in front of the mirror then saw Don Badoy. They had some confrontation and she
ended up fighting Don Badoy because he wouldn't let her go. At that moment, he fell in love with her.

 Climax
Badoy told his grandson, Voltaire, that he once saw a witch in front of a mirror when he caught him doing the
same incantation. Amazed of what his grandfather said, Voltaire told him that his grandma once saw a devil in a
mirror.

 Resolution 
Don Badoy reminisced the time when he saw Agueda in front of the mirror and when he fell madly in love with
her. That old love had been blinded by hatred, and that is now rebuild but it's too late because Agueda is already
dead.

 Denouement
Don Badoy realized that he ponders on love that had been wasted. They had shared a bitter and loveless
marriage. He forgot his love to Agueda since that may day eve.

CONFLICT OF THE STORY

 Man vs. Man
The conflict in the story is between Don Badoy Montiya & his wife, Doña Agueda. The story reveals to its
readers that they didn’t have a happy life after marrying each other and they regret having each other.

THEME OF THE STORY

 Magic Realism / Fantasy / Fiction
The story centers on extreme remorse caused by an unwise decision like believing in superstitions

NARRATOR
 Omniscient 
It’s written in the third person point of view; the narrator is the one responsible for the narration and expressions
of actions and emotions of characters. Each line was delivered by the characters themselves and was elaborated
further by the narrator.

IMAGERY
 Mirror
The mirror served as the indicator of time. It brought back memories for both Agueda and Badoy as they tell
their loved ones of that incident in a May day eve.