Preludes by Darryl Delgado

A Literary Analysis

Preludes by Darryl Delgado takes a bold approach when it comes to sensitive issues such
as adultery, inequality as well as injustice. The story, however, though it could be seen as a plot-
driven narrative, there is an underlying meaning which had been influenced by the author’s
personal experiences. Nenita, a wife who had been described as a person who tolerates her
husband’s cheating with multiple women appeared uncaring and unwavering during the course
where her husband had explicitly played with women.

This, in turn, reflects the common sighting within the Filipino locale and as to where the
culture of being unfaithful had been constantly tolerated. Cheating had become too normalized
that it turned into more of a habit than a sin. This has been one of the major roots of separation
between couples and the destruction of families.

The story’s setting was set in an unnamed Filipino barrio or barangay together with other
elements that could be showcased in the Filipino society such as the use of medicinal herbs, the
funeral as well as the characters’ names. The author, being a married woman herself, must have
experienced or witnessed the common conflict or feud between married couples which then
influenced her writing as a way to fume her deep underlying thoughts of “what could have been”
and “what ifs.”

On the other hand, the literary text itself builds up from a mystery in the beginning up
until the resolution which the readers couldn’t have possibly expected. Nenita appeared to be
tolerant of his husband’s sinful acts and simply nursed him when he returns. Nenita’s real agenda
wasn’t explicitly indicated as she only appeared to be a martyr wife who would rather stay with
her cheating husband.
 Her fantasies were revealed in her thoughts, in her actions, most especially in her dreams.
Her fantasies of how perfect her husband was that she would readily accept him countlessly.
Nenita’s unconscious thoughts from when she was dreaming of Willie, dancing and embracing
him, exposes her extreme desire for love and attention, which her husband failed to provide her.
Thinking of how she wasn’t enough to make her husband happy, how she, the wife, failed to
satisfy her husband’s expectations. The narrative described her as uncaring but after finding out
the resolution of the story, the readers might start to question this character's definition. The
husband’s reason for cheating wasn’t exactly stated, but in the mind of men, how can cheating be
possibly harder?

Nenita, his wife couldn’t possibly wait for the heavens to judge him so she decided to
leave everything in her hands. She was his wife after all, and what could be more brutal than
your wife taking your life? Some may or might not agree with the resolute that she had decided
to act on. Did a specific incident trigger her? Although the narrative made her appear as a flat
character, someone who would bear the pain until the conclusion, but the ending told us
otherwise.

The character of Nenita holds a high value when it comes to remaining faithful while her
husband did the opposite. A character, whose thoughts were purposely limited and silenced, the
author had successfully hidden her inner desires and agenda. Did Nenita feel satisfied and
relieved after committing the crime? Did she feel guilty? However, taking into account what she
had to bear with her husband’s unfaithfulness, she would have felt the former.

The moment someone decides to look for another rather than her partner, that’s where
cheating starts. But that was quite a half-true perspective as cheating starts with thoughts.
Honesty is a very crucial element in relationships and lies only lead to destruction. The author
who had lived in the Phillippines for most of her lifetime presents this cruel truth upon the
readers, and that it is still constantly occurring within the current times.