“Activity 2: Literary Analysis and Criticism”

Title of the Story: Tata Selo

Author of the Story: Rogelio R. “Sikat” Sicat
Main Characters: Tata Selo - A widower with a daughter. Farming is his
livelihood. He killed the kabesa de barangay of their town.

Rich Man - He is the son of the richest landowner in the town

of San Roque.

Mayor - the mayor of their city and the one who talked to Tata
Selo about what he did.

Chief - He is a big man in charge of the San Roque police.

Kabesang Tano - the head of their barangay who died because

Tata Selo cut him. It owns the land he farms.

Saling - The young daughter of Tata Selo who worked as a

maid in the capital's home.
Settings: Farm/San Roque, Poblacion
Theme: Unequal treatment on farmers.
Everyone has no rights to kill a person.
Adherence to things done that are bad or wrong.
Concern for the family.
Moral: There’s so many different people in this world. There is
someone who has power in the society but used their power in
bad things, and there’s others that do good. So, each of us
should be treated right and with respect, and treat others in the
same way.
Plot
Exposition / Introduction: At first, there are only few people in the municipal, but when
the sun rose, and the news starts to spread that Kabesang Tano
was had been killed by Tata Selo. People pushed and scrambled
just to get to close to the staked, and everyone can’t believe
what Tata Selo has done.
Rising Action: The young son of the richest landowner came to San Roque,
and Tata Selo explained to the young man that his saddle was
being taken away and that was It was the only thing that kept
them alive. He added that they had no other place to live, but
the young man replied that it was unreasonable to kill the
capital. While Tata Selo insisted that he used to own the land
and only mortgaged it because his wife was sick and just
embargoed of the capital. He begged but he was just beaten,
pointed his forehead at the young man. Then, the young man
grabbed a cigarette and left.
Climax: Next, a young farmer asked him and smiled when he saw this
young peasant because he was the son of a farmer who believed
in him. After that the mayor came with the chief of police and
Tata Selo was sent to his office, and explained that he would be
imprisoned for what he had done. Tata Selo also explained as
he explained to the rich young man and the young farmer. At
twelve o’clock the bell rang and the mayor left for lunch.
Falling Action: The police chief was the next to talk to Tata Selo and he
explained the same to the chief. The chief bit Tata Selo in the
stomach and he knelt on the floor while holding the chief’s
uniform. The next day, the mayor and Tata Selo spoke again,
the mayor said that he could be imprisoned in the capital and
that he might be sentenced to life imprisonment. Tata Selo
replied that they should just kill him as well, a few moments
later Tata Selo's daughter Saling arrived. When the father and
daughter met, Tata Selo insisted that she should not go, after
which he was sent back to the staked, and people watched him.
While Tata Selo was lying on the floor someone woke up by a
voice, it was the young farmer who visited him yesterday and
he ordered him to send Saling home, and while clinging to the
railing he looked outside and said that everyone had been taken
from them.
Resolution / Denouement: Tata Selo realizes that his life is no longer civil, all his
resentment and anger has been largely replaced by sadness and
frustration at what he said later that “Everything was taken
from him” is a representation of the layer upon layer of
problems in his life.