MAN OF EARTH

Theme
Bamboos are the metaphors of Filipinos at the beginning of the poem – resilient and
versatile when exposed to formidable winds which were the time colonization. Then in the
later stanzas, the author admits that Filipino is not a bamboo anymore for he is a Man
henceforth.

FOOTNOTE TO YOUTH
Summary
In "Footnote to Youth" by José García Villa, Dudong asserts his supposed maturity and
marries Teang at the age of 17. He thinks they are old enough to take on this responsibility,
but after they have several children they both bemoan the dissolution of their youth and the
dreams that came along with it. Teang wonders how things could have been if she'd married
another of her suitors. At the end, Dudong's son Blas approaches his father wanting to
marry at about the same age, even though Dudong doesn't want Blas to make the same
mistake he did. However, history ends up repeating itself.
Theme
The theme in “Footnote to Youth” are the ignorance of youth, the phases of life, and fear
and inaction. The ignorance of youth: The story portrays youth as a time of ignorance and
inevitable rash decisions, as well as romanticism and “dreamful sweetness

MAY DAY EVE

Sumary
The story started with a flashback. Dona Agueda was facing the mirror on Monday eve
because her sister told her to do so. Dona Agueda really believed in her sister. That is when
she faced the mirror, her future lover would appear in the mirror.
 
As soon as Don Badoy appeared in the mirror, they decide to marry each other because they
believed in Anastasia. When they got their married life began it goes out miserable because
of the fact that they do not really love each other and nothing special happened to them.  
The plot of the story was that as Don Badoy Montiya comes home to his old home
at Intramuros, Manila late at night he finds his grandson chanting an old spell in front of a
mirror, memories of his youth came back. He recalled how he fell in love with Agueda, a
young woman who resisted his advances. Agueda learned that she would be able to know
her future husband by reciting an incantation in front of a mirror. As she recited the words:
“Mirror, mirror, show to me him whose woman I will be,” Agueda saw Badoy. Badoy and
Agueda got married. However, Don Badoy learned from his grandson that he was described
by Doña Agueda (through their daughter) as a "devil". In return, Don Badoy told his
grandson that every time he looks at the mirror, he only sees a "witch" (Agueda). Don Badoy
ponders on love that had dissipated. The truth was revealed, Badoy and Agueda had a
“bitter marriage”, which began in the past, during one evening in the month of May in 1847.
The tragedy of the story is Badoy’s heart forgot how he loved Agueda in the past. They were
not able to mend their broken marriage because their love was a “raging passion and
nothing more”.
Theme
The story didn’t just told about the love story of the two persons involved but also it implies
realization with the readers that you don’t have to rush everything specially in love, just like
what the story portrayed using a mirror that not just because you saw the man who you
dreamt about and was looking to be with, you will just suddenly live in to that believe that it
will last without even knowing his true personality. It’s not just that, you have to wait and
don’t rush things. In other words, Love is not founded on magic or any fictitious
phenomenon. Love is something we build and cherish. There is no way for love to prosper in
proud and hateful hearts. Love is never proud nor vengeful.

THE FENCE
Summary
Aling Biang’s husband had an affair with her neighboring friend, Aling Sebia. At some point,
Aling Biang found out about it. As a result, the fence’s construction was instigated. Months
later, their infidelity bore them a bastard daughter. The bamboo fence served as a malicious
boundary between Aling Biang and Aling Sebia. It was also a confinement between Aling
Biang’s son, Iking and Aling Sebia’s daughter, who is also Iking’s half-sister.

Due to their mothers’ childish agendas, the children were restrained the right to know one
another. By building the bamboo barrier, it controlled the opportunity for the children to
interact and enjoy each other’s company. Another display of childishness was when the
main characters stopped watering their vegetations growing in the common soil. Afraid of
providing nourishment to one’s garden that might benefit the other, they discontinued in
tending to it. In the end, no one

won and both lost because the garden expired.

The son of Aling Biang, Iking was a sickly lad while the daughter of Aling Sebia was a healthy
child who knows how to play the guitar. He would often hear the guitar being played.
However, the song was always unfinished.

Theme
The Fence” by Jose Garcia Villa is conveying the theme that pertains to hatred. Aling Biang
and Aling Sebia are most afraid one of them would give away. The building of the fence
seems necessary to protect their selves from seeing each other.
THE SUMMER’S SOLSTICE
Summary

The Tatarin, or otherwise known as the Tadtarin, was a three day festival that celebrated a
ritual of fertility. This was done only by women. Many men frowned upon the extravagant
dances and plays surrounding the ritual. “Summer Solstice” is set during the three days of
the St. John’s festival. Lupeng, a Filipino woman who feels closed to her womanhood, is
married to Paeng, who is no doubt loyal to her. They have three small boys and live a
somewhat wealthy life as they have a carriage driver named Entoy and a maid and cook
named Amada.

Guido is a cousin of Paeng’s who comes back to the Philippines after studying in Europe. The
story starts when the family is enjoying the days of the St. John’s festival until Guido makes
suggestive comments to Lupeng, and even bending down to kiss her feet. This makes her
leave abruptly and have a discussion with her husband the coming night.

Lupeng secretly found herself intrigued by the attention of Guido; she felt that he was
correct in saying that women should be ravished and men should adore them. This causes
her to participate in the last night of the festival, which is the Tatarin ritual. Paeng goes with
her and tries to drag her back once the dancing begun, but she runs from him to the
women. He tries to take her back but the women in the crowds beat him out, leaving him
helpless. As the two return home, Paeng says he must whip his wife because he loves her
and feels that she needs to be put in her place. To this, she shouts and says she wants to be
adored, not respected and orders him to kiss her feet.

Theme
St. John’s and Tatarin Festivals – The St. John’s festival is about men and their fertility, which
seems quite vulgar to Lupeng and makes her start to realize how she wishes women could
be seen in the same way. The Tatarin festival is the exact opposite, showing women as
leaders of fertility since they carry children. This festival is the last trigger to make Lupeng
feel as though she is stronger than a man and deserves adoration.