REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

LEYTE NORMAL UNIVERSITY

TACLOBAN, CITY

GENERAL TASK ON POEMS, SHORT FICTIONS AND NOVEL

In Partial Fulfillment to the Requirements
of the Course
Eng_106 World Literature

Submitted by:
Alaina G. Larrazabal
BSED Social Studies S311

Submitted to:
Dean Carl Villacorte, ME
Instructor, Languages and Literature Unit

Date Submitted:
August 28, 2020
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311
Poetry

When I am Dead My Dearest

By Christina Georgina Rosetti

When I am dead, my dearest,

Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,

I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.
 Literary devices found on the poem “When I am Dead My Dearest”

1. Plant thou no roses at my head – SYMBOLISM

ROSES symbolizes love, affection, compassion and et cetera.

2. Nor shady cypress tree – SYMBOLISM

CYPRESS TREE is a symbol for mourning. Cypress tree serves as an emblem of eternal life after
death and is often found on cemeteries. It is associated with mourning for mourning comes after
death.

Explanation for #1 and #2:

As the speaker stated in lines 3-4, there is no need for his/her lover to nurture the love they have
shared together nor to grieve for his/her death for his/her time has passed already. This might also
convey the message of letting go and maybe the speaker wants his/her lover to know that it’s okay
for his/her lover to continue living a life even without him/her in the picture anymore.

3. Be the green grass above me – ALLITERATION

Explanation for #3:

It is alliteration because it describes a series of words in succession that all starts with the same
letters and sound – the GR in green and grass. The line with the words “green grass” also gives off
a feeling of a comforting promise. The speaker may possibly want to promise his/her lover that
he/she is all right from wherever he/she is laid.

4. And if thou wilt, remember, - ANAPHORA

And if thou wilt, forget.
5. I shall not see the shadows, - ANAPHORA
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:

Explanation for #4 and #5:

It is anaphora considering the repetition of the words ‘and if thou wilt’ and ‘I shall not’.

6. I shall not hear the nightingale – IMAGERY

7. And dreaming through the twilight – IMAGERY

Explanation for #6 and #7

In the lines 11-12, the speaker suggests that once dead, he/she no longer hear the nightingale sing
on, this may imply that he/she may no longer hear sadness, joy, pain, love or anything – these are
the sounds nightingale makes - just pure silence. In line 15, the speaker looks forward to the
twilight wherein the setting of the sun and the rising of it may not be needed by the speaker to the
place he/she is heading to.
 Personal Explanation on the Essence of “When I am Dead My Dearest”

Death is something we know of – something that we should expect – but always caught us in surprise. We
know that any time of the day, week, month or year, someone we know may leave this world. But no matter
how we prepare our minds, no matter how much we condition ourselves of the idea of death, one can never
be truly prepared of someone else’s passing. We know how inevitable death us, but maybe it’s the
transition of losing someone that makes us forget what we have prepared for.

I am in the age where hearing news of someone’s death is almost as frequent as hearing news on a
friend’s wedding. I always thought that it may be is saddening, but it’s the reality. As we grow older, some
people we know are at their “oldest”. How I wish I have easily said that the night I was informed of my
Dad’s death. It was a year ago that I was harshly introduced to the real meaning of grief, mourning and
denial. I could say that it was just an introduction because whether I admit it or not, sooner or later, I will
lose someone again. I was dumbfounded – no, I was daunted of how short life indeed is. How scary it was
to lose someone you are accustomed having around with. How scary it was to suddenly feel vulnerable and
naked. How scary it was to carry the burdens you are free from before.

‘When I am Dead My Dearest’ is probably the message for us by everyone we love who have left us
already. Maybe they want to tell us to stop mourning. To stop dragging our lives. To stop punishing
ourselves with something we are not guilty of. Maybe, if they can tell us something from “there”, this is what
they wanted to tell us. To continue living our lives. To continue loving. To continue dreaming. Because
mourning and grieving won’t bring them back. And after reading this poem, I suddenly remembered the
carefree face of my sweet Dad. He would want me to enjoy life, no matter how short it is.

After all, maybe it is not dying that we are afraid of. Maybe it is the thought of leaving the people we love
behind. Maybe we are terrified that they will be devastated by our sudden passing. Maybe, it’s not dying
that scares us, it’s leaving without returning; it’s leaving without being able to say everything. Because the
most painful goodbye, is the goodbyes that were not said.
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311
Poetry

Desiderata
By Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have
their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your
achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of
time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to
what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of aridity and
disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kind counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the
things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself
with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees
and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is
unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and
aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With its sham, drudgery and broken
dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
 Literary devices found on the poem “Desiderata”
1. SIMILE
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the
grass

Explanation on #1:
Although grass and love is different on many levels, they are being compared on the poem.
Perennial means that it is existing for a very long time, so the perennial nature of grass suggests
that grass tends to grow unconditionally – whether tended or not. So, in the hopes of achieving
unconditional love, the writer wants us to bear a love that is like a grass – grows to be healthy and
sturdy amidst the arid and monotonous state of life – for a love like this will support us.

2. ALLITERATION
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark
imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Explanation on #2:
It is alliteration because it describes a series of words in succession that all starts with the same
letters.

3. TONE – Motivational
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be
happy.

Explanation on #3:
The tone of the poem is full of motivation and positive message. The lines written above tells us to
continue looking on the positive side of life regardless of all the negativity that comes with it. It does
not necessarily mean that life is full of negativity then we must succumb to it. There’s more to life
and we should embrace it.

4. METAPHOR
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.

Explanation on #4
It is a metaphor because loud and aggressive people are being compared to a vexatious
occurrence that affects the well-being of our spirits. Vexatiousness may often be similar to the
terms bothersome, exasperating, disturbing, pesty, annoying and vexing.

5. PERSONIFICATION
The world is full of trickery.

Explanation on #5:
The world does not have human traits however to explain phenomena we tend to associate or
compare such happenings to those of a human. The use of tricks to deceive or cheat is a human
trait, however there are times when we feel like the world is pulling or crafting some tricks on us.
Although these are still caused by humans, we tend to make generalizations and blame it to the
world.
 Personal Explanation on the Essence of the Poem “Desiderata”

Fall seven times, stand up eight.

As early as birth, there are instances wherein man faces failure and disappointment as early as birth, and
on some unfortunate cases, they don’t even make it until birth. The thing is, in our lifetime, so far, we have
faced and encountered numerous cases of failures, disappointments, and ineffectiveness that may lead us
to questioning our self-worth. However, what counts is not the times we fell, but the number of times we
struggled to stand again.

‘Desiderata’ is poem filled with positivity and motivation. It gives you a real hint on what is the reality of the
world, the people around you, and even your feelings. The poem offers you a free “reality check”. However,
at the end of the poem, the writer tells you that this may be the real world – harsh, full of disappointments,
sometimes tiring but – it’s still a beautiful world. No matter how harsh this world is, this is still the same
world where we felt the first butterflies in our stomachs. No matter how disappointing the events we’ve
experienced, this is still the same world where we enjoyed countless of genuine laughter and happiness.
No matter how tiring living in this world sometimes is, this is still the same world where we dreamed and
hoped and wished.

It doesn’t matter if you fell down a hundred times already. Who cares when it’s only natural? What matters
is how you fought and stood up amidst the pains, bruises and hurt falling down caused you. Remember,
what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311
Poetry

Psalm 23
A psalm of David

The Lord is my shepherd,

I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
For his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
Through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff,
They comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love
will follow me
all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
 Literary devices found on the poem “Psalm 23”

1. The Lord is my shepherd – METAPHOR

Explanation on #1:
This is a metaphor because the Lord is being compared to a shepherd and a host. The ancient
Hebrews relied much on herding and because of the dangers brought upon by predators, the
nature and threats from the surroundings, a good shepherd is needed to prevent any misfortunes
and is needed to take good care to protect and tend the sheep. The psalmist calls God his
shepherd and himself as God’s lamb. As helpless, innocent and as dependent as a lamb, the
psalmist needs the care of God, to protect him from any danger posed by the environment and by
the society.
2. He makes me lie down in green pastures – IMAGERY

Explanation on #2:
By reading and understanding the line, we could imagine an image of peaceful life given to us by
God. By following the words of God and trusting by trusting Him, we could lead a life of abundance,
contentment and without a hint of greed and evil.

3. I will fear no evil,

For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff,
They comfort me – PARALLELISM/SYMBOLISM

Explanation on #3:
Parallelism is a literary device in which parts of the sentence are grammatically the same. Both
sentences also symbolizes the protection and security we feel in God’s presence.

4. Even though I walk

Through the darkest valley – SYMBOLISM and IMAGERY

Explanation on #4:
When we think of dark valleys, surely fear creeps into our minds and images of creepy things
floods our imaginations. How much more when it says ‘darkest’ valley? These valleys may also
symbolize the darkest and most terrible times of our lives. This may pertain to the moments where
we feel hopeless. But with God’s presence and with God being our guide, we fear no more.

5. Even though I walk

Through the darkest valley – METAPHOR

Explanation on #5:
Valleys are good for tending sheep but also ground for battles that’s why it masks evil, danger and
death. But because the psalmist has enormous trust in God as his shepherd and guide, he is free
from fear and doubt.

6. Themes – PROTECTION and SECURITY

Explanation on #6:
The psalm revolves on the security and protection God has provided. From food, shelter from
enemies and protection from the dangers of the environment. The psalmist is confident that God
will provide everything he needs and contented with everything He has provided.
 Personal Explanation on the Essence of the Poem ‘Psalm 23’

In Sociology, man is known to be gregarious in nature. He tends to look for a group where he can socialize
and where he can fit into. Maybe because man is born to be dependent. We are born to look for a circle
where we can rest assured and be dependent at times. However, although man is said to be naturally good,
there is also a claim that man is naturally bad, as to which is true or not, it’s still under debates. But the
bottom line is, since the nature of man is still unreliable, the security we first felt within the group we think
we belong turns into an insecurity. Trust evolves into mistrust and so on. That’s is why relying on man
alone, can be disappointing and exasperating. This is my mini theory and this is where Psalm 23 makes
sense even for the least religious being on earth.

The psalm tells us that God will tend to us like a good shepherd tending his helpless sheep. Naturally, we
believe that we are strong, independent type of folks. However there can be instances when we feel awfully
helpless and a terrible feeling of being alone and loneliness corrupts our system. What will you do when
this happens and you have no one to lean on? This is why trusting God or just trusting the ultimate Being is
very important. He will never betray us. He will never leave us hanging. He will never turn His back on us.
And He will never disappoint us. When the world shut its doors on us, He will be there and open every
doors in the universe. And that is what we need, someone to rely on, not only in despair, but in our
everyday journey. Putting our trust in Him makes everything light and comfortable. Knowing that He is there
to tend us and to lead us not into dangerous path makes us feel more protected and more secured.
Believing that He will provide our bread and wine, that He will shelter us from our enemies and that He will
protect us from evil will turn our greed into contentment. All it takes is our trust.

In a world filled with insanely troubling matters, putting our faith in God and doing things for His namesake
keeps me sane. No matter how exhausting living is, at the end of the day I know I can talk to him and He
will listen to my petty rants and ignorant complaints. And when my mouth fails to speak what I wanted to tell
Him, I know that He will read my heart instead. For I am his helpless and dependent lamb and He is my
shepherd.
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311
Poetry

On Love
By Kahlil Gibran

Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.

And he raised his head and looked upon the people,
And there fell a stillness upon them.
And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.

Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for
God’s sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you

that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a
fragment of Life’s heart.
 But if in your fear you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh,
but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say

“God is in my heart,” but rather,
“I am in the heart of God,”
And think not you can direct the course of love,
for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the
beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
 Literary devices found in the poem “On Love”

1. When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep. – PERSONIFICATION

Explanation on #1:
Love is not a person. It is a feeling, a condition, a state or such. It does not and it definitely cannot
beckon anyone. The speaker used personification to farther explain what love is and what it can do.

2. For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. – HYPERBOLE

Explanation on #2:
Love, again, is not a person but it can crucify you. This does not mean that you’d be literally
crucified on a cross however being in love takes us to different heights. Although crucifixion is a
hyperbole or an exaggeration, when in love it’s not always sunshine, rainbows and butterflies,
there’ll come a time where we’ll be helpless, hurt and feel like nailed in every parts of our body.
Thus, love does not only gives a feeling of satisfaction, but also pain comparable to crucifixion.

3. And he raised his head and looked upon the people,

And there fell a stillness upon them.
And with a great voice he said – ANAPHORA

Explanation on #3:
This is anaphora or repetition considering the repetition of ‘and’ at the beginning of the phrases.

4. And think not you can direct the course of love – ANASTROPHE

Explanation on #4:
This literary device is reversing the traditional sentence structure. So, instead of putting the words
like ‘do not think’, the speaker put it like the underlined words.

5. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. – SIMILE and
PERSONIFICATION

Explanation on #5:
The speaker wants the reader to dream of a kind of love that can bring many pleasant feelings. For
example, a feeling that makes one’s self sing a melody into the night. This can also be considered
a personification for a brook cannot sing but is given a trait the same as of a person.

6. To know the pain of too much tenderness. – OXYMORON

Explanation on #6:
This can be an oxymoron for two contradicting words came to describe one thing – a feeling of
being in love.

7. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
 and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude –ANAPHORA

Explanation on #7:
This is an anaphora because of the repetition of ‘to’ at the beginning of the sentences.

8. And to bleed willingly and joyfully. – PARADOX/OXYMORON/JUXTAPOSITION

Explanation on #8:
Paradox is derived from the Greek word paradoxon meaning ‘beyond belief. This can be
considered a paradox because this statement asks the reader to think outside the box, to believe
that to bleed willingly and joyfully – although impossible – can be possible when in love.
This can also be an oxymoron because bleed and joy contradicts one another, logically speaking,
who can be joyful while bleeding? But although contradicting, they convey the same thought.
And, this can also be considered a juxtaposition, for this literary device places two or more
dissimilar concepts together for us to have a better grasp of the meaning. Because sometimes, the
best way for us to understand something is by understanding what it’s not. Placing these two
different concepts together makes the reader understand that in love, one can hurt so bad but still
feel happy and contented.

9. Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the
beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips. –IMAGERY

Explanation on #9:
Reading the sentences above, the reader can imagine a scene filled with colors, contentment,
inspiration and a life filled with smiles, laughter, tears and love. It is an image of a normal life –
seasoned with a little hard work, spiced with a bit of pain and misunderstanding but dashed with
great deal of love and affection.

10. “God is in my heart,” but rather,

“I am in the heart of God,” –HYPERBOLE

Explanation on #10:
This does not mean that we are literary on God’s heart when in love, rather it means that when in
love we do things based on God’s teaching. When in love, we must follow God’s lead, we must
center our relationship in Him, and we must honor our relationship in His name. So that, our love
will not be in vain but filled with sincerity.
 Personal Explanation on the Essence of the Poem “On Love”

I was in my diapers when my Mom made a promise to marry me off to her best friend’s son. Then, I
was in first year high school when they made it official. We got to know each other because of the
meetings our parents concocted for us to spend time together. Then, it evolved to casual meet-ups
we decided ourselves. We went for short walks and went for shorter drives. We went for grocery
shopping, cooked meals together for both our families, had mutual friends and got closer. But as
he was getting to know me better, I already fell in love, and I was 15 then. What I felt for him was
my first definition of love.

You see, because of my Mom’s desire to give me to someone they can trust, I met my first love
without looking for him. We went from strangers to supposed partners in the future. Two high
schoolers planned their future family like it’s that simple. I was raised to become a wife for him and
I was happy. I didn’t experience high school sweethearts because what’s the need of it all when I
already have someone to spend a lifetime with. I loved him for being kind. I loved him for his skills.
I loved him for his intellect. And I loved him even after finding out the things I thought would never
happen. For me, that was love, the kind of love introduced to me. Like a fool, I blindly held on the
promise made between our parents, not the promise made between us. Because there was no
promise at the first place. It never occurred to me that we were just a set up, and without a
backbone – which is our parents promise – we are nothing but an acquaintance. We can’t even
consider each other as friends. We were strangers caught between a funny promise but the
difference between us was that he didn’t take it seriously while I held on to it like my lifeline. I fell in
love with someone who only thought of me as a responsibility given by his parents. Nevertheless, I
went on, I chased after him and believed that if I just show him my sincere feelings, one day he’ll
choose me. I believed that he’s just playing around, so I let him. I thought that one day he’ll be
done with those escapades and that whoever he’s with, he’ll come back to me just as it was
planned. I was contented to see him grow. I was contented with having my teenage years revolve
around him. Never did I think I’d regret wasting those years chasing a dream that’s meant to be
forgotten the moment I woke up.

Then my Mom, the one who pushed me to that silly arrangement, told me to stop. She, who made
me dependent to someone, even has the audacity to tell me to stop chasing someone who’s in
love with someone else. Our relationship was severed because of the many arguments we had just
for a guy. I was 19 then when I tried to move on. It was after he tried to sway me again with his
words and promises. Just like what the speaker wants to tell the reader in the poem, although love
is a wonderful feeling, it can cause great pains as well. It will complete you just to shatter you again.
I loved a man who caused too much pain to my young heart, but he has also brought many good
feelings and it made me happy amid the hurt. Because it’s not love if you only wanted the good
ones. You have to take and embrace all. I was 20 when I finally took it by heart that no matter how
good it felt being with him, I can’t neglect my pitiful situation. I can’t lose myself just because I
found him. It’s just so wrong on so many levels.

The 20 years old Alaina still loved him, but I just thought it’s not worth the fight anymore. Love, just
like a plant, needs to be tended to survive. Just as I was on the process of letting go, finally, the
man I dreamt of marrying is finally ready to build a family. But not with me. After years of
preparation he’s finally putting it to use, but with someone else. And it did not just tear me apart, it
gave me nightmares.

I am now 22, happily in love with who I am today. It took a great deal of acceptance to face him
bravely and say that I am happy for him and the path he took. I may not love him anymore but he will
always stay somewhere in my heart. There will always be a place for him that can’t be replaced by
anybody, not even with the greatest love I’ll meet soon. I finally understood what these lines meant:
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
First loves aren’t meant to stay forever. They’re just meant to teach us a lesson. That the pains we
felt before should not be forgotten, because if we forget it all, we will also forget its lessons. If nine
years ago I enjoyed watching him do the things that he love, now I enjoy watching the love of his
life – his daughter. It was his daughter that turned the bitterness in my heart into fondness. And I
don’t regret breaking my heart, just to see him happy. One day, I’ll meet the love that will direct
itself without my intervention. One day, it will happen.
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311

Short Fiction: A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

CHARACTERS:
1. Emily Grierson – a mysterious woman from Jefferson. She was known to be a very vibrant and
hopeful young lady but turned into a very secretive old woman. After her father’s death, she spent
her time alone and became the subject to the town people’s pity.
2. Homer Barron- a Northerner foreman who was a large man with a dark complexion and a
booming voice. He won many admirers in Jefferson because of his good sense of humor. He
developed a relationship with Emily but after some time he was not seen anymore. It was believed
that Emily poisoned him after salvaging his decaying corpse in an attic bedroom. The town people
admired him but seen him lacking as Emily’s partner because of his origin and personality.
3. Judge Stevens – he is the mayor of Jefferson. He delicately handled the complaints about the
smell from the Grierson property and was kind to send men to sprinkle lime on the property
secretly.
4. Mr. Grierson – he was Emily’s father. When he was still alive, he was very controlling over Emily’s
affairs especially on her suitors. It is believed that Emily’s mysterious aura growing old was
influenced by her father.
5. Tobe – he is Emily’s loyal servant. The folks called him the Negro. After Emily’s self-isolation, only
Tobe was seen going in and out of the property. The folks tried to extract information from him but
he didn’t speak and after Emily’s death, when he spoke his voice sounded rusty as if from lack of
use.
6. Colonel Satoris - he was the former mayor of Jefferson and was probably a close friend of Emily’s
father. He absolved Emily of all her tax burden after her father’s death for the reason that Mr.
Grierson has contributed to the town’s prosperity.
PLOT:
5
 4 6
3
2 7
1.

1. Introduction/exposition: the town’s people of Jefferson gathered for Emily Grierson’s funeral.
2. Rising Action: the rising actions showed series of flashback on Emily’s whereabouts wherein the
town’s people were very curious. The first flashback informed the reader’s how Emily was asked to
pay her supposed “due” taxes for the town but Emily religiously denied her tax responsibility and
told them to speak to the former mayor who was apparently dead already.
3. Another flashback showed us that the town folks complained to the mayor that the smell in the
Grierson’s property is already unbearable and asked the mayor to speak to Miss Emily but instead,
he sent men to secretly spread lime to the property to eradicate the smell.
There was also a flashback wherein a man named Homer where seen taking out Miss Emily to
dates
but was not seen again after being last spotted entering the Grierson property.
4. Then a flashback revealed that Emily bought an arsenic and when asked for what, she only said
that it’s for “rats”. It gave us an idea that maybe the smell is related to the poison she bought and
that maybe it was Homer she poisoned.

6. Climax: After Miss Emily was sent to her final resting place, the people, who were dying of
curiosity for the last 40 years or so, knew that there was a room in the attic that no one has ever
set foot off nor seen. And so they forcefully opened that room and the dust from the violent
breaking of the door almost filled the room. There they found things for a man, probably for a
wedding. And what shocked them more is the man himself lying on the bed.
7. Falling Action: Homer Barron’s decomposed body was found lying on the bed. The people was
left dumfounded for a moment.
8. Resolution: on the pillow beside the corpse was an indentation of a head and one of them lifted
something from there, it was long strand of gray hair.
CONFLICT:
1. Man vs. self – this is an internal struggle the character faces. Emily has the tendency to be
stubborn. She had a hard time accepting the truth about the happenings surrounding her. First
evidence to that was her denial of her father’s death for three days. And then the second one was
with the man Homer. Emily spent some Sundays and maybe dates with Homer so the people
assumed that they are in an intimate relationship, and perhaps it was what Emily thinks so too. But
it was later known that Homer liked men and so the people assumed again that Emily would be left
pitiful because her attempt to settle down will be cut off again. After finding out that Homer is not
the marrying type, she didn’t acknowledge it again and opted to a desperate move – poison. She
probably believed that if she can’t have him, then none would either. She can’t handle the thought
of being disappointed. So instead of opening up to the world and look for greater pleasures in life,
she instead isolated herself and shut her doors to the people.
2. Man vs. society – this is the character’s struggle involving the society. Perhaps because of her
upbringing, Emily was aloof to the people in her community. She has no friends, none to vent out
her feelings with, none to relate with, and none to ask for advices. She also ignore the law of the
town by denying her obligations to pay her taxes. This is a manifestation of her stubbornness and
disregard of the social norms.
3. Man vs. man – this is a person to person struggle. If we are to look for an antagonist in the story, it
must be Emily’s father. He had the biggest influence on Emily’s life. She wasn’t able to enjoy her
life because of the rules and strictness of her father. She also wasn’t able to settle down because
her suitors were sent away by her father.
  As Emily’s life was restricted because of her father’s primitive and rather unnatural ways of
manipulating her social life, she wasn’t able to enjoy her prime years. After her father’s
death, although a parent’s death is very unfortunate, for Emily it must felt like the leash in
her neck was cut off and she was set free from her cage. Then came this boisterous
Northerner named Homer who Emily thought to be her potential partner. Although greatly
admired, the people of Jefferson still deemed him unfit for the very grand Emily Grierson
and thought that it was Emily’s way of rebellion after years of suppression. Emily’s life
became the most anticipating reality show for the people of the town. In every event, their
initial reaction was how pitiful Emily was. As Emily has already set her eyes on the prize,
who was Homer, after finding out that he’s into men and the chance of marrying him was
thinning, she opted to a terrible move. After a visit to the Grierson’s, Homer was not seen
outside the streets of Jefferson again. After the last attempt to lead a normal life failed,
Emily finally closed her doors and her life forever, together with the corpse of the poisoned
Homer Barron.
THEMES:
1. Mystery- the story revolved on the numerous attempts of the town’s people to understand what is
happening inside the Grierson property after Emily shut its doors. For forty years they have only
wondered what’s going on inside the house and tried to decipher the mysterious aura the place
gave. Even the readers will have to wonder what happened and what’s happening next. The story
indeed has a dark mysterious theme.
2. Sad/depressing- imagine having to live her life, not because she wants it but because she was
told to live it that way. The manipulation resulted into something unimaginable. Perhaps Emily
thought that Homer will eventually live her and no one will give her another taste of satisfaction so
she decided on keeping him forever, unwillingly. This is very sad because we shouldn’t exert so
much effort for us to keep someone, for us to be happy. However, Emily found it hard to have
someone by her side because of her age and her experiences. If only, she grew up happily, if only
she was not manipulated, if only she got to decide who to date as early as she wanted to, then her
life might have ended happily.
MORAL:
“Whether you sore high like an eagle or lay low like a mole, the people around you would still have
something to talk about you.”

 Open up your life like a book and people will pry on you like you’re the most interesting
prey they have ever seen. But shut them out from your life and they instances will keep
playing on their petty heads and still talk about you. So I say, let us not care what other
people might say. Let us marry early or marry later. Let us give birth at 18 or not give birth
at all. Let us work till our back aches or let us work as comfortable as possible. Let us take
risks or stay inside our safe zone. Who cares? This is our life and as long as we are not
stepping upon others, no one can ever dictate us on how to live it. It’s useless to care
about how others will think when they don’t even consider our feelings. We have to live our
lives the way we want to and not because the people around us told us to.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECTS THE VALUE OF THE PIECE:
 William Faulkner grew up in New Albany in Lafayette County, Mississippi and so he
modeled Jefferson from this region. Jefferson, the governmental center in the fictional
county of Yoknapatawpa, Mississippi, is a setting frequently used by Faulkner in his pieces.
We can conclude that he wrote this with his hometown in mind. Faulkner was mainly
interested in writing about the moral and social implications of history. A Rose for Emily
occurred after the Civil War and so this was the era of reconstruction of the laws and
practices. It was stated in the story that no Negro woman should appear on the streets
without an apron, so this is a proof of how the Southern States reconstructed their laws
and restricted the rights of the freed black people. These Southerners did this to control
the freed blacks and use them for manual labor. Because it was the era of reconstruction
between the North and the South, the folk are torn into accepting the new ad disregarding
the old norms. With this we can have a grasp on Emily’s struggle to adjust and accept the
changes. The Griersons are aristocrats and has the arrogance and air of superiority of one.
This was clearly portrayed by Emily’s father by believing that no local is good enough to
marry his daughter. There is also a claim that perhaps Emily carried this sense of
arrogance too by shutting out the world and by denying her responsibilities in paying her
taxes. According to Dr, Celeste Bright, Mayor Santoris might have concocted a white lie
that the town of Jefferson owed a money to the Grierson to help Emily in her finance, to
save her a face. Because of the society’s constant gossip and remarks, it has made it hard
for Emily to live the identity she wished to live. This also showed the social constraints
experienced by women at that time and the attempt to eradicate the stigma of black people
slavery.
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311

Short Fiction: The Most Dangerous Game

CHARACTERS:
1. Sanger Rainsford- a renowned hunter, and the story’s main character. He wrote books about
hunting and that’s how the general knew him. He is quick-witted, practical and intelligent. He was a
realist and believed that the world is made up of two classes and he thought he was lucky to be the
hunter instead of being the hunted.
2. General Zaroff- a Russian Cossack who owned the feared Ship-Trap Island. Because of his lofty
status, he enjoyed hunting and was hunting all his life. He became a master of it that know animal
has ever beaten him, and that is why he thought of doing the most dangerous game – hunting the
most intelligent animal ever existed.
3. Whitney – he was Rainsford travel buddy and was on the yacht where Rainsford fell. He was the
one to tell Rainsford about the mysterious island around the Caribbean
4. Ivan- he is the general’s right hand man and was also a Cossack. He has a fearsome aura and
built and has a beard up to his waist.

PLOT: 3

2 4
5
 1
1. Exposition- Rainsford fell of the yacht he was aboard with his friend Whitney. After gaining
consciousness he found a very large building in the middle of the island owned by a retired
General.
2. Rising Action- after meeting the master of the house, Rainsford was treated like a valuable guest.
He later found out about the General’s terrifying game – hunting men. He wished to leave
immediately but was informed that he must win the game first wherein he is to be hunted by the
general for three days. He managed to outwit the general, Ivan and even the hounds.
3. Climax- after struggling to survive, he was finally cornered and decided to jump off the cliff.
Fortunately he survived the fall and decided to attack the house of his hunter instead of waiting to
be hunted.
4. Falling Action- Rainsford ambushed the general in his room. The general told him that whoever
wins will lay comfortably on the bed and they presumably dueled until Zaroff was feed into his
hounds.
5. Resolution- the readers can conclude that Rainsford won the hunting after the story ended by him
saying that he has never slept more soundly in that bed in his life.

CONFLICT:
1. Man vs. Man – Rainsford faced a struggle because of the General’s thirst for hunting. He came
across many challengers, taunted by fears he never felt before and for the first time, felt what it
means to be hunted all because of another man.
2. Man vs. Society – the protagonist experienced the struggles in the General’s lair due to the fact
that the General was raised in a society or in a class that disregards and disrespects the natural
balance of nature. By coming from a rich family, the General thought that anyone lower than him
can be treated as a huntee.

 After being washed ashore, Rainsford found a large building in the middle of the Ship-Trap
Island Whitney told him about, where he was welcomed by General Zaroff and his servant,
Ivan. The general recognized him because of the books he wrote about hunting. The
general talked about his interest in hunting and later on, told Rainsford about his new liking
– the most dangerous game there is – hunting humans. Although a veteran hunter,
Rainsford still believed in the etiquette of hunting and disagreed with the general. As he
wished to leave, he didn’t realize that the reason why the general told him everything there
is to know, was because the general found him the most worthy to be in the game with him.
All of whom the general hunted already bore him down, and so he believed that the
intelligence, stamina, and strength of Rainsford were definitely a new experience for him.

THEMES:
1. Violence- the story tells us how twisted a system can get. Because of some people’s lofty
positions in the society, they are free to do what they want, even if it costs the lives of their
fellowmen. The General is the clear manifestation of a privileged aristocrat that was able to play
with the lives of men just because he has the money and the means. In the early 1900s, hunting
has been widely enjoyed, not only by people from rich classes but also by those living in the lower
class. But if we are to differentiate the two, it would be clear that hunting for fun cannot be
compared to hunting for food that will fill their hurting bellies. As a more established law emerged,
hunting was restricted but we are to read the articles dating a 100 years back and up to the present,
many are still indulged into the pleasures of hunting. I even heard a story from a family friend
wherein he accidentally shot a kid by mistaking it as a sparrow. There is so much violence in the
story, from imprisoning animals and even men of different races, killing for fun and the worst of
them all was being able to do it without answering from the law. It only proved how these privileged
lots have immunity from proper punishments.
MORAL:

 No matter how much we thrive for equality, for antidiscrimination, for ‘no man above the
law’ – as long as there are people who doesn’t respect these pleas, everything is in vain. If
we are to examine the story and look beyond its context, we can see the similarity of the
dangerous game to the society we live in today. A man is still in prison for more than 23
years already because of being falsely accused of kidnapping, rape and murder. His
teachers, friends, classmates and even the guard vouched for him and told the same story
– at the time of the crime, he was with his classmates in Manila, and the victims were in
Cebu. But because he didn’t had the backing, he is still rotting in jail up to this very
moment. A rich haciendero took the machineries from the children of his deceased brother,
but because they were just his children, and because the man claimed that he can
maintain the machineries better for he has the money, it was called borrowing instead of
stealing. The bottom line is, this is the reality of the society we belong. As long as we don’t
have the power, the leverage and as long as we are considered as the lesser being, we
will be trampled on forever. We will always be the prey. We will always be taken advantage
of. We will always the pawns of the game. We may not be hunted like a lower animal, but
we are being treated like one. As long as there are people who finds it easy to turn a blind
eye instead of observing, as long as there are people who enjoy the company of money
instead of his fellow men, then this dangerous game is not ending anytime soon.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECTS THE VALUE OF THE PIECE:

 Hunting dates back to the pre-historic times wherein human beings relied to it for food and
survival. However as modernization emerged, hunting eventually became a tradition
enjoyed my Kings, and then noble men, then the wealthy class. It was enjoyed greatly in
the Babylon and China and such tradition continued in Europe. And so, hunting was
associated with nobility and wealth. This can explain the obsession of the Cossack
General, Zaroff, in hunting.
Cossack is a name given to number of people in the region of Eastern Europe, around
Russia and the Ukraine. They were known to be violent and possess a commendable
guerilla warfare tactics, thus, explains why Ivan was so brutal in torturing their captives.
Because they were deeply feared and were essential in maintaining order by instilling fear,
when the last Russian Czar collapsed along with the Russian empire, these Cossacks
were on top of the list as the target of genocide by the Revolutionaries. This also explained
why Zaroff and Ivan fled to the isolated island in the Caribbean. Because of the violent
nature of Cossacks, this lead to Zaroff’s thirst for constant hunting. Imagine being used to
kill with no mercy and then one day the table were turned and they were the ones targeted
by the Revolutionaries. As the world Zaroff and Ivan left, slowly changed, from its custom
to its laws, they remained with their old, pre modern social practice – brutal and violent.
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311

Short Fiction: A Good Man is Hard to Find

CHARACTERS:
1. The Grandmother – a talkative, irksome, religious, but also forgetful old woman who lives with her
only son Bailey and his family. Before their planned trip she kept on suggesting to visit Tennessee
instead of going to Florida for the fear of encountering with the fearsome criminal, The Misfit.
However her son did not listen to her, and unfortunately, they really had an encounter with the
criminal. She tried to reason with the Misfit but she was still killed along with her family.
2. The Misfit – a wanted criminal who stumbled upon a family who had an accident. He asked his
henchmen to kill the rest of the family while he killed the old woman himself.
3. Bailey – the son of the old woman and the head of the family. He never listens to his Mom, but
nevertheless, it still seems that he loves her so. He and his son were the first to get killed by the
criminals.
4. John Wesley – a loud, obnoxious and annoying young boy.
5. June Star – she’s also annoying like her brother. She and his brother were ill-mannered if I may
say. It seems like they lack respect to their grandmother.
6. The Mother – Bailey’s wife whose name wasn’t mentioned. She’s the mother of her three young
kids.

PLOT: 3

2 4
 5
1

1. Exposition – the story started with the grandmother insisting on moving their trip to Tennessee
instead of pushing through to Florida because there is a wanted criminal on the loose. However,
nobody listened to her and it was even evident that her grandchildren mocked her.
2. Rising Action – the grandmother was the only one talking while on their trip. She’s very talkative
and looked for ways to engage her grandchildren. While on their way, the grandmother suddenly
remembered about a house she used to see on her younger days and persuade her son to make a
stop there. However her son was very stubborn so she tried on mentioning things that ignited the
curiousity of her grandchildren. Because of their loud voices and persistence, her son was left with
no choice but to follow their request.
3. Climax – while on their way of that house, the grandmother suddenly remembered that it was not
Florida but in Tennessee, she kept her silence in fear that her son will get mad at her. But the cat
that she secretly brought suddenly jumped at Bailey and he lost control causing the car to crash.
Fortunately no one died, yet. A car went over to them and the old lady waved her hands even
though her son told her to be quiet, it was very unfortunate because the ones who are in that car is
the Misfit and his company. The boys were taken into the forest first to be killed, then the woman
and her little girls. Then after her non-stop failed attempts to bring out the goodness in the Misfit,
the grandmother were then shot by the criminal.
4. Falling Action – the Misfit asked Bobby Lee to throw the old woman to the place where they have
thrown the others. He thinks that the grandmother would have been a good woman if it had been
somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.
5. Resolution – the story ended as the Misfit said, “It’s no pleasure in real life.” Pertaining to shooting
someone to death.

CONFLICT:
1. Man vs. Man – the conflict of the story took place because there are struggles between the people
in the story. There are differences in beliefs and so on.

 The conflict of the story started when the cat of the grandmother jump onto the shoulder of
Bailey and startled him. He lost control of the steering wheel causing their car to crash. If
only they didn’t crash maybe they would have avoided meeting the criminals and went
their way. They saw a car above the cliff and the old woman earnestly waved at it to call its
attention. As the car with three men went for their rescue, the old woman suddenly burst
out saying that he recognized the man and it was the Misfit who was a wanted criminal.
The Misfit did not deny it but told the old woman that it would have been better if she didn’t
recognize him. This gives the reader an idea that maybe it was better if the old woman
didn’t say it out loud, there might be a chance that they will only be robbed and not
murdered to cold blood.
THEMES:
 The theme of the story is death as the greatest test of faith. From what the Misfit said at
the last part of the story, we can make a conclusion that the grandmother showed great
faith because she was on the verge of death. Based on the story, death makes a man hold
onto his faith, his beliefs and all that might redeem him or even save him.
MORAL:

 The moral of the story is that you cannot force someone into something he’s not. Although
the old woman tried to talk sense into the Misfit, telling him that he’s a good man,
attempted to bring out the good in him, it was all useless. Because the Misfit was never
good in the first place. He’s a criminal. A person who murdered people, stole goods, and
 harassed some. Just because we believe in a person, it does not mean that they are
willing to adjust to what we believed.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECTS THE VALUE OF THE PIECE:
 The author was a Roman Catholic and her religious views can be seen her works. She
also labelled herself as a Christian Realist. The Christian Realists believe that the religion
has a role to play, “dealing with social problems as a method to reduce the influence of
selfishness through contrition and spirit of love.” The story can be also connected
historically to the Pre-Civil Rights South, the grandmother’s biased attitudes toward African
Americans were nothing unusual in the pre-Civil Rights South, when segregation,
discrimination, and inequality were still the norm. Even as of today, these are still sadly
faced by our African-American brothers and sisters. When the old woman calls an Afri-
American child “cute little pickaninny” and comments, “little niggers in the country don’t
have things like we do,” her family didn’t even react because her remarks are perfectly
normal that time, as is her belief that good character can come only from good people
alone.
Name: Larrazabal, Alaina G. Program/Year/Section: BSED Social Studies-III S311
Novel:

Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe

This story tells the tales of the ancestors from the Igbo people in Africa who were part of a
consortium of nine connected villages. Ukonkwo, a famous clansman, warrior, farmer and an
extraordinary person, was the center of the story. He was born from a cowardly and disappointing
father and so he detested weakness the most. This drove him into becoming great and to stray
away from his origin. The people from Umuofia clan and even their neighboring clans practiced
their extraordinary beliefs peacefully until came the Europeans. Many of their clansmen converted
to the religion brought by these white men. Ukonkwo was the most steadfast about driving the
strangers away, but to his disappointment, his clansmen did not share the same enthusiasm as his.
As the ending of their highly revered and feared culture slowly unfolded in front of him, Ukonkwo
decided to end his life. A sin considered feminine, at the end the one that he detested the most
became his ending, succumbing to weakness and helplessness.

An apple does not fall far from its tree. If Ukonkwo can hear this saying, he’s be disgusted to death
because he worked hard so that he’ll be different from his lazy, good-for-nothing father who died
without a proper burial and without a title or an agbala. Although he was known as a stern, strict
and cold-hearted person, deep inside Ukonkwo was a soft person. This was proven when a young
boy, Ikemefuna, was given to him to be taken care of. He found an ideal son in him, and even
Nyowe was transformed into a better boy because of Ikemefuna’s influence. Despite his fondness
to the boy who began calling him “father”, Okonkwo never let his affection be shown. Then again,
he doesn’t want to be associated with the word “weakness”. Ikefemuna stayed with his new family
for more than three years until the elders decided that the boy must be killed already. Okonkwo
was warned not take part of the killing because the boy already refers him as his father. As
Ikemefuna ran to him for help, due to Okonkwo’s fear of being called weak, ended up killing the
boy. He was devastated and depressed for some time, but after a visit to his friend Obierika, he
began to feel revived again.

At the death of the oldest man of the village, Ogbuefi Ezedu, a tragedy happened. As it was their
practice whenever a funeral for a fallen warrior takes place, the men beat drums and fire their guns,
unfortunately Okonkwo’s gun exploded and killed Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s son. Because killing a
clansman is a sin against the earth goddess, Okonkwo must take his family into an exile for seven
years in order to pay for his sins. He seek refuge to his motherland and his uncle welcomed him
warmly. He quietly spent his years in exile was stoked to return to his fatherland in glory however
his friend brought bad news. White men destroyed a village called Abame, and wiped out its
people.

Soon after missionaries came and introduced Christianity. These are the same people who wiped
out men, children and women, all for the sake of religion. Okonkwo detested this new religion
wherein many of their clansmen was converted, including his son, Nyowe. Soon after, he and his
family returned to his fatherland, but the expected glorious comeback was turned into a bitter
welcome. So much has change in Umuofia. The people has changed, they become much softer,
much tame. This deeply disheartened the warlike spirit of Okonkwo.

An incident happened wherein one convert, Enoch, unmasked an egwugwu during the annual
ceremony to honor the earth deity, an act similar to killing an ancestral spirit. As the church hid
Enoch, the egwugwu burned the church. This angered the District Commissioner and summoned
the leaders of Umuofia for a meeting. But once they were gathered, they were handcuffed and was
thrown to jail where they were tortured physically and verbally. The Commissioner asked for
cowries before these leaders are released. After they were released, the clansmen held a meeting
but court messengers arrived and asked them to stop their meeting immediately. This angered
Okonkwo and he killed their leader with his machete. Much to his disappointment, his fellowmen
did not join his uprising nor cheered for his action. They even questioned why he did that. That
was where he realized that his clansmen were not willing to go to war. He went to his compound
and hanged himself.

The Commissioner came looking for him afterwards for his possible punishment but Obierika led
him to the tree where the body of the once mightiest warrior of the clan was hanging. He asked the
Commissioner to retrieve the body of his friend for they are not allowed to touch the body of a
sinner. This was Obierika’s words to the Commissioner, “That man was one of the greatest men in
Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; - and now he will be buried like a dog.”

The Europeans toiled their way to bring “civilization” to the world only to destroy the ones that were
already standing since time immemorial. And the foundation of this civilization that they claim are
the blood of the ancient people whom they forced, killed, and conquered in the mask of converting
them into Christianity, wherein there is one God. The God who is believed to be the legitimate and
the only one who’s meant to be worshipped. The people of Muofia, Mbante, Abame has lived for
hundreds of years worshipping their gods and deities, connecting their lives to the nature. It was
peculiar, yes, but it was their identity. As I am a Christian myself, I still believe that their practices
should have been respected, just as we want the Catholic Church be respected. This must be a
hard-to-swallow pill for most Catholics but Christianity broke so many just to establish itself firmly.
This is the dark reality of Christianity. And Okonkwo was the representation of the ancient people
who were devastated by the thought of watching their respected beliefs crumple to dust. Okonkwo
is the representation of our ancestors from the pre-Spanish Philippines. Okonkwo is only one of the
many lives lost in the fight of religion.

I have never expected to feel this sad after reading this book. Perhaps I am too sentimental but the
just thinking of the experiences of the people who were victim of reformations makes me feel so
sad and so bad. This book is worth recommending to our students and even to our friends. This will
teach them life lessons and will help them realize many things. And one of them is that the
foundations of the Church was not built from smiling faces nor flowers and butterflies, but it was
built form bloodshed and more bloodshed. They don’t need to study the disciplines of Social
Science just to get a grasp of the reality of history, they only need to understand the book and read
it with their hearts and mind wide open.

“Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by
fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.”