St.

Scholastica’s College Tacloban

Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Campetic, Palo, Leyte
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMET

Course Title: Philippine Literature Date: September 21, 2023

Course Code: GECC-9
Professor: Chariebelle B. Cabeltis, LPT

Name: Cristine Dominique E. Donaire Program & Section: BSN-3E

Output 4: YES, to S.T.E.A.L!

As discussed during our first discussion, there are two types of characterization:
direct characterization and indirect characterization. Direct Characterization is easy
to identify knowing its explicitness. Indirect characterization, on the other hand, is a
little difficult. How do we identify the characterization when it is indirect? One way is
S.T.E.A.L. -ing!
My Father Goes to Court
by: Carlos Bulosan

TYPE OF INDIRECT EXAMPLES EXPLANATION

CHARACTERIZATION
SPEECH “Do you claim that we
stole the spirit of your
food by hanging outside
your windows when your
servants cooked it?”
Father said.
“Do you claim that we
stole the spirit of your
wealth and became a
laughing family while
yours became morose
and sad?” Father said.
This reveals that the
father is essentially
questioning the morality
and integrity of the
wealthy American. The
father values his truth and
justice. He is suggesting
that the American's
wealth has not brought
him happiness or a joyful
family life but has instead
made him bitter and sad.
On the other hand, the
father is proud of his own
family, which, despite
their modest means, is a
happy and laughing
family. The father is
implying that their
happiness and integrity
cannot be bought or
stolen by the wealthy.

THOUGHTS “We were all healthy These are the thoughts of

because we went out in the narrator when he was
the sun and bathed in the with his family. These

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 St. Scholastica’s College Tacloban
Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Campetic, Palo, Leyte
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMET
cool water of the river that
flowed from the
mountains into the sea.
Sometimes we wrestled
with one another in the
house before we went to
play. We were always in
the best of spirits and our
laughter was contagious.
Other neighbors who
passed by our house
often stopped in our yard
and joined us in laughter”,
the narrator said.
EFFECTS on the others Paragraph 3.
toward the character
Some days the rich man
appeared at a window
and glowered down at us.
He looked at us one by
one, as though he were
condemning us.
ACTIONS Paragraph 5.
One day the rich man
appeared at a window
and stood there a long
time. He looked at my
sisters, who had grown fat
in laughing, then at my
brothers, whose arms and
legs were like the molave,
which is the sturdiest tree
in the Philippines. He
banged down the window
and ran through his
house, shutting all the
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thoughts reveal that this
character is in good
health and enjoys a joyful
and carefree life. The
statement conveys a
sense of closeness within
the family. They engaged
in physical activities like
wrestling with each other,
which is a common way
for siblings or family
members to bond. This
physical interaction also
implies that they had the
energy and vitality to
engage in such activities.
This shift in the rich man's
behavior symbolizes a
growing conflict or tension
between the wealthy
American neighbor and
the immigrant family. It
signifies a deterioration in
their relationship, possibly
due to cultural
differences, economic
disparities, or the rich
man's changing
perceptions of the
immigrant community.
The rich man's reaction is
significant. He slams the
window shut and hurries
to close all the windows in
his house. This reaction
implies a sense of
discomfort or unease on
his part. It suggests that
the sight of the happy,
sturdy, and close-knit
Filipino family challenges
his preconceived notions
or threatens his own
sense of privilege and
status.
 St. Scholastica’s College Tacloban
Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Campetic, Palo, Leyte
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMET

windows. On the other hand, the

other family did not react
much about it.

In this passage, Carlos

Bulosan is using vivid
imagery and symbolism to
highlight the contrast
between the immigrant
family's happiness,
resilience, and unity and
the rich man's apparent
discomfort with witnessing
this. It underscores the
theme of social and
economic disparity, as
well as the immigrant
family's ability to find
happiness and strength in
their close relationships
despite their challenging
circumstances.

LOOKS Paragraph 4. The phrase "our faces

were bright and rosy"
Our faces were bright and describes the healthy and
cheerful appearance of
rosy, but theirs were pale
the narrator's family. It
and sad. suggests that they have a
robust and lively
demeanor, likely a result
of spending time
outdoors, engaging in
physical activities, and
having a generally
positive outlook on life.

The term "theirs were

pale and sad" highlights
the emotional condition of
the rich American
neighbor's family. The
word "pale" suggests a
lack of vitality or
enthusiasm, while "sad"
indicates a sense of
melancholy or
unhappiness. This
description implies that
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 St. Scholastica’s College Tacloban
Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Campetic, Palo, Leyte
GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMET

the American family

members are not
experiencing the same
level of joy or
contentment as the
narrator's family.

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