Miecah L.

Rodriguez MLLP Literary Criticisms and Theories July 5, 2014

Flakes of Fire, Bodies of Light by Carlo Ojeda Aureus

Love is a mutual feeling of two different individuals that binds them together and challenges their faith through

the test of time.

This short story revolves between Tanya and Sid--two lovers of both different worlds who find themselves in

each other’s arms and fight battles of life.

Tanya is a Kolehiyala who graduated as magna cum laude. She works as a Physics College teacher. She is

described as a medieval lady that is reflected the way she dressed. She finds boys as trivial and corny and none of the

Ateneans her age dared to woo her. She is labelled to be Miss Manhid. Moreover, nobody wins over her, probably

because of her superiority. Her perceptions about boys and the way she is perceived as a woman inadvertently unfolds

her fear of intimacy, especially that no names of boys are linked with her, other than Sid.

Sid, is an old bachelor who never thinks about marriage for three reasons: 1. God and studies came first, 2.

Late vocations to the Order were not impossible, and 3. Marriage was an institution, and only absurd people lived in

institution. Thus, serve as his grounds of becoming an old bachelor which could just be his “excuse” to enter in an

intimate relationship until he met Tanya.

Both of these characters display fear of intimacy. Both of them do not mind intimate relationship until they

crossed paths, underwent courtship and eventually got married. At first, their society cannot accept their relationship

especially Tanya’s parents because Sid’s age is far older than them. Nevertheless, this couple continues to express their

genuine love for each other which lasts for almost ten years that is eventually accepted by the community.

Inevitably, tragedy in life comes in different forms. As Tanya accepts the sad reality of death sentence of her

husband because of his sickness, it pierces her heart. Morbid thoughts bother her. She even questions God. Eventually

lost her appetite and will to live. She avoided socials and cancelled the Tupperware parties. These manifestations only

prove that Tanya experiences fear of abandonment (physical abandonment) that one day will come that she will wake

up alone which is far different from the time her husband was still alive. Tanya thought, life is a flake of fire, so

ephemeral. Surely it comes from somewhere and surely it has to go somewhere.

True love waits. True love comes. Death passes by; but, true love remains.