Western Institute of Technology

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Languages

ENGLISH 2- INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE

Midterm Coverage

Lesson 1- Nature of Literature

Welcome to the world of literature. In this world, we will read varied selections and experience a multitudinous variety of
characters, thoughts and ideas, feelings and emotions, and life experiences as we travel through time and space to different
places, eras, cultures and societies.

But before reading the literary texts that we have in store for you, we need to know some basic things about this literary world
and experience what we are about to enter. What kind of world is it? Is it similar to or any different from the real world we live in?
How different? Why do we read literature? What do we get from it?

Is our life made any better for reading literature? Are we any better for it? How and why are we and our lives enriched by our
experience of literature?

Let us begin with among the best definitions of literature.

Literature (origin of term- litera which means letter) deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of man- thus it can be said that
literature is the story of man. (Kahayon, 1998, p 5-7)
Literature comes from the French phase “belles-letters” which means beautiful writing. (Baritugo, et al. 2004). Literature refers
to artistic expression of significant human experience using the medium of language.

Literature, in its broadest sense, is everything that has ever been written. According to Garcia, the best way to understand
human nature fully and to know a nation completely is to study it. In this way, we learn the innermost feelings and thoughts of
people- the most real part of themselves, thus we gain understanding not only of others, but more importantly of ourselves and
life itself. Literature appeals to man’s higher nature and its needs- emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and creative. Like all other
forms of art (i.e., music, dance, painting, sculpture, theatre and architecture), literature entertains and gives pleasure; it fires the
imagination and arouses noble emotions and it enriches man by enabling him to reflect on life and by filling him with new ideas.
It offers us an experience in which we should participate as we read and test what we read by our own experience. It does not
yield much unless we bring something of ourselves to it.

Why do people read literature? We read for various reasons which may be for information, for amusement, for higher and
keener pleasure, for cultural upliftment and for discovery of broader dimensions in life.

The ability to judge good literature is based on the application of certain recognizable standards of good literature. Great
literature is distinguishable by the following qualities: (Garcia, 1993, p.3)

a. Artistry – when a literary work appeals to our sense of beauty;

b. Intellectual value- when it stimulates thought and enriches our mental life by making us realize the fundamental truths
about life and human nature;
c. Suggestiveness- the quality associated with the emotional power of literature, such that it should move us deeply and
stir our creative imagination, giving and evoking vision above and beyond the plane of ordinary life and experience;
d. Spiritual value- when a literary piece elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which make us better persons
e. Permanence- when a great literary work endures- it can be read again and again as each reading gives fresh delight and
new insights and open new worlds of meaning and experience; and
f. Universality- when a great literature is timeless and timely- forever relevant in terms of its theme and conditions.

All literature falls under two main divisions:

Prose Poetry
 Form Written in paragraph form Written in stanza form

Language Expressed in ordinary language Expressed in metrical, rhythmical

and figurative language
Appeal To the intellect To the emotion

Aim To convince, inform, instruct, Stir the imagination and set an

imitate and reflect ideal of how life should be

Activity 1: Identify the following as Prose or Poetry.

_________________1. Diary of Ann Frank

_________________2. Chronicles of Narnia
_________________3. El Filibusterismo
_________________4. Application Letter
_________________5. Cinderella
_________________6. Sonnet
_________________7. The Road Not Taken
_________________8. I Won’t Give Up on Us by Jason Mraz
_________________9. Photograph- Ed Sheeran
_________________10. Life and Works of Rizal by Daquila

Lesson 2- Prose Literature

1. Prose Drama- a drama in prose form. It consists of dialogues in prose and is meant to be acted on stage.
2. Essay- a short literary composition which is expository in nature. The author shares some of his thoughts, feelings,
experiences or observations on some aspects of life that have interested him.
3. Prose Fiction- something invented, imagined or feigned to be true.
A. Novel- long fictitious narrative with complicate plot. It may have a main plot and one or more subplots that
develop with the main plot. Characters and actions representative of the real life of past or present times are
portrayed in a plot. It is made up of chapters.
B. Short Story- A fictitious narrative compressed into one unit of time, place and action. It deals with a single
character interest, a single emotion or series of emotions called forth by a single situation. It is distinguished by the
novel by its compression.
4. Biography- a story of a person’s life written by another who knows him well.
5. Autobiography- a written account of a man’s life written by himself.
6. Fable - a brief, simplistic tale told to convey a moral, or lesson to the reader about how to behave in the world. The
characters in fables are often animals, but sometimes they are also inanimate objects. Typically, the main characters
in fables are non-human.
7. Myth - used to describe a traditional story that typically aims to explain a natural or social phenomenon. In literary
myths, the use of supernatural beings is common and the time period usually dates back to a period of early history
of the beginning of various civilizations.
8. Legend- a story about human events or actions that has not been proved nor documented in real history; stories,
usually heroic, that are built on a belief, tradition, event or person.
9. Letter- a written message which displays aspects of an author’s psychological make-up not immediately apparent I
his public writings. It is a prose form by which by the force of its style and the importance of its statements becomes
an object of interest in its own rights.
10. Diary- a daily written record or account of the writer’s own experience, thoughts, activities or observations.
11. Journal- a magazine or periodical especially of a serious or learned natures.

12. Other Prose Forms:

A. Historical Prose- dealing with historical events.
B. Scientific Prose- deals with subject science.
C. Satirical Prose- ridicules the vices and follies of men.
D. Current Publications- books, magazines or newspapers that are commonly known or accepted or in
general usage at the time specified or, if unspecified, at the present time.
 E. Literary Criticism-the analysis, interpretation and evaluation of literary works; it does not mean “finding
fault with”
F. Book Review- an article dealing with the contents, literary worth of a book especially a recently published
book.
G. Philosophy- deals with the processes governing thought and conduct. It also deals with the theory of the
investigation of the principles or laws that regulate the universe and underline all knowledge and reality.
H. Travel- a written account of trips, journeys, tours, etc. taken by the writer.
I. Parody- an imitation of another author’s work, where ridicule is the main objective.
J. Anecdote- a brief narrative concerning a particular individual of incident.
K. Character Sketch- a short description of the qualities and traits of a person.
L. Parable- a short tale that illustrates principle, usually by setting forth the application of the principle to
something similar to the hearer or the reader.
M. Pamphlet- a small book of a topic of current interest.
N. Eulogy- writing in praise of a dead person, event or thing.
O. Speech- the general word of a discourse delivered to an audience whether prepared or impromptu.
a) Address- implies a formal, carefully prepared speech and usually attributes importance to the
speaker or the speech.
b) Oration- suggests eloquent, rhetorical sometime merely bombastic speech, especially one
delivered on some occasion.
c) Lecture- a carefully prepared speech intended to inform or instruct the audience.
d) Talk- suggest informality and is applied either to an impromptu speech or to address or lecture in
which the speaker deliberately uses a simple conversational approach.
e) Sermon- a speech by a clergy man intended to give religious or moral instruction and usually
based on Scriptural text.

Lesson 3- Fiction

Fiction is literature created from the imagination, not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation.
The types of literature in the fiction genre include the novel and short story. Mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, chick
lit, crime thrillers are all fiction genres. Examples of classic fiction include To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Tale of Two
Cities by Charles Dickens, 1984 by George Orwell and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

So, how does fiction differs from non-fiction? Nonfiction refers to literature based in on fact. It is the broadest category of
literature. The Nonfiction Department has books and videos in many categories including biography, business, cooking, health
and fitness, pets, crafts, home decorating, languages, travel, home improvement, religion, art and music, history, self-help,
true crime, science and humor. As discussed in module 1, short story is a piece of prose fiction that can be read in one sitting
and that it focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a "single effect" or mood.
The short story is a crafted form in its own right. Novel on the other hand is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, normally
written in prose form, and which is typically published as a book.

Elements of Fiction

1. Setting- Setting is a description of where and when the story takes place. In a short story there are fewer settings
compared to a novel. The time is more limited.

Ask yourself the following questions to obtain a detailed description of a story’s setting:
 How is the setting created? Consider geography, weather, time of day, social conditions, etc.
 What role does setting play in the story? Is it an important part of the plot or theme? Or is it just a backdrop against
which the action takes place?
 Does the setting change? If so, how? Study the time period, which is also part of the setting, and ask yourself the
following:
 When was the story written?
 Does it take place in the present, the past, or the future?
 How does the time period affect the language, atmosphere or social circumstances of the short story?

2. Characters- refer to those involved, may they be persons or animals and objects personified that make a story
happen. As you probably know, the most important role in any story is the protagonist (which we will discuss in the
succeeding parts of this module). This means all other roles stem from their relationship to the protagonist. Basically,
these varying types of characters define how they interact and affect one another.
 Types of Characters

a. Dynamic or Developing Character- A dynamic character also known as “Round Character” is someone
who changes throughout the story. This may be a good change or a bad one, but their motivations, desires, or
even their personality changes due to something in the story. This is usually a permanent change and shows
how the character has learned and developed over time in the story.
b. Flat or Static Character- A flat character is the opposite of a dynamic character. A flat character doesn’t
change much or doesn’t change at all throughout the story. Their personality and/or background aren’t revealed
well and we only know a handful of traits about them.

Others:
1. Protagonist- the hero/heroine in a story
2. Antagonist- a foil to the protagonist
3. Deuteragonist- second in importance
4. Fringe- one who is destroyed by his inner conflict
5. Typical or minor characters

3. Conflict - also called tension is usually the heart of the short story and is related to the main character. In a short
story there is usually one main struggle.

Types of Conflict

 "Man vs. Self" is the only true version of internal conflict you will find in literature. In this mode, the conflict
takes place within the mind of the main character, and often involves the character making a decision between
right or wrong, or other mixed emotions. However, this struggle could also exist in the form of a character
battling mental illness.
 "Man vs. Man" is probably the most common form of external conflict, and is also known as interpersonal
conflict. This mode lies at the heart of all dramatic arts and places the struggle directly between the
protagonist and the antagonist -- otherwise known as the good guy and the bad guy. In a man vs. man conflict,
the protagonist wants something, and the antagonist obstructs the protagonist from getting what he wants.
This mode of external conflict occurs when the protagonist is placed at odds with a government or cultural
tradition. This type of conflict applies to societal norms as well. For example, if a child gets in trouble with his
parents for sneaking out of the house at night, he is in conflict with the societal tradition that children are
expected to obey their parents.
 "Man vs. Nature" pits the main character against the forces of nature -- in the form of a natural disaster or a
similarly dangerous situation -- and is often associated with literary naturalism, which hinges on the idea that
nature is indifferent to humanity. Stephen Crane's short story, "The Open Boat," is a prime example, and
demonstrates that the sea can cause shipwrecks easily and without regard for humanity.

4. Plot- Plot is a sequence of events in a story that force a character to make increasingly difficult decisions, driving the
story toward a climactic event and resolution.

The 5 Elements of Plot

1. Exposition- This is introduction where characters are introduced, the setting is established, and the primary
conflict is begun. Often, the exposition of a story only lasts for a few chapters because readers are eager to dive into
the conflict of the story.
2. Rising Action- The rising action normally begins with an inciting incident, or a moment that sets the story into
action. As it progresses, there will be multiple moments of conflict that escalate and create tension as the story
moves toward the climax. Think of it as the portion of a roller coaster where you’re climbing up to the peak. You want
the story to continue building up until you, as the reader, is ready to reach the point where everything comes crashing
down.
3. Climax- The climax is the peak of tension, plot, and character in the story. It’s the moment the reader has been
waiting for. Often, this is the point in the story that everything changes, or where the main character is forced to make
a life-altering decision. It should be the point where the reader is unsure where the story is going to go next. To use
our roller coaster analogy, imagine you’re at the top of the peak and everything stops: what’s going to happen? A
great climax will leave the readers with this feeling, forcing them to keep reading until the end.
 4. Falling Action/Denouement- This is the time when conflicts and subplots are resolved This is also where any
conflicts that arose as a result of the climax can start being resolved.
5. Resolution- Finally, the resolution is the end the story where the final loose ends are tied up to bring the story to
its happy or tragic ending. Or, if the story is a series, this would be the time for a cliffhanger that will leave readers
eager for the next installment.

5. Point of View- Point of view (POV) is what the character or narrator telling the story can see (his or her perspective).
The author chooses “who” is to tell the story by determining the point of view. Depending on who the narrator is,
he/she will be standing at one point and seeing the action. This viewpoint will give the narrator a partial or whole view
of events as they happen. Many stories have the protagonist telling the story, while in others, the narrator may be
another character or an outside viewer, a narrator who is not in the story at all. The narrator should not be confused
with the author, who is the writer of the story and whose opinions may not be those written into the narrative.

Types of Point of View

1. First person: This is the viewpoint where we are seeing events through the eyes of the character telling the story.
2. Second person: In second person, the narrator is speaking to YOU. This isn’t very common in fiction, unless the
narrator is trying to talk to the reader personally. We see second-person point of view mostly in poems, speeches,
instructional writing, and persuasive articles.
3. Third person: With third-person point of view, the narrator is describing what’s seen, but as a spectator. If the
narrator is a character in the story, then we are reading what he or she observes as the story unfolds. This narrator
has three possible perspectives.
 Limited – In limited third-person, the narrator sees only what’s in front of him/her, a spectator of events as
they unfold and is unable to read any other character’s mind.
 Omniscient – An omniscient narrator sees all, much as an all knowing god of some kind. He or she sees
what each character is doing and can see into each character’s mind. This is common with an external
character, who is standing above, watching the action below (think of a person with a crystal ball, peering in).
 Limited Omniscient – The limited omniscient third-person narrator can only see into one character’s mind.
He/she might see other events happening, but only knows the reasons of one character’s actions in the story.

6. Theme- the theme is the underlying message that the writer would like to get across. Maybe it's a theme of bravery,
perseverance, or undying love.
7. Mood- is the general feeling or atmosphere that a piece of writing creates within the reader. Mood is produced most
effectively through the use of setting, theme, voice and tone

Lesson 4- Essay

We are here for another literary genre of) called the Essay. How is this genre different from short story or a poem? Do you
recall the essays that you’ve read that made an impact in your life?
An essay is a prose composition of moderate length usually expository in nature, which aims to explain or clear up an
idea, a theory, an expression or point of view. It is the most popular form of literature.
It is often considered synonymous with a story or a paper or an article. Essays can be formal as well as informal. Formal
essays are generally academic in nature and tackle serious topics. You will be focusing on informal essays which are
more personal and often have humorous elements.
The essay has three elements such as:
1. Theme and Content- what is the main point of the essay.
 Trivial, common place, unusual, controversial
 Appraise, criticize, expand, comment, lament, celebrate
 Human nature, social conditions, manners, politics, attitudes, art
 Creating a single impression or producing a single effect with the work
 Present ideas, describe events, interpret experiences
 2. From and Structure- how ideas ordered to achieve a single effect?
 Unity of expression, coherence and cohesion
 Orderly, systematic, logical manner
 Three basic parts: introduction, body, conclusion
 Two major patterns: inductive and deductive
3. Language and Style- what makes the essay literary?
 Mode or tone, attitude, sensibility of the essayist.
 Whimsical, humorous, matter-of-fact, satirical, serious, optimistic
 Diction of choice of topics, personal bias or attitude.

Types of Essays

The type of essay will depend on what the writer wants to convey to his reader. There are broadly four types of essays
namely:

1. Narrative Essays: This is when the writer is narrating an incident or story through the essay. So these are in the
first person. The aim when writing narrative essays is to involve the reader in them as if they were right there when it
was happening. So make them as vivid and real as possible. One way to make this possible is to follow the principle
of ‘show, don’t tell’. So you must involve the reader in the story.

2. Descriptive Essays: Here the writer will describe a place, an object, an event or maybe even a memory. But it is
not just plainly describing things. The writer must paint a picture through his words. One clever way to do that is to
evoke the senses of the reader. Do not only rely on sight but also involve the other senses of smell, touch,
sound etc. A descriptive essay when done well will make the reader feel the emotions the writer was feeling at the
moment.

3. Expository Essays: In such an essay a writer presents a balanced study of a topic. To write such an essay, the
writer must have real and extensive knowledge about the subject. There is no scope for the writer’s feelings or
emotions in an expository essay. It is completely based on facts, statistics, examples etc. There are sub-types here
like contrast essays, cause and effect essays etc.

4. Persuasive Essays: Here the purpose of the essay is to get the reader to your side of the argument. A persuasive
essay is not just a presentation of facts but an attempt to convince the reader of the writer’s point of view. Both sides
of the argument have to presented in these essays. But the ultimate aim is to persuade the readers that the writer’s
argument carries more weight.

Format of an Essay

Now there is no rigid format of an essay. It is a creative process so it should not be confined within boundaries. However,
there is a basic structure that is generally followed while writing essays. So let us take a look at the general structure of an
essay.

INTRODUCTION- This is the first paragraph of your essay. This is where the writer introduces his topic for the very first
time. You can give a very brief synopsis of your essay in the introductory paragraph. Some paragraph writing
skills can be a help here. Generally, it is not very long, about 4-6 lines.

There is plenty of scopes to get creative in the introduction of essays. This will ensure that you hook the reader,
i.e. draw and keep his attention. So to do so you can start with a quote or a proverb. Sometimes you can even
start with a definition. Another interesting strategy to engage with your reader is to start with a question.

BODY-This is the main crux of your essays. The body is the meat of your essay sandwiched between the introduction and
the conclusion. So the most vital and important content of the essay will be here. This need not be confined to
one paragraph. It can extend to two or more paragraphs according to the content.

Usually, we have a lot of information to provide in the body. And the mistakes writers generally make is to go
about it in a haphazard manner which leaves the reader confused. So it is important to organize your thoughts
and content. Write the information in a systematic flow so that the reader can comprehend. So, for example,
you were narrating an incident. The best manner to do this would be to go in a chronological order.
CONCLUSION- This is the last paragraph of the essay. Sometimes a conclusion will just mirror the introductory paragraph
but make sure the words and syntax are different. A conclusion is also a great place to sum up a story or an
argument. You can round up your essay by providing some moral or wrapping up a story. Make sure you
complete your essays with the conclusion, leave no hanging threads.
Tips for Essay Writing

 Give your essays an interesting and appropriate title. It will help draw the attention of the reader and pique their
curiosity
 Keep it between 300-500 words. This is the ideal length, you
can take creative license to increase or decrease it
 Keep your language simple and crisp. Unnecessary
complicated and difficult words break the flow of the
sentence.
 Do not make grammar mistakes, use correct punctuation and
spellings. If this is not done it will distract the reader from the
content
 Before beginning the essay organize your thought and plot
a rough draft. This way you can ensure the story will flow and
not be an unorganized mess.

SELECTION 1 (SHORT STORY)

Footnote to Youth
by Jose Garcia Villa

The sun was salmon and hazy in the west. Dodong thought to himself he would tell his father about Teang when
he got home, after he had unhitched the carabao from the plow, and let it to its shed and fed it. He was hesitant about
saying it, but he wanted his father to know. What he had to say was of serious import as it would mark a climacteric in his
life. Dodong finally decided to tell it, at a thought came to him his father might refuse to consider it. His father was silent
hard-working farmer who chewed areca nut, which he had learned to do from his mother, Dodong's grandmother. I will tell
it to him. I will tell it to him. The ground was broken up into many fresh wounds and fragrant with a sweetish earthy smell.
Many slender soft worms emerged from the furrows and then burrowed again deeper into the soil. A short colorless worm
marched blindly to Dodong's foot and crawled calmly over it. Dodong go tickled and jerked his foot, flinging the worm into
the air. Dodong did not bother to look where it fell, but thought of his age, seventeen, and he said to himself he was not
young any more. Dodong unhitched the carabao leisurely and gave it a healthy tap on the hip. The beast turned its head
to look at him with dumb faithful eyes. Dodong gave it a slight push and the animal walked alongside him to its shed. He
placed bundles of grass before it land the carabao began to eat. Dodong looked at it without interests. Dodong started
homeward, thinking how he would break his news to his father. He wanted to marry, Dodong did. He was seventeen, he
had pimples on his face, the down on his upper lip already was dark-these meant he was no longer a boy. He was
growing into a man--he was a man. Dodong felt insolent and big at the thought of it although he was by nature low in
statue. Thinking himself a man grown Dodong felt he could do anything. He walked faster, prodded by the thought of his
virility. A small angled stone bled his foot, but he dismissed it cursorily. He lifted his leg and looked at the hurt toe and
then went on walking. In the cool sundown he thought wild you dreams of himself and Teang. Teang, his girl. She had a
small brown face and small black eyes and straightglossy hair. How desirable she was to him. She made him dream even
during the day. Dodong tensed with desire and looked at the muscles of his arms. Dirty. This field work was healthy,
invigorating but it begrimed you, smudged you terribly. He turned back the way he had come, then marched obliquely to a
creek. Dodong stripped himself and laid his clothes, a gray undershirt and red kundiman shorts, on the grass. The he
went into the water, wet his body over, and rubbed at it vigorously. He was not long in bathing, then he marched
homeward again. The bath made him feel cool. It was dusk when he reached home. The petroleum lamp on the ceiling
already was lighted and the low unvarnished square table was set for supper. His parents and he sat down on the floor
around the table to eat. They had fried fresh-water fish, rice, bananas, and caked sugar. Dodong ate fish and rice, but
didnot partake of the fruit. The bananas were overripe and when one held them they felt more fluid than solid. Dodong
broke off a piece of the cakes sugar, dipped it in his glass of water and ate it. He got another piece and wanted some
more, but he thought of leaving the remainder for his parents. Dodong's mother removed the dishes when they were
through and went out to the batalan to wash them. She walked with slow careful steps and Dodong wanted to help her
carry the dishes out, but he was tired and now felt lazy. He wished as he looked at her that he had a sister who could help
his mother in the housework. He pitied her, doing all the housework alone. His father remained in the room, sucking a
diseased tooth. It was paining him again, Dodong knew. Dodong had told him often and again to let the town dentist pull it
out, but he was afraid, his father was. He did not tell that to Dodong, but Dodong guessed it. Afterward Dodong himself
thought that if he had a decayed tooth he would be afraid to go to the dentist; he would not be any bolder than his father.
Dodong said while his mother was out that he was going to marry Teang. There it was out, what he had to say, and over
which he had done so much thinking. He had said it without any effort at all and without self-consciousness. Dodong felt
relieved and looked at his father expectantly. A decrescent moon outside shed its feeble light into the window, graying the
still black temples of his father. His father looked old now. "I am going to marry Teang," Dodong said.His father looked at
him silently and stopped sucking the broken tooth. The silence became intense and cruel, and Dodong wished his father
would suck that troublous tooth again. Dodong was uncomfortable and then became angry because his father kept
looking at him without uttering anything.
"I will marry Teang," Dodong repeated. "I will marry Teang." His father kept gazing at him in inflexible silence and
Dodong fidgeted on his seat. "I asked her last night to marry me and she said...yes. I want your permission. I... want...
it...." There was impatient clamor in his voice, an exacting protest at this coldness, this indifference. Dodong looked at his
father sourly. He cracked his knuckles one by one, and the little sounds it made broke dully the night stillness. "Must you
marry, Dodong?" Dodong resented his father's questions; his father himself had married. Dodong made a quick
impassioned easy in his mind about selfishness, but later he got confused. "You are very young, Dodong." "I'm...
seventeen." "That's very young to get married at." "I... I want to marry...Teang's good girl." "Tell your mother," his father
said. "You tell her, tatay." "Dodong, you tell your inay." "You tell her." "All right, Dodong." "You will let me marry Teang?"
"Son, if that is your wish... of course..." There was a strange helpless light in his father's eyes. Dodong did not read it, too
absorbed was he in himself. Dodong was immensely glad he had asserted himself. He lost his resentment for his father.
For a while he even felt sorry for him about the diseased tooth. Then he confined his mind to dreaming of Teang and
himself. Sweet young dream.... Dodong stood in the sweltering noon heat, sweating profusely, so that his camiseta was
damp. He was still like a tree and his thoughts were confused. His mother had told him not to leave the house, but he had
left. He had wanted to get out of it without clear reason at all. He was afraid, he felt. Afraid of the house. It had seemed to
cage him, to compares his thoughts with severe tyranny. Afraid also of Teang. Teang was giving birth in the house; she
gave screams that chilled his blood. He did not want her to scream like that, he seemed to be rebuking him. He began to
wonder madly if the process of childbirth was really painful. Some women, when they gave birth, did not cry. In a few
moments he would be a father. "Father, father," he whispered the word with awe, with strangeness. He was young, he
realized now, contradicting himself of nine months comfortable... "Your son," people would soon be telling him. "Your son,
Dodong." Dodong felt tired standing. He sat down on a saw horse with his feet close together. He looked at his callused
toes. Suppose he had ten children... What made him think that? What was the matter with him? God! He heard his
mother's voice from the house: "Come up, Dodong. It is over." Of a sudden he felt terribly embarrassed as he looked at
her. Somehow he was ashamed to his mother of his youthful paternity. It made him feel guilty, as if he had taken
something no properly his. He dropped his eyes and pretended to dust dirt off his kundiman shorts. "Dodong," his mother
called again. "Dodong." He turned to look again and this time saw his father beside his mother. "It is a boy," his father
said. He beckoned Dodong to come up.
Dodong felt more embarrassed and did not move. What a moment for him. His parents' eyes seemed to pierce
him through and he felt limp. He wanted to hide from them, to run away. "Dodong, you come up. You come up," he
mother said. Dodong did not want to come up and stayed in the sun. "Dodong. Dodong." "I'll... come up." Dodong traced
tremulous steps on the dry parched yard. He ascended the bamboo steps slowly. His heart pounded mercilessly in him.
Within, he avoided his parents eyes. He walked ahead of them so that they should not see his face. He felt guilty and
untrue. He felt like crying. His eyes smarted and his chest wanted to burst. He wanted to turn back, to go back to the yard.
He wanted somebody to punish him. His father thrust his hand in his and gripped it gently. "Son," his father said. And his
mother: "Dodong..." How kind were their voices. They flowed into him, making him strong. "Teang?" Dodong said. "She's
sleeping. But you go in..." His father led him into the small sawali room. Dodong saw Teang, his girl wife, asleep on the
papag with her black hair soft around her face. He did not want her to look that pale... Dodong wanted to touch her, to
push away that stray wisp of hair that touched her lips, but again that feeling of embarrassment came over him and before
his parents he did not want to be demonstrative. The hilot was wrapping the child, Dodong heart it cry. The thin voice
pierced him queerly. He could not control the swelling of happiness in him. You give him to me. You give him to me,"
Dodong said. * * * Blas was not Dodong's child. Many more children came. For six successive years a new child came
along. Dodong did not want any more children, but they came. It seemed the coming of children could not be helped.
Dodong got angry with himself sometimes. Teang did not complain, but the bearing of children told on her. She was
shapeless and thin now, even if she was young. There was interminable work to be done. Cooking. Laundering. The
house. The children. She cried sometimes, wishing she had not married. She did not tell Dodong this, not wishing him to
dislike her. Yet she wished she had not married. Not even Dodong, whom she loved. There has been another suitor,
Lucio, older than Dodong by nine years, and that was why she had chosen Dodong. Young Dodong. Seventeen. Lucio
had married another after her marriage to Dodong, but he was childless until now. She wondered if she had married
Lucio, would she have borne him children. Maybe not either. That was a better lot. But she loved Dodong... Dodong
whom life had made ugly. One night, as he lay beside his wife, he roe and went out of the house. He stood in the
moonlight, tired and querulous. He wanted to ask questions and somebody to answer him. He wanted to be wise about
many things. One of them was why life did not fulfill all of Youth's dreams. Why it must be so.
Why one was forsaken... after Love. Dodong would not find the answer. Maybe the question was not to be
answered. It must be so to make Youth. Youth. Youth must be dreamfully sweet. Dreamfully sweet. Dodong returned to
the house humiliated by himself. He had wanted to know a little wisdom but was denied it. * * * When Blas was eighteen
he came home one night very flustered and happy. It was late at night and Teang and the other children were asleep.
Dodong heard Blas's steps, for he could not sleep well for nights. He watched Blas undress in the dark and lie down
softly. Blas was restless on his mat and could not sleep. Dodong called his name and asked why he did not sleep. Blas
said he could not sleep. "You better go to sleep. It is late," Dodong said. Blas raised himself on his elbow and muttered
something in a low fluttering voice. Dodong did not answer and tried to sleep. "Itay ...," Blas called softly. Dodong stirred
and asked him what it was. "I am going to marry Tona.
She accepted me tonight." Dodong lay on the red pillow without moving. "Itay, you think it over." Dodong lay
silent. "I love Tona and... I want her." Dodong rose from his mat and told Blas to follow him. They descended to the yard,
where everything was still and quiet. The moonlight was cold and white. "You want to marry Tona," Dodong said. He did
not want Blas to marry yet. Blas was very young. The life that would follow marriage would be heard... "Yes." "Must you
marry?" Blas's voice stilled with resentment. "I will marry Tona." Dodong kept silent, hurt. "You have objections, Itay?"
Blas asked acridly. "Son... n-none..." (But truly, God, I don't want Blas to marry yet... not yet. I don't want Blas to marry
yet....) But he was helpless. He could not do anything. Youth must triumph... now. Love must triumph... now. Afterwards...
it will be life. As long ago Youth and Love did triumph for Dodong... and then Life. Dodong looked wistfully at his young
son in the moonlight. He felt extremely sad and sorry for him.
SELECTION 2 (ESSAY)

Will of the River

Alfredo Gonzales

1 BY MY WIFE’S ancestral home flows a river. For a dozen summers I have visited it, and almost every year I make
an effort to trace its course back to its source in the neighboring hills; I do not consider my vacation there complete
without doing this. In common with other streams of its kind, our river suffers much from the summer drought. I have
seen it so shrunken that fish lay lifeless on the parched sand and gravel of its bed. But this past summer I saw
something I had never seen before, though I know that if I had been sufficiently observant in other abnormally dry
years, I am sure I could not have failed to notice the same thing earlier.
2 One morning last April, in company with a student friend and my elder son. I started out for the hill to spend the day
by the rapids and cascades at a place called Intongasan. We followed the course of the river. After we had walked a
kilometer or more, I saw that the river had disappeared and its bed was dry. I looked around in wonder because past
our little country house below and out toward the sea half a mile or so farther down, the river was flowing clear and
steady in Its usual summer volume and depth. But where we stood at the moment there was no water to be seen. All
about us the wide river bed was hot and dry.
3 We pursued our way on toward the hills, however, and walking another kilometer we saw the stream again, though
it had spread itself so thin that it was lost at the edge of the waterless stretch of burning sand and stones. And yet,
continuing our way into the hills, we found the river grow deeper and stronger than it was as it passed by our cottage.
4 To most people, I suppose, there is nothing strange or significant in this. Perhaps they have seen such a
phenomenon more than once before. To me, however, it was a new experience and it impressed me like all new
experiences. To me, it was not merely strange, it suggested a spiritual truth.
5 Flowing down from its cradle in the mountains just as it left the last foothills, the river had been checked by the
long, forbidding stretch of scorching sand. I had read of other streams that upon encountering similar obstacles
irretrievably lost themselves in sand or mud. But Bacong-because that is the name of our river-determined to reach
the sea, tunneled its way, so to speak, under its sandy bed, of course choosing the harder and lower stratum
beneath, until at last it appeared again, limpid and steady in its march to sea.
6 And then I thought of human life. I was reminded of many a life that stopped short of its great end just because it
lacked the power of will to push through hindrances.
7 But I thought most of all of those who, like our river, met with almost insurmountable obstacles but undismayed
continued their march, buried in obscurity perhaps but resolutely pushing their way to the sea, to their life’s goal. I
thought of men like Galileo, who continued his work long after his sight had failed; of Beethoven, who composed his
noblest and sublimest symphonies when he could no longer hear a single note; of Stevenson, who produced some of
his greatest work after he was doomed to die of tuberculosis; and of Cecil Rhodes, who was sent to Africa to die of
an incurable disease, but before he obeyed the summons carved out an Empire in the Dark Continent. These
resolute and sublime souls all reminded me of what our river taught me-that if we cannot overcome obstacles, we
can undercome them.
8 Another lesson I learned from Bacong is found in the fact that the river was not merely determined to flow just
anywhere; it was determined to reach the sea, to reach the great end. Many streams manage to surmount barriers
they meet along the way, but they come out of obstacles after much labor only to end in a foul and stagnant marsh or
lake. How like so many human lives! How like so many people who, in the springtime of their youth and in the
summer of their early manhood, showed splendid heroism against frowning odds, determined to overcome those
hostile barriers, only in the autumn of their lives to end in defeat, disgrace, and remorse.
9 On the other hand, think of other lives that, like our river, kept their way even to the end of their course.
10 I believe it was on our way back from the hills that the lesson of faithfulness in the performance of one’s duty was
forcefully suggested to me. The truth occurred to me that nature often fulfills her duty more faithfully than man does
his.
11 And what is the duty of a river? It is to furnish safe running water for plant and fish and fowl and for man and
beast. The river is not there just to flow on and enjoy itself. The river must play its part in the processes of nature; to
live, in other words, for the rest of creation.
12 And so it should be with the life of man. It is not to be lived unto itself alone for its own joy and satisfaction but for
others in glad and devoted ministry. How life and beauty and goodness, indeed, would perish from the world if man
and nature should fail in their duty! If our river had not remained faithful to its duty, instead of a landscape
picturesque with the varied green of the foliage of shrubs and trees and gay with the voices of the birds singing and
calling to one another in the branches that April morning, there would have been spread before us a wide expanse of
desolate and lifeless land, fit only for the wanderings of Cain.
13 For part of the ministering duty of a river is to flow on and on, otherwise be foul and unfit for use. There is music in
running water. Bacong, by continuing its march to the sea, kept itself fit for the service of nature and man; and not
only it expanded its field of usefulness.
14 And does this not suggest that the river of man’s life should be likewise? For if in the face of obstacles it lacks the
strength of will to continue keeping itself fit to serve and seeking new opportunities for service, it will ultimately
become useless to others.
15 As I marveled at the power of Bacong to push its way through such a seemingly impassable barrier, I discerned
the secret-a secret that has a message for all of us. For Bacong was able to carry on, to continue its watery
pilgrimage and reach the immensity and sublimity of the sea, only because its source is the vast and lofty mountains.
Unless a stream draws its power from a source of sufficient height and magnitude, it cannot do as our river did this
summer. It will not have the strength to cut its way through great obstacles and reach the sea at last. Here is one of
the marvelous secrets of live, and how many have missed it! Verily, if a man derives his strength and inspiration from
a low and feeble source, he will fail to “arrive.” Unless a man draw his power from some source of heavenly altitude,
unless the stream of his life issues from a never-failing source, unless, in other words, his soul is fed from heights of
infinite power, he may well fear that he will not reach the sea. But if his spirit is impelled and nourished by an
inexhaustible power he will in spite of all obstructions, finish his course, if not in the glory of dazzling achievement, at
least in the nobility of a completed task faithfully done.

SELECTION 3 (ESSAY)

The Marks of an Educated Man

Nicholas Murray Butler (from the Columbia Spectator)
(April 2, 1862-December 7, 1947) He was an educator and university president; an adviser to seven presidents and friend of
statesmen in foreign nations; recipient of decorations from fifteen foreign governments and of honorary degrees from thirty-seven
colleges and universities; a member of more than fifty learned societies and twenty clubs; the author of a small library of books,
pamphlets, reports, and speeches; an international traveler who crossed the Atlantic at least a hundred times; a national leader of the
Republican Party; an advocate of peace and the embodiment of the ‘international mind’ that he frequently spoke about. He was called
Nicholas Miraculous Butler by his good friend Theodore Roosevelt; the epithet was so perfect that, once uttered, it could not be
forgotten
1. A question often asked is: “What are the marks of an educated man?” it is plain that one may gain no inconsiderable body of
learning in some special field of knowledge without at the same time acquiring those habits and traits which are marks of an
educated gentleman. A reasonable amount of learning must of course accompany an education, but, after all, that amount need
not be so very great in any field. An education will make its mark and find its evidences in certain traits, characteristics and
capacities which have to be acquired by patient endeavor, by following good example, and by receiving discipline and sound
instruction.

2. These traits or characteristics may be variously described and classified, but among them are five that should always stand out
clearly enough to be seen by men.

3. The first of these is correctness and precision in the use of the mother tongue.
The quite shocking slovenliness and the vulgarity of much of the spoken English, as well as not a little of the written English,
which one hears and sees proves beyond peradventure that years of attendance upon schools and colleges that are thought to
be respectable have produced no impression. When one hears English well spoken, with pure diction, correct pronunciation, and
an almost unconscious choice of the right word, he recognizes it at once. How much easier he finds it to imitate English of the
other sort!

4. The second and indispensable trait of the educated man is refined and gentle manners, which are themselves the expression
of fixed habits of thought at action. “Manners maketh man,” wrote William of Wykeham over his gates at Winchester and at
Oxford. He pointed to a great truth. When manners are superficial, artificial and forced, no matter what their form, they had bad
manners When, however, they are the natural expression of fixed habits of thought and action, and they reveal a refined and
cultivated nature, they are good manners. There are certain things that gentleman do not do them simply because they are bad
manners. The gentleman instinctively knows the difference between those things which he may and should do and those things
which he may not and should not do.

5. The third trait of the educated man is the power and habit of reflection. Human beings for the most part live wholly on the
surface of life. They do not look beneath the surface or far beyond the present moment and that part of the future which is quickly
to follow it. They do not read those works of prose of reflection and introduce that power and habit in others. When one reflects
long enough to ask the question how?, he is on the way to knowing something about science. When he reflects long enough to
question why?, he may, if he persists, even become a philosopher.

6. A fourth trait of the educated man is the power of growth. He continues to grow and develop from birth to his dying day. His
interests expand, his contacts multiply, his knowledge increases, and his reflection becomes deeper and wider. It would appear
to be true that not many human beings, even those who have had a school and college education, continue to grow after they
are twenty-four or twenty-five years of age. By that time it is usual to settle down to life on a level of more or less contented
interest and activity. The whole present-day movement for adult education is a systematic and definite attempt to keep human
beings growing long after they have left school and college, and therefore, to help educate them.

7. A fifth trait of the educated man is his possession of efficiency, or the power to do. The mere visionary dreamer, however
charming or however wise, lacks something which an education requires. The power to do may be exercised in any one of the
thousand ways, but when it clearly shows itself, that is evidence that the period of discipline of study and of companionship with
parents and teacher has not been in vain.

8. Given these five characteristics, one has the outline of an educated man. The outline may be filled in by scholarship, by literary
power, by mechanical skills, by professional zeal and capacity, b business competence, or by social and political leadership. So
long as the framework or outline is there, the content may be pretty much what you will, assuming, of course, that the
fundamental elements of the great tradition which is civilization, and is outstanding records and achievements in human
personality,