Child of sorrow

A Child of Sorrow
  by Zoilo Galang

Historical-Biographical Analysis of Child of Sorrow

Biography

 Zoilo Galang was born on June 27, 1895 in Bacolor, Pampanga. He spent most of his young life in their town known as the hometown of famed writers and artists.He was the first Filipino novelist who use English as a medium. He graduated from Bacolor Elementary School and he was also a product of Escuela de Derecho, a prestigious law school in the country, where he graduated in 1919. He also took up special courses at the University of the Philippines in 1925, then went to Columbia University for further studies. After which, he started writing. his works were included in a Kapampangan paper- "E Mangabiran". He was also the author of the first English novel written by a Filipino- "A Child of Sorrow", which was also made into a movie later in 1930. Some of his outstanding works include "Nadia", "ForDreams Must Die", "Springtime", "Leaders of the Philippines", "Glimpses of the World", "Life and Success", "Master of Destiny", "Unisophy", and "Barrio Life".

Summary

The novel is the depiction of the life of Lucio Soliman- the main male protagonist. He went to Merry Town for a vacation with his friend Camilo. It is said to be governed by a corrupt governor, Governor Pancho Ismael. There, he met Rosa- the prettiest woman in that town. Rosa was said to have no father but inspite of that, Lucio fell deeply in love with her. And so did she.

When Lucio came back to his own town- Fertile Valley, they continually keep in touch with each other through letters. And though  Lucio became busy running their established organization named "The Rising Generation", he never forgot to write to Rosa. They met in several occasions also and nothing ever changes with their feelings.

However one day, a news break out that Rosa was getting married to Oscar- who happened to be a friend of Lucio also and the one who raped Rosa. He was extremely saddened by the thought of not having her to spend the rest of his lifetime anymore. But he continued his life and devoted his time in his works. It was then that Governor Ismael was revealed to be the father of Rosa.

On the other hand, his father died also. He was pained, really pained by all the horrible events that were continually torturing him. But still, he never gave up. On the last part, he found out that Rosa was extremely ill and that she was suffering for a very long time, He hurried to her and found out that she still loves him, and she died in his arms.

Biographical Analysis

This novel depicts the life of Zoilo Galang. The simple life of Lucio in the countryside depicts his life in Bacolor, Pampanga. The author's ideals and aspirations were also portrayed by the protagonist of the novel. It was perfectly expressed in some scenes of the novel how the author abhor Governor Ismael's regime which represents commonwealth governance during his time.

Historical Analysis 

During the time Galang wrote this novel, American government only appoint those they think are qualified to rule the town. This was depicted in his novel wherein Pancho Ismael, the ill-mannered governor was elected only because he threatened the workers in his land.   

It was also believed that Governor Ismael is Governor Honorio Ventura in real life who ruled Pampanga from 1916 to 1922.

This novel mirrored not only what was happening in the past but it also help us understand  what had inspired Galang to write such beautiful piece of art.

Concusion: 

The novel does not only inspired us but it also touched the very core of our emotional realm. It is indeed a collection of works of great minds. It made us understand that along with the joy that we are feeling, there comes a time that we will be experiencing the other side of it too, which is the sorrow. The novel reminds us that it is just okay to sometimes feel bitterness as we stumble through life's challenges for it is how we deal with the fall that counts. The novel gives us so much to ponder upon, lessons that we may be needing in trudging the future's path of uncertainties. 

Naming of Parts

Naming of Parts
  by Henry Reed

A Formalist Approach

    Today we have naming of parts. Yesterday, 
We had daily cleaning. And tomorrow morning, 
We shall have what to do after firing. But today, 
Today we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens likecoral in all the neighboring gardens, 
And today we have naming of parts.

This is the lower sling swivel. And this
Is the upper sling swivel, whose use you will see, 
When you are given your slings. And this is the piling swivel, 
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures, 
Which in our case we have not got.

This is the safety-catch, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.

And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers: 
They call it easing the Spring.

They call it easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: like the bolt, 
And the breech, the cocking-piece, and the point of balance, 
Which in our case we have not got; and the almond blossom
Silent in all of the gardens and the bees going backwards and forwards, 
For today we have the naming of parts.

Analysis:

In this poem, the author used some military jargon such as the parts of the gun and other terminologies relating to its function. There are two point of views in the poem; the first belonging to the instructor and the other belonging to the young military recruit.What adds on to the spice of this poem is not the point of view of the instructor but the latter. As the instructor keep himself busy discussing the different parts of a gun, the young recruit already wandered in the vastness of his imagination. 

Some of the words that suggest other color for the young boy's imagination are: early bees assaulting which represents the men or the boys, fumbling the flowers which may symbolizes girls being made love to, and easing the spring which may suggest an ecstatic release. What make these imagination even more vivid is the fact that in the first line of the last stanza, the author capitalized the first letter of the word spring which implies that it was an allusion to a real thing.

There may be a twist in the tone of the poem but it takes a keen imagination to notice it and understand what it really meant.

The Lady and her Five Suitors

The Lady and her Five Suitors
  by Arabian Nights

An Analysis using Mimetic Approach

   In the story The lady and her Five Suitors, it was very evident that the main character who is the wife of the merchant, was very witty. She came up with a very tricky plan to lure the four most influential people in their town plus the unsuspected carpenter. This scene is also very evident in real life wherein a person is willing to do anything just to be with the person he or she loves.

Moreover, the scene in the story wherein the wife cheated her husband is very realistic especially to those married couple wherein the other half is always away especially for work-related reasons. In the story, the woman eloped with her lover after setting him free from prison simply because women generally, need assurance and stability from a man basically the main reason why so many long distance relationships have failed. No matter how independent a woman can be, at the end of the day she still needs a man to go home to.

On the other hand, men in general, easily get attracted with the woman's physical beauty. It was depicted in the scene from the story wherein influential men were attracted easily by the merchant's wife not knowing that, that beauty was only used as a bait for them.

The story entails us that getting fooled by a woman's beauty didn't only happen before but is still happening now at the present. It is rampant in the society led mainly with male chauvinism.

The Sick Rose

The Sick Rose by William Blake

"The Sick Rose"
by William Blake

O Rose thou art sick.
The invisible worm,
That flies in the night
In the howling storm:

Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy:
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.

A Formalist Approach:

In this poem the author uses a lot of imagery. One of which is the word "Rose" in the first line which may represent a woman, a love, and it can also be a representation of beauty. He alluded it into a real being since he capitalized the first letter of the word. He also used the word "worm"in the second line which may represent a man or a lover.

In the third line he used the word "flies" instead of crawl or slither to describe the movement of the said worm, to emphasize that the man came in the woman's life in a fleeting moment leaving only havoc behind like a howling storm and an anguish cry in her part.

 There is a shift in the point of view in the second stanza of the poem. The speaker narrates what had happened to the "Rose" after her encounter with the "worm". It implies that the love they had was just temporary for the man has an indecent motive upon coming in her life. The latter part of the poem entails that he only wanted "something" from her but has no intention of staying. Thus, after he got what he wanted, he left the woman incomplete, missing a part of her that will never be restored again. In short, destroying her.