Midsummer by Manuel Arguilla

Midsummer by Manuel Arguilla

Midsummer is written by an Ilokano martyr, Manual Arguilla. According to my research, he was killed by the Japanese in Fort Santiago back in 1944. This interests me because I have not read a Filipino short story in quite a while.

 Midsummer seems to be a love story between Manong and Ading. While Manong works as maybe a magsasaka, he spots Ading, a beautiful lady frolicking about the fields. Soon enough, they meet for a short while  while Manong eats. 

The way it was written was quite dragging. There were so many adjectives to describe such a short event. Maybe, though, that was Manuel's point - to prolong a short love story. The interest of the love story, on the other hand, flows from Manong to Ading. In the beginning of the story, before they sit down to chat, it seems as if the story is written through Manong's eyes as the author describes the beauty of Ading. He describes her in such a detailed way, from her head to her toes. At the latter part of the story, after they sit down to chat, it seems as if the story is written through Ading's eyes. She seems to be quite interested in Manong and even invites him over. 

This story is one of many stories of young and fearless love, a love which every one dreams of. Even though it was written in a dragging manner, I sort of enjoyed it because I personally like these kinds of stories. Overall, the story was a surprise to me. Only in the end of reading it did I fully understand why the title is "Midsummer". Young love is truly meant for the midsummer. 

The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingsten

The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingsten

Taken up in English 1 class on December 14, 2011

The Woman Warrior is basically about.. well, A Woman Warrior. The short story not only talks about one woman, but can symbolize women as a whole. The story is written in a first person point of view wherein the  author describes her experiences with her family and her country. She talks about two main points: how women are treated so lowly and how women should respond to this lowliness.

The way Maxine wrote the story really caught my eye because as I was reading it, I felt her rage and anger. I felt as if she was talking to me as I read it. Each dialogue was so carefully written to express her feelings on the issue she wanted to address. 

There were two parts of the story that interested me: the part about the couple who sold yams and sticks and the part about being a Chinese in America. The couple who sold yams and sticks was an interesting short anecdote in the story. There was a poor couples who sold yams and sticks to get by for their family. The wife told the husband to shout and advertise their sales in the streets but the husband was shy. In the end, the husband was killed by officers because he was trying to catch birds. On the other hand, the part about being a Chinese in America also interested me because she was part of this whole new world where she could be successful. Since her family treated her badly when she was growing up because she was a woman, she proved herself by being a successful woman in the end. 

Having read this story, I could agree in a way that women are discriminated, but maybe not as much as Maxine's time. A lot of women now are respected, like Oprah and Cory Aquino. Men always think of women as inferior. In the beginning of the story, she wrote about how her family and everybody else seemed to favor the boys over the girls. With that statement, I strongly disagree. I believe that all men and women are equal and are deserving of equal rights. 

This story taught me one thing, the one thing that Maxine was screaming for while she wrote this story - to fight. She was fighting the whole time. As I read the story, I heard her voice fight for what was right. Overall, The Woman Warrior is a great story and should be read by everyone. 

Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell

Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell

Taken up in English 1 Class on December 09, 2011

The story of Shooting an Elephant is basically its title. Its setting is in Moulmein, Lower Burma. Its story revolves about George who was a police officer. Somehow, an elephant is wandering around the area, destroying fruit stands and getting into trouble with innocent bystanders. At some point, the elephant kills an Indian coolie. Once George brings out his rifle, a crowd forms. The crows cheers for George to kill the elephant. In a long and descriptive manner, George describes the killing and death of the elephant.

I've noticed a lot of unique elements he used in writing this short story. 

First, he put a great emphasis on the cultural diversity in Lower Burma at the time of the British Empire. It was almost bordering on discrimination, actually. He mentioned the Indians and the British. The "Yellow People" were the Burmans. He said that the Indians were poor and at the bottom of the society. As for the British Empire, he mentioned that he could not care less about them, but also said that the younger empires would not surpass the current British empire at that time. 

Second, his writing style is very much like my favorite author, James Patterson. There is a distinct cockiness that makes their stories exciting, different. I like how they make every single line sound witty. This specific writing style, in my opinion, changes a simple plot and makes it very interesting. He prolonged the death of the  elephant - which is a very James Patterson. Maybe he did this to entice the reader or focus on the main point of the story.

Third and last, George Orwell did a great job with this story. He wrote it in first person, which I believe is the best way to write a true story. This way, the reader can fully grasp the story and even feel what the author is feeling. I was actually cringing at his description of the death of the elephant. George also kind of annoyed me because he killed the elephant only because of the pressure the crowd had given him. At the end, I thought that he was a coward who could have saved an elephant's life. 

Overall, I liked the story. It was balanced, but at the same time excited. I am looking forward to reading more stories from George Orwell in the near future.