Short Stories

 

Explain how cosmic vocabulary increases Boy Ben’s ability to feel and articulate his emotions.

    Boy Ben shared his thoughts on the vastness and mystery of space, thinking about (1) life on Mars, (2) human exploration of the moon, and (3) surviving in outer space. But he felt lonely, similar to the vast gaps between planets when Tito couldn't talk about life beyond Earth. Boy Ben is still trying to grasp how big, dark, and lonely the universe is, and he feels tiny like an atom.

In your view, what does the watchman signify at the beginning and the end of the short story? What does the repetition of the watchman’s call do to your reading experience?

    The watchman appears twice in the narrative, symbolizing the beginning and closing of a sad love story.     First appearance in the year 1847, the watchman shouted signaling that it was already twelve am and time to sleep. Young Agueda then bravely went to the mirror and whispered the incantation. A devil appeared, resembling young Badoy, her husband.     The second appearance is in 1890, Badoy finds his grandson Voltaire playing a familiar mischievous game, reminiscent of Badoy's own past. Mentioning seeing a witch in the mirror, Badoy triggers Voltaire's recollection of his grandmother seeing the devil in it, leading old Badoy to reflect on his late wife (Agueda). A few minutes later, the watchman appeared and repeated the same line symbolizing the end of a tragic love story.

"Guardia sereno – o – o! A las doce han dado – o – o."

The short story is set in the morning, as suggested by the title. As a reader, what do you expect this context of ‘morning’ to be like? Are you happy with how the short story ends? What does Arguilla do to your expectations at the end of this short story?

    My morning is associated with activities like waking up for another battle and enjoying a good cup of coffee. As an animal lover, this story is traumatic for me, and I don't like the ending. Poor little puppy. There are a lot of realizations, like how harsh realities can be. Animals too have feelings, and it is inhumane to kill an innocent dog.

In your opinion, are dead people in fiction considered characters as well, especially in this story? Why or why not?

    Concepcion, Victoria, and Josefina were the children of Nana Emilia and Jaime, who are no longer physically present. In my view, deceased individuals are regarded as characters because they play a role in the narrative. Although they may not be physically present, but their past actions and relationships with living characters influence the plot and contribute to the story as a whole.

NVM Gonzalez was born and raised in Romblon. Which parts of this short story convey that it was set in Romblon?

    I noticed three places mentioned—Progresso, Buenavista, and Badajoz. Initially, I couldn't locate all of them on Google Maps until I came across an article stating that Badajoz is now called San Agustin, one of the municipalities in Romblon.

    Apart from these places, Romblon was formerly recognized as the 'coconut capital of the Philippines' (another hint). Lastly, the author referenced an 'old Spanish house' and a Spanish compound; Spanish colonizers once inhabited Romblon.

    After all my research, I have decided to visit the place soon as it is one of the hidden gems of the Philippines.

The mother’s rage and driving Vicente away into the dead of night constitutes falling action. Bathing her child was the denouement. Now the question: was the little girl harmed? Why do you think so? Why not? In your view, what exactly constitutes ‘sexual assault as bodily harm’? 

    Yes, the little girl was emotionally harmed because of the unwanted physical contact of Vicente. The action sparks her anxiety (she was scared and filled with fear). Sexual assault includes unwanted touching and as mentioned in the story, "holding her under the armpits," and "held the little girl to sit down on Vicente's lap."

What part of the story are you as the reader aware of, but the Senora doesn’t know? How does this relationship between the reader, Tinang, and Senora develop as the story goes along? 

    Señora doesn't know the real reason as to why Amado left (because his mother became ill and eventually passed away). She knew that Tinang's husband was a Bagobo but not specifically Amado. I can say that Señora is caring and a good "amo" to Tinang. She showed generosity by giving Tinang a bundle of clothes and showing concern for her newborn baby.

As a Filipino reader, how do you feel when you read foreign character names? Can you compare your levels of comfort between the mention of Western and Asian or, in this case, Chinese names? Does your comfort level affect your estimation of them as good or bad? How so, or how not?

    I'm intrigued by foreign names like Ah Bien and Siao Mei, but I often struggle to pronounce them correctly. I feel more comfortable reading Western names such as Roger, Simone, and Larry because they are easier for me to pronounce. Sometimes, I have a negative perception of difficult-to-pronounce names because I'm not familiar with their language. However, I'm open to reading and learning about them, exposing myself to their culture, and embracing diversity.

Consider the paragraph before the final word ‘OFF’. Does the narrator love this woman? How can you tell? What part in this very short story (also called flash fiction) belies his true feelings for her? If you were in the woman’s place, how would you assuage the narrator–what would you do to change his tone? 

    Based on the last paragraph, it seems that the narrator doesn't feel romantic love for the woman. He mentions the absence of official ties, physical memories, or a spark between them. The narrator also expresses confusion and admits to questioning the nature of their relationship, which leads him to search for clues in their interactions.

"The truth is that myself wonder sometimes about the nature of our relations, which is probably why I find myself looking for clues, falling into spaces between her words on the green monitor."

    If I were the woman, I would likely be direct and honest with the guy about my true feelings and intentions to avoid giving him doubts and mixed signals.