Literature of the Philippines

Reaction Paper on

The Small Key,

The Wedding Dance and

Youth

Submitted by:

Angelica G. Yapan
Student

Submitted to:

Mrs. Gregoria Dela Cruz

Instructor
The Small Key

The exposition started the story to be calm and silent. It presented the situation of

couple named Pedro Buhay and Soledad living in a place far from neighbours where Pedro

works as a farmer and Soledad, at early twenties fulfilling her duty as a full time housewife.

The climax of the story started when Soledad knew about the long-time secret of her

husband. It was when shee found a key from the jacket of Pedro that could open the

mysterious small trunk in the other room. Only to find out that the small trunk contains

garments of Pedros’ first wife.

The view presented roots the theme “Building honesty and trust in a certain

relationship”, “keeping secret to your partner is never good” and “loyalty must prevail”.

We are all aware that relationships work when you have loyalty, respect and love for your

partner. One recipe should not be missing because probably it will cause failure and can

lose trust for one another. What happened in the story shows that Pedro lacks honesty to

his wife in keeping those belongings of his first wife without telling Choleng for what was

that about and in that way he was not loyal to Choleng from the very beginning.

I believe if I were Choleng, I should have asked and confront my husband about

that thing and not pretend that I do not know anything because in the first place I am his

present wife and I deserve to know everything even the smallest secret that he have.

The small key tested the relationship of the two characters. This caused heartache

for both. Choleng got hurt for knowing that her husband was not loyal and honest to her

and in that way she loses trust for Pedro. On the other hand, Pedro got hurt for losing the

garments that is a remembrance from his first wife as well as for hurting Soledad.
 This story is perfect to be told to everyone who are in a relationship especially that

this rampantly happens nowadays. It will always be a lesson that relationship last when

both of you possess the three recipe: Love, respect and loyalty.
The Wedding Dance

The story is about two lovers named Awiyao and Lumnay who had been married for seven

years and need to sacrifice their love for

each other just to fulfil the tradition of their tribe that if a woman cannot bear a child, her husband

must marry another woman in order to have son. Even though the two love each other they both

decided to separate and Lumnay was invited on the night of the wedding dance. But she could not

stand on the idea of her husband marrying another woman because she could not give him children

so she left.

The theme of the story is not far from what is happening in the society today. It’s about

sacrifice and true love. The couple sacrifice their love not only because of what their culture

dictates but to save each other from the scorn of society. They say that if you truly love the person,

you must let him go to make him happy even if we think that he is our happiness. Sometimes love

is not enough to hold on to a certain relationship because there a lot of things to be considered

when you are in the situation.

Maybe if I were Lumnay, I would do the same thing if it is for the fulfilment of their

tradition but if not, I will not let go of the person I love the most just because I cannot give him a

child. I believe there are other way I could make my husband happy and letting him go will never

be a solution.

I believe that even if they are separated their hearts will be forever intertwined because

Awiyao marry Madulimay for the reason that he only need a child but his heart still beats for

Lumnay. Even with all the barriers stopping their love for each other, their hearts can’t be stopped

from loving one another for life because that is what we called “true love”.
Youth

The poem tells us about how beautiful life is from the moment that we are born and given

the chance to see the light of the world from God’s graciousness and love. We people especially

the youth are entitled to take care of all His creations. We hold that responsibility and that is the

only way we could turn back to God.

As what Rizal said, “Kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”. What we supposed to do or act

should be done accordingly because He entrusted us to do so. Yes we know that there will always

be a room for mistake but let us make our actions more responsible and good in the eyes of

everybody and to God.

Nowadays, youth get lost of their path because they tend to listen to their own wants instead

of listening and following to their parents. Temptations are everywhere. We got influenced by

peers and what is worst about is that most youth lack guidance from their parents in which it was

stated in the poem that youths need it before reaching the fulfilment and contentment of life. We

cannot make it all by our own, at some point parents still know what is right and wrong and what

is best for us.

Let us prove to God that we are worthy of the life that he has given us and come back to

Him with accomplishment that he wanted to see in us.