FORMALIST APPROACH

The Philippine literature from Igorot entitled "wedding dance" by Amador T. Daguio was structured
through the classic six- stage plot structure: Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Falling Action, climax and
resolution. Just like the "Biuag and Malana" was structured. The story begins by presenting all the
chatarcers and their roles and it also stated some events that are happen from the beginning of the
story. The story continue as the writter relate every specific event of the story and it also shows some of
the traditions and beliefs of the Igorot tribesman. The story is ended by showing the effect of love
versus cultural reality with Awiyao leaving Lumnay for another women to give him a child. For me it is an
unpleasant effect of our contemporary view of the word.

Using the five- stage plot. The exposition of the story started at the mountain villages of the Philippines
where Awiyao has been remarried. The conflict of the story is the love versus cultural tradition and also
a wife that cannot bear a child where Awiyao need to remarried to Madulimay for him to continue his
legacy and to follow their tradition because his wife Lumnay could not produce an offspring. The Riaing
Action of the story is when shows how he love Lumnay over the other girl in the tribe, he comforted
Lumnay and offer her items and the properties that they built together. But, Lumay refuses to accept all
his offers for the hope that Awiyao would stay. The climax is when Awiyao leave Lumnay to go back to
his wedsing celebration with Madulimay and Lumnay runs into the hill. The Falling Action of the story is
when Lumnay sit on the side of the mountains looking at the blazing fire and dancing women thinking
about how her life has change and Lumnay has a sense of desperation, isolation. And the Resolution of
the story, the story did not stated what happen to Lumnay and the story did not also presented if
Madulimay can able to bear a child.

The purpose of each part of the story is to serve as a connection of the succeeding events in the story.
And because of the sequential structure of the events, I was able to understand and also to draw an
image on my mind while i was reading the story.

The story's perspective is a third person point of view. The narrator or the author which is Amador T.
Daguio narrated well all the event and everything that happen in the story. The characters of the story
are revealed by their role in the story which help us to effectively understand the story. The narrator,
speaker, and characters played an important role which help us comprehend in the story.

One of the main characters in the story is Lumnay the women who suffered from the cultural norms of
their tribes and she is Awiyao's former wife who is still in love with him despite the fact that he married
another. Awiyao is the lead male in the story who loves Lumnay, but left her because she is not able to
produce children for him. The minor characters in the story is Madulimay she is Awiyao's new and
younger wife, with whom he hopes to have a children for him another are all the tribesman such as the
elders who is making their tribal law and womensin the tribe.

There are also various conflicts that where addressed in the story. Man vs. Society, when Awiyao need
to follow their tradition, he hurt himself and Lumnay for the sake of his legacy. Man vs. Self, when
Lumnay could not fight for their love because she know that she is worthless for not being able to bear a
child.

The story took place in the mountain areas of Luzon. Awiyao and Lumnay most likely to belong to the
Igorot people. The Igorot people maintain manayof their traditional cultural practices through the late
19th century. Even today, dance and gangsa music form an important part of their celebration. The
setting was symbolic for me when Lumnay was able to let go Awiyao without committing suicide or
without breaking the wedding feast. It teaches us to be selfless for the person we love for them to be
happy. And also when Awiyao marry another women for him to have a child and follow their traditions, i
found this symbolic because it shows that this belief is belong to Igorot people which help to show that
Awiyao is an Igorot.

The sensory images that is make the story beautiful are "the stream water being very cold" is the sense
of touch, "the blazing bonfire" is the sense of sight and the "sound of the gong" for the sense of hearing.
I feel sad about the ending of the story because i am not a fun of tragedy or any story having a sad
ending. But looking for a brighter side. Lumnay sacrifices is somewhat heroic because she gave way for
her husband to be happy and to follow the tradition of their tribes. One of the figurative language is:
"Lumnay fingers moved a long, long time among the growing bean pods". This shows that Lumnay has
finally approved of her husband marriage to another women because she loves him.

Besides from the images and figurative speech, there are some symbol used in the story. "Gangsas"- are
culturally important, the sound of the gangsas represent the man in the wedding ceremony, they are
strong and provide a beat ti dance or a beat to life. "Dancing"- is the celebration of the happiness, it also
shows the sexuality by the women. "Fire"- signifies the burning intensity of both love and hate that
Lumnay feels in the situation. "Beeds"- it symbolizes the promise of Awiyao made to Lumnay. "Floor"-
when Lumnay pull apart the rattan floor, it symbolize of their marriage unraveling. "Night"- the
nighttime setting symbolize the darkness and isolation that Lumnay feels.

The moral of the story is if you love a person, you must let them be happy. Despite of how upsetting this to
Lumnay, she must let Awiyao go, not only because of their culture but also because it ia clear that he will not
be happy without a child.