My Father Goes to Court (Carlos Bulusan)

Character
Father – farmer; he owned a farm
Narrator – one of the child of the farmer
Children of the father – cheerful and playful
Rich man – neighbor; don’t know how to socialize
Rich man’s Children – unhealthy, anemic and pale
Policeman – from presidencia
Judge – in-charge of the case; old-looking
Setting
Small town on the Island of Luzon; Trial court in their locality
Plot
The narrator started the story stating that they moved into a town after their farm was
destroyed by a flood. They moved near a tall house of a rich man who don’t interact with his
neighbors. Every time the servant cooks food, they can smell the aroma as the children play,
sleep, or eat. The children of the farmer were healthy while the children of the rich man were
pale.
Conflict
One morning, a policeman from the presidencia came to their house with a sealed paper
because the rich man filed a complaint against the family. The reason why the rich man filed a
case is that the family was accused for stealing the spirit of his wealth and food.
Climax
The problem started when the rich man complained against the family of the farmer by stealing
the spirit of his wealth and food and when the day of the trial, the rich man looks pale and
weak the same with his children.
Denouement
The poor father has paid the rich family from the spirit of their food. The sweet tinkle of the
coins carried beautifully in the courtroom.
Resolution
The rich man fell on the floor. The case was dismissed and the judge went to over to the farmer
to shake hands with him. The family started laughing until all of them were laughing while
holding their bellies and bending over the chairs.
Theme
Don’t let anything interrupt your happiness. Though life is hard, don’t forget to smile or to
laugh because this is one way to not feel whatever challenge life throws us.
Message
Life is all about happiness. Its up to you when you want to enjoy it or not, because we have a
different way of lifestyle.
Lesson
Being contented and happy in life is the lesson shown in this story. We should be contented for
all the things that God has given us.
Reflection
This story tells me that having a simple family, simple living and simple life is much better.
Maybe we can’t have all the material or expensive things that we want, but at least we are
happy. Living in a happy and healthy family is better than living in a luxurious place but lonely.
Happiness is not about being rich or getting all the things you wanted, happiness is all about
living peacefully and enjoying the things that we have. Maybe some people will leave us but out
family will never leave us hanging. As we all know blood is thicker than water.
-Karl Dominic Pamittan
We have our own way of living, so do not look down others base on their status in life. Even
though you are living in a luxurious life but you are not happy at all, it’s useless. Life is all about
happiness, we can achieve it even without wealth. As we live, it is important to be happy and
enjoy what you are doing, so that we can inspire others in our own way.
-Jerome Adduru