Denise Beloro March 18, 2020

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12 – Santi 21 Century Literature

LESSON 12, POETRY: LITERARY LANDMARKS

NAVIGATE - Respond critically to the following questions and worksheets to process the selection
1. Repeating our exercise in the Trackback section, find and tabulate at three allusions in the text and
identify their original meaning as well as their function in the poem.

ALLUSION ORIGINAL ROLE FUNCTION IN THE TEXT

“Like the turtle who
wanted to be like the
heron…”
Great Blue Herons are The line shows contrast, as
known to devour Snapping the turtle desires to be like
Turtles and their eggs. the heron, since herons
naturally kill turtles for
However, Sumerian myths
food (implying vengeance).
depict Turtles as cruel and
Alma represented the
violent. “The Heron and savagery present in human
the Turtle”, an ancient conflicts by possibly
Sumerian fable, involves alluding to the ancient
the quarrel between a Sumerian story. It is
turtle and heron. In the supported by the next line,
“life is a game of flight and
fable, the turtle destroyed
fetters” in which humans
the heron’s nest, before can either be free and
murdering it along with its realize good virtue, or
nestlings. remain shackled by their
vices (revenge and wrath).

“The ancestor of the lizard
rising from the cursed
land…”
Snakes (related to lizards) Alma proposed that
were typically utilized in Proteus, the prophetic sea
creation myths. god, should have stopped
 In Chinese mythology, the “ancestor of the lizard
Nuwa, a serpent with a rising from the cursed
human head, created land”, which could be
the humankind. associated with
 In Aboriginal culture, mythological snake-like
the Rainbow Snake figures that caused the
gave birth to all creation of humanity, or
animals, or rivers, everything. This illustrates
creaks and oceans. his remorse over
 In Greek myth, Ophion humanity’s existence that

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 nurtured the only brought chaos and
primordial egg from destruction on earth, which
which everything was is further emphasized by
born. the last line, “…the loss of
 In the Hebrew bible, paradise among fish” (see
the serpent caused creation myth about
Adam and Eve to eat Rainbow snake).
the forbidden fruit,
which is considered as
the original sin, or fall
of mankind.

“…and ending with the In Greek mythology, Alma mentioned Proteus

image of Proteus astride
his dolphins”
Proteus is a prophetic sea
god who knew of the past,
present and future.
to criticize the chaotic
events in the modern
world, wishing that the
prophetic sea god should
have already “uttered the
truth” or future.

References:
1. Heron and the Turtle
https://books.google.com.ph/books?
id=GvJFDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT712&lpg=PT712&dq=heron+and+the+turtle+sumerian&source=bl&ots=
EkoXwE7uqa&sig=ACfU3U3HiD5mNtGqWz5t_PQU5W6VMI4mQA&hl=ceb&sa=X&ved=2ahUKE
wiuwqrCv6boAhX-xosBHSPgB24Q6AEwEXoECAYQAQ#v=onepage&q=heron&f=false
2. Rainbow Serpent
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-rainbow-serpent-in-aboriginal-mythology-story-myth.html
3. Nuwa
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Ancestor_of_Mankind_in_Folklore
%E2%80%94%E2%80%94Nuwa.pdf
4. Ophion
https://www.theoi.com/Titan/TitanOphion.html
5. Proteus
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Proteus-Greek-mythology
6. Adam and Eve
https://answersingenesis.org/sin/the-first-sin/

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7. Look at lines 3-6. What is the speaker of the poem comparing Stonehenge to? What is the basis for
his comparison? How was Stonehenge different from whatever he is comparing it to?

The speaker compares Stonehenge to the monuments built after thousands of years, which are
likely modern infrastructures that encompass the world’s cities. Moreover, most of the largest cities
around the world are situated near bodies of water. The Palm islands in Dubai were artificial
islands that raised environmental concerns due to coastal erosion and marine life disturbance.
“For after some three thousand years…we have raised…monuments of steel and glass on every
shore found by every fish…”
Meanwhile, Stonehenge is described to be of greater lasting value and built,
“…O Stonehenge, great gallery of stone!”
“…strength of a thousand dinosaurs and knowledge of gods”
“…more ancient, or barricade of fellow stones”

8. How are the stone monuments described in lines 17-25? Comment on the speaker’s attitude
towards these monuments. How does he perceive them?

The stone monuments have endured years “under the sun and rain, with others lost, fallen among
the grass or upright like warriors”. The speaker perceives the Stonehenge of mystical origins. He
wonders whatever “magic ingredient” or “wondrous juice” that the builders ingested which
allowed them to be as strong as the stones could stand the test of time.

9. What does Alma mean by “materialistic mind”? What examples of thoughts from a materialistic
mind can we see in the poem?

Alma refers to the materialistic mind as the way societies, of both past and future, built structures
with a deliberate purpose, like a “function in the trade and commerce” or “ancient altars to the sun
or burial ground” such as pyramids and temples.

10. What is Alma’s criticism to these thoughts from a materialistic mind? Why does he seem to
disapprove of such thoughts?

The line, “…the function of each building we construct in the trade and commerce of our lives”,
may suggest the capitalistic goals of society that adversely affect the environment, as emphasized
by the lines 39-40, “….death of springs and waterways”. Our materialistic mindset automatically
strives to attach a practical use of the stones, equating them to buildings that populated our
communities. As aforementioned, it could be a capitalistic intent that only seeks to control society
and exploit the environment to attain comfort and wealth. Moreover, differences in religious beliefs

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 have caused numerous holy wars in history, such as Christian crusades against Muslim expansion
during the medieval period. Alma disapproves of such thoughts because we conceitedly shape the
image of stones through a contemporary context, or that technology is far superior today compared
to the past.

11. How does the image and story of the poet-king contrast these materialistic images?

The story of the poet-king depicts humility and compassion, which contrasts the destruction and
greed of the materialistic images (capitalism, exploitation of natural resources, religious conflicts
etc.). In the story, the stones were erected as a “Mountain of Peace”, in which the people forgot
about the killings and war, to simply help each other.

12. What is the connection between the images of war and the reference to Proteus at the end of the
poem?

Proteus, a mythological figure, can foretell the future, and change shape to avoid doing so,
answering only those who can capture him. Alma is indirectly criticizing the chaos prevalent in the
modern world, the “war and pestilence” that increased since the industrial revolution which saw a
surge of military weapons. By referencing Proteus, he expresses his dismay of a future that could
have been avoided, a future that entails warfare—a sentiment of regret. The line, “…loss of paradise
among fish” references Proteus as a prophetic sea god, and perhaps, recalls his natural habitat
being maltreated by humanity, which also connects to another line, “…death of springs and
waterways”.

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PROCESS
In the poem, Rio Alma offers a speculative backstory as to how Stonehenge came about. No one really
knows why those stones were erected in the first place. Come up with your own backstory for the
cluster of rocks. Remember that the story of the poet-king was a story of peace and this was done as a
contrast to the many wars and conflicts that are happening in the world today. What value of
worldview can be gleaned from the backstory you came up with? What contemporary issue will your
backstory interrogate?

In the early 16th century England, there was a king who ordered his knights to kidnap people who had
corkscrew hair, coffee brew skin or slept with the same flesh. Then, those people were forced to gather
stones and build a monument dedicated to the king. They were heavily guarded by the knights during
work, which impeded any chance of escape. If they tried, they would be immediately killed. However,
one man, Tor, swore in his heart to avenge his brothers and sisters. One night, he collected several
stones. Fortunately, the knights were had either fallen to slumber or drunk. Suddenly, he threw the first
stone, killing one of the nights. His brothers and sisters, awakened by his actions, would then follow.
They pushed one of the stones, crushing several knights in their deep slumber or drunken state. Tor
and the others then disguised themselves by wearing the knights’ armors to escape the kingdom.

Slavery was a common practice in the past, especially in Africa where African slaves were traded. My
version of the backstory suggests the notion that behind every masterpiece is a history of slavery.
However, slavery still exists with modernized issues such as human trafficking, child labor and forced
labor. Moreover, the backstory alludes to the 1969 Stonewall riots, a violent uprising by the LBGT
community. Policemen had raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village, New York City.
This angered the bar employees and citizens, which ensued protests that lasted for six days. Marsha
Johnson, a Black transgender activist, was often credited as the one who threw the first brick at a police
officer at Stonewall. The backstory’s ending, wherein Tor and the others disguised themselves as the
knights, represents the LGBT people suppressing their true identities by pretending to be straight.

References
1. Tor - Middle English from Old English torr, a tower, cragg from British. A rocky peak or hill.
https://www.yourdictionary.com/tor
2. Stonewall Riots
https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/the-stonewall-riots
3. Marsha Johnson
https://time.com/5793632/marsha-p-johnson-100-women-of-the-year/

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SPECULATE
Why is understanding people’s culture and history through their landmarks and tourist spots
important in our world today? How does it help us become responsible global citizens? Write a three to
five paragraph piece to illustrate your ideas, using passages from the poem.

Throughout several countries, there are historical monuments and places that attract the
attention of locals and foreigners alike. Tourism flourishes on the history and culture of a country. The
development of historical and cultural tourism is necessary for a country’s growth. It allows travelers
to understand foreign customs and traditions, as well as to live a new and unique experience. In return,
it also boosts the country’s economic development.

By personally visiting the landmarks, the travelers can see through the eyes of the locals—the
beauty of each intricately detailed stories that established their identity. The landmarks are more than
mementos of the past; they are symbolic anchors to our humanity. They are reminders of events,
whether good or bad, that influenced our present and future. It is similar to the philosopher George
Santayana’s quote: “Those who cannot remember their past are doomed to repeat it.” And as Alma
implies with Proteus, people should not avoid their past, but confront the truth—wrath and greed are
inevitable flaws of humanity. However, it is never too late for change to arise as we learn from our
mistakes.

Eventually, those landmarks such as the Stonehenge become a symbol of hope for humanity to
eventually overcome the wars and gain humility. Like the Stonehenge, we can “endure and reign in the
sun or rain”, even if some “are fallen, the rest are upright like warriors.” Some of the historical wars,
besides being usual pursuits of acquiring riches, spreading beliefs and claiming glory, were racially
motivated, with Western colonizers belittling Asian and Black people. Through cultural and historical
tourism, prejudice and discrimination can be potentially reduced. We can effectively surpass the
cultural barrier, and forget our differences from one another. Humanity is able to “thrive and flourish”
and raise a “Mountain of Peace”.