TASK 1:

#1. Supply the following biographical or historical details about Magdalena

Jalandoni mentioned by the writer as he characterized his subject. Quote parts of
the essay to complete this basic “biodata” of the Hiligaynon writer.

Address: Jaro, Ilo Ilo, City

Year of Birth: 1891

Parents:    Gregorio Jalandoni. Francisca Gonzaga

Schooling: She studied at Colegio de San Jose

First experience of Publishing: At ten, she wrote her first corrido, Padre Juan
and Beata Maria. At 13, she has four the same genre, manuscripts of these
were submitted by her mother to La Editorial in Ilo Ilo City, which published
them in 6”x8” softcover newsprint edition.

Her body of literary works: She began writing at a young age wherein she
already had her poems published at the age of 12. Up to this date, her work
consist of 37 novels, 5 autobiographies, 8 narrative poems, 6 corridos, 10
plays, 213 lyric poem, 132 short stories, 9 essays, and 10 melodramas.

Year of death: 1978

#2: How did the essay go beyond these biographical details? Plot the development
of the character of Jalandoni between the period of her birth and death.

Birth: She was born in 1891 in Jaro, IloIlo City, heiress to the incredible
fortune of Francisca Gonzaga and Gregorio Jalondoni. Her brother Luis was
only three months when their father died and she studied at Colegio de San
Jose.

Growing Up: As a child, she would hear stories from her mother and that she
would ask if the happening and situations in the narrative were true. Having
told that the storyteller imagined the story, Magdelena got into writing. She
began writing at a young age where in she already had her poems published at
the age of 12.
As a lady: When Magdalena was sixteen, she wrote her first novel, Mga Tunoc
sang Isa ca Bulac (Thorns of a Flower). It was becoming evident then that she
would be a well known writer. But writing was a male-dominated sphere, so
Magdalena was prohibited by her mother from producing more literatures.
Despite of her mother’s dissapproval, she would write at night and keep her
notebooks under her clothes in her trunk. When she was 18, her mother
wanted her to get married. Magdalena out of obedience, agreed to marry the
man but she had one unust precondition, that he should write a novel within
the year. So Magdalena remained single and wrote 37 novels, 5
autobiographies, 8 narrative poems, 6 corridos, 10 plays, 213 lyric poem, 132
short stories, 9 essays, and 10 melodramas.

At 75: When she was 75, Magdalena wrote about this leitmotif of losses of
losses and finds in Juanita Cruz, her most mature novel according to scholar
Lucila Hosillos. Concious of the depreciating affluence of Jaro, she wrote
about Juanita who is a binukot of her family, a treasure kept by her father.
She fell in love with a poor choirmaster Elias. Magdalena wrote about an
undying love whether filial, agape, nor eros it was a passion toward a country
finding golden meanings out its centuries of feasts.

At 80: Magdalena died at the age of 87. She remains the reina of Hiligaynon
literature. No one knows if she once had dreamt of herself as a reina for the
feast of Candelaria, or if she ever imagined of Jose Rizal escorting her down
the plaza.
 TASK 2: Answer the following questions:

1. What do you think inspired Jalandoni to become a writer? Point out specific details
in the essay that support your answer.

Growing up she would hear stories from her mother and I think that is one of
the crucial reasons why Jalandoni got into wrting. She got hooked by the fact
that the stories could make one a “curious cat” and that she would ask
whether the stories were real or not. Besides her first love was Jose Rizal who
is known for his novel and maybe was inspired by him to become a writer.

2. How did her environment affect her writing?

During her days, wrting was a male-dominated sphere so her mother
restricted her from producing more literature but that did not stop her from
doing it. She would write at night and keep her notebooks under her clothes in
her trunk.

From what can you infer from the text, what were the subjects Jalandoni wrote
about? List down the titles and subject matter of the more prominently mentioned
works.

3. Who is/are the audience of the essay?

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__________________5. What is the purpose of the essay?
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TASK 3: The following statements from the text figuratively develop the idea that
Jalandoni looked up to Rizal all throughout her life. How do these imply the
writer’s devotion to the national hero? It represents what?
 “His looks were ordinary; Filipinos, in fact, felt deceived when he once came
home and packaged himself as a doctor Aleman. But he was gentle and perhaps,
romantic that Magdalena heiress to the incredible fortune of Francisca Gonzaga
and Gregorio Jalandoni fell in love with him’.
“Magdalena, out of obedience, agreed to marry the man of honorary stature; but
she had one unjust precondition, that he should write a novel within the year.
Juanita was reunited with Elias in the end only to discover that he is involved in
the revolutionary movement against Spain. He was killed in victorious battle and
now, Juanita, or the old woman who tells the story, or Magdalena confronts Elias
monument at the plaza.”
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2. What is the form of the essay? Why? Explain.
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TASK 4:
1. From what can you infer from the text, how did writing become Jalandoni’s
refuge from the expression of resistance against her conservative society?
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2. What do you think is the importance of Jose Rizal in the life and work of
Jalandoni? How was this aspect explored in the text? 
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3. What is the message of the text?
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