ACTIVITY 11

THE MATS by Francisco Arcellana

Name: NORLIE A. ESTRELLA

Answer the following questions.

A.
1. How many children did Mr. and Mrs. Angeles have? Name them.
They have nine (9) children namely: Marcelina, the eldest; Jose, the eldest son and a
medical student; Antonio, the third child; Juan, the fourth born; Jesus, the fifth born;
Sussana, the sixth child; Josefina, Victoria, and Concepcion were deceased.

2. What made the mats unique and symbolic, too?

Hints: colors, design, roses, cadena de amor, lyre, medical symbol of Aesculapius, etc.
The mats were made and designed accordingly to their interest and the colors by their
birth stones. The mats were also having their names embroidered that it also makes it
unique. Uniqueness may also vary to the uniqueness of their every child.

3. For whom were the last three remaining mats?

For Josefina, Victoria, and Concepcion who were at a young age, died.

4. On what occasions was the nuptials mat used?

It was used during the wedding of Mr. & Mrs. Angeles and it was a gift from Nana
Emilia's mother.

5. What do you think is Jaime Angeles’ job/profession?

I think he is a periodic inspector or an Engineer.

B.
1. What part of the table did Mr. Angeles occupy during the family dinner? What does
this tradition show?
Mr. Angles sat on the center-edge of the table since here in the Philippines, sitting at the
center-edge of the table means that you are the head of the family.

2. What kind of husband and father is Mr. Angeles? Cite the lines that reveal him as
such?
He is a caring and loving husband and father. “Do you think I’d forgotten? Do you think I
had forgotten them? Do you think I could forget them?” These lines of Mr. Angeles prove
that he never forgets their lost children.

3. Do you think it was necessary to have mats also for the dead members of his family?
If yes, why? If no, why not?
It is not necessary for me, but for Mr. Angeles, it is because he never forget their lost
children. Maybe it’s a way of Mr. Angeles to still show his love and care to his children.
They are physically gone, but with Mr. Angeles' heart and mind, they are still there.

C.
1. Filipinos remember (even revere the memory) of their departed members. In what way
do we usually show this?
 ACTIVITY 11
THE MATS by Francisco Arcellana

We commemorate our departed members of the family every All Saints and All Souls
Day. But, in our family we commemorate them also during their special days.

2. The joy and excitement over the mats change to something else as the opening of the
last three mats? “is it fair to forget them? Is it just to disregard them?”, said Mr. Angeles
in answer to Nana Emilia remark; “You know Jaime, you didn’t have to, you didn’t have
to”. Who of the two (Jaime and Emilia) is right? Why?
On my perspectives, Mr. Angeles is right. Yes, they were dead and gone but we can’t
actually forget them. They’ve been part of the family. Maybe Nana Emilia just wanted to
forget the pain. We can forget the pain, but we can never forget those people who had
been part of our life and who brought that pain.

D.
1. If you were Mr. Angeles, would you have done the same thing?
If I were Mr. Angeles, yes, I will do the same thing he does. Because it is my way of
showing my love to my departed loved ones.

2. Do you think it is also “fair” and “just” to those children who are alive? WHY or WHY
NOT?
Yes, it is also fair and just to the children who are alive because the three departed were
their sibling and Mr. Angeles bought mats for them, no exceptions. The giving of
“pasalubong” is fair and just because all them received.