Characterization

1. How does the author create a vivid illustration of the different personalities of
grandmother, grandfather, and grandaunt?

 For me, the author used vivid illustration as a way of showing the different
personality of the character in the story. The author gives each of the characters
that readers easily recognize who refers to those situations.

2. Of the two approaches to characterization that the author employs in presenting her major
characters, which do you deem more effective? Why?

 In two approaches to characterize the major characters that the author employs
effectively was direct presentation because it’s directly out about the characters
and it reveals the traits of a character in a straightforward manner. It also helps
readers understand the type of character they are going to read about.

3. What effect does the combination of two approaches to characterization create in

presenting grandmother’s personality?

 I guess the effect of the combination of two approaches helps more easily
recognize the personality of grandmother. Because like I said in the previous
number, direct presentation was straightforward about the character then
additionally, indirect presentation is about character actions. This is presented in
the story.

Literary Approach: Psychological Criticism

1. What can possibly be the reason for the grandmother’s hostility towards her bondmaids?
Does her cold relationship with grandfather contribute to her being hostile? Why?

 I think the reason for the hostility of grandmother’s towards her bondmaids is that
she wants to prove to everyone that she does not need anyone to get rich and the
servant is a servant who does not need to be treated properly. And yes, the
relationship with her grandfather contributes because she doesn’t want her
situation to be arranged marriage, she doesn't want the responsibility, she feels
like it’s only a duty.

2. When grandaunt died, grandfather suddenly became remorseful and detached from
others. How does offering a story to children help him overcome such agony? What does
the concluding statement in his story mean? How does it relate to his feelings?

 The offering a story to children will help for grandfather to overcome his feeling and
agony after died grandaunt because his time and attention was focused on storytelling
and its help to avoid thinking about the grandaunt's death.
  The statement concluding in his story is when the man was truly in love no matter
what happens, death they will despise for their beloved and there’s no comparison
to the pain that they will feel after losing a loved one.

 It’s related to him because as we analyzed the story they we’re almost the same
story. The pain that he felt of being alone, being his loved one is no longer with
him.

The Exile

By Edwin Thumboo

Theme

1. What are the instances cited that prove that the subject of the poem does not care about
politicizing his ideology?

2. What does Confucian smile in line 6 mean? How does it relate to his inability to
politicize his ideology?

3. What do you think could have happened if he had politicized his ideology by renouncing
it?

4. Which event had caused his imprisonment? What does he realize?

5. As a result of his realization, what action does he make and what consequence does he
encounter from his action?

6. What does the poem reveal about individuals whose ideologies are in contrast with the
society they are living?


Literary Approach: Historical Criticism

1. Read the abstract below from a published article in Journal of Southeast Asian Studies.
Relate this article to the poem discussed above.


Sunflowers for a Friend

By Lee Yzu Pheng

Post Reading Activity

 1. What instance of verbal abuse to children is illustrated in the first stanza? What do you
think may they feel upon experiencing this abuse?

2. The speaker describes the possible effect of this abuse as “a venom of human tongue,”
What do you think is the reason for such description?

3. What long-term psychological effects may this abuse bring to children? How do you
think may these children react to such adverse effects?

4. What action does the speaker want the readers to make to stop child abuse? Can this
action mitigate this social problem? Why?

5. Examine the metaphorical statement in the last stanza. What does it suggest about helping
children who had experienced abuse? How can the sufferings of these children from such
abuses be healed?


Literary Approach: Reader- response Criticism

1. Is the social problem depicted in the poem happening in our country? What do you
observe as the prevailing form of child abuse in the country?

2. What do you think will be the adverse effect of this prevailing social problem to our
county in general and to every Filipino family in particular?
