Dolotallas, Nadem A.

BSAIS II- AIS21

A Report on The Wedding Dance

Amador Daguio’s The Wedding Dance (1953), is one of the saddest stories that I had read. It
took place in the mountains of Cordillera, a region renowned for its culture and people's adherence to
tradition. The unwritten law, also known as the Law of the Father, is the foundation of their daily lives
and, as a result, it is the one that governs the entire tribe. This is the tale of Awiyao and Lumnay, a
husband and wife who had been married for seven harvests but were still unable to have a child of their
own. Despite his love for Lumnay, Awiyao had to look for another wife called Malidumay to affirm his
virility and secure his place among his tribesmen. This story depicts the struggle between personal love
and tribal and cultural love, and how, in some cases, culture triumphs. This illustrates how the society
limits Awiyao and Lumnay's desire to love each other for the rest of their lives.

As I look into the situation more closely, I can see that both Awiyao and Lumnay gave up their
love not only because of what the tradition dictates, but also to protect each other from society's
judgments. If we extend this story to real-life circumstances, we can infer that people have always been
bound by rules that must be followed for our own good, but that these laws can also govern our own
rights, happiness, and even desires. Often we just want to say what we're thinking, fight for what we
believe is true, and challenge the law, but we still feel like there's something holding us back, just like
Lumnay.

I think that the author primarily used dialogues and acts to expose the character's true nature,
and in terms of environment, he well portrayed a structure society in which Lumnay and Awiyao lived,
bound by cultural and societal laws that defined a certain concept of a true family that has a Father and
a Mother and child or children, which is strong evidence of the existence of structuralism. This is the rule
that Awiyao and Lumnay struggled to obey, but they knew deep down in their hearts that they had done
everything they could just to have a child. To remain a part of it, they must embrace the fact that as
members of that culture, they must obey the law, which is connected to Sigmund Freud's "The Law of
the Father." Lumnay's character was directly accused of being infertile in the novel, and her inability to
bear a child caused her to lose her husband due to her inability to bear a child.

However, at this point, we can see how the author successfully used Lumnay's character to
show how culture can defeat love. Lumnay, on the other hand, as a woman, has her own inner power.
Despite being a victim of cultural dominance, she did not behave or think passively in this case. She
discovered her own power as a woman, refusing to succumb to their culture and instead opting to fight
back and defy the unwritten rule. Deconstruction and Feminism are both present at this stage, as
evidenced by her words, "I don't want any man." I'm not looking for another man.” “Neither should you
accuse me.” I've prayed a lot to Kabunayan. “It's not right. I've lost my chicken in my prayers.” This isn't
right. How did she find that out? How does anybody possibly know? “This isn't right.” The author used
Lumnay's power as a woman to explain his assault on culture sovereignty, which demonstrates the
disparity of rights and freedom. However, when Lumnay arrived at the ceremony, she lacked the
strength to express her feelings and ended up living on the outskirts of the ceremony, where she heard
the sound of gongs thanking her for her sacrifice. She ultimately submitted to the Law (the father's law),
but she knows deep down that she does not agree with it. Awiyao, the husband, on the other hand,
reflects the conflict between love and culture. Lumanay's sorrow about his marriage to another woman
is the same as Awiyao's. The tale effectively depicted their betrayed love for cultural hegemony. Awiyao
expresses his affection for Lumnay in their dialogues, but he also appears to be submitting himself to
what the society dictates, which is simply upholding the Structuralism theory. He may not like what he's
doing, but there's always a pressing need for him to do it, no matter how much it hurts Lumnay. Awiyao
pays Lumnay a visit during the wedding ceremony, inviting her to the wedding dance despite her
discomfort. He declares his love by saying words that go against the desires of others. “It is taking away
half of his life to love her like this.” He also claimed that culture is superior: "I'm sorry, but neither of us
can help it... You know I don't want any women... I'm just doing this for the sake of our tribe.” I can
clearly see Awiyao's devotion to his own tribe, as he seems to go to any length to fit into the community
in which he lives. Awiyao wished to join the symbolic order, and the only way to do so was to marry
another woman who could provide him with one. “If I did this, it was because of my need for a child,”
says the guy. You understand that life is meaningless without a child. Men have made fun of me behind
my back.”

In conclusion, I believe that the law is being unjust and unreasonable in placing Lumnay and
Awiyao in that situation because a child is more than a sign of masculinity. I would rather stand up and
fight for what is right and mine because, as a matter of fact, I am aware that this particular Law, which
they so fear, can be challenged and deconstructed. We must learn to fight for what is right and what we
have. It's a good thing that people nowadays are more conscious of their rights to choose someone they
really love, to choose whether or not to have a child, and to express our own thoughts; all we have to do
is use them correctly.

A Report on Dead Stars

Paz Marquez Benitez’s Dead Stars (1925) is kinda a "what if" story about a married man
reuniting with the woman he fell in love with while engaged to his wife many years before. The tale is
essentially a collection of the difficult situations that every man must face in his life.

At first I know that without a doubt, Alfredo was once in love with Esperanza, but love dies over
time, and the only thing keeping you together is the promise you made to your fiancée, which you
cannot take back. Why can’t he able to return it? Maybe it's because he’s afraid of how the people
around him will respond, particularly during the story's events. What's obviously wrong with this is that
most men fail to listen to their own needs and instead embrace more dehumanization.

As the story progresses, though sincere to a degree, I think that Alfredo's love appears to be frail
and purposeful. I think it is weak because propriety ultimately triumphs over it, and purposeful because
it was merely a tactic to justify his ability to rebel against society; that for once, he would not be a
puppet, but the master of his own destiny. In the story, Alfredo falls in love with Julia despite being
engaged to Esperanza, but ultimately abandons the notion. Throughout his marriage to Esperanza, he
held on to the glimmer of "what should have been," but upon meeting Julia again, he realizes that what
he believed was there had disappeared for a number of reasons.

Moreover, I firmly believe that after what society had done to him (dehumanized him), he found
peace in his own skin and no longer wanted the illusive dream of yesterday. After seeing her again, he
realized it was nostalgia, not the "love" he had once felt for her, that was gripping his heart. According
to the plot, he is satisfied with his marriage, but a part of him still withdraws from the world to fantasize
about a different life that would have blossomed if he had chosen Julia over Esperanza. On the other
hand, it's likely that there was no true love at all, only a longing for something different. Despite his
youth, he yearned for the virtues that the young possessed: vigor, zeal, and vitality. These are a few
qualities he lacked as an individual, and seeing them in Julia made him feel whole. Even if he couldn't be
like Julia, he is comforted by the fact that he was able to meet someone who is different from everyone
else, and that she might have been his wife. He is known for his calm and collected attitude, so it seems
out of character if he unexpectedly explodes with vigor.

In conclusion, I realized that the things that are present but unspoken of are symbolized by dead
stars. The love between Alfredo and Julia seemed true, but closer examination shows that it was hardly
mutual, and that it was doomed to fail. Esperanza's loyalty to Alfredo parallels passion, but because she
prefers the "regenerative virtue of institution" to real love, it's fair to conclude she's in the relationship
out of moral obligation. As a result, what was once considered to be real (or present) is now nothing
more than a mirage.