BANANA HEART SUMMER

GUIDE QUESTION:
1. What does "lengua" symbolize?

Lengua is a Spanish word meaning “tongue,” which in the story, symbolizes the words eaten
by the devil.

2. What did the father mean by "The devil ate my words"? What happened to him that made
him say that?

The devil ate his capacity for words, the father couldn't fulfill his promises because he was
dismissed from his job after his employer found a cheaper deal for the extension of his house.

3. What does this tell us about Philippine society? Do you think this is still true today? Explain

This tells us how unemployment affects society. For us Filipinos, we see our fathers as the
head of our home, the one who supports or holds the power within the family. It is still true
for today's society, because if the father is unemployed then he couldn't support his family,
and looking right now where unemployment rises because of the pandemic then a lot of
households are having a hard time making ends meet.

4. Does the little girl understand what her father means? Why do you say so?

No, the little girl did not understand what her father meant because she misinterpret her
father's words just like she thought that the devil had eaten his father's tongue.
5. How does the girl misinterpret her father's words?

The little girl misinterprets her father's words by hearing her father say that “the devil ate my
words” when her parents argue which she did not understand. And what her father meant is
that he doesn't remember what he wanted or was about to say. She thought that a devil ate
her father’s tongue. She only thinks about her perspective, she didn't even ask his father what
happened.

6. In the end, when she is describing the lengua, how do you think the girl feels when
describing the lengua? Why does she feel this way?

I think she describes it in a literal way since she's still confused and thinks that the lengua is
something that you can easily sell, she also thinks that her father sold his tongue to someone
not worthy of it. She thought of it as something hilarious since she still doesn't know much
about everything.

7. Why is it necessary to talk about Spaniards, when this is a story that takes place in the
Philippines? What is their significance in the story?

Because this is part of our history and wanted us to remember that due to poverty, we were
ruthlessly governed by the devilish attitudes of the Spaniards. We were illiterate to the point
that we were told to give whatever we thought we could give or what they wanted due to the
convergence of having no choice.

8. What does the girl wish for in the end? Why does she wish for it?

She wish that she could turn back her father's tongue back to speech and even hunger. Maybe
because it's her father, no one else wants to live a life without a tongue and she cares about
her father.
9. What do you feel towards the little girl? What do you feel toward the father?

I felt pity for both of them. Nenita has to experience all of that and to think that she only has
one thing on her mind and it's to support her family at a young age. While her father is just
making “the devil ate my words” as an excuse because he has already no guts on talking back
to his wife. He has already no guts to complain after losing his job. He lost his confidence
because he was not able to fulfill his promise of a better life.

10. What do you think the story is trying to say?

This story reveals what living is all about. Nenita’s childhood is a reflection of many social
issues and events that may happen in a person’s life, especially to us Filipinos. It portrays a girl,
hungry for good food, maternal love, and happiness. It is also a reflection of the sad reality of
what poverty and hunger can drive people to do. It is heartbreaking to know that there are so
many Nenitas in the Philippines. Many Filipinos had to give up school to work. Some of them
would work for other people and would have to leave their families. Let's take domestic
helpers as an example, they have to take care of other people while leaving their own families
behind.