Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
N a t i o n a l Ca pi t a l Re g i o n
Sc h o o l s D i v i s i o n O f f i c e o f La s Pi ñ a s Ci t y
LEARNING ACTIVITY WORKSHEETS 1
21st CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD
Grade 12
Name: Maria Bettina L. Dizon_ Date: 09/20/2021 _ Score_ _
Learning Objective:
• Define the critical analysis and interpretation.
• Describe the procedures involved in producing detailed analysis and a critical
interpretation.
• Compose a critical analysis and interpretation of a literary piece.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY 1
Directions: Read the excerpt of literary piece of the myth Tungkung Langit and Alunsina by
the Visayan people. Identify the elements used in the story.
Tungkung Langit and Alunsina
One of the stories about the world's creation, which the older people in Panay, especially those living near
the mountains, do not tire of relating, tells thatthere was no sky or earth – only a bottomless deep and a world of mist.
Everything was shapeless and formless – the earth, the sky, the sea, and the air were almost mixed up. In a word,
there was confusion.Then from the depth of this formless void, there appeared two gods, Tungkung Langit ("Pillar of
the Sky") and Alunsina ("The Unmarried One"). Just when these two deities came from, it was not known. However,
it was related that Tungkung Langit hadfallen in love with Alunsina. After so many years of courtship, they got married
and had their abode in the highest realm of ethereal space, where the water was constantly warm, and the breeze
was forever cool. It was in this place where order and regularity first took place. Tungkung Langit was an industrious,
loving, and kind god whose chief concernwas how to impose order over the whole confused set-up of things. He
assumed responsibility for the regular cosmic movement. On the other hand, Alunsina was a lazy, jealous and selfish
goddess whose only work was to sit by the window of their heavenly home and amuse herself with pointless thoughts.
Sometimes she would go down the house, sit down by a pool near their doorsteps, and comb her long jet-black hair
all daylong.
One day, Tungkung Langit told his wife that he would be away from home for some time to end the
chaotic disturbances in the flow of time and the position of things. However, despite this purpose, Alunsina sent
the breeze to spy on Tungkung Langit. This made the latter very angry upon knowing it. Immediately after his
return from his trip, he called this act to her attention, saying it was ungodly of her to be jealous, there being no
other creature living in the world except the two of them. Alunsina resented this reproach, and a quarrel between
them followed. Tungkung Langit lost his temper. In his rage, he divested his wife of powers and drove her away.
He did not know where Alunsina went; she merely disappeared.
Several days after Alunsina had left, Tungkung Langit felt very lonely. He realized what he had done.
Somehow it was too late even to be sorry about the whole matter. The whole place, once vibrant with Alunsina's
sweet voice, suddenly became cold and desolate. In the morning, when he woke up, he would find himself alone;
and in the afternoon, when he came home, he would feel the same loneliness creeping deep in his heart because
there was no one to meet him at the doorstep or soothe the aching muscles of his arms. For months, Tungkung
Langit lived in utter desolation. He could not find Alunsina, try hard as he would. Thus, in desperation, he decided
to do something to forget his sorrows. For months and months, he thought. His mind seemed pointless, his heart
weary and sick. Nevertheless, he must do something about his lonely world.
One day, while he was sailing across the regions of the clouds, a thought came to him. He would make
the sea and the earth, and lo! The earth and the sea suddenly appeared. However, the sad sight of the lonely
sea and the barren land irritated him. So, he came down to earth and planted the ground with trees and flowers.
Then he took his wife's treasured jewels and scattered them in the sky, hoping that Alunsina would see them
she might be induced to return home. The goddess's necklace became the stars, her comb the moon, and her
crown the sun. However, despite all these, Alunsina did not come back. Up to this time, the old folk says
Tungkung Langit lives alone in the palace in the skies. Sometimes, he would cry out his pent-up emotion, and
his tears would fall upon the earth. The people in Panay today say that rain is Tungkung Langit's tears.
Incidentally, when in thunders hard, the old folk also say that it is Tungkung Langit sobbing, calling for his beloved
Alunsina to come back, entreating her so hard that his voice reverberates across the field and countryside . (Source:
F. Landa Jocano in Lumbera & Lumbera, Philippine Literature: A History and Anthology– Quipper 2017)

ELEMENTS OF THE STORY

THEME It is a mythical love story about Tungkung Langit ang Alusina.
CHARCTERS Tungkung Langit- “Pillar of the Sky”; married Alusina
Alusina- “ The Unmarried One”; married to Tungkung Langit
CONFLICT In one of Tungkung Langit’s trip, Alusina sent the breeze to spy on him and upon finding out, this
made Tungkung Langit angry. With Alusina refusing her husband’s reason/approach, Tungkung
Langit became enraged. Engulfed by his rage, Tungkung Langit stripped his wife of her powers and
drove her away. Alusina disappeared.
POINT OF Narrative, third-person point of view.
VIEW
SETTING The story is set in a mythical, ethereal space.

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 PLOT OF THE STORY
Exposition Rising Climax Falling Action Resolution
Action
Before the world Tungkung Langit Tungkung Langit went Alusina seemed to For months, he
had order or fell in love with on a trip away from merely disappear suffered alone with
even existed, Alusina. After home to settle some into the void. Days his loneliness until
there were gods years of disturbances with the after she was gone, one day, he had
named courtship, they realm of time. Alusina, Tungkung Langit the idea of making
Tungkung Langit finally married being filled with her began to feel lonely the sea and the
and Alusina. each other and jealous thoughts, sent and realized what earth. By just the
Tungkung Langit settled down in the breeze to spy on he had done. He whim of his hand,
was called the the highest realm Tungkung Langit. couldn’t reverse the earth and sea
“Pillar of the of ethereal When Tungkung what happened and appeared,
Sky” and Alusina space. Tungkung Langit found out about he can’t turn back decorating it with
was referred to Langit’s number it, he got angry that his time to apologize to trees and flowers
as “The one concern was wife would think of Alusina. His world to give it life.
Unmarried One”. always to form such thing. The that once was in Afterwards, he
calm and moment he came screaming color gathered his ex-
structure amidst home, he confronted because of Alusina wife’s jewel and
the chaos of his wife about it. He seemed to have used them to
everything and told Alusina that she become black and decorate the sky,
he works hard to had no reason to be white desolate. hoping that Alusina
impose order. jealous because there will see them one
Alusina, on the were only two of them day and come
other hand, was in the world. Alusina back. However,
a lazy and stubbornly rejected his Alusina never
jealous goddess reason and stood her came back.
who spent her ground and this
days sitting by a caused Tungkung
window, amusing Langit to get so mad
herself with that he stripped
pointless Alusina of her powers
thoughts. and sent her away.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY 2
Directions: Analyze the poem "Gubat na Mapanglaw" from Florante at Laura as translated by
Rolando Tinio and answer the following questions on the space provided .
THE DARK WOOD
In this dark wood thick with gloom,
The thick weave of thorny vines…
Rays of Phoebus cannot pierce,
Almost, the solid wilderness.
Great trees loom, disclosing
Sadness only, grief, despair.
Mournful birds dispel
The cheerful air, the stoic pose.
Convolutions of the vine
On branch and twig bristle with thorns.
Their fruit, as if downed with knives,
Wounds the passerby.
And flowers for the looming trees,
Specks of bright shooting through leaves,
Wear the color of mourning,
Sharpen the dizzying stench.
Clumps of cypress and young fig
Cast a terrifying shade.
Fruitless, they spread great leaves.
Darkness deepens on the weed.
And beasts that roam
Are shapes of serpent, basilisk,
Hyena, tiger — beasts that prey
On man and beast.
The wood hugs the gate
Of dour Pluto’s Avernus,
Its precincts watered by
The rivering poisoned Coccytus.
1. What are the meaning of these lines?
“Rays of Phoebus cannot pierce, “Almost, the
solid wilderness”
It is implying that there is no sunlight that can
shine on the wilderness because of its dark
nature with thick weave of vines and great
trees.
2. What images does the poem contain? Cite lines
to back up your claim.
This poem depicts a dark and depressing forest
that when entered, becomes hopeless to get out
of. I got this imagery by just imagining how the
whole poem plays off. It establishes this dark
image from beginning to end, while at the same
time implying the events that happen in it. A line
example of this would be “Their fruit, as if downed
with knives, Wounds the passerby.”, saying that
the fruits present in the trees wound those who
find it instead of giving them something to eat.
3. How would you describe the poem's tone?
Mention a few lines to back up your answer
The poem’s tone is obviously of dark nature
that aims to make its readers uncomfortable
and feel the same despair the people in the
story get. Lines like “Great trees loom,
disclosing Sadness only, grief, despair.” and
“And flowers for the looming trees, Specks
 of bright shooting through leaves, Wear the
color of mourning,” establish the depressing
condition that we feel and read in the poem
by the use of dark imagery and contrasting
elements like saying that the flowers are
wearing colors of mourning, meaning that
they are dead and wilted.
4.- 5. The poem was not written during the Spanish
era in the Philippines. Do you believe the poem
depicts events that occurred at the time it was
published? What are these representations?
Somehow, we can connect it to that time. The
poem gives us a glimpse of a time in darkness and
hopelessness, which also occurred during the
Spanish era. People who remember those dark
times can probably connect the poem to what they
felt back then. Think of the Philippines as the dark
woods and its crawling with predators (Spaniards),
wilted trees (hunger during that time), and
darkness (hopelessness; not being able to see the
light at the end of the tunnel during that time).

Quarter: 1 Week: 1 & 2

MELC: Writing a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts and doing
an adaptation of these require from the learner the ability to identify:
a.the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from
pre-colonial to the contemporary
b. representative texts and authors from each region (e.g. engage in oral history
research with focus on key personalities from the students’ region/province/town
Note to the Teacher:
(Government Property. Not for sale)

2
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY 4-5
Directions: Write another possible ending of the story using local color as a literary technique.
Local color is one of the things that make Filipino writers distinguishable from others. The
scenes, objects, and events are unique to that of a particular place. The story was written
from the point of view of Baldo, the younger brother of Leon. Use an extra sheet of paper if
necessary.

As I leave Labang on the muddy road outside our home, I notice Maria & Leon’s nervousness as they
slowly prepare to greet Father. This chapter of their lives could be one of the scariest that they will face
for Leon is about to introduce the woman he married to our father. Leon enters the room first as Maria
follows, hesitantly. Father greets them with a warm yet stern smile, establishing his seriousness before
he turns to me.

“Baldo, check back on Labang. Make sure he’s alright. I’m sure your journey must’ve been tiring.” He
says.
“Of course.”, I reply as I take a step back to acknowledge that Leon now how has his own chapter to
write with Maria. The conversation happens behind closed doors that I no longer have the privilege to
open.

I take a walk alone in my hometown, observing the rays of the bright orange sun that meets the ocean
blue water by the beach showed a sense of hope. Hope that everything will be fine and hope that this
journey of Leon and Maria will be as still as the water when it comes back in the ocean despite having
blissful to torrential waves.

Quarter: 1 Week: 1 & 2

MELC: Writing a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts and doing an
adaptation of these require from the learner the ability to identify:
a.the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from
pre-colonial to the contemporary
b. representative texts and authors from each region (e.g. engage in oral history
research with focus on key personalities from the students’ region/province/town
Note to the Teacher:
(Government Property. Not for sale)
3
Quarter: 1 Week: 1 & 2
MELC: Writing a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts and doing
an adaptation of these require from the learner the ability to identify:
a.the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from
pre-colonial to the contemporary
b. representative texts and authors from each region (e.g. engage in oral history
research with focus on key personalities from the students’ region/province/town
Note to the Teacher:
(Government Property. Not for sale)