Paz Latorena's

Sunset
Presented by: Ma. Cristine M. Lazo
 About the Author

Points
Story Summary

Elements of the Story

of a. Settings

Discussion b. Characters

c. Theme

d. Plot Structure
Reference/s
 About the Author
Paz Latorena
She is one of the notable Filipino
English writers of the first
generation. She was born on
January 17, 1908 in Boac,
Marinduque. She graduated
elementary at St. Scholastica's
College, finished high school at
Manila South High School, and
took an education course at
University of the Philippines -
Manila in college. However, on
her final year of college (1927),
she transferred to University of
Santo Thomas and finished her
degree on Education there. She
attained her master's and
doctorate degree while teaching
literary courses in UST.
Paz Latorena's journey in making
literary pieces began when she
was in college at UP-Manila,
whereas, she attended a short
story writing class under Paz
Marquez-Benitez. In 1927,
Latorena was invited by Benitez
to write a column for the
Philippines Herald Magazine.
When she was in UST, Paz
Latorena became the literary
editor of the Varsitarian.
Moreover, Latorena did not only
published short stories but poems
as well. She also wrote some of
her literary pieces under the
pseudonym "Mina Lys".
Story Summary
There was a woman who happened to be a runaway maid who found her way to a shop
one rainy night. The man or the cobbler who owned the chop was frightened by her sudden
entrance. At first, the woman thought that the man will not offer his place for her to stay so
she was about to leave when the man stopped her. Then, the woman fell asleep. The next
day, the woman explained how she ended up in Barranco, and why was she running from
the house of her senorita during the rainy night. The man was terrifired when he learned
that the woman was sexually harassed by the senorita's younger brother. On that same
moment, out of the cobbler's feelings of intangible responsibility and vague desire to atone,
he promised to marry the woman. They decided to live together and fell in love even
without deeply knowing each other's background. For the wedding to happen, the man
wanted to pay for it by earning from his work - but it was too long. The woman wanted to
help but the man do not allow her. She just decided to follow his order's so the man will not
be angry towards her. One time, when the man was out for his work, the senorita came to
the woman's house. The senorita offered her money and a dress as a gift for her wedding,
but the woman refused. Instead, he told the senorita to give it to the man. After that, the
man came home with a surprise for her but did not reveal it yet. The woman waited for the
surprise only to find out that it was not what she expected - it was just a violet scarf of thin
silk. The woman was not happy, and insisted that both of them must work to earn for their
marriage. The man finally agreed, without knowing that the woman won't come back to him
anymore. The woman left happily.
 Elements of the Story
Settings Characters Theme

One rainy The Man/The Marriage

night at the Cobbler Superiority
heart of the The of Men in the
slums of Woman/The Society
northern Maid Feminism
district, Senorita/Vau
Barranco. deville Star
At the Senorita's
cobbler's Younger
rusty, tiny Brother
shop.
 Plot Structure
The woman wanted to try asking for help from the senorita because she already want to be married, yet it was taking so
long because the man's salary is not enough. One day, the senorita visited the maid. she offered to bring her back but
the maid refused saying that the cobbler will marry him. The senorita was happy for her and offered to give her last
salary and a dress as a wedding gift. But the woman did not accept these. Rather, she told the senorita to wait for the
man and give it to him instead. She reasoned that by doing this, the man will still be the one who paid for the wedding as
he wanted so in the first place. So, the vaudeville star agreed. When the man came home, he reminded the woman to
always stay in the side because some people might come in. In the afternoon, the man told the woman that he has a
surprise for her. The woman was so happy expecting that the man accepted the senorita's gift. The next day, she found
a present - but it was not the money and dress she expected. Her lover's present was a pretty although inexpensive little
thing– a square violet scarf of thin silk with a small tassels all around. It was like her old scarf which she kept on wearing.

After some days, the maid explained what happened to her. She
was a maid of a vaudeville star who was kind. However, that
Climax Three days after the surprise, she told the man that she
found a new job. The man was hesitant to agree, but the
windy and rainy night, the senorita's younger brother came home woman told him that they cannot go on with their life just
very drunk. That time, the maid was sexually harassed by the earning for their food. The woman looked at the man
younger brother so she decided to flee - and ended up in the without a hint of betrayal. So, the man agreed. She told
slums of Barranco. The man was furious after hearing the maid's herself that a gift is a gift, and the man let it go. When the
story, and decided to marry the maid. But it will only happen woman was about to leave, the man gave her a bundle of
when the man already earned enough for their wedding, and said clothes of his dead mother. The man's face was pale, his
that he must be the one to spend for it. The man did not allow the hands were not steady.
woman to work - she only stays inside the cobbler's house.

Complication Denouement
The story began one rainy night on the slums of
Barranco. A woman who happened to be a maid came
into the small, rusty shop of a cobbler in her search for
a place to rest until the rain stop. The cobbler's place SThe woman smiled compassionate divinity looking
was the only one with the light during that hour when down on the puny sins of man. She was still smiling as
the maid run away from her master's house. The man the horse started. At the end of the street she turned
let the woman stay until the rain stops, but the woman her head and waved her hand to him as he stood by
feel asleep and it was already morning when she woke the gate in the falling darkness.
up. To note, the man observed the woman as she was
sleeping because of curiosity but dared not to wake
her up.

Exposition Resolution
 Why must our only options be to
squawk and settle, or to never leave
the nest? What if I want to fly?

Eloise Bridgerton from the Series Bridgerton (2020)

 References
G. (n.d.). Sunset and Desire by Paz Latorena - PDFCOFFEE.COM. Pdfcoffee.Com.
Retrieved August 31, 2022, from https://pdfcoffee.com/sunset-and-desire-by-paz-
latorena-pdf-free.html
Monde, J. (2022, February 12). Paz Latorena Biography - Life Story Of Notable Filipino
English Writer. Philippine News. Retrieved September 1, 2022, from
https://philnews.ph/2022/02/11/paz-latorena-biography-life-story-notable-filipino-
english-writer/
Wikipedia contributors. (2021, October 2). Paz Latorena. Wikipedia. Retrieved
September 1, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paz_Latorena
Beleno, P. (2015, August 22). Sunset. Academia.Edu. Retrieved September 1, 2022, from
https://www.academia.edu/15094877/Sunset
Thank you
for listening!