NAME/S: Esguerra, Arnjoelyn Samantha P.

GRADE AND SECTION: ABM11-Bonifacio

CRITICAL APPROACH: READER-RESPONSE CRITICISM

“AIR CASTLES”

by Juan F. Salazar

INTRODUCTION (Answers in this part may be searched in the internet.)

Background information about the author (birthdate, birthplace, family, education, 3 awards
or recognitions received, 3 titles of literary works, death information [if still living, tell what the
author is currently doing], writing vision [the author’s purpose, goal, or reason for writing; it
answers the question “Why is the author writing?”; it is about what the author would like to
accomplish in his writing]).
▪The biography of Juan F. Salazar is the narrative of the beginnings of Filipino-

English writing, the expansion of English as a medium, and the triumph over the

criterion that English is too exotic to portray the native mood, mannerisms, and

idiosyncracies of the Filipino mind.

Salazar was born in San Roque, Cavite, in 1880. He left Manila High School to

work for a newspaper. In 1913, he began working for The Philippine Republic, a

Filipino weekly published in Hong Kong. He returned to the country the following

year as a reporter for La Democracia and El Renacimiento Filipino. In 1915, he

traveled for America as a mess boy aboard the transport Thomas, which also

transported the first American school instructors to the Philippines. He worked in

Alaskan salmon canneries before joining The Sacramento Union in California,

where he moved through the ranks from reporter to copyreader to feature

writer. Nevertheless, in 1919, he died of pneumonia.

Citation of references/sources of information:

▪ https://prezi.com/6kbojtg20rjd/air-castles/

Brief summary of the literary work (what is it about?).

▪ Everyone has a desire, and when we talk about our dreams, we usually relate

to features that reflect our aspirations. Juan Salazar's poem "Air Castle" is an

example of a literary work that discusses dreams. The poem is about the author's

dream and how the piece expresses the journey of the dreamer. The poem

begins by discussing how the author regarded life and accepted his

circumstances. This is a masterpiece of hope and motivation that encourages

one to achieve their dreams.

BODY/DISCUSSION (Answer this part yourself! Strictly no probing or searching on

the internet!)
What went on in YOUR THOUGHTS (impression and imagination) or what
experience, anticipation, frustration, retrospection, and reflection did YOU have as YOU read
the literary work? Explain your answer.
▪ The air castle poem conveys that no matter how difficult it is to achieve the

dream, we should not be afraid to take risks in every decision we make in life.

The poem expresses the author's motivation to enhance as a writer in the future.

His ambition aids him in overcoming his daily hardships and inspires and

encourages him throughout his life. He does not want to be as good as

Shakespeare, but he perceives how to appreciate his profession in the same

way that Shakespeare did. He also admires Shakespeare's works, skill, and
mastery of poetry. He does not aspire to be popular among all people who are

similar to him. Nevertheless, he believes that he cannot achieve what

Shakespeare did in his life. Even though he's not Shakespeare, he will fulfill his

own dream, just like Shakespeare did.

What went on in YOUR FEELINGS (sentiments and affection) or what experience, anticipation,
frustration, retrospection, and reflection did YOU have as YOU read the literary work? Explain
your answer.
▪ I am incredibly impressed with the brilliance and expertise that the author has

showed in his poem "Air Castle". I learned a lot about my life goals, and this is

where I finally realised the real definition of dreams. There will never be an

impediment as long as you have an aspirations, regardless of your current

situation or the stage of your life. Always believe that there is a positive outcome

to every phenomenon you encounter.

What is in the literary work that could have prompted those THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS that
YOU had as YOU read the literary work? Explain your answer.
▪The poem "Air Castle" by Mr. Juan F. Salazar is presumed and it's something that

everyone can reflect about. Everyone has dreams that are difficult to find and

achieve. Dreams give us a purpose to survive, and achieving them can give us

an inner sense of accomplishment in life.

How did it affect you as a reader? Explain your answer.

▪ As a reader, the poem I read had a great influence on me because I was also

a young dreamer. When the author presented his life experience, there was

one thing that stuck in my mind and it was "my life still has a long way to go ". I'm

just a teenager, and I'm still exploring the world. I also have a lot of goals that I

want to accomplish through my own efforts. To achieve all of my ambitions, I

must dedicate my life to fatigue and hard work. I was motivated by the poem

"Air Castle" because it taught me a lot about my future. I am aware that there

are countless obstacles in every step we take in life. Just keep going, and don't

be afraid to strive again and again, because the perfect time will come when

we shall succeed in our own battle.

CONCLUSION (Answer this part yourself! Strictly no probing or searching on the

internet!)
What meaning were YOU able to perceive, construct, and create in the literary work out of
YOUR reading experience? Explain your answer.
▪ Air Castle is about your ambitions in life, things or people you want to be in the

future.Having ambition in life is not a mistake; but, things might go wrong if you

plan them incorrectly.Aspiration should always be used to inspire you to

succeed in your endeavors. Motivation is always your road to become or

having what you want. I've gained and learned a lot about my goal, this poem

inspires me to pursue my dream without hesitation or negative thoughts in my

mind that tell me I can't. You must adore what you're doing, as this is one of the

keys to bridging the gap between aspirations and achievement. Even though

we face multiple challenges, our dream will never be compromised.

Just keep going through life's difficulties and keep chasing your dream. Always

remember that hard work pays off.