Formalist Analysis 

Setting 

The setting of “Phallic Symbols” are mostly set in school such as the AV room,
classrooms, bathroom, faculty room, and cubicle, where they are exposed to phallic
symbols and various events. But there are more events that have different locations
which are at the bettina’s beach house in Batangas, subdivision, small bars in QC or
eastwood, restaurants, the coffee shop across from school, mall cinemas, hotel
ballroom, hospital, and Charisse’s house.

Characters (add descriptions) 

● Bettina Galang: Bettina is an intelligent, independent woman who is determined

to stand up for what she believes in. She is passionate about her work, and she
is not afraid to take risks. She is strong-willed and determined to break the status
quo.
● Jobert: Jobert is an outgoing, energetic young man who loves to party and have
fun. He is a loyal friend who will always have your back. He is always up for an
adventure, and he loves to explore new places.
● Charrise Cabrera: Charrise is a strong and independent woman. She is a very
determined and ambitious individual. She loves to take on challenges and she is
always looking for ways to push herself to the limit. She is a hard worker and is
not afraid to take risks.
● Mikael: Mikael is a shy, introspective young man. He is very intelligent and has a
deep understanding of the world around him. He is an excellent listener and is
always willing to help out his friends and family. He is a calming presence in any
situation.
● Miss Maya Vallejo: Miss Maya is a kind and generous woman. She is always
willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. She is a patient teacher and is
always eager to help her students learn and grow. She is very knowledgeable
and wise.
● Lanie Dumiliang: Lanie is a passionate and outgoing young woman. She loves to
explore new places and meet new people. She is confident and always ready to
take on any challenge. She is a natural leader and loves to take the lead in any
situation.
● Connie Magno: Connie is a strong and independent woman. She is a natural
leader and is always up for a challenge. She is a hard worker and is always
willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. She is also a very loyal friend and
will always have your back.
● Margie Bernudez: Margie is a kind and gentle woman. She is always willing to
lend a helping hand to those in need. She is a great listener and is always willing
to lend an ear to anyone who needs to talk. She is very patient and
understanding.
● Krissy Lambino: Krissy is a vibrant and energetic young woman. She loves to
explore new places and meet new people. She is always up for an adventure and
loves to try new things. She is very outgoing and is not afraid to take risks.
● Miss Guanio: Miss Guanio is a wise and knowledgeable woman. She is a great
teacher and is always willing to help her students learn and grow. She is very
patient and understanding and will always take the time to listen to her students.
● Gina Wijangco: Gina is a strong and independent woman. She is a natural leader
and loves to take charge in any situation. She is a hard worker and is always
determined to get the job done. She is also a loyal friend and will always be there
for her friends and family.
● Jenny Dolor: Jenny is a sweet and gentle woman. She is always willing to lend a
helping hand to those in need. She is a great listener and is always eager to lend
an ear to anyone who needs to talk. She is very compassionate and
understanding.
● Dennis: Dennis is an outgoing and energetic young man. He loves to explore
new places and meet new people. He is always up for an adventure and is not
afraid to take risks. He is a loyal friend and will always have your back.
● Ian: Ian is a shy and introspective young man. He is very intelligent and has a
deep understanding of the world around him. He is an excellent listener and is
always willing to help out his friends and family. He is a calming presence in any
situation.
● Hans: Hans is a strong and determined young man. He is always up for a
challenge and loves to take on any task that is thrown his way. He is a hard
worker and is not afraid to take risks. He is also a loyal friend and will always
have your back.
● Melody Almeda: Melody is a passionate and outgoing young woman. She loves
to explore new places and meet new people. She is confident and always ready
to take on any challenge. She is a natural leader and loves to take the lead in
any situation.
● Felise: Felise is a kind and gentle woman. She is always willing to lend a helping
hand to those in need. She is a great listener and is always willing to lend an ear
to anyone who needs to talk. She is very patient and understanding.
● Shiela Navarrete: Shiela is a strong and independent woman. She is a natural
leader and is always up for a challenge. She is a hard worker and is always
 determined to get the job done. She is also a very loyal friend and will always
have your back.

Plot

Felise and her companions are seniors, graduating and unsure of their futures. Felise
recounts her crossroads accident with Mikael, her bandmate boyfriend. Felise and
Charisse confront Phallic symbols in class, which resemble male sex organs and
symbolize masculine devastation. Jenny Dolor, their schoolmate, was accused of being
pregnant with Hans Catapang and cannot graduate with them. Hans hesitates and adds
“their home is screwed up” during Senior Prom. Jenny's narcotic overdose escalated on
commencement ceremony. Jenny blames her sorrow on her medical look issues. Felise
and Charisse defend Jenny and denounce Hans. Jenny eventually discloses that her
father sexually attacked her, not Hans. Felise fights for Jenny, who was "rescued from
the family's disgrace." Felise holds a combat-ready dagger.

Conflict 

The main conflict in the story is Bettina's fear that her boyfriend Jobert will think she is
fat, and her insecurity regarding her body image. Bettina is worried that she will not
measure up to Jobert's ex-girlfriends, all of whom were models and older than her. This
fear leads her to take extreme measures to watch her weight, such as eating only half a
pizza for lunch and smoking cigarettes. Even though Bettina has a great body and fills
out a bathing suit better than anyone else, she is still insecure about her weight.

Theme 

The story’s central ideas are abuse, justice, power, love, and survival. It emphasizes
Jenny Dolor's battle to move past her traumatic past and seek justice as well as her
resiliency in the face of demands and difficulties in the present. In this tale, males
frequently take advantage of women and deprive them of their freedom and decency.
Finally, there is love because as Jenny Dolor battles his problems, her friends are
always by his side to make him feel safe.

Symbols 

The symbols that can be seen in the story is the bomb which serves as the phallic
symbol in the story. It symbolizes how violence and destructive men can do which
makes feminism uprisings and makes resisting men pay for their mistakes. The knife
that the main character keeps in her handbag represents her urge for self-defense and
empowerment as well as the dread and danger she perceives in her environment.
The phallic symbol in the tale symbolizes the power and authority of the male figure in
the family. The blanket, on the other hand, symbolizes the protection and security that
the male figure provides to his family as well as his dominance over them.

 
Literary Lens

Feminism

"Phallic Symbols by Exie Abola" is considered feminist because the work focuses on
reclaiming and redefining the phallic symbol from its traditional patriarchal connotations.
Abola's work reimagines the phallus as a symbol of female power, with her sculptures
depicting phallic symbols in shapes and forms that are not traditionally masculine.
Additionally, Abola's sculptures often feature female figures, which further demonstrates
her feminist intentions. In this way, Abola's work can be seen as a form of feminist art
that reclaims the phallic symbol and celebrates female power.