Rica S.

Mendoza

Semifinal Exam in World Literature ( 80 pts )

40 pts.  1.  Go back to the four literary pieces, and in your own words analyze each of the following items
in terms of significance of the titles – 
a.  Ramayana- Ramayana is the story about love,faithfulness, loyalty and divinity
b.  Bamboo Dancers - The short story is about the clash of two ideologies: native Filipino culture and
foreign imports. It might also serve as a reminder of the dangers involved with traveling and losing one's
sense of identity. Gonzalez purposefully adopts a detached narrative viewpoint in The Bamboo Dancers
to highlight Ernie's personality issues and the general apathy the book's characters feel. The characters
leave readers with the impression that they could be anyone going through a similar cultural despair.
Because of the two poles symbolizes two cultures contrasting ideologies that Ernie could hardly
understand and embrace that make him find life, a question.
c.  The Bread of Salt – Based on my opinion the Bread of Salt by N.V.M Gonzales is the story that
portrays of what our society looks like. It made me realize the reality. It shows the boundary between are
rich and poor. Since social status define who we are and where we belong.

This story also made me realize that life sometimes open us with the reality that dreams are not easy to
achieve. There are times that even our own family or relatives would not believe on our talents and
capabilities and that sometimes acceptance is the only way to be free.

Sometimes the society we belonged would test our strength , judgement by other people would made us
down or give us hope to keep pursuing what we want. And life will sometimes teach us a lesson in a hard
way. And upholds us to the truth that we cannot always have what we want but if you still keep dreaming
and believe on it you can still achieve it.

Also the story shows how people every day are striving hard, so that they can buy their needs and wants
in life, but sadly there are people that no matter how hard they try, it's still going to be difficult for them to
get what they need, because they are not given the same privileges middle or higher class can attain

d.  The Woman Who Has Two  Navels- This novel is about hatred, love, anger, insecurities and sufferings
that manifest in the realities of life making.It tells the story of an elite Filipina who is hallucinating, and is
preoccupied with the notion that she has two navels or belly buttons in order to be treated as an
extraordinary person.It is considered a classic in Philippine literature. An obvious meaning of the two
navels was Connie's inheritance of a dual identity, her being a child of two worlds, of Spanish and
American cultures.

An obvious meaning of the two navels was Connie's inheritance of a dual identity, her being a child of two
worlds, of Spanish and American cultures. Her cultural environment, wracked by a recent war, created in
her soul a kind of hybrid self.

The ever brilliant Joaquin uses the character, Connie, to portray the ill fated Filipina women, who had
suffered heavily from the societal effects of World war II.This novel contained mixtures of hatred, love,
anger, insecurities and sufferings that manifest in the realities of life making This novel is a literary
assessment of the influence of the past to the time encompassing events in the Philippines after World
War II

20 pts.  2.  Give at least two most important characters from each of  the four literary pieces above,  and
describe each in your own presentation and style.

a. Ramayana
Rama- In the story of Ramayana ,Rama is the Prince of Ayodhya and later became the King.
 Rama is the eldest son of King Dasaratha, from his wife Kaushlaya. I could describe Rama as a
charismatic and a good prince that is loved by his fellow people in their Kingdom. He has the
heart for his people that’s why they love him so much.

Rama became sad when he got exiled by the forest ordered y the King Dasaratha as his step
mother Kaikei wished. But he respect that decision and then went to the forest together with his
half-brother Lakshman and his wife, Sita.

In the forest when the the sister of Ravana, Surpanakha, saw Rama and fell in love with him for
his handsome appearance. However, Rama loves Sita very much and kindly rejected her
advances. In this scene , I could describe Rama a faithful husband because he shows loyalty on
his love to Sita by rejecting Surpanakha.

However , I also describe Rama a lover who has a trust issue to his wife when a rumor circulates
about Sita’s purity where in Rama also doubted her.But in the end Rama realizes his mistake to
not trust his wife fully and then they reunite in the heaven.

Sita – In the story of Ramayana Sita is the wife of Rama and daughter of the King Janaka. I can
describe Sita in the story as the most beautiful woman who has a lot of Suitor. I could also say
that Sita is a very faithfull wife. She even went together with Rama in the forest during his exile.
She is a pure and kindhearted woman that every man could fell in love

b.  Bamboo Dancers
Ernie – he is a sculptor in the United States on a study grant. He is a kind of guy who does’nt give
interest to anyone, especially to the girls that he met on his life. He hahas no clear identity. Ernie
has a passion of being a writer .
Herb Lane_ a young and aspiring American author who joins the USIS and has a passion for the
Far East, becomes her fiance instead.

c. The Bread of Salt -

Albert- The 14 year old boy and was the protagonist in the story. He has a determination in
pursuing his passion despite of his aunt criticizing him. At the end of the story he was
enlightened from being disillusioned by his affection towards Aida. The bread is not ready same
case to him that he is not ready for Aida to be his boyfriend.

Aida - She is the niece of the old Spaniards (he’s name is unknown). Because of her good family
background and status of life I can describe her a well-mannered girl. She is Albert's apple of the
eye. She was the one who caught the boy sneaking some sweets into the pocket under the boy’s
shirt. I can describe Aida as the one who is portraying the upper class in the story that Albert
who is in the lower class cannot have because of their different life situation

d. The Woman Who Has Two  Navels

Connie Escobar- In the story she is a woman who indulges and deludes herself as having two
belly buttons/navels. Based on my observation I can describe Connie as a victim of the situation
that happening around her. By her mother that made her believe she has two navels and by his
husband Macho who cheated on her for his own mother.
 Macho Escobar is a son of a wealthy farm owner. He is the husband of Connie. I can describe
macho a unfaithful husband in the story. He is a rich young man but shows inappropriate
characteristic by cheating on his wife, Connie for his own Mother.
20 pts.  3.  Identify the conflict in each of the four literary pieces, and tell how each was resolved

a.Ramayana
The conflict in this story are:
- First, Kaikei, who is another of King Dasaratha’s wives, felt threatened by this as she wanted her own
son, Bharata to be the successor instead. So, she made a plan to have Rama exiled for fourteen years in
the dangerous forest so that Bharata could reign as king;
- Second,she then turned and approached Lakshmana who harshly rejected her. Because of frustation,
she attacked Sita. Lakshmana defended Sita and cut of Surphanakha’s nose;
-Third, angry, Surphanakha then sought revenge from her brothers. When her brothers, Khara and
Dushana were defeated, she turned to Ravana for help;
-Fourth, when Ravana heard what had happened to Surphanakha and about Sita who was the most
beautiful woman in the world, he was determined to abduct her;
-Lastly, even though they were triumphant in defeating Ravana, Rama was initially reluctant to take back
Sita since he had doubts about her purity as well as the people in the Kingdom. Sita got hurt , she went
away to the kingdom and went to the earth .In the end Rama realizes his mistake and they reunite in the
heaven
b. Bamboo Dancers
- The conflict in the Story of Bamboo Dancers is that Ernie doesn’t want to get close to anyone. Even on
any other girls he met abroad. He and his lovers always end up to divorce. At the end of the novel, Ernie
suffers a near-death experience. And no one seems to notice or be affected by it, and Ernie does not tell
anyone. And also Ernie has only a passing understanding of his Filipino roots and does not have any clear
identity.

c.The Bread of Salt

- The conflict on this story is when Albert’s auntie doesn’t want him to pursue his passion as a violinist.
- The other conflict on this story is Albert’s life status. Since Aida came from a wealthy family , Albert
realizes that he is not ready for Aida to be his boyfriend.
d.The Woman Who Has Two Navels
- The conflict on this story is when Connie went to Pepe Monson and ask him to take away his other
Navel. He was victimized by the lie that Connie Escobar has two navel.
- The other conflict on this story is when Connie Escobar knew that his husband Macho Escobar has an
affair to his mother by accidentally saw the letter of Macho to Señora Concha