Republic of the Philippines

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Urdaneta City Campus

Activity
LIT 1: Society and Literature

Name: Course, Year, and Section:

Learning Activity

Activity

1. Provide answers to the questions in the KWL chart below.

 K
What do I already know about the story?

-The story is a comedic story, about two different families living their lives.The story began as the
narrator describes his family. Struck by a flood ,their farm was devastated forcing them to move on
another town. There, they had a rich family as their neighbor who were insociable. Full of laughter
despite their mischief, the children of the poor family grew healthy. Though having good food, whom’s
aroma is being enjoyably smelled by the poor family’s children, the rich man’s children grew thin and
sickly. . Looking at the poor family being healthy, the rich man jealously shut his house and accuses the
poor family of stealing their food’s spirit. He then files a complaint and took it to court. The farmer/poor
family’s father calmly pleaded his case and took a straw hat, filled it with coins from his family and the
other room. He then shakes the coins saying his family was paid of what they cost the rich man’s family
with the spirit of money.

 W
What do I want to learn about this story?

-I wanted to learn how the poor need to be resilient having to face poverty and injustices because of
their life status. I want to learn how, despite the unfairness the poor family faced, remained humble and
joyful, how they faced everyday with a smile and cherish the small things depite their mischief. The
father remained humble and did not take advantage of the fact that he was accused of an unreasonable
complaint to have revenge on the rich man nor his family.

 L
What did I learn about this story?

-The story aimed address the inequalities that the poor experiences because of their life status. It also
shows how they need to be resilient having to face poverty and injustices. And no matter how wealthy
you are do not accuse anyone of anything unreasonable because you can or you have the power to.
Lastly I learnt that in pursuit of happiness wealth is irrelevant.
2.Write a reaction paper about the story of Carlos Bulusan entitled, “My Father goes to Court.”

-The story “My Father Goes To Court” is a comedic story, about two different families living their lives.
One who was poor but enjoyed a sociable and healthy life and the other which was the complete
opposite.. The poor family was resilient and enjoyed everything they can despite their michiefs. Even
enjoying the aroma of the food being cooked from the rich family’s mansion, which on the latter became
a reason for the rich family to accuse the poor family and file a complaint. The rich man did filed a
complaint against the poor family not just because he was jealous, but because he has the power to,
hoping that he could buy his way out to win the complaint at the court. But despite the fact that the poor
family was being accused of an absurd reason, the father humbly went to court. This shows how the
status in life can build-up a personality. Living with wealth alone teaches the rich to be arrogant and
having nothing teaches humbleness. The story also indirectly addresses the inequality between the rich
and the poor, the privilege that they have and what power they have in the society.