21st

Story Analysis of Group 3 of 11-HUMSS 1

 Group Members
Dacuno, Evangelista, Gomez, Pisueña,
Ubaldo, Vergonia

Story Title
Clearing Debt

Elements of The Story

Characters
The executioner, senior warden, woman in the chair, reporters, crowd

Setting
execution chamber

Plot
Exposition
The exposition introduced us to the characters and the setting. We are put in the
executioner (main character's point of view. We can tell that they / she seemed to be
somewhat nervous. The woman sentenced rom to death is seen in her place,
unnervingly soulless. The exposition mentioned the debt to be cleared as well, 5,000.
These are paragraphs i and ii.

Rising Action
This part of the story shows that the execution is about to start. The executioner
prepares the 'criminal' for the chair. But somehow, they both had felt fear. The
'criminal' is shown to have no external expression. Senior warden waits for the
phone to ring, to prove that the woman to be killed is innocent after all. However,
the ring never came. As a result, the execution was ordered. Paragraphs iii and iv.
Climax
In the climax, the executioner pulls the lever after a psychological conflict in her
head. Due to this, she peed herself. Urine was prominent in the room as the
'criminal thrashed in her chair. Soon, the gurgled noises came to a halt. Executioner
stood and wondered about the final images and thoughts of the woman. Lasts Until
the 2nd to the last section of paragraph v.

Falling Action
The falling action shows the scenarios after the death. The senior warden turned
away from the scene to avoid the confrontation with the emotional aftermath. The
atmosphere in the chamber changes, and executioner tried to make sense of it all.
Then, she followed protocol. Pulling the curtains to not see the dead. To which she
found strange that privacy was given to the person dead, but not alive. Last part of
paragraph v, first of paragraph vi.

Resolution
In this last and probably most unsettling part, we hear the ring of the phone. The
one to prove the criminal was innocent. Despite this, senior warden still proceeded
to show lack of empathy. Just ordering to answer then walking away. In the end we
are in a chamber room with the executioner, the executed, and the sound of the
ringing that signifies the criminal was innocent after all.
 Theme / Message
The theme focuses on the perspective of what truly goes on inside an execution.
Where you are shackled to do things you would rather not do. But digging deeper
into its story, the message encompasses the perspective of what it's like to not have a
choice. To commit atrocious things all in the name of survival. It shows how in the
real world, people are likely to abuse power in lower social classes. Nonetheless, it
shows that death is irreversible.

Moral Lesson
The moral lesson from this story is that we should respect everyone in their
decision-making process. We shall refrain from judgements, especially when it's
their profession. We never truly know the lived pain people go through. It is also
important to note that debt and money is important in life. As much as possible, do
not spend irresponsibly, or debt an amount that isn't payable. This story shows the
worst case scenario of having no choice because of debt. Killing an innocent.