English M3Q3

John Carlo P. Dela Cruz

10-Baltazar

A. One, Two, Three, Feature

1. T
2. T
3. F
4. F
5. T
6. F
7. T
8. F
9. T
10. T
B. Sharing Insights
1. The author used language which is formal and very descriptive to effectively portray his
vision of the future in case nuclear wars break out.
2. The story is quite interesting despite having no conflict developments.
3. The story raises my awareness of the threats nuclear wars and atomic bombs pose to
our planet.
4. It helped me realize that nature should be protected and preserved by any means
necessary to ensure the survival of both us and our planet.
5. For the Earth to be sustained, people should think about their past actions and learn
from them. The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II proved
to us that it is one of the most destructive forces in our world. While the past two world
wars taught us that nothing good ever came from wars.
6. As a 21st century reader and learner, I should be able to incorporate my skills including
critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative work for the betterment of mankind
and mother nature.
7. To avoid the probability of the earth’s extinction and exile of mankind to outer space, one
should realize the severity and impact of their actions on the world around them. Every
move we make has a consequence. A simple act of pulling a trigger can kill a man, while
a simple act of planting a tree can save one.
8. The overall presentation of the story is unique. At first, we are unaware of what is
happening, but as the story progresses, we are given clues as to what happened to
civilization. Why they are running away, and why they weren’t on Earth. Everything
became clear in the end. Mankind is the reason behind everything —a very valuable
lesson.
9. The family, community and the entire nation should cooperate not only for their sake but
for the world’s as well. The fate of the world rests on our shoulders. Our actions decide
its future leading it to either development or destruction.
10. From one to ten, I give the story a rating of 10 because it serves as a wake-up call to
mankind that there is an issue and if left unchecked, would inevitably doom our planet.
C. It Features Me!
1. S
2. C
3. I
4. S
5. S
6. CE
7. CE
8. C
9. I

Assessment
Independent Critique of the selection “If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth..."
By: John Carlo P. Dela Cruz

"If I Forget Thee, O Earth …," by Arthur C. Clarke was first published in Future magazine
in 1951. However, it received its greatest exposure when it was collected in Clarke's Expedition
to Earth, which was published in 1953. The story tapped into one of the great fears of the
1950s, the threat of atomic war ever since the United States decided to drop atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

The story starts off by introducing Marvin, a ten-year-old boy who lives in a lunar colony.
One day, his father (who is also the head scientist) drives him across the surface to see a
glimpse of Earth, glowing with lethal radiation. Marvin’s father tells him the truth behind Earth's
destruction, that they are most likely the last remnant of human civilization, and that they must
carry on and continue to survive so that one day, mankind can return to Earth once more.

The author uses the third-person narrative perspective to tell the story of Marvin and his
father. This is especially dramatic in this science fiction story because the reader explores along
with Marvin and has no real insight into any emotions or feelings of the main character. With no
further context about the story, anything revealed to Marvin is discovered by the reader at the
same time. This is a bold yet fantastic move from Clarke as it allows the reader to fully
experience the situation as though they were with Marvin the entire time.

As the story progresses, we are given hints about the setting and the purpose of the
father and son trip. And what did they mean by "twinkle"? You could see at a glance that all the
stars shone with the same steady, unwavering light. Marvin’s confusion is quite humorous
because the song “Twinkle twinkle little star” was made on Earth since it is a natural
phenomenon there. Hence, the absence of scintillation signals that they were not on Earth.
Clarke uses subtle yet effective clues in revealing the truth of the story.
 However, it is not without its flaws. One example is the line, When Marvin was ten years
old, his father took him through the long, echoing corridors that led up through administration
and power, until at last they came to the uppermost levels of all and were among the swiftly
growing vegetation of the Farmlands. Some parts of the story texts were a bit difficult to
comprehend and visualize, possibly because they had no context, in addition to being a vision
of the future.

The apocalyptic tone of the story is another common hallmark of many science fiction
works, offering tales that caution against the potential destructive power of science. As the
narrator says of Marvin, He was looking upon the funeral pyre of a world—upon the radioactive
aftermath of Armageddon. The chilling picture that Clarke paints of the potential consequences
of the atomic war are a clear warning to humanity. In the end, Clarke uses Marvin's innocence
and horrible realizations in the story to highlight his own view that the atomic war is ridiculous
and incomprehensible. The author gives the readers an important moral lesson —in wars, there
is no winner.

In conclusion, I give this story high marks. With no further context, the reader unravels
the truth along with the character, which is one of the best ways to make readers realize his
purpose —the devastating effects of nuclear wars. Having no pre-requisite context served as a
double-edged sword for Clarke, it made his story spectacular but perplexing at the same time.

Reflection
In this lesson, I have learned that writing a critique develops our understanding about a subject.
I have realized that writing a critique can not only help myself, but others as well.
I will use this knowledge to further hone my critical reading skills and share and discuss my
insights with others.