Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel Nos.: (+63 43) 425-0139 local 2822
E-mail Address: cafad@g.batstate-u.edu.ph | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design

Directions: Answer the following questions regarding to a literary piece in Brunei

entitled “The Oilfield Labourers”.

1-2. Pick out notable actions and dialogues of Yazid. Do the same with
other characters.

CHARACTERS ACTIONS DIALOGUES

“I am searching for the

 He trembled. He stumps of all houses”
visualized houses
being destroyed;
nothing was left
untouched by the
flames. “But people rarely die
from a mild illness.”
 He stared at the sea,
then at the sparks of
Yazid fire.

“Dad was not ill when

 He then looked up
at the white clouds
until his eyes hurt.
he died. He committed
suicide by taking
poison,”
“Everyone has the right
to choose on how he
wants to die.”

Jamal  Jamal’s forehead “A more or less fatal

would protrude
when he spoke
loudly or whenever
he opened his mouth
wide.
 Jamal quickly
shifted his glance to
the greenery nearby.
illness,”
“Me! Me? Oh please dear
God, give me a more
peaceful death.”
Perhaps his pain was far
greater than
that suffered by those
having a normal
illness

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives, Building the Nation

  His friends, who
were on top looked
down, the glaring
sunlight that was “You look very high-
reflected from their spirited today, Yazid!”
metal helmets hurt
his eyes

Adam
offered
Yazid a
place to
stay at “Find a new place to
build your home.”

Adam
night
“You can stay at my
Adam place.”
“Let’s go home, you
offered need to take shower.
and remove all those

Yazid a worries.”

place to
stay at
night
Adam offered Jazid a place to stayed
at night.

3. What desires and fears do the characters have?

CHARACTERS DESIRE FEAR

He wants to fight the fire and save the

Yazid village as he always dreamt about it.
fears a long suffering
before death
Jamal desires to die peacefully Fears death
 Republic of the Philippines
BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
The National Engineering University
Alangilan Campus
Golden Country Homes, Alangilan Batangas City, Batangas, Philippines 4200
Tel Nos.: (+63 43) 425-0139 local 2822
E-mail Address: cafad@g.batstate-u.edu.ph | Website Address: http://www.batstate-u.edu.ph

College of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design

Adam He wanted Yazid to leave the village
and build a new home. And help Yazid
to overcome his anxiety and worries
after the incident happened in their
village.
He is afraid that Yazid might not
leave the past behind and affects
his mental health.

4. The fiction is also a cliffhanger. It does not tell who fell. Filipino readers
do not like unfinished stories. Add a concluding paragraph or an ending which fits
the flow of the story.

Jamal recalls all his depth conversation to Yazid. He sudden remember their
conversation about death and curiousness of Yazid on the way people will die.
“Death is necessary,” “Death without having to suffer long illness.”, these lines
were the only thing that Jamal continues to hear after seeing the dead body of his
friend in front of him. Jamal, Ghani, and Ibrahim were left in shock and unable to
move in their position. The only thing that Jamal got in his mind is that, life and
death were unpredictable.

Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives, Building the Nation