My Father Goes To Court by Carlos Bulosan

My Father Goes To Court

by Carlos Bulosan

Philippines

            When I was four, I lived with my mother and father and brothers and sisters in a small town on the island of Luzon. Father’s farm had been destroyed in 1918 by one of our sudden Philippine floods, so for several years afterward we all lived in the town, though he preferred living in the country. We had as a next door neighbor a very rich man, whose sons and daughters seldom came out of the house. While we boys and girls played and sang in the sun, his children stayed inside and kept the windows closed. His house was so tall that his children could look in the windows of our house and watch us as we played, or slept, or ate, when there was any food in the house to eat.

            Now, this rich man’s servants were always frying and cooking something good, and the aroma of the food was wafted down to us from the windows of the big house. We hung about and took all the wonderful smell of the food into our beings. Sometimes, in the mornings, our whole family stood outside the windows of the rich man’s house and listened to the musical sizzling of thick strips of bacon or ham. I can remember one afternoon when our neighbor’s servants roasted three chickens. The chickens were young and tender and the fat that dripped into the burning coals gave off an enchanting odor. We watched the servants turn the beautiful birds and inhaled the heavenly spirit that drifted cut to us.

            Some days the rich man appeared at a window and glowered down at us. He looked at us one by one as though he was condemning us. We were all healthy because we went out in the sun everyday and bathed in the cool water of the river that flowed from the mountains into the sea. Sometimes we wrestled with one another in the house before we went out to play. We were always in the best of spirits and our laughter was contagious. Other neighbors who passed by our house often stopped in our yard and joined us in laughter.

            Laughter was our only wealth. Father was a laughing man. He would go into the living room and stand in front of the tall mirror, stretching his mouth into grotesque shapes with his fingers and making faces at himself; then he would rush into the kitchen, roaring with laughter.

            There was always plenty to make us laugh. There was for instance, the day one of my brother came home with a small bundle under his arm, pretending that he brought something good to eat, maybe a leg of lamb or something as extravagant as that to make our mouth water. He rushed into mother and threw the bundle into her lap. We all stood around, watching mother undo the complicated strings. Suddenly a black cat leaped out of the bundle and ran wildly around the house.  Mother chased my brother and beat him with her little fists, while the rest of us bent double, choking with laughter.

            Another time one of my sisters suddenly started screaming at the middle of the night. Mother reached her first and tried to calm her. M y sister cried and groaned. When father lightened the lamp, my sister stared at us with shame in her eyes.

                        “What is it?” mother asked.

                        “I’m pregnant!” she said.

                        “Don’t be a fool,” father shouted.

                        “You are only a child,” mother said.

                        “I’m pregnant I tell you!” she cried.

            Father knelt by my sister. He put his hands on her belly and rubbed it gently. “How do you know that you are pregnant?” he asked.

                        “I feel it!” my sister cried.

            We put our hand on our belly. There was something moving inside. Father was frightened. Mother was shocked.

                        “Who’s the man?” she asked.

                        “There was no man,” my sister said.

                        “What is it then?” father asked.

            Suddenly my sister opened her blouse and a bullfrog jumped out. Mother fainted. Father dropped the lamp, the oil spilled on the floor, my sister’s blanket caught fire. One of my brothers laughed so hard he rolled on the floor.

            When the fire was extinguished and my mother was revived, we returned to bed and tried to sleep, but father kept on laughing so loud we could not sleep any more. Mother got up again and lighted the oil lamp; we rolled up the mats on the floor and began dancing about and laughing with all our might. We made so much noise that all our neighbors except the rich family came into the yard and joined us in loud genuine laughter.

            It was like that for years.

            As time went on, the rich man’s children became thin and anaemic, while we grew even more robust and full of life. Our faces were bright and rosy, but theirs were pale and sad. The rich man started to cough at night; then he coughed day and night. His wife began coughing too. Then the children started to cough, one after the other. At night their coughing sounded like the barking of a herd of seals. We hung outside their windows and listened to them. We wondered what happened. We knew that they were not sick from the lack of nourishment because they were still always frying something delicious to eat.

            One day the rich man appeared at a window and stood there a long time. He looked at my sisters, who had grown fat in laughing, then at my brothers, whose arms and legs were like the molave, which is the sturdiest tree in the Philippines. He banged down the window and ran through his house, shutting all the windows.

            From that day on, the windows of our neighbour’s house were always closed. The children did not come out anymore. We could still hear the servants cooking in the kitchen, and no matter how tight the windows were shut, the aroma of the food came to us in the wind and drifted gratuitously into our house.

            One morning a policeman from the presidencia came to our house with a sealed paper. The rich man had filed a complaint against us. Father took me with him when he went to the town clerk and asked him what it was about. He told Father the man claimed that for years we had  been stealing the spirit of his wealth and food.

            When the day came for us to appear in court, father brushed his old Army uniform and borrowed a pair of shoes from one of my brothers. We were the first to arrive. Father sat on a chair in the centre of the courtroom. Mother occupied a chair by the door. We children sat on a long bench by the wall. Father kept jumping up from his chair and stabbing the air with his arms, as though we were defending himself before an imaginary jury.

            The rich man arrived. He had grown old and feeble; his face was scarred with deep lines. With him was his young lawyer. Spectators came in and almost filled the chairs. The judge entered the room and sat on a high chair. We stood in a hurry and then sat down again.

            After the courtroom preliminaries, the judge looked at father. “Do you have a lawyer?” he asked.

                        “I don’t need any lawyer, judge.” he said.

                        “Proceed.” said the judge.

            The rich man’s lawyer jumped up and pointed his finger to father. “Do you or do you not agree that you have been stealing the spirit of the complaint’s wealth and food?”

                        “I do not.” father said.

                        “Do you or do you not agree that while the complaint’s servants cooked and fired fat legs of lamb or young chicken breasts you and your family hung outside his windows and inhaled the heavenly spirit of the food?”

                        “I agree.” father said.

                        “Do you or do you not agree that while the complaint and his children grew sickly and tubercular and your family became strong of limb and fair in complexion?”

                        “I agree.” father said.

                        “How do you account for that?”

            Father got up and paced around, scratching his head thoughtfully. Then he said, “I would like to see the children of complaint, judge.”

                        “Bring in the children of the complaint.”

            They came in shyly. The spectators covered their mouths with their hands. They were so amazed to see the children so thin and pale. The children walked silently to a bench and sat down without looking up. They stared at the floor and moved their hands uneasily.

            Father could not say anything at first. He just stood by his chair and looked at them. Finally he said, “I should like to cross – examine the complaint.”

                        “Proceed.”

                        “Do you claim that we stole the spirit of your wealth and became a laughing family while yours became morose and sad?” father asked.

                        “Yes.”

                        “Then we are going to pay you right now,” father said. He walked over to where we children were sitting on the bench and took my straw hat off my lap and began filling it up with centavo pieces that he took out of his pockets. He went to mother, who added a fistful of silver coins. My brother threw in their small change.

                        “May I walk to the room across the hall and stay there for a few minutes, Judge?” Father said.
                        “As you wish.”

                        “Thank you,” father said. He strode into the other room with the hat in his hands. It was almost full of coins. The doors of both rooms were wide open.

                        “Are you ready?” father called.

                        “Proceed.” the judge said.

            The sweet tinkle of the coins carried beautifully in the courtroom. The spectators turned their faces toward the sound with wonder. Father came back and stood before the complaint.
                        “Did you hear it?” he asked.

                        “Hear what?” the rich man asked

                        “The spirit of the money when I shook this hat?” he said.

                        “Yes.”

                        “Then you are paid,” father said.

            The rich man opened his mouth to speak and fell to the floor without a sound. The lawyer rushed to his aid. The judge pounded his gravel.

                        “Case dismissed.” he said.

            Father strutted around the courtroom the judge even came down from his high chair to shake hands with him. “By the way,” he whispered, “I had an uncle who died laughing.”

                        “You like to hear my family laugh, judge?” father asked.

                        “Why not?”

                        “Did you hear that children?” father said. My sisters started it. The rest of us followed them soon the spectators were laughing with us, holding their bellies and bending over the chairs. And the laughter of the judge was the loudest of all.

GEMS 2 Afro – Asian Literature

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         You must read this story because it was a good one. It has a humorous attitude that will it's readers smile, laugh and forget all of their worries for a while.

I Thank You God by Bernard Dadi

I Thank You God

Bernard Dadi

I thank you God for creating me black,

For making me

Porter of all sorrows,

Setting on my head

The World.

I wear the Centaur’s hide

And I have carried the World since the first morning.

White is the color for special occasions

Black the color for every day

And I have carried the World since the first evening.

I am glad

Of the shape of my head

Made to carry the World,

Content

With the shape of my nose

That must snuff every wind of the world

Pleased

With the shape of my legs

Ready to run all the heats of the World.

I thank you God for creating me black

For making of me

Porter of all sorrows.

Thirty – six swords have pierced my heart.

Thirty – six fires have burnt my body.

And my blood all calvaries has reddened the snow.

And my blood at every dawn has reddened all nature.

Still I am

Glad to carry the World,

Glad of my short arms

of my long legs

of the thickness of my lips.

I thank you God for creating me black.

White is your color for special occasions

Black the color for every day

And I have carried the World since the dawn of time.

And my laugh over the World, through the night, creates the Day.

I thank you God for creating me black

GEMS 2 Afro – Asian Literature

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           This was a very wonderful and inspiring poem. In thi poem, the author was very proud of what God gave to him. Even though God created him black he accepted it from the bottom of his heart. We should not judge other people and based their worth through their color and physical appearance.

            "We should always be contented for all the things that God gave to us and what we've already have."

Talumpati: "Ang Mga Kabataan"

Ang Mga Kabataan

Ni Abigail Y. Parado

                        Ayon sa mga matatanda ang mga kabataan ngayon ay ibang – iba na kung ikukumpara natin sa mga kabataan noon sa maraming aspeto at kabilang dito ang kanilang pag – uugali at pananamit.

                        Ang mga kabataan noon ay higit na magagalang, masunurin, mababait, masisipag, matulungin, at hindi marereklamo di katulad ng mga kabataan sa panahon natin ngayon. Noon dahil nga mahirap ang buhay, ang mga kabataan ay maagang namulat sa katotohanang, “ang isang tao para mabuhay ay kailangan niyang magbanat nang kanyang sariling mga buto.”  Katulad ito nang mensaheng nais iparating ng isang matandang kasabihan na, “kung walang tiyaga ay walang nilaga,” kung hindi ka kikilos at gagawa ay walang mangyayari sa iyo. Kaya’t sa halip na maglaro at pumasok sa eskwelahan para mag – aral ay tumutulong na lamang sila sa kanilang mga magulang sa mga gawaing bahay at paghahanapbuhay. Sa madaling salita ang mga kabataan noon ay maagang natuto na maging isang responsableng mamamayan .Lubha ring malinaw sa kanilang puso’t isipan ang mga gingawa ng kanilang mga magulang upang sila’y makaraos sa pang – araw – araw nilang pamumuhay. Sila’y masinop rin sa pag – aayos ng kanilang mga pangangatawan, maingat din sila kung manamit at matapat din sila sa pagsunod sa mga utos ng kanilang mga magulang at sa iba’t – ibang mga mga alituntunin sa ating lipunan. Sapagkat ang mga kabataan noon ay lubhang sagana sa mga pangaral ng kanilang mga magulang kung kaya’t sila’y mayroong mabubuting asal.

                        Kaiba naman sa mga kabataan sa panahon natin ngayon. Mulat sila sa makabagong panahon na dulot nang mabilis na pag – unlad kaya’t higit na mas malawak ang kanilang kaalaman at  pangangatwiran na kung minsan ay nagiging  sanhi na nang kawalan nila ng pag – galang sa kapwa.  Mayroon na din silang isang mapagsawalang – bahalang ugali --- sapagkat ang mga bagay na maaari na nilang gawin ngayon ay palagi na lamang nilang ipinagpapabukas kaya’t kung minsan ay hindi na nila ito nagagawa. Mas bulgar na rin ang kanilang mga pananalita at mga pananamit --- kung ano ang kanilang nararamdaman ay tahasan na nila itong sinasabi hindi batid ang mararamdaman ng kanilang kapwa. Sila ay lubos na ring mapangahas sa paggawa ng mga bagay na kung minsan ay hindi na kanais – nais. Katulad na lamang ng pagiging mahilig nila sa mga kung anu – anong uri ng paglilibang. Ilan sa mga halimbawa nito ay ang paglalaro nila ng mga kompyuter games, pagkakalulong nila sa iba’t – ibang uri ng sugal, pagkakaroon nila ng iba’t – ibang uri ng bisyo at marami pang iba. Ito ang mga dahilan kung bakit nila napapabayaan ang kanilang pag – aaral at dahil hindi rin nila batid ang hirap na dinadanas ng kanilang mga magulang para lamang sila ay mapag – aral at mabigyan ng isang magandang kinabukasan. Ngunit sa kabilang dako, itinuturing na mas mapalad ang mga kabataan ngayon kaysa sa mga kabataan noon. Alam niyo ba kung bakit? Ito ay dahil hindi na nila kailangan pang magbanat ng buto para lamang makakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw at makapag – aral sa isang magandang paaralan sapagkat nandiyan naman ang kanilang mga magulang na sa kanila’y handang umagapay; nandiyan na din ang mga makabagong teknolohiya na lubhang pinapadadali ang kanilang mga gawain.

                        At kahit ano pa ang ating sabihin, mananatili pa ring ang mga kabataan ang nag - iisang pag – asa at kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Sila ang maghahatid sa ating bayan sa kasaganahan at mag – aahon dito mula sa kahirapan. Ang panahon ng pagkilos at paggawa ng aksyon ay hindi mamaya, hindi rin bukas o sa isang taon kung hindi ngayon na mismo. Huwag tayong maging tamad at pabaya sa ating pag – aaral sapagkat balang araw o di kaya’y maaaring bukas tayo ay isa na sa mga taong magiging tulay upang ating bansa’y umunlad. At ang tunay na tagumpay ay yaong galing sa ating sariling dugo’t pawis at pagsisikap at hindi yaong galing sa dugo’t pawis ng ibang tao. Kaya’t mga kabataan ay ating pangalagaan, mahalin at gabayan ng sa gayon sila’y di maligaw ng landas.

Talumpati: "Ang Kahalagahan ng Ating mga Magulang"

Kahalagahan ng Ating mga Magulang

                                                               ni Alyssa Marie Dichoso

        Gaano ba kahalaga ang ating mga magulang sa ating buhay? Naiisip niyo ba kung paano mabuhay ng walang kinagisnan at kinalakihang magulang? Alam niyo ba na napakahalaga ng ginagampanang papel ng ating mga magulang sa ating buhay, dahil sila ang humuhubog at lumilinang ng ating pagkatao. Sila rin ang nagsisilbing gabay natin kapag tayo ay nagkukulang at sa t’wing may dumarating na pagsubok sa ating buhay. Marahil sa buhay nating mga kabataan ngayon, dumadami na ang mga kabataang hindi na marunong gumalang sa kanilang mga magulang o kaya’y nalimutan na kung papaano maging magalang. Ito ay marahil karamihan sa mga kabataan ngayon ay hindi na nagagabayan ng kanilang mga magulangdahil bihira nang magkita o kaya’y dahil sa sobrang malapit nila sa kanilang magulang ay parang kabarkada na lamang sila kung makipag – usap. Hindi na marunong gumamit ng “po at opo.” Kung maibabalik lang ang panahong lumipas bago pa tayo magkaroon ng isip. Ang ating mga magulang ang siyang naghirap para lamang tayo’y mapalaki ng maayos at tayo’y mapag – aral sa isang maayos at disenteng paaralan; sa bawat panahong nagdaang inalagaan nila tayo, kahit minsan ay hindi nila tayo pinabayaan at kahit kailan hindi sila napapagod magbantay para sa ating kapakanan. Kung minsan na nga lang, halos isusubo na nila ay ibibigay pa sa atin dahil hindi nila tayo kayang tiisin. Kahit ano ay kanilang ibibigay para lang tayo’y maging masaya.

          Isipin ko pa lamang ay bumubigat na ang loob ko, paano kaya kung mawalan ako ng magulang? Iniisip ko pa lang ay parang hindi ko na kayang isipin. Sobrang hirap. Kapag iyon ay nangyari, wala ng mag – aalaga, mag – aasikaso, wala ng magagalit tuwing makakagawa kami ng maling bagay, wala na ring manenermon sa amin kapag ginabi kami na pag – uwi at higit sa lahat wala na ring magsasabi sa amin ng “ingat ka anak.” Di ba ang hirap isipin kung wala ng gagawa at magsasabi sa atin ng bagay na ito. Lalo na kung nasanay tayong ginagawa ito sa atin ng ating mga magulang. Di ba nakakalungkot isipin kapag nangyari iyon sa ating buhay. Huwag na nating hintayin na mangyari ito sa atin.        Kung kailan huli na ay saka pa lamang natin sila pahahalagahan? Magpasalamat tayo sa kanila dahil palagi silang nandiyan sa ating tabi at palagi nila tayong ginagabayan. Ibinigay na nga nila lahat sa tain, hindi lamang mga material na bagay kung hindi pati ang mga bagay na lubos nating kailangan, ang pag – aaruga at pagmamahal nila sa atin. Lubos akong nagpapasalamat sa Poong Maykapal dahil sila ang aking naging mga magulang. Di man ako perpektong anak, lahat gagawin ko para lamang masuklian ko ang pagmamahal na ipinaramdam nila sa akin at gusto ko ring makabawi sa lahat ng nagawa nila para sa akin.

          Kaya ngayon, habang kapiling pa natin ang ating mga magulang, ipadama na natin sa kanila kung gaano natin sila kamahal at kung gaano sila kahalaga sa ating buhay. Tayo din ay magpasalamat sa lahat ng ginawang pagsisikap ng ating mga magulang para mapaganda ang ating buhay. Sabihin natin sa kanila na paglilingkuran natin sila hanggan sa kanilang pagtanda at magpapasalamat tayo dahil sa kabila ng ating kakulitan at mga nagagawang pagkakamali, hindi pa rin nila tayo kayang pabayaan.

          May kasabihan nga tayong “ang anak ay maaring magkaasawa ng higit pa sa isa subalit ang magulang ay iisa lang at walang pwedeng pumalit...”

Mang Teban and The Weather by Josue Rem Siat (Philippines)

One April noon when all was bright

And clear and dazzling to the sight

Beside the road Mang Teban stood

Wiping his face in sullen mood.

He saw the heat waves in the glare

As devils on to stage a fire

And chafed in the sultry air

And wished for rainy days.

Then (when salt sold at treble price)

And muddy pools mocked cloudy skies,

Mang Teban, passing dripping trees,

With trousers rolled up to his knees,

Reproached the sky and saw the rain

As diablos dancing in the mire-

And shrank in the pelting rain-

And wished for sunny days!

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This poem showed one of the Filipino's attitude which was "we change our decisions, mind or what we want easily." Mang Teban at first wished that the rainy day season must come because it was too hot and the soil was very dry. He cannot even plant a single crop in his farm beacuse it will not grow in a soil which is lack in the nutrients that it needs. Then when the rainy season came, the soil in his farm became a pool of mud. Because of that, Mang Teban wished that the sunny days should come so that the soil will become dry and he can plat crops in it. Plants need water but the water thatyou will give it should be enough and not too much of what it need because the plant may die....

Detailed Lesson in Literature for Fourth Year High School

Detailed Lesson in Literature for Fourth Year High School

I. Objectives

            At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:

     a. discuss the idea of the essay

     b. give the lesson derived from the essay

     c. show appreciation for the essay; and

     d. participate on the given activities

II. Subject Matter

     a. Topic: “The Art of Travelling” by Wilferd A. Peterson

     b. Reference: New Horizons in Learning English IV, pp. 287-288

III. Materials

            PowerPoint Presentation and hand out.

IV. Procedure

A. Introduction
Good morning class!	Good morning Ms. Abby it’s nice to see you.
It’s nice to see you too class, you may take your seat now.	Thank You Ms. Abby.
Very good, but before we proceed, I would like to ask your class monitor who were absent for today.	None Ma’am.
Very Good! It’ good to know that no one is absent today. Let us start now.

B. Review of Past Lesson
Last time we studied about summarizing and paraphrasing.	Yes Ma’am.
Class what do you mean by Summarizing?	(Students will raise their hands)
Yes Andrew?	Ma’am a summary is a succinct account of a work and it is shorter than the original work.
Very good! And last, yes Ma. Lyn?	Ma’am a summary is selective and it telescopes much into little.
Okay Very good! Next, what do you mean by Paraphrasing?	(Students will raise their hands)
Yes Ma. Lyn	Ma’am a paraphrase is generally equal the length of the text being paraphrase. And it follows the structure or the order of details of the text.
Very good! And last, Andrew can you differentiate a Summary with a Paraphrase?	Ma’am a paraphrase is inclusive and it depends on the structure of the text. While a summary is selective and it does not follow the structure of the text.
Very good class. I’m glad that you still remember our last topic. And now we can finally move on in our new topic.

C. Motivation
Now class, Did you experience traveling in different places?	Yes Ma’am.
Did you learn something from your adventure or journey?	Answers will vary.
If yes, what are the things that you’ve learned during your travel in that place/s?	Answers will vary.
Very good class. Good answers. And now, we can move on to our next topic.	Yes Ma’am.

D. Discussion
Class, today we are going to discuss a essay entitled, “The Art of Travelling” by Wilferd A. Peterson	Yes Ma’am.
Have you heard about the essay?	No Ma’am.
That’s good because today I am going to discuss it to you.	Yes Ma’am.
And here’s a copy of the essay. I will give you 5 to 10 minutes to read it and afterwards we start our discussion.	Yes Ma’am.
The Art of Traveling
When you pack your bags to explore the beauties of your own country or to travel around the world, consider these keys to a happy journey. Travel lightly. You are not traveling for people to see you! Travel Slowly. Jet planes are for getting place, not seeing places. Take time to absorb the beauty and inspiration of a mountain or a cathedral. Travel expectantly. Every place you visit is like a surprise package to be opened. Untie the strings with an expectation of high adventure. Travel hopefully. “To travel hopefully,” wrote Robert Louis Stevenson, “is better than to arrive.” Travel humbly. Visit people and places with reverence and respect for their traditions and ways of Life. Travel courteously. Consideration for your fellow travelers and your hosts will smooth the way through the most difficult days. Travel gratefully. Show appreciation for the many things that are being done by others for your enjoyment and comfort. Travel with an open mind. Leave your prejudice at home. Travel with curiosity. It is not how far you go, but how deeply you go that mines the gold of experience. Thoreau wrote a big book about tiny Walden Pond. Travel with imagination. As the old Spanish proverb puts it: “He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies must carry the wealth of the Indies with hm.” Travel fearlessly. Banish worry and timidity, the world and its people belong to you just as you belong to the world. Travel relaxed. Make up your mind to have a good time. Let go and let God. Travel patiently. It takes time to understand others, especially when there are barriers of language and custom; keep flexible and adaptable to all situations. Travel with the spirit of a world citizen. You’ll discover that people are basically much the same the world around. Be an ambassador of goodwill to all people.

V. Evaluation

Class did you understand the essay?	Yes/No Ma’am
What is the essay all about?	Answers will vary.
Very good! Now, the next thing that we are going to do is to analyze the title of the essay. Can someone define the meaning of the word art?	Answers will vary.
Can we consider traveling as an art? Why? Why not?	Answers will vary.
Why does the writer say that every place we visit is like a surprise package to be opened?	Answers will vary.
What struck you most while you were reading the essay?	Answers will vary.
Do you have any question regarding the essay?	None Ma’am. (But if there are questions, the teacher will address questions regarding the text or story.)
Very good class, your answers are all correct. And I am glad that all of you understand the essay and learn something from it.

VI. Assignment

E. Assignment Instructions
Class is the essay clear to you?	Yes Ma’am.
Okay class I think it’s almost time so I will give the remaining questions to you as an assignment.	Yes Ma’am.
Now listen carefully to what I am going to say because I am not going to repeat the instructions.	Yes Ma’am.
I have here sets of questions in which each of you needs to answer. And then tomorrow when you’ve already answered the questions that I gave, I will choose one to two students per question to discuss their answers in front. Write the questions and your answers on a piece of paper and you will submit it tomorrow. Is that clear?	Yes Ma’am.
Very good! And that ends our lesson for today.

Assignment Questions
What is one tip to follow to have a happy journey?
Which of the fourteen tips do you consider the most important? Why?
What tips will you give a friend who is about to go on a journey?

Prepared by:

Abigail Y. Parado

BSEd English

Colegio De Los Baños