jaeashleyyanila

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Literary Theories from Philippine Authors

What Must Be Believed In

"That it is man that every man must fear"

This poem can be seen as moralistic, as it emphasizes that true fear comes from our fellow humans, rather than from folklore or supernatural beliefs. The moral of the poem is that the folklores and supernatural beliefs symbolize the potential harm that humans can cause.

Force of Circumstance

"When the gang ripped off the expensive pantsuit that a gay designer had made for Maritess"

The poem uses marxist theory as this discusses the son of a congressman and how his privileged life contrasts with the suffering of the victim. It highlights themes of social inequality, exploitation, and violence against women. The poem portrays the harsh treatment of Maritess and brings up issues related to the contrast between the privileged and the victimized.

Night of a Construction Worker

"Unable to sleep. Yes, hands have let go of shovel, Hammer, pipe, wire and other tools, But dismissal at five had failed to signal Gravel, cement and filling earth To let go of your breath."

This story is a sociological literary theory as it portrays the social realities and challenges that construction workers face. It gives us an insight into their working conditions, the bond they share, and the societal issues related to labor and class. Through its powerful narrative, this story sheds light on the challenges and struggles that these hard-working individuals face, while also highlighting their resilience and strength.

On the Death of a Newspaper Delivery Boy

"News items hot as coffee and buns"

Metaphorical interpretation can be applied to this sentence, implying that news is a regular consumption habit similar to the routine of having hot coffee and buns for breakfast. This figurative comparison shows the importance of news in people's daily lives, suggesting that it is a daily necessity or routine. The use of metaphor adds complexity to the expression, allowing us to ponder the symbolic relationship between news consumption and morning routines.

Mareng Mensiya

"Mely was there and feeling sorry for what she have done to her mother"

A moralist analysis of "Mareng Mensiya" focuses on the ethical and moral aspects of the story. The narrator's moral choices and consequences are examined. The story raises ethical questions about neglecting someone in need. The ending adds a layer of moral complexity, prompting reflection on the consequences of one's actions as Mareng Mensiya's contributions go to Aleng Sela instead of her daughter Mely.

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Does Beauty Pageant Promote Women's Empowerment?

Women's empowerment aims to end discrimination and violence against women all over the world. This is a fundamental human right as this promotes women’s self-worth, their own capabilities, and their influence on our society to have a better and peaceful world. But what is the connection of women empowerment to the Beauty Pageant? According to the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), Women who participate in Miss Universe from different countries are represented as inspirational leaders and good role models to the world. They promote a safe space for women to share their stories and drive impact personally, professionally, and philanthropically as this is about inclusive organization that celebrates all cultures, backgrounds, and religions globally. And I believe that Beauty Pageant is a way to promote women’s empowerment.

Miss Universe empowers women to showcase their achievements, intelligence, and talents on a global stage, emphasizing empowerment, confidence, and diversity. It’s a great opportunity for women to uplift one another and be a motivation. I see Miss Universe as an opportunity for women to use their voices to promote important issues, make a difference, and bring about change. Creating positive change is the goal of the delegates and titleholders who dedicate their time to volunteer, fundraise, and advocate. They are proactive and their motive is enough to make the change happen, rather than just talk about it. Like Catriona Gray who is a global ambassador for Smile Train which is an international charity for children with cleft lip. Miss Universe Organization also has a partnership with Best Buddies, a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and God's Love We Deliver (GLWD) which provides assistance to those who are suffering from serious illnesses like HIV/AIDS and cancer for men, women, and children. Aside from that, more women in beauty pageants are willing to break this stereotyping and discrimination like Miss England finalist Melisa Raouf, who participated in a pageant and won a Bare Face Top Model award. Melisa Raouf said that competing in this pageant has made a positive impact on her life where she gained confidence and learned to appreciate herself more. Her participation has served as an inspiration to many young girls and women who have also felt empowered by her.

In conclusion, beauty pageant is a way for women to use their voices to send a message to the world and break all the stereotypes and discrimination. Beauty pageants, such as Miss Universe, play a vital role in promoting women's empowerment by providing a platform for women to showcase their achievements, intelligence, and talents. These pageants promote diversity, inclusivity, and the celebration of all cultures, backgrounds, and religions globally. The positive impact of beauty pageants on women's lives cannot be overlooked, as they inspire women to be confident, empowered, and motivated to create a better and more peaceful world for all.

[jaeashleyyanila]

Essay Analysis of Minsan May Isang P*ta by Mike Portes

Mike Portes-Borromeo was a renowned author who wrote "Minsan May Isang Puta" in 2004. Prior to her writing career, she worked as a flight attendant at Saudi Airlines for 5 years. Mike stayed in Paranaque, Manila last 2013, she became a housewife and lived in Saudi for another year. "Minsan May Isang Puta" is a work of historical fiction, meaning that it is a fictional story set in the past that incorporates factual information about historical events, people, and places. The story was first published in paperback format in Writings 8 in 2011 which received widespread acclaim and won numerous awards. The story was so impactful that it even inspired a film grant in 2010, that was used to produce the award-winning indie film "Ganap na Babae”, which has an international title "Garden of Eve", directed by the talented Sarah Roxas. This is an example of allegory literature because the characters and lines presented in “Minsan May Isang Puta” was used to show the moral and hidden meaning of the story, inviting readers to interpret the story's deeper meaning beyond its surface-level narrative.

In the story, the character of the mother serves as a symbol for the Philippines and all the hardships it has endured throughout its history. In the story, the term "Puta" was used to describe the Mother as a prostitute, as this was how she was perceived by her neighbors. The word carried a literal meaning that reflected her social status and reputation within the community. One of the storyline is “Para akong isang aso na nangagat ng amo, na bumabahag ang buntot at umaamo kapag nangangailangan”, this is an example of metaphoric line where she indicated herself as a dog but it is not the intended meaning of the message. The main character and center of attention was the Mother. The author has a personal connection to the story as it takes place in their native country which is the Philippines. The environment was also toxic, brutal, and unhealthy while describing and telling us her story. The atmosphere or mood felt dark and scary as she explains how those three foreigners abused her, and sad about her experience in life.

The action of Minsan May Isang Puta is minimum and external. The relationship between the Philippines, represented by the mother, and its people, represented by the Filipinos, has room for improvement. The Philippines, as a country, needs the support of its people to overcome various challenges and achieve its full potential. As such, Filipinos must play an active role in the country's development by working together, finding solutions, and supporting initiatives that lead to progress. By doing so, they can foster a stronger, more vibrant, and more prosperous relationship with their motherland. The line where she says, “Ina ninyo ako! Pagmamahal nyo lang ang kailangan ko!”, is an example of external conflict in the story where the mother desires to be loved, remembered, and respected by the people who surround her. Her need for validation drives her actions throughout the plot, creating tension.

The conflict of the story is when the mother was sexually harassed by the three foreigners which represents the colonization of Spain, America, and Japan a long long time ago. Taking advantage of the mother shows the abuse of the Philippines' resources and beauty. And the misbehavior of her children where some choose to stay and fight with her, while others choose to enjoy and live peacefully in the other country which seems to forget their country of origin. This is a Man vs. Man conflict if we don’t look deeply into the story’s meaning. The problem of the story was all about the conflict between the main character and the people that is stopping her to have a better life. Through her struggles and sacrifices, she reminds us of the country's difficult past, but also its resilience and determination to keep going.

This story is Real because it did happen in the Philippines many years ago. This is also Historical because it focuses on the Philippine's history about the colonization of three different countries. The main character, the mother, is a beautiful and well-known girl from their place. The secondary character, the three foreigners, were known as abusive, controlling, and wanted power just to satisfy their wants. Mike Portes showed us the truth and reality about the Philippines has faced along with the Filipinos that fought to save our country through her creative writing skills.

[jaeashleyyanila]

Critical Essay of Equality by Maya Angelou

The purpose of the poem entitled "Equality" by Maya Angelou is to bring and provide a voice to the people experiencing discrimination and racism in different countries more specifically from the oppressive authority of the (White) Americans over the Black people. The author wants to have equality and freedom from the oppressive treatment they are receiving from the Whites. We can notice this purpose on the part where these two lines are repeated after every two stanzas, which says, "Equality, and I will be free. Equality, and I will be free." The black people are longing and demanding the society they are living in for the liberty and equal treatment they deserve.

The issues being raised in the poem are the discrimination, segregation, and racism that these black people experiencing for a long long time. They are suffering from the unequal treatment of the White people specifically the Americans. And through this poem, Maya Angelou employed her writing skills and platform to finally speak up for the equality that he and their entire group truly deserve.

Maya Angelou incorporated the styles of metaphor, imagery, and repetition, and by these styles, he tends to produce a powerful and appealing setting in presenting the issues. The author employs repetition to express things that needs to be highlighted and has a great meaning and value to them, just like how he repeated the word equality every stanza because it is significant for them. He acknowledges and provides imagery about their day-to-day struggles as Black people, what kind of treatment they are getting from the Whites, and how they are longing for the equality that they deserve as a human. As he used the repetition style, it causes a heartbreaking feeling for me as a reader. I believe that these styles that Maya Angelou employed, guarantees that readers understand what he intended to speak and deliver to the audience/readers, which is the issue of inequality and discrimination. I also noticed that repetition is a great strategy to use by those who intend to magnify a specific message or lived experiences of other protagonists in the poem just like how Maya Angelou employs it.

Indeed the author successfully persuaded the audience regarding the issues mentioned in the poem. He gave an emphasis on the issue of discrimination that they are experiencing and it knocked the consciousness and brought awareness to the audience/readers. It allows the audience to feel the exact same way the black people felt by telling their painful and excruciating experiences and pasts. Considering the styles that the author used in writing the poem, it greatly made an impact that will surely be imprinted in the hearts of the audience and will be the future advocate of equality for black people as well. The author took the readers to their lived experiences in their mind and help them understand what the black people are experiencing. And through that, I can say that I was persuaded about these issues.

After reading the poem, this made me realize how cruel people are for not treating blacks equally, and a sense of pity for the people who still have that kind of mindset. We are now living in the present era where we raise awareness about almost every rotten ideologies and practices that we have before, and one of them is about discrimination. It is heartbreaking to see how there are still people who possess this kind of thinking about Black people. They are also human beings and they have the right to be treated the same as the way we treat other people with lighter skin color than them. They don't deserve every discrimination they are experiencing for the rest of their lives. It saddened me to witness how these people get rejected just because of their skin color. They deserve better than this. They deserve to get hired for the job that they want, they deserve to have their own decisions and not be dictated by the Whites, they deserve to vote and run for any government positions. They deserve to have an education and enter any school and university that they want, they deserve to have decent and reasonable jobs. They deserve it because it is their right as a human.

[jaeashleyyanila]

The Israel and Hamas Conflict: Are you Pro-war?

October 7, 2023, when the attack of Hamas happened during a Supernova music festival in Israel. According to AP News, thousands of people gathered for a rave in a desert in southern Israel, outside of Kibbutz Re’im, about 5.3 kilometers from the wall close to the border with Gaza. It caused the deaths of over 260 people and an undetermined number of taken hostages. The Hamas breached Gaza’s border fence early on Saturday from Gaza and was caught descending using paragliders and some arrived in trucks, and motorcycles, wearing body armor and brandishing AK-47 assault rifles. The bodies were found disseminated, shot multiple times, and run down by trucks.

Since the attack happened, Israel has protected its people. Because of the fighting between the Israeli military and Palestinian militants (Hamas) is continuing, and Israel has launched a wave of air strikes on Gaza. According to the Palestinian authority, the strikes have killed at least 493 people. Israel has ordered a “complete siege” on Gaza, resulting the blocking delivery of electricity, food, fuel and water until the hostages of Hamas are freed. The people in northern Gaza was told to evacuate their homes immediately because the ground invasion is about to happen according to Isarael's military. Hamas has garnered significant regional support from countries like Iran, Qatar, and others in the Middle East; however, Iran has denied involvement in the attack and warned Israel against targeting Lebanese allies. Hezbollah, a Lebanese resistance organization that has engaged in an exchange of fire with Israel since the Gaza war began, is considered by the US and Israel to be a terrorist group.

There are several reasons why the conflict between Israel and Palestine has intensified. One of them is that it is connected to their history. In the wake of Hamas' victory, many people hoped that the Palestinian Authority would take steps to improve governance. Post-election polls indicated that Hamas' success was due largely to Palestinians' desire to end corruption or for political change rather than support for the organization's political platform. The blockade and economic hardship have contributed to ongoing tension between Israel and the Palestinian community in Gaza. Rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza and Israeli military responses continue periodically. The Gaza Strip has been isolated by blockades, economic hardship and ongoing tensions that have contributed to a long history of tense relations between Israel and the Palestinians. In July 2007, Israel planned to launch a political and economic war against Hamas because Israel have the power to control the border crossings and much of Gaza's economy such as water, and power supply.

The Gaza-Israel conflict is still a highly contested issue with complex political, humanitarian, and security dimensions. The ongoing conflict and deteriorating situation in Gaza continue to be major international concerns.

What kind of victory is worth the cost of endless suffering and destruction?