robert11112005

[robert11112005]

AUTOBIOGRAPY

I am Robert Centro Llasus, I was born on November 11, 2005 in Cabanatuan City, Philippines. We are 2 siblings in the family. I am the youngest child. My mother's name is Cristina Centro Llasus, she is from Guimba, Nueva Ecija and my father's name is Frederick Monses Llasus, he is from Cuyapo Nueva Ecija. I took my elementary education as well as my high school education at St. Pius X Institute located at Cuyapo Nueva Ecija. I had a happy childhood living with my parents. My hobbies are biking, playing codm, playing badminton and basketball and also hangout with family, friends and also my loveone's. I study hard for my family, and for myself, because I pursue my dream to be a police and I want to help other people and also i want to be a police to help my parents, to repay all their hardships. One day I will be a police officer because I want to make a large money and to build my dream house and I hope that I can graduate in high school and colleges to repay soon my hardwordship parents.

[robert11112005]

CRITIQUE 2

Things Fall Apart

Author: Chinua Achebe

Character and Characterization:

Okonkwo (Oh-kawn-kwoh) The central character of Things Fall Apart. A young leader of the African Igbo community of Umuofia (Oo-moo-oh-fee-ah), he is known as a fierce warrior as well as a successful farmer. He is determined to overcome the stigma left by his father's laziness and wastefulness.Unoka (Ooh-no-kah) Okonkwo's father, known for his weakness and lack of responsibility.Nwoye (Nuh-woh-yeh) Okonkwo's oldest son, age twelve at the book's beginning. He is innately a sensitive young man.Ikemefuna (Ee-keh-meh-foo-nah) A boy of fourteen who is given to Umuofia by a neighboring village to avoid war. He is a clever, resourceful young man.Ekwefi (Eh-kweh-fee) Okonkwo's second wife; the mother of Ezinma, her only living child.Ezinma (Eh-zeen-mah) Daughter of Ekwefi and Okonkwo; Ekwefi's only surviving child.Ojiubo (Oh-jee-ooh-boh) Okonkwo's third wife; the mother of several of Okonkwo's children.Obierika (Oh-bee-air-ee-kah) Okonkwo's best friend, who often represents the voice of reason. He is the father of Maduka (son) and Ekueke (daughter).Chielo (Chee-eh-loh) A village widow who is also the priestess of Agbala.Agbala (Ahg-bah-lah) The Oracle of the Hills and the Caves, who influences all aspects of Umuofian life. She is based on the real Oracle at Awka, who controlled Igbo life for centuries.Mr. Brown The first white Christian missionary in Umuofia and Mbanta. An understanding and accommodating man, he is inclined to listen to the Igbos.Mr. Kiaga (Kee-ah-gah) The native interpreter for the missionaries. He is a teacher and a leader of the new church in Mbanta.The Reverend James Smith A strict, stereotypical white Christian missionary, he takes over the church after Mr. Brown's departure.The District Commissioner A stern, stereotypical white colonial administrator of Umuofia. He follows regulations to the letter and possesses little knowledge or understanding of the people for whom he tries to administer a new government.

Summary:

Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of the protagonist, Okonkwo, and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the Igbo community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. He first earns personal fame and distinction, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling contest. Okonkwo determines to gain titles for himself and become a powerful and wealthy man in spite of his father's weaknesses.Okonkwo's father, Unoka, was a lazy and wasteful man. He often borrowed money and then squandered it on palm-wine and merrymaking with friends. Consequently, his wife and children often went hungry. Within the community, Unoka was considered a failure and a laughingstock. He was referred to as agbala, one who resembles the weakness of a woman and has no property. Unoka died a shameful death and left numerous debts.Okonkwo despises and resents his father's gentle and idle ways. He resolves to overcome the shame that he feels as a result of his father's weaknesses by being what he considers to be "manly"; therefore, he dominates his wives and children by being insensitive and controlling.Because Okonkwo is a leader of his community, he is asked to care for a young boy named Ikemefuna, who is given to the village as a peace offering by neighboring Mbaino to avoid war with Umuofia. Ikemefuna befriends Okonkwo's son, Nwoye, and Okonkwo becomes inwardly fond of the boy.

Over the years, Okonkwo becomes an extremely volatile man; he is apt to explode at the slightest provocation. He violates the Week of Peace when he beats his youngest wife, Ojiugo, because she went to braid her hair at a friend's house and forgot to prepare the afternoon meal and feed her children. Later, he severely beats and shoots a gun at his second wife, Ekwefi, because she took leaves from his banana plant to wrap food for the Feast of the New Yam.

After the coming of the locusts, Ogbuefi Ezeuder, the oldest man in the village, relays to Okonkwo a message from the Oracle. The Oracle says that Ikemefuna must be killed as part of the retribution for the Umuofian woman killed three years earlier in Mbaino. He tells Okonkwo not to partake in the murder, but Okonkwo doesn't listen. He feels that not participating would be a sign of weakness. Consequently, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna with his machete. Nwoye realizes that his father has murdered Ikemefuna and begins to distance himself from his father and the clansmen.

Okonkwo becomes depressed after killing Ikemefuna, so he visits his best friend, Obierika, who disapproves of his role in Ikemefuna's killing. Obierika says that Okonkwo's act will upset the Earth and the earth goddess will seek revenge. After discussing Ikemefuna's death with Obierika, Okonkwo is finally able to sleep restfully, but he is awakened by his wife Ekwefi. Their daughter Ezinma, whom Okonkwo is fond of, is dying. Okonkwo gathers grasses, barks, and leaves to prepare medicine for Ezinma.

A public trial is held on the village commons. Nine clan leaders, including Okonkwo, represent the spirits of their ancestors. The nine clan leaders, or egwugwu, also represent the nine villages of Umuofia. Okonkwo does not sit among the other eight leaders, or elders, while they listen to a dispute between an estranged husband and wife. The wife, Mgbafo, had been severely beaten by her husband. Her brother took her back to their family's village, but her husband wanted her back home. The egwugwu tell the husband to take wine to his in-laws and beg his wife to come home. One elder wonders why such a trivial dispute would come before the egwugwu.

In her role as priestess, Chielo tells Ekwefi (Okonkwo's second wife) that Agbala (the Oracle of the Hills and Caves) needs to see Ezinma. Although Okonkwo and Ekwefi protest, Chielo takes a terrified Ezinma on her back and forbids anyone to follow. Chielo carries Ezinma to all nine villages and then enters the Oracle's cave. Ekwefi follows secretly, in spite of Chielo's admonitions, and waits at the entrance of the Oracle. Okonkwo surprises Ekwefi by arriving at the cave, and he also waits with her. The next morning, Chielo takes Ezinma to Ekwefi's hut and puts her to bed.

When Ogbuefi Ezeudu dies, Okonkwo worries because the last time that Ezeudu visited him was when he warned Okonkwo against participating in the killing of Ikemefuna. Ezeudu was an important leader in the village and achieved three titles of the clan's four, a rare accomplishment. During the large funeral, Okonkwo's gun goes off, and Ezeudu's sixteen-year-old son is killed accidentally.

Because the accidental killing of a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo and his family must be exiled from Umuofia for seven years. The family moves to Okonkwo's mother's native village, Mbanta. After they depart Umuofia, a group of village men destroy Okonkwo's compound and kill his animals to cleanse the village of Okonkwo's sin. Obierika stores Okonkwo's yams in his barn and wonders about the old traditions of the Igbo culture.

Okonkwo is welcomed to Mbanta by his maternal uncle, Uchendu, a village elder. He gives Okonkwo a plot of land on which to farm and build a compound for his family. But Okonkwo is depressed, and he blames his chi (or personal spirit) for his failure to achieve lasting greatness.

During Okonkwo's second year in exile, he receives a visit from his best friend, Obierika, who recounts sad news about the village of Abame: After a white man rode into the village on a bicycle, the elders of Abame consulted their Oracle, which told them that the white man would destroy their clan and other clans. Consequently, the villagers killed the white man. But weeks later, a large group of men slaughtered the villagers in retribution. The village of Abame is now deserted.

Okonkwo and Uchendu agree that the villagers were foolish to kill a man whom they knew nothing about. Later, Obierika gives Okonkwo money that he received from selling Okonkwo's yams and seed-yams, and he promises to do so until Okonkwo returns to Umuofia.

Six missionaries, including one white man, arrive in Mbanta. The white man speaks to the people about Christianity. Okonkwo believes that the man speaks nonsense, but his son, Nwoye, is captivated and becomes a convert of Christianity.

The Christian missionaries build a church on land given to them by the village leaders. However, the land is a part of the Evil Forest, and according to tradition, the villagers believe that the missionaries will die because they built their church on cursed land. But when nothing happens to the missionaries, the people of Mbanta conclude that the missionaries possess extraordinary power and magic. The first recruits of the missionaries are efulefu, the weak and worthless men of the village. Other villagers, including a woman, soon convert to Christianity. The missionaries then go to Umuofia and start a school. Nwoye leaves his father's hut and moves to Umuofia so he can attend the school.

Okonkwo's exile is over, so his family arranges to return to Umuofia. Before leaving Mbanta, they prepare a huge feast for Okonkwo's mother's kinsmen in appreciation of their gratitude during Okonkwo's seven years of exile.

When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, he discovers that the village has changed during his absence. Many men have renounced their titles and have converted to Christianity. The white men have built a prison; they have established a government court of law, where people are tried for breaking the white man's laws; and they also employ natives of Umuofia. Okonkwo wonders why the Umuofians have not incited violence to rid the village of the white man's church and oppressive government.

Some members of the Igbo clan like the changes in Umuofia. Mr. Brown, the white missionary, respects the Igbo traditions. He makes an effort to learn about the Igbo culture and becomes friendly with some of the clan leaders. He also encourages Igbo people of all ages to get an education. Mr. Brown tells Okonkwo that Nwoye, who has taken the name Isaac, is attending a teaching college. Nevertheless, Okonkwo is unhappy about the changes in Umuofia.After Mr. Brown becomes ill and is forced to return to his homeland, Reverend James Smith becomes the new head of the Christian church. But Reverend Smith is nothing like Mr. Brown; he is intolerant of clan customs and is very strict.Violence arises after Enoch, an overzealous convert to Christianity, unmasks an egwugwu. In retaliation, the egwugwu burn Enoch's compound and then destroy the Christian church because the missionaries have caused the Igbo people many problems.When the District Commissioner returns to Umuofia, he learns about the destruction of the church and asks six leaders of the village, including Okonkwo, to meet with him. The men are jailed until they pay a fine of two hundred and fifty bags of cowries. The people of Umuofia collect the money and pay the fine, and the men are set free.The next day at a meeting for clansmen, five court messengers who intend to stop the gathering approach the group. Suddenly, Okonkwo jumps forward and beheads the man in charge of the messengers with his machete. When none of the other clansmen attempt to stop the messengers who escape, Okonkwo realizes that they will never go to war and that Umuofia will surrender. Everything has fallen apart for Okonkwo; he commits suicide by hanging himself.

Moral Lesson:

Things Fall Apart demonstrates the importance that the community places on masculinity, status, the place of women in society, and symbols. Okonkwo, a young man of eighteen, wins a wrestling battle against Amalinze the Cat to uphold the honor of his village, Iguedo, at the start of the book. It shows to that we must know our value as a person. We must respect and love each other like a good and better people in our world. We must don’t hate and judge to the people because of their culture and their appearance. Be the best part and unique of ourselves as always.

[robert11112005]

CRITIQUE 1

Success in silence: Jaryll Endino’s story of diligence

By: Michelle Mina Felstead

The story of Jaryll entitled “Success in silence: Jaryll Endino’s story of diligence” written by teacher Michelle Mina Felstead encourage everyone to pursue their goal and dreams with diligence and perseverance. I can say that this story serves as one of the best example for others to follow especially for people with disabilities and for people who lose hope in life.

For me, everyone has a dream but maybe for others they don't pursue it. The reason for that is they are afraid to fail that’s why they never try. But in Jaryll’s story proved that his impairment is not a barrier to him achieving his goals. As stated by Pele "Success is no accident. It takes hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do." Aside from being hardworking, Jaryll achieved his dream with the help of his coach and teachers. However, no matter who you are you still need others to succeed. You can’t succeed without the help and support of other people so if you live your life without cooperating or associating with other people you better have a rethink because your success in life depends on that.

Overall, it was really good and very inspiring for everyone especially people with disabilities but I observed that the story is too short. The author didn't mention the struggles and sacrifices that Jaryll went through in life. It would be better if the author shared about the hardships Jaryll experience before achieving his dream and through this he could inspire many people. The meaning of success in silence was also not given much emphasis in the story so that the readers can understand and be clearer.

[robert11112005]

ONE ACT PLAY

Title: "The Lost Connection"

Once upon a time in the bustling city of Lumina, technology ruled supreme. People were constantly engrossed in their devices, their faces illuminated by the glow of screens. One particular day, however, something extraordinary happened. The city's entire network crashed, leaving its inhabitants disconnected from the digital world.

Amidst the chaos, two strangers named Alex and Lily found themselves standing next to each other on a crowded street. Alex, a tech-savvy software engineer, furiously tapped on his phone, hoping for a signal. Lily, a young artist, stared blankly at her tablet, unable to work on her latest masterpiece.

Alex: (frustrated) Can you believe this? The whole city's network is down! How are we supposed to survive without our precious gadgets?

Lily: (with a sigh) I know, right? It's like we're trapped in a different era, back when people actually interacted face-to-face.

As they shared their frustrations, a realization dawned upon them. Despite living in the same city, they had never met before, let alone engaged in a conversation. This unexpected technological breakdown had given them an opportunity to connect in a way they had never experienced.

Alex: (smiling) You know what? Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. We can finally have a real conversation instead of hiding behind screens.

Lily: (curious) I've always wondered what it would be like to truly connect with someone. Okay, let's give it a shot!

With their devices rendered useless, Alex and Lily embarked on a journey to explore the city together. They walked through parks, conversing about their dreams, passions, and the beauty of the world around them. They laughed, they debated, and they discovered shared interests they never would have known about if not for this unexpected circumstance.

Days turned into weeks, and the city's network remained offline. Alex and Lily began to appreciate the simplicity of life without constant digital distractions. They enjoyed each other's company, creating memories that felt genuine and profound.

One evening, as they watched the sunset from a rooftop, a faint hum echoed through the city. The network slowly flickered back to life, illuminating the screens of countless devices. Alex and Lily shared a bittersweet moment, knowing that their time together would soon come to an end.

Alex: (softly) It's strange how losing something can sometimes lead us to find something even more precious.

Lily: (smiling) You're right. Our lost connection brought us together, and I'll cherish these moments forever.

As the city buzzed with activity once again, Alex and Lily exchanged their contact information. They vowed to stay connected beyond the screens, to nurture their newfound friendship amidst the digital noise.

[robert11112005]

CELEBRATING LETTLE SUCCESS

Hi, my name is Robert C. Llasus and I am currently in grade 11. I have been at St. Pius X Institute for a ten years now; I joined at the start of 1st grade, and have thoroughly enjoyed myself here.I was born and raised here in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija and grew up here.

I am an interesting, fun loving guy with a good sense of humor. It is hard for me to make friends but once I make them, it’s great and I am all different. I joke, laugh and humor people and I also get as much as I give.

I am a very kind, compassionate, sensitive guy as my close friends will tell you. I have a tough shell but on the inside I am soft. I am also a very principled person and stand strong on what is right and wrong. I am also a very straight and honest person. I understand and know that we all put on a show sometimes and do not show who we really are or what we feel but some people do this constantly and those kinds of people I cannot stand. My hobbies in life are traveling, online games and basketball but my favorite pastime is the basketball because sport gives me strength and confidence in life. I really want my peers to come to the sports sections, to feel the joy of sports achievements. I’m happy to play basketball.

When the pandemic came I was not ok Because I didn't understand what the teachers were teaching because these were online classes and for the whole two years I was struggling with how to construct words. My weaknesses is that I have a lack of self-confident. Well, as I think about it, I can proudly say that I can be able to lead in the future because I am finding ways hot to overcome it. And I also have in my personality that I'm not the kind of person who easily surrenders on problems, that's why I can see myself as a great leader in the near future. I realized that these weaknesses is helps me to overcome fear by giving me the strength to face it head-on, rather than letting my fear control my thoughts and actions.

In that case, the message that I can give to future self is do not lose hope and self-confidence because in all trials I will always overcome and also always be strong.

[robert11112005]

REFLECTION

Creative writing was a good way for me to express my thoughts and feelings onto paper, as well as read my other classmates stories. Reading stories created by other people lead me into their mind brain to experience what type of writer they were, it was an overall exquisite class. I believe that every person has a way of expressing who they are through writing stories of their own, fiction is the best way to express your creative imagination. Creative writing subject helps me to improve my communication towards writing and to help me express myself better, it helps me to be more creative on ideas, emotions, and plot.

[robert11112005]

REFLECTION

The subject of creative writing is boundless and limitless in its potential for exploration and expression. It allows writers to delve into their imaginations and produce unique works of art that can inspire, entertain, and provoke thought. From poetry to fiction to non-fiction, the possibilities for creativity are endless. With an open mind and a willingness to explore, writers can tap into the boundless nature of creative writing and produce works that are truly one-of-a-kind.