Bicol Lit Through the Ages Reviewer – 3A

I. To A Lost One by Angela Mañalang Gloria (Tabaco City)

Angela Mañalang Gloria:

• Born on August 2, 1907 in Guagua, Pampanga

• Lyric poet, writer, pianist, editor, and a feminist
• Took liberal arts; graduated summa cum laude in A.B. in Philosophy in UP (1929)
• Literary editor in Philippine Collegian (UP) and editor in Herald Mid-Week Magazine
• Filipino Poet in the midst 1900s
• Wrote 113 published poems; her poems often centered on love and feminism
• Author of the poem Revolt from Hymen
• Her book, Poems (1940), is the first and only pre-war anthology of poetry in English by a
Filipino woman.

Background:

• The poem, To A Lost One, was written by Angela Manalang Gloria on 31 January 1928.
• It was featured in the book “The Complete Poem of Angela Manalang Gloria” which is a
collection of all her published poems from 1925 to 1950 (published on January 1, 1993
by Ateneo De Manila University Press

Analysis:

Structure

• The poem is composed of three quatrains and does not bear a strict meter
• It has a rhyme scheme of ABCB-DEFE-GHIH
• The language used is English (detailed and descriptive; inclined towards emotions
especially grief)

Themes

• Revolves around death, pain, sorrow and remembering

• Bears the tones of grief, sadness, and regret
• This poem merely conveys the true emotions of a ghost who feels the pain and loneliness
of being separated from his beloved. It is also dominant in the poem that the dead does
not want to be forgotten and he would do everything just to make them remembered by
their existing loved ones.
• The imageries and symbolisms present are twilight, dust, bamboo trail, wild champakas,
and melody of rain

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 II. Among the Hills by Luis Dato (Baao, Camarines Sur)

Luis Dato (July 4, 1906 - January 29, 1985)

• A Bicolano poet, writer, politician, and educator

• Lived at Baoo, Camarines Sur
• The first filipino to write and publish works in English
• The Municipal Mayor of Baoo, Camarines Sur 1941-
• 1947
• He was the first editor of the Bicol Star 1933-1934
Analysis:

Structure

• Four quatrains; has ABAB Rhyme Scheme; written in English language

• Tones: calm, peaceful, and mesmerizing

Theme

• Revolves around life, tranquility, love, and hope while capturing the essence of nature
and personal connection
• Reminiscing the passage of time and witnessing life’s joys and sorrows
• The hills: a metaphor for both the external landscape and the inner emotional terrain.
Despite the years that have gone by, the sight of those purpling hills rekindles hope and
love within the poet’s heart.
• Depicts the idea of finding solace and belonging among the hills—a place where
memories merge with the present, and the heart finds its true home.
• This poem merely presents the beauty of the province; the calmness and tranquility it
gives; the hope that the sunrise brings; and the hills and nature that sustain life. Dato
wants to share his experiences living in a province.

III. Scent of Apples by Bienvenido Santos (Legazpi City/USA)

Bienvenido Nuqui Santos (1911-1996)

• Poet, short story writer, novelist, and educator

• Served as a teacher (Philippines and America)
• Was a pensionado - a Philippine student whose expenses are paid by the government
while he studies abroad – under the Philippine government in 1941
• First two novels (1965): Villa Magdalena & The Volcano
• First collection of short stories: You Lovely People (1955)

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Backgrounds:

• Scent of Apples is his only book published in America

• Published by the University of Washington Press (1979)
Analysis:

Elements of Fiction

• Setting – Kalamazoo, Michigan; 1940s; Martial Law period in the Philippines

• Characters:
o Protagonist (believed to be Santos himself)
o Celestino Fabia
o Ruth
o Roger
• Plot:
o Organic plot; self-contained narrative and achieved wholeness on its own; merely
an episode of “a Filipino in America” if read with the other short stories in the
book
o Tells the story of one man and his family’s unique experience as Filipino
immigrants to the United States.
• Language – realism; simple and direct; written in the English language yet reflects
Filipino sensibility
• Tone – retrospective; nostalgia served as a powerful tool in conveying the emotions of
Fabia towards reminiscing the Philippines, his home country

Themes

• Immigration; Filipinos in America

• Remembering one’s homeland
• The ideal Filipino woman – as Santos explains to Fabia that while the women may have
changed externally, their temperament and strength of religious faith remain intact.
• Captures the nostalgia and complexities faced by immigrants as they navigate their new
lives while yearning for connections to their past

IV. The Virgin by Kerima Polotan Tuvera (wrote short stories based on her Bicol
experiences)

Kerima Polotan

• Born on December 16, 1925 in Solo, Sulu

• She was christened as Putli Kerima
• Graduated from Far Eastern University High School; and Arellano University

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 • She wrote and published under the pseudonym Patricia S. Torre

Background:

• The Virgin is a first prize winner at Philippine Literary Press and Don Palanca Awards
• Time and Mileu - Post-War Philippines and the Quirino Presidency
• Characters:
o Miss Mijares - embodies the archetype of a traditional Filipino woman. She is
portrayed as a spinster, dutifully fulfilling her role in society. Despite her outward
appearance, she harbors secret thoughts and desires related to love and intimacy.
These thoughts are fleeting yet significant, hinting at her suppressed emotions.
o Carpenter/The Man
• Plot - a poignant short story that delves into the complexities of love, societal
expectations, and the inner struggles of its protagonist, Miss Mijares.

Analysis:

Symbolism

• Virginity: The title itself refers to the concept of virginity, which holds immense value in
Filipino culture. Miss Mijares represents the idea of purity and innocence associated with
virginity.
• The Carpenter: The mysterious man who enters Miss Mijares’s life becomes a symbol of
temptation and desire. His presence disrupts her routine and stirs emotions she thought
were dormant.
• The Café: The café where Miss Mijares waits for the Carpenter symbolizes a liminal
space—a threshold between her mundane existence and the possibility of change.

Theme

• Explores the tension between societal roles, personal desires, and the quiet rebellion that
exists within seemingly ordinary lives
• Inner Conflict and Longing:
o Miss Mijares grapples with conflicting feelings. Her interactions with the
Carpenter awaken desires she had suppressed for years.
o The imagery of the man’s thigh pressing against hers in a jeepney and holding a
baby triggers thoughts about physical intimacy and love. These moments reveal
her vulnerability and longing.
• Social Expectations and Repressions
o Miss Mijares’s job involves interviewing jobless individuals, a process that
humiliates them. Her impatience during these interviews reflects her own inner
turmoil.

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 o The societal norms and expectations placed upon her—both as a woman and as an
employee—contribute to her emotional repression.

V. Para kay B by Ricky Lee (Daet, Camarines Norte)

Ricardo Lee

• A fictionist, a journalist, and a playwright

• Born on March 19, 1947 at Daet, Camarines Norte
• AB Major in English, UP Diliman
• Courses Taught: Film 151
• He also wrote a scriptwriting manual in 1998, Trip to Quiapo.
• He co-edited Sigwa.
• Since 1982, Lee has also been conducting free scriptwriting workshops for beginning
writers.
• Starting in 1973, he has written more than 180 film screenplays and 150 produced film
scripts since 1979.
• There is no corner in Philippine cinema, television, and literature that remains untouched
and unshaped by Ricky Lee.

Background:

• His best-selling novel and was launched on November 30, 2008

• Para Kay B explains how love has a quota—that only one out of five people will have a
happy ending.
• Carries five stories of life and love
o Irene, Ang Unang Kwento
o Sandra, Ang Ikalawang Kwento
o Erica, Ang Ikatlong Kwento
o Ester, Ang Ikaapat na Kwento
o Bessie, Ang Ikalimang Kwento
o Additional Chapter: Ang Totoong Kwento
• Talks about five different kinds of love:
o First love
o Forbidden love
o One true love
o Homosexual love

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 o Unrequited love
• It speaks the truth about falling in love, accepting a heartbreak, and falling out of love.

Analysis:

Structure

• A mixture of both English and Tagalog languages

• It also contains a level of vulgarity, colloquialism, slang, humor, and metaphor to create a
unique voice and tone for the stories.
• Ricky Lee showed the different faces of love and he also showed that love doesn’t always
have a happy ending like most of the love story books we have right now.
• Para Kay B does not revolve solely on love, but it also addresses the issues of political
killings, poverty, incest, and gender inequality all bearing weight in the present
circumstance in our society.

Theme

• Prevalent features:
o Love and its quota
o Forbidden and unrequited love
o Unconventional love
o Social realities
• The story tells us that love is not a simple or easy emotion, but a complex and diverse
phenomenon that can bring both joy and pain to different people.

VI. Hang Your Worries on the Trees, Don't Mind the Birds and the Bees by Maria Das
Elago (Bacacay, Albay)

Maria Das Elago

• She is from Bacacay, Albay. She is described as a good-natured lady who was a mother
of eight children, a passionate home and garden lover, an avid scholar and gracious poet
as well as an inspiring and loving wife.
• Most of her poems are the epitomes of her feelings and ideas about various subjects.
• She believes that poetry is the language of the soul, so poems must be written during
quiet and peaceful moments.
• Elago desires, through her poems, to achieve a silent crusade for world peace for only
then can humanity be happy and free.
• She encourages all people to develop enthusiasm and spirit of involvement in our
country’s development both socially and economically.

Background:

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 • Published by Indalecio J. Elago (1970s) in Bacacay, Albay
• Registered on June 19, 1974 (Official Gazette of the Philippines - 1974)
• A physical copy of the book wherein the poem was included can be found in the National
Library of the Philippines under the Philippine Poetry (English) among Filipiniana
General Books Section

Analysis:

Structure

• Symbolisms include Nirvana (happiest state) and depression and typhoon (challenges and
turbulence)
• Composed of 23 lines in a single stanza; a free-verse type of poem as it doesn't have a
strict meter; in 3rd Person POV.

Theme

• Explored around themes such as the negative side of being wealthy, materialism, and
inner peace
• The poem explores the theme of materialism and the ugly side it possesses. It was able to
appeal to any reader's mind as it bears the message of how wealth are never equal to the
amount of happiness one could get by achieving inner peace and forming bonds through
human connections.

VII. Homecoming by Paulino Lim (Camalig, Albay/USA)

Paulino Lim

• A professor emeritus - an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position
of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue
using the previous title - of English at California State University, Long Beach.
• He is a recipient of the 2016 Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and
Organizations Overseas—for his fiction and scholarly essays that are constructive
criticisms of the Philippines' political, social, and religious problems.
• The University of Santo Tomas conferred him a lifetime achievement honor—the
Parangal Hagbong Award—for significant contributions to Philippine literature.
• He is the author of a scholarly monograph on Byron, dramas, three anthologies, a quartet
of political novels, and the novel Death of the English Zen Professor.

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 Background:

• A winning piece (1st Prize) in the Asiaweek Short Story Competition

• Setting:
o International Airport
o Quiapo
o Escolta, Azcarraga, Avenida
o Baclaran Station, Hilton Hotel
• Central characters are the two unnamed brothers
• The protagonist grapples with the emotional turmoil of coming back to their roots after a
prolonged absence. The familiar sights, sounds, and memories evoke a sense of nostalgia,
but also reveal the changes that time has wrought. As the protagonist reconnects with
family and friends, they confront buried secrets and unresolved tensions.

Analysis:

Structure

• Language used is English

• First person perspective and conversational tone
Theme

• The story delves into themes of returning home, identity, and the complexities of familial
relationships.
• Cultural identity and alienation
• Nostalgia vs reality

VIII. Children of the Snarl by Marne Kilatis (Daraga, Albay)

Marne Kilatis

• Poet, translator, editor, and sometime book designer

• Born on November 5, 1952, in the town of Daraga, Albay
Background:

• A poem by Marne Kilates, first published in his book of poems with the same title in
1988
• Contains vivid imagery and underlying themes

Analysis:

Theme

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 • Masterfully captures the relentless energy, struggle, and survival of those navigating the
chaotic urban landscape.
• The Children of the Snarl persist, their lives intertwined with the pulse of the city, their
stories etched into their concrete veins.
• Poverty has no age.
• Reveals the socio-economic status of our country wherein some children experiences
poverty and labor at a very young age.

Made by A.G. (with some help from Google) habang nangungulila at nagkakape... :)