2nd blog entry^_^

In my own opinion, the mat symbolized each and every hand of the family members. The three children suffered from illness and die in the mat. The mat carried them all the way. It means that the family members give their care and support up to the last minute of their love one’s life. The father took so much time to let go because he is guilty of not showing his love and care physically because of distance, lack of time and communication. Maybe that time, when he went home, he saw that his daughter was already lying on the coffin. It is the hardest feeling ever because he can’t do anything. Money can't bring his children's life back.

Filipino fathers are like him. They work hard to feed his family. That’s why seeing his family specially his children suffering and dying leaves a big scar in his heart. Men don’t show off their deepest feelings. Even though they suffered from loneliness, they still managed to be strong. They don’t want to look weak. That’s why when they have a chance to let it all off…they really break it all out. They are like a strong rock that suddenly breaks off because of force.

Men are not like that now. They’re becoming more open because the issue of them being a rock is being more talked. Ladies of this generation are more concerned about the issue. I myself encourage my boyfriend to open his personal problems to me so that he won’t feel heavy inside. I allow him to cry infront of me because I don’t want him to just keep all the loneliness he feels inside. I know the feeling. It’s so heavy. This story is more realistic than divide by two because it’s still happening. In the case of our OFWs. In divide by two, it seems that, it shows that the characters are so desperate with each other. They have this past that ends without a closure. It is like, their attention was divided by two because they can’t help but discuss each other's life.

blog entry no.1^_^

Valuing the family is the most important practice of Filipino people.

For me, Arguilla and Bolusan did a great description about how

Filipinos value their family.

In “My Father goes to court” by Bolusan, I think that the narrator’s

father is not “pilosopo”. In my own opinion, his father wants to show

that he can defend himself and do a simple solution for a simple problem.

I think the rich family doesn’t know how to use their wealth properly.

All they do is to eat, and do stuff inside their home that’s why the kids

are not that healthy. Maybe they don’t even talk to each other inside their

house. Unlike the narrator’s family, even though they only have the aroma

of their neighbor’s food, they try to enjoy it and take it as a blessing.

Like us Filipinos, we enjoy every bit of what we have. We even give or share

to other people the blessings that we receive in our everyday lives. Like what

my friend said “Isusubo mo na nga’t lahat, ibibigay mo pa sa kanya…” and

“Makita ko lang na busog kayo, busog na rin ako…”. We enjoy sacrificing for

the sake of our family and loved ones.

Back to the story, the father wants his children to see him as a great dad;

a strong dad that can always defend his family. This kind of family really

portrays typical Filipino families. In spite of problems, we still have time to

laugh. Staying in the corner of the room with a liter of tears going out our eyes

won’t help in solving problems. It would just give us more problems like health or psychological problems.^_^

In “How my brother Leon brought a wife”, for me, Leon and Maria were

just engaged. It seems like it is the first time that Leon introduced Maria to his

family. That time, parents are really strict in choosing their in-laws. It is so

unethical if they get married with out the blessing of their parents. The title

itself said “A WIFE”, in my interpretation, Leon brought an ideal wife. Maria

is an ideal wife that his family would approve. Until now, parents still interfere

in choosing the right one for their children. They want the best life for their

children. They make sure that their future in-laws would cope with their

practices and values to avoid future conflicts. That’s why Leon’s father

ask Maria’s initial reaction about Labang and their way home.

About Baldo, I still believe that his age is 10. A teenager doesn’t react

that way when other said “Good boy…” or a person praise his good job.

Only kids would feel that their heart sang and take note…he is a boy not

a girl…^_^ even tough he is very descriptive and detailed, it doesn’t mean

he’s not a kid anymore. Baldo was like that because like other said, maybe

he is attached to his brother so much so he want to make sure that Leon

did a good decision in choosing Maria. He tries to monitor every single

move of Maria so that he would know her attitude right away and discover

why Leon chooses her.^_^ . That’s my opinion… And in fact, boys live in

rural area of that generation gets married at the age of 16. At the early age of

8, boys are trained. They help their fathers in the field. So I’m not that

surprised that Baldo described Maria that way. And one more thing, Baldo

seemed to grab attention by keeps on telling story about Labang. ^_^ And

a little boy always do that. A teenager is more manly and shy so they want

to remain quiet especially if they’re with a sweet couple.