21st Century Literature From the Philippines & the World

FINAL PERFORMANCE TASK

By: Jescel Mae P. Dulay

 

Country: CHINA



A COUNTRY BOY QUITS SCHOOL

By: LAO HSIANG

Brief Summary: A boy was sent in a school for the first time because of a law and not because of the family’s decision. As the boy learns new things from his teachers, his parents are not capable enough to understand and handle their child anymore. They became ignorant of it and they wanted to stop the boy from going to school, just like them.

Personal Learnings: Education is a powerful weapon to fight poverty and ignorance. It opens a positive mind for anyone who will be glad to enter the school for formal education.

Country: ITALY

SILK

By: ALESSANDRO BARICCO

Brief Summary: A French silkworm merchant who is Herve Joncour travelled accross the "land of the rising sun" (Japan) just to buy silkworm eggs. There, he met a woman that captured his heart and made him return for three times in Japan. Inspite of the fact that the woman was a concubine and they use different language, they still manage to love each other secretly.

Personal Learnings: Love and lust differs from one another, yet it was perceived to be both romantic and strong enough to fight and sacrifice what you have for the person you love or you are attracted with.

Country: MEXICO

MALINCHE

By: LAURA ESQUIVEL

Brief Summary: Malinche which means “tongue” was named to Malinalli as she became an interpreter/translator of the conqurer, Hernan Cortes. Love grew between them but Malinalli soon noticed that Cortes can do whatever it takes to feed his greed of conquering even their own love can be at risk.

Personal Learnings: Words serve as an instrument and a bridge for all the people to communicate better and efficiently. Words can be either a sword or a medicine depending on how a certain person use it.

Country: ENGLAND



SEVEN AGES OF A MAN

By: WIILIAM SHAKESPEARE

Brief Summary: The life of a person has seven various stages or acts which one may enter and exit from birth until death. The first act is the infant, who is being well-taken care of. Second is the schoolboy, who dislikes to go to school. Third is the lover, who is hopelessly romantic in love. Forth is the soldier, who takes oaths and promises for the nation. Fifth is the judge, who is fair, wise, and respected. Sixth is an old man, who is turning again into a child, helpless and weak. Lastly is the dead, who is cold as ice and will never awake from the long sleep.

Personal Learnings: Every man has a role to play in the society. Each role differs as time goes by and whether you like or not, you must face it responsibly.

Country: AFGHANISTAN



A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS

By: KHALED HOSSEINI

Brief Summary: Mariam and Laila are young women who were both married to Rasheed. They share a miserable life together. Laila escaped from Rasheed with her children and her love, Tariq. However, Mariam killed Rasheed for them to escaped and eventually, she got killed as punishment.

Personal Learnings: Everyone must be treated equally for all of us has human rights and dignity to hold on despite of the different gender we have and the judgmental society we live in.

Country: ENGLAND



SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY LIKE THE NIGHT

By: LORD BYRON

Brief Summary: The speaker of the poem expresses his love for a certain woman passionately that he even compares her to an alluring night with a stary sky. His comparison leads him to see the inner beauty of the woman he loves rather than her physical beauty alone.

Personal Learnings: Your love for someone can be shown creatively, it isn’t limited to any rules and other hindrances. True love can be felt once in a blue moon, but it lasts forever.

Country: AMERICA

THE VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT

By: AMY TAN

Brief Summary: Lulu was born with an excess finger in her both hands. Neverteheless, her parents decided to cut it off which made Lulu feel undesired and rejected. 

Personal Learnings: Love yourself! Accept what God has given you, nourish it and never be ashamed of it.

Country: ENGLAND




CORALINE

By: NEIL GAIMAN

Brief Summary: Coraline met another version of her parents in a different world whrein she thinks of them better than her real pareants. Eventually she became aware that everything she sees is fake in that world. After all her hatred, she still chose to be with her real parents in the end.

Personal Learnings: Appreciate the time and unique qualities of your parents. Understand them and be careful always on what you wish for.

Country: NIGERIA



TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

By: WOLE SOYINKA

Brief Summary: A black-African man calls a landlady to rent a room. In the conversation, the man mentions about his color and race, after which a silence was given as a sign of an impolite refusal to him.

Personal Learnings: The color and race of a person should not be our basis on how we see and treat others. We are all equal to the eyes of God so we must see ourselves equal from one another as well.

Country: JAPAN



THE BOY NAMED CROW

By: HARUKI MURAKAMI

Brief Summary: A boy named Kafka plans to run away from home on his 15th birhday. But Crow, his friend kept on asking him about his plan of running away. He tells so much things about the life in the outside world where he has no one like his father. Crow reminds him to be tough as there'll be always a storm in his journey, but as he pass the storm he believes that he will be a different person.

Personal Learnings: Be strong and tough enough in facing life challenges. However, accept the fact that you are not always alone, you should learn how to lean on other’s shoulder.

Running away may not also solve anything but as a teenager like Kafka (Crow), it may help for instance to grow and understand life better independently.