21st Century Literature

Celestino, Ashley A. November 24, 2020

12 – Aristotle Mr. Bobby T. Gonzales
Voice Tape Guide Questions:
1. What is the setting of the story?
- Santa Teresita, Cagayan
- Abu Dhabi
2. The narrator is telling the story based on what?
- The narrator (Dante) is telling the story based on past event. While the writer
(Ariel) tells the story based on his imagination.
3. List down 3 details describing Ato.
- Has high-pitched voice
- A man of few words
- Loving husband
4. The town is what? Is it rural? Urban?
- Santa Teresita is an urban municapility in Cagayan.
5. List down two local practices that were described in the story.
- Practice of wakes, the corpse is put inside a coffin where it will be displayed
usually for 3-7 days.
- The chicken’s head should be cut out to avoid deaths from their family.
6. Perform some research on CHDF.
CHDF or Civilian Home Defense Force, was an irregular paramilitary force
supervised and deployed by the heads of the local government in the Philippines.
The CHDF was active during the 1970s, and was officially disband in 1986 after
the People Power Revolution. However, the creation of Citizen Armed Force
Geographical Unit in 1987 provided an opportunity for CHDF members to once
again perform their former duties.
The basic mission of paramilitary forces is to support the armed forces in
maintaining a secured environment by safeguarding the community against the
communist insurgents. In the story CHDF look more as a threat to the people in
their town because some of them are alcoholic, they are drinking in public then
doing bad thing when they became drunk. They are forgetting what their role in
this country are.
It’s a good thing that CHDF was mentioned in the story because we were
able to have a little information about them. During those times, CHDF was a
total disaster, they were untrained and undisciplined. They steal rice and chicken
and forces peasants to bring them food and beers and even supply them with
women. I think that is why the one member of CHDF was killed by Ato, because
he couldn’t take their bad treatment to the people.
7. What do various parts of the story do in terms of helping the reader get to know
the characters better?
- It provides the reader some information about the characters and how they
act in certain situations. Those parts help the reader to fully understand the
role of the characters.
8. How do these episodes help characterize Ato?
- These episodes are like solving a mystery. Because on the first part, there
are only few information about Ato. But as you continue to read the story, you
will slowly know who Ato is, what is his role in the story, and what do he do in
the story.
9. Do you think what Ato committed was right? What details in the story led you to
your conclusion?
- In the part that he killed someone, for me it was not right because what if he
got caught? What will happen to his children if he go to jail? He should’ve
think first before he did such thing. In the other part, where he become sad
and depressed, and died. I understand his situation, and that he’s having a
hard time especially after hearing the voice tape. But, as a father and
husband, he should’ve become stronger to fight his battles for himself, his
wife, and for his children.
10. What did the voice tape have to do with the events of the story? Is it an important
part of the story?
- The voice tape was the reason behind the events of the story. Because the
voice tape explains the current situation of Ato’s wife abroad, which results to
his sadness and despair, until the accident happened.
11. How does the story characterize OFWs and what they had to deal with?
- The story tells that OFWs are the ones who doesn’t have an opportunity to
have a job in their own country, and because the value of money in other
countries are higher that’s why those people or OFWs choose to work abroad
despite its consequences. Working abroad is hard, and not all OFWs are
being successful because some of them are experiencing violence, but they
are still enduring it for their families.
12. The story makes you think about OFW and their situations. How do you feel
about it after reading the story?
- Being an OFW is a sacrifice. You don’t know if it’s worth it or not, you only
think about how you will help your family. There are so many risks present
when you want to be an OFW, like the situation of Ato’s wife. I feel sorry for
those who have the same situation like Ato’s wife, they are working hard for
their families but they are not treated properly, they deserve better. I can’t
blame those people who chose to work abroad, because even I want to work
abroad someday, because there are few job opportunities here in our country.