ACTIVITY 1

THE WITCH

by: Edilberto K. Tiempo

                     

Analysis 

 

Analysis of The Witch by Edilberto Tiempo is a reflection of the people. In this case, Filipino provincials tend to believe what is the talk of the town, regardless of knowing the real issue behind it. The narrator in the short story was an unnamed 12 year old boy who lived in a town surrounded by barrios. He was a flat character. In line with these texts, 'once I was told to go to Libas with a bottle of business concern for Tio Sabelos' wife, and I thought of bringing place shrimp to my mother', he was portrayed in the story as an obedient and dutiful lad. Being a 12 year old boy, he was easily affected by the rumors surrounding him, to the point of almost believing them without reasonable proofs. He was unnamed because he lacks his own identity. Toward the end, he said the jumping eyes of the biggest, which was still alive, seemed to glare at me---and then they traveled by the eyes of the witch. He, himself, got confused whether it was the witch's advocate or he was just affected by the rumors surrounding him. In this case, the author, Edilerto Tiempo, was successful in developing a twine percentage that will allow readers to decide whether or not to believe in such folklore.Minggay Awok was portrayed as the main antagonist in the story. She was speculated as the witch in the story and was blamed for all the unfortunate incidents that happened in their place. Toward the end of the story, he finds out that the witch actually seemed to be a kind old woman, but the stories he'd heard over the years would not allow him to trust her when she tried to help him.

Summary

The story written by Edilberto Tiempo is that a witch known as Minggay Awok (awok, meaning witch in Visayan language)resides nearby the creek separating the barrios of Libas and Sinit-an. Her strange appearance, solitary life, and rare visits to the barrios frightened the people. She has always been blamed whenever strange things happen. Thus, Minggay was often subjected to various killing attempts in order to stop the curse that she allegedly placed on them. However, their suspicions were never proven. One day, a boy who occasionally visits his uncle in Libas met an old woman while fishing in the creek. She had been so kind to direct him to a spot where he could get more shrimp. They chatted for a while until the boy finally realized that she was the "witch" that he had heard about. He immediately walked away with the shrimps and the dilemma of his encounter with the witch's contrasting image with the old woman by the creek.

       

Characters: 

Minggay – known as Minggay Awok , everyone said that she is a witch even beyond  Libas

The Boy- nephew of Tio Sabelo which is the main character of the story

Tio Sabelo- the boy’s favorite uncle, the head teacher of barrio school in Libas

 Pana- cousin of the boy, the partner of the boy when they go to the creek to get shrimps

Tio Sabelo’s Wife- a person whom the boy give a bottle of medicine

Settings:

Barrio of Libas

Minggay’s Hut near the Balete

Around evening way near to Minggay’s place

Tio Sabelo’s House

Tio Sabelo’s Farm

Plot:

     The main character has heard of rumors about Minggay Awok, the witch who was feared in Libas, but he truly has no idea who she was and when the narrator encountered an old woman taking a bath in the shade of a catmon tree. They had a conversation, not knowing that the boy was with the one that is feared by everybody in Libas.

Conflict:

   The conflict in the story is man vs. man

Theme:

   Don't judge a person because of someone else's rumors about her/him.

 

 Side questions:

Do you think Minggay is really a witch? Why and why not? Explain your answers.

 

I think Minggay is really not a witch because, as far as I read the short story, it makes me feel that she really isn’t. There is no concrete evidence that Minggay is really a witch. It is just a murmur because they found it scary that there was an old woman who lived nearby in the Balete. It doesn’t mean that if there is only one person living far from the barrio and lived in a creepy place, she could be considered as a witch. It’s just that she has the guts and strong personality from the things that happened to her that made her the kind of person she is now. People are constantly changing to move on from their life’s greatest nightmares.

 

'What is the relationship between the boy and Minggay?

 

 I think the relationship between the boy and Minggay is the boy is Minggay's grandson. At the end of the story, Minggay told the boy that he looked like her son when her son was the same age as the boy, and even said that her son could be the same age as the boy's father right now. But they’re totally just strangers.

 

 

 Explain the difference between a short story and other forms of literature like poetry, drama, essays, etc.

 

The difference between a short story and other forms of literature like poetry, drama, essays, and others is that a short story has elements like characters, settings, plot, conflict, and a theme that make the reader think. Unlike poetry, drama, and essays, short stories don’t follow any kind of writing scheme like poetry.