A Night In The Hills

A Night In The Hills

Title: A Night In The Hills

Author: Paz Márquez – Benítez

Author’s Background: Born in 1894 in Lucena, Tayabas (now Quezon). Marquez – Benítez authored the first Filipino modern English language short story, Dead Stars, published in the Philippine Herald in 1925. Born into the prominent Marquez family of Quezon province, she was among the first generation of Filipino people trained in the American education system which used English as the medium of instruction. She graduated high school in Tayabas High School now, Quezon National High School. She was a member of the first freshman class of the University of the Philippines, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1912.

Vocabulary: 

azotea – a flat roof.

carreton – a cart with firewood being pulled by a horse.

kaingin – employing a technique of clearing land by slashing and burning underbush and trees and plowing the ashes under for fertilizer.

camisa de chino – an undershirt.


misas de gallo – an event in the Philippines during Christmas season.

Characters:

Gerardo Luna - a jewelry store salesman in his 30’s,  Protagonist, Developing.

His wife – Antagonist of the story.

Ambo - an orchid gatherer who buys some jewelry for his wife’s store.

Ate Tere or Sotera – Gerardo was a younger brother to the former mistress of her also younger brother.

Peregrina – Gerardo’s fianceé.

Setting: place – in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines
Exposition: Gerardo Luna is being introduced, with the mention of his secret long-time dream of going to the forest.
Rising action: He tells her wife about such dream, but she brushes it off; thus, he forgets about that dream. Then she dies.

Climax: is when Gerardo is finally in the forest, and he experiences things that he has never though the forest has.

Falling action: Things start to fall when Gerardo realizes that the forest is not exactly what he has always dreamed. 

Ending: It is when he goes back home, Gerardo feels he should get back to reality.

Symbolism: The forest represents, an unexplored realm full of the unknown, has great connection with the symbolism of the mother, it is a place where life thrives.
Theme: things are not always as they appear to be is applicable to this story. 
Lesson: In life what ever happen always follow your dreams. And gained new life experience.