PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

     Nagsimula ang kwento sa Istaked na kung saan pinagkakaguluhan ng mga tao si Tata Selo sa kadahilanang napatay nito ang Kabesang Tano na nagmamay-ari ng lupang sinasakahan ni Tata Selo, na ayon sa kanya ay pag-aari niya noon subalit naisanla niya at naembargo.

    Nataga at napatay ni Tata Selo ang Kabesa sa kadahilanang pinaalis ito sa kanyang lupang sinasakahan subalit tumanggi at pinagpilitan ni Tata Selo na malakas pa siya at kaya pa niyang magsaka, subalit tinungkod ito ng tinungkod ng Kabesa sa noo paliwanag ni Tata Selo sa binatang anak ng pinakamayamang propitaryo, sa Alkalde at maging sa Hepe na nagmalupit sa kanya sa loob ng istaked na pawang mga kilala ng Kabesa.

      Nang makalawang araw, dumalaw ang anak niyang si Saling na dati’y nakatira at nanilbihan sa Kabesa, subalit umuwi ito sa kadahilanang nagkasakit ito makalawang araw bago ang insindente, Nakakahabag si Tata Selo nang maisipan nalang nitong pauwiin si Saling sa kadahilang wala na silang magagawa, pinatawag si Saling nang Alkalde sa kaniyang tanggapan at pinuntahan niya iyon at hindi nakinig sa ama nito, dumating muli ang bata na dumalaw sa kanya at inutusan upang pumunta sa tanggapan ng alkalde subalit hindi ito papasukin pahayag ng bata, Hindi ito inalintana ni Tata Selo at sinabi nalang nito na “inagaw sa kanya ang lahat”.

🔖ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

         Rogelio Sicat, famously known as "Rogelio Sikat", is a Filipino short story writer, playwright, and novelist born on June 26, 1940 in the town of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. He is the sixth out of the eigth children of Estanislao Sikat and Crisanta Rodriguez. Some of his classic masterpieces are "Impeng Negro" which is a story of a black guy. Apart from being a writer, he is also a former university educator/professor and College Dean at University of the Philippines - College of Arts and Letters. 

🔖MAIN CHARACTERS IN THE STORY:

• TATA SELO - He is a helpless farmer that being judged, hated, and condemned by many hypocritical judgmental people. He was sentenced for murdering Kabesang Tano, who evicted him from farmland. 
• KABESANG TANO - He is the new landlord of the land that Tata Selo farms. He was killed by Tata Selo because of being ignorant and greedy. 
• SALING - She is 17 years old and the only child of Tata Selo. She worked as a housemaid in Kabesang Tano’s household.
• ALKALDE - He is the town mayor and the one who talked to Saling about the condition of his father, Tata Selo. 
• TSIP - He is the chief police officer that mercilessly hurt Tata Selo. 
• BINATA - He is the son of San Roques’ richest proprietor. 
• AMANG - The son of a farmer sneaks into the prison to see Tata Selo.

🔖THEME OF THE STORY:

        From the story of Tata Selo, I noticed that it wants us to see a father's love to his family in which he is willing to sacrifice and give up everything he can do for the sake of his family. Another theme of the story is the inequality and discrimination in achieving justice for different social status in the society. I've observed that justice favorably works and can be easily attained by high class people or those who have higher social status in the society. 

 

🔖MORAL LESSON FROM THE STORY:

        We all know that the world we live in is crucial and aiming for justice is difficult for those people who belongs to low social status in the society. That lesson really happens in real-life, even today wherein high social status personalities have privilege and access to justice. Poor people are being left behind and they couldn't go with the flow of how society works. For me, justice should be served equally for every person in the society even if they are capable or not. I saw a brave, hopeful, resilient, loving, and courageous in Tata Selo which he faced different challenges in life and did not think of giving up even if it is hard for him to achieve the justice. Those characters of Tata Selo showcased the willingness of Filipinos to overcome difficulties.  In my perspective, we humans, we should show love and care and be kind for everyone because all of us are passing through different situations in life and we don't see how each other is struggling just to survive.