PHILIPPINE

LITERATURE

GROUP III

The dancers

by: alberto s. florentino jr.

The Dancers is a

story/drama written by Alberto S.Florentino Jr. It is all about a typical Filipino family composed of Father, Mother and Children or Siblings. It is a story of a poor family who struggles in the harshness of poverty. Because of poverty, Mang Tomas (the father) wants his youngest daughter- Nenita to join her sister Rita and make a living at a young age as a club dancer. The older brother –Tony does not approve to his father’s decision and the youngest sibling –Juanito seems become submissive and no longer argue with them. As well as their Mother does not approve to her husband’s decision, but then Mang Tomas persistently insist because for him he has the right and he has the authority to decide for his daughters being their father.

characters

Mang Tomas (static)PHYSICAL:• Not that old to stop working.• Strong and healthy.• He is a man.• Forty years of age.• The father of Tony, Juanito, Rita and Nenita• The husband of the wife (Mother).SOCIAL:• A calesa driver before.• From a poor family.• Catholic (affiliation) PSYCHOLOGICAL:• A high-handed Father.• An idle husband/ Father.• A wicked Father/husband.• Selfish• Disrespectful • Useless.• Sinful.MORAL:• Mang Tomas is not a good example to his family. He is immoral by tolerating his

daughters to dance at the club/salon even to go with the Chinese. He seems right for himself even he is not, he doesn’t know how to listen to his son and wife.

(static because from the start to end of the drama/dialogue his character as a father insisting his family to send his daughter Nenita to the salon/club was still the same and he was victorious in sending his daughter at the salon/club at the end of the drama.)

Mother (static)PHYSICAL:• She is a woman.• An old woman.• Wife of Mang Tomas.• Her heart gets weaker and weaker everyday.• Age (didn’t mention in the story).

SOCIAL:• Market vendor.• From a poor family.• Catholic (affiliation).

PSYCHOLOGICAL:• An industrious mother.• A very loving mother.• Religious • A devoted Mother.• Caring.

MORAL:She is a good wife to her husband and a good Mother to her siblings.

She always praying for their safety and praying to give them strength everyday. She always worry about her children and still working hard to pay debts.

(static because no changes in her character as a Mother.)

Tony (static)PHYSICAL:• Older brother.• Eldest son.• About twenty- one years of age.• Wearing denim pants and T-shirts.SOCIAL:• A jeepney driver.• From a poor family.• Catholic.PSYCHOLOGICAL:• A good brother.• Hardworking son.• Respectful son.• A loving son/brother.• A supportive brother.MORAL:He is a good brother to his sister and a very supportive son to his parents. He

gives his money to his mother to be able to pay debts. And he respect his father even his father hits him hard on the face but he never fight back.

(static because his character being a supportive son never change and he still disapproved the decision of his father until the end of the story.)

Juanito (developing)PHYSICAL:• A thin gangling boy.• Twelve years of age.• Wearing shorts.• Youngest son of Mang Tomas.• The youngest brother of the family.SOCIAL:• He always accompany his sister Rita at the

cabaret/bar/club.• From a poor family.PSYCHOLOGICAL:• Very emotional person.• Very young.• Childish.MORAL:Juanito, as a younger brother of the family, his character

being the source of information about what happened to his sister –Rita, Juanito is a supportive brother.

(developing because his character changed and developed. At first he never intend to share what really bothers him and he is so sensitive and shouts if someone ask him why he is not feeling well but on the later part of the story he burst out his feelings and cry out loud and refuses his sister to accompany them at the bar.)

Rita (static)PHYSICAL :• Eldest child• About 26 years old• Very mature lookingSOCIAL :• A dancer/ a club dancer• From a poor familyPSYCHOLOGICAL :• A supportive child• Provider/ a good provider• Emotional • HardworkingMORAL :

Being a dancer, Rita provides living for their family. Maybe we can say that being a club dancer is an act of immorality but if it is a pure act of dancing we can’t say it is an act of immorality but an act of entertaining people. Rita was sent to dancing at the young age because of their need of money for the medicines of their mother when it got sick.

(static because her character never changes.)

Nenita (static)PHYSICAL:• A growing girl of seventeen years old• Youngest daughterSOCIAL :• From a poor familyPSYCHOLOGICAL :• Submissive • She never protest not to go with her sister Rita.

Elena (developing)PHYSICAL:• She’s around 23 years old.• Gaudily dressed in a bright colored, tight,

short skin.• She wears heavy make-up and a shawl

around her shoulder.SOCIAL:• CLUB DANCER• Maybe from a poor family too.PSYCHOLOGICAL: • She’s emotional.

.SETTING.

a) Place: at a doorway, a wide low window and three steps of adobe stones. At the front yard of a poor family’s dwelling on the skirts of the city.

b) Time: Early evening.c) Social Conditions: They are from a poor family.d) Mood or Atmosphere: sarcastic, excited, violent

outburst, shocked, speechless, hate, scared, crying, pain, struggling, screams, mad, calm, loud, ignoring, shouting,sad, etc.

e) Language: Tagalog, English.Scenery: two long wooden benches, one on each side.

Downstage, an old rattan chair, probably salvaged from a nearby dump.

The street is to the left. The sound of children playing can be heard.

.plot.

BEGINNING

Early evening, Tony came to their house from working as a jeepney driver. He noticed that his younger brother Juanito, who is sitting in front of their house, doesn’t join the other children playing near their house. Tony is trying to convince his brother to join the children playing but Juanito shouted at him. Then he saw his sister, Nenita, sitting indecently while reading her comics, “Filipino Komiks”, then Tony says “ look at the way you sit! No wonder those boys at the corner were all looking this way!” then Nenita sits properly.But Juanito showed actions saying that he don’t want to accompany his sister in buying a new comics. And their father noticed that Tony is already home, he forced Tony to give him some money.

EXPOSITION

Nenita, a growing girl of seventeen, sits on the long, wooden bench at the right of her unshod feet resting on it. And reading her a copy of “Pilipino Komiks”. Then, at that moment when Nenita gone to buy a new comics, her Mother arrived and talked with her husband –Mang Tomas and they knew that Mang Tomas went at the bar and talked with the manager to let Nenita take in-to work for him.

MIDDLE

COMPLICATION When Rita noticed Juanito and said to him that he must get ready because they are getting late in going to work. Then she entered the house to dressed up. Then Elana, friend of Rita who also dance at the salon goes over to Juanito and said that he must move and get raedy but Juanito didn’t even bother to answer Elana. Elena still keep on asking Juanito if he will accompany them and Juanito shouted “No!”. Then Elena started rising her voice explaining and make him to understand that if he will not go with them their Mother will worry much about Rita but still Juanito refused so madly.

CRISISAnd there after Juanito called Elena a harlot because of his anger,

Rita was so mad to Juanito and asking him why he called Elena that way but instead of asking sorry to his sister Rita, he burst out that it was true! Because he heard the young men talk about her and they always talk about her. But Rita disapproved and told Juanito a liar. Rita shakes him violently. Her nails digging into his shoulder and because Juanito get hurt Juanito said in pain “let me go or I'll tell you about the Chinese!”. Rita shakes him with fury and said “what Chinese are you talking about?”. Juanito screams “ARAY! YOU WENT WITH HIM LAST NIGHT! I FOLLOWED YOU INTO A ROOM! YOU WERE GONE IN A LONG TIME!” then Rita shouted him “Liar! Liar! Liar!”

Rita was so surprised and shocked about what she heard from Juanito. At the height of her anger she slaps him several times on the face and pushes him to the ground. And Rita is about to kick him –were it not for Tony who, with his Father, had watched the whole scene in silence from the window. He steps forward and stops her in time. Juanito picks himself up and rushes down the street crying.

Because of that argumentation Rita still wanted to go to salon even without Juanito but their father tried to stop Rita not because he don’t wanted Rita to dance but their Mother can’t sleep at night if she will go alone. So her father Mang Tomas decided and got the chance to let Nenita to join Rita to dance at the salon.

Their brother Tony dissapproved his father but his father suddenly hits him hard on the face then Tony falls to the ground and he quickly stands up dazed with blood on his lips.

OBLIGATORY SCENE

DISCOVERY

Then their Mother saw Tony with blood on his lips but Tony run away. Then their Mother saw her daughter Rita and Nenita dressed up and asked her husband where they will go and Mang Tomas said that they will go at the salon. . Then their Mother started crying because she don’t want her baby daughter –Nenita to dance at the salon but his husband is stronger than her and she don’t have the chance to stop him in letting Nenita to join Rita at the salon. And Juanito, run to her crying…

conflicta) Type: External Conflict A struggle with a force outside

one’s self.

b) Kind: “ Man vs. Circumstances” “Man vs. Man”

theme

Poverty ruins an individual, a family and a society.