A Night in the Hills

A Night in the Hills 

By: Paz Marquez-Benitez

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. ... For Marquez-Benitez, writing was a lifelong occupation.

Vocabulary:

Azotea - a flat roof or platform on the top of a house or other building.

camisa de chino - an undershirt

misas de gallo - an event in the Philippines during Christmas Season

Characters:

Gerardo Luna -  salesman in a jewelry store, Protagonist.

His Wife - Antagonist.

Ambo - the man who buys some jewelry for his wife's store, orchid gatherer.

Ate Tere or Sotera - A mistress of her also younger brother.

Peregrina - Flat, static. Fiancee

Setting:

Intramuros, Manila, Philippines. A long time ago, fine weather.

Exposition: 

In the first part where Gerardo Luna is being introduce, and the story mentioned the secret of Luna having a long time dream of going to the forest.

Rising Action:

This part where Gerardo has a conversation with his wife about such dream, but she brushes it off. He then forgets about that dream. 

Climax:

He then went to the forest because her wife died. When he went to the forest, he experienced things that he didn't expect the nature has.

Falling Action: 

He had a hard time in the forest. Things started going different and realized that the forest is very different from his dreams. 

Ending:

When Gerardo got back home, he felt very disappointed and full of melancholy. He wanted to get back to reality.

Symbolism: 

Gerardo's dreams and experience about nature to how we see life. We must be always prepared to whatever happens in reality, even if it's very difficult, too much responsibility. Have the confidence to face them all.

Theme: 

"things are not always as they appear to be"  -Phaedrus

Lesson:

Always be ready when the time comes that you have to face reality. Exploring things is fine, but don't be shocked when the one that you have expected didn't turn out as expected.