8/3/2019 Lit 102a Critical Paper

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PART ONE: DESCRIPTION

The story of MacArthur by Bob Ong is a novel that shows a Philippine setting of a slum community

wherein a group of four boys strive to live. Each with different situations, they still can get their

friendship intact amidst all happenings. The dilemma affects the boys' way of living wherein they just

resolve to considering it as part of their lives. Poverty which is the root of their difficulty was shown in

the story on how it would emerge in different ways and affect their lives.

PART TWO: INTERPRETATION

Words that would help in the delivery of the situation used common language and sometimes common

metaphors to better understand what's going on to the story. Like Champorado; nag-iitimang

marshmallows denotes feces; Pakete refers to packs of illegal drugs (i.e. shabu, and the like).

In this day and age, especially in our country, many of our fellow people would cry out the reason of

their hardships and trials in life is poverty. Affecting one's daily needs must be provided but when

scarcity comes, some would resolve to doing the unwanted, criminal and immoral acts. Like "Isang

pakete, lunok. Isa pang pakete, lunok ulit. Ikatlong pakete, lunok," which expresses the desire toshortcut ways, so that he won't experience something bad (due to his ingestion of the necklace), which

is the normal way but rather, he would feel like he "floats".

The author identifies different instances of a life in the slum area, which is unfortunately really happens.

Some instances describe crimes committed by the characters, corruption involved by them due to the

ruthless men, and getting used to doing illegal acts which confront them to addiction.

PART THREE: CRITICISM

As I read the novel, I was introduced to a life of poverty which made me ponder on many things. Ong's

description of every scene made me picture it out clearly and imagined that did he realized such thing in

order for him to write with such detail and precision? Where did he get that information or maybeinspiration? His approach is eye-opening, he struck it where everyone can understand and relate into,

he suited it in the current situation of most of our fellow people.

The vulgar language used in the novel disturbed be somehow, but thinking of it will fall back to reality.

The characters (four boys) were of young age, and balbalor street language is common to the people

living in the slum.

The idea of the set-up being in the slum areas is a good view of analyzing today's society of having

people who are poor, middle class, and rich. Because it takes you to the ground, to better see the

variety or a bigger picture. The boys in the novel shown an example of people having true hope, with

genuine aspirations too, like everyone of us, for whatever state in life one may be, which Ong explicitly

written and applied in the story of the boys.

I've read blogs regarding Ong's MacArthur and some said that this can be a good material for an indie

film, and if that came true, I would love to see it on film. Reality is his setting, and as persons one can

indulge oneself in any of the situations of the boys in the story. Again another good remark for Ong.

Lastly, his variety of scenes that happened but in one case which poverty made me in awe in his writing

ability.

8/3/2019 Lit 102a Critical Paper

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PART FOUR: INTEGRATE THE ACADEMIC AND THE PERSONAL

My life is way far from the characters in the story and it made me feel lucky especially where I am right

now. It made me more grateful in life and realize to continue to strive more. Life is not easy as they say,

there are no shortcuts. Shortcuts are there, but they are also easy to fly away, not permanent that's

why its short.

Getting a line from the story, "Dalawang dekada ka lang mag-aaral. Kung di mo pagtitiyagaan, anak,

limang dekada ng kahirapan ang kapalit. Sobrang lugi. Kung alam lang yan ng mga kabataan, sa

pananaw ko e walang gugustuhing umiwas sa eskwela,"I really didn't realize this not when I've read this

line. Well the whole line explains it, it's very shocking indeed because it's true. Its true because some

children neglect their studies and truth haunts me.

As an architecture student, I would gladly engage myself one day to helping the poor people have a

good place, a permanent one to live in. Wherein they would not anymore squat everywhere and would

live among us. Still in my young mind, many issues must be considered, but in the least that I

understood, I would only want them to be uplifted from their ill-fated life.