Bienvenido Santos: 1. Know The Background of The Author

1.
Know the background of the Author

Bienvenido Santos
 A short story writer, novelist, poet and teacher
 He was conferred the title “Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris causa” by the University
of the Philippines, De La Salle and the University of Nueva Caceres.
 Received the SEAwrite Award in 1987 and was De La Salle University’s artist-in-
resisdence in 1986.
(March 22, 1911 – January 7, 1996) was a Filipino-American fiction, poetry and nonfiction writer. He
was born and raised in Tondo, Manila. His family roots are originally from Lubao,
Pampanga, Philippines. He lived in the United States for many years where he is widely credited as a
pioneering Asian-American writer.
Santos received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of the Philippines where he first
studied creative writing under Paz Marquez Benitez. In 1941, Santos was a
government pensionado (scholar) to the United States at the University of Illinois, Columbia
University, and Harvard University. He had arrived in San Francisco on October 12, 1941 aboard
the Ruth Alexander leaving his wife and three daughters in the Philippines.[1] When war in the Pacific
came to the Philippines on December 8 (December 7 Hawaii time) he feared he would never see his
family again—a reality that "not only interrupted his study of realism; it was overwhelming it" leading
to a transformation in his sense of national consciousness and identity.[2] That crisis changed the
nature of his writing into a less carefree style to one mixing laughter and pain; described
by Florentino Valeros as "a man hiding tears in his laughter."[2]
During World War II, he served with the Philippine government in exile under President Manuel L.
Quezon in Washington, D.C., together with the playwright Severino Montano and Philippine National
Artist Jose Garcia Villa. Santos left for home on January 17, 1946 aboard the Uruguay arriving in
early February.[2][note 1][3]
In 1967, he returned to the United States to become a teacher and university administrator. He
received a Rockefeller fellowship at the Writers Workshop of the University of Iowa where he later
taught as a Fulbright exchange professor. Santos has also received a Guggenheim Foundation
fellowship, a Republic Cultural Heritage Award in Literature as well as several Palanca Awards for
his short stories. Scent of Apples won a 1980 American Book Award from the Before Columbus
Foundation.
Santos received an honorary doctorate degrees in humanities and letters from the University of the
Philippines, and Bicol University (Legazpi City, Albay) in 1981. He was also a Professor of Creative
Writing and Distinguished Writer in Residence at the Wichita State University from 1973 to 1982, at
which time the university awarded him an honorary doctorate degree in humane letters. After his
retirement, Santos became Visiting Writer and Artist at De La Salle University in Manila; the
university honored Santos by renaming its creative writing center after him.
2. Identify the narrator of the story
o Selmo is the narrator of the story. Cario his brother is one of the leaders of the
men who fought the Japanese soldiers. He is often not at home. He sneaks in at
night and leaves the house the same night. Which made their parents and his
brother’s wife sad and in grief.
Character
o Japanese soldiers- they were called as “Japs” and “beasts” that were in men’s
clothing.
o Selmo- a boy who is scared of the Japs and often dream about them chasing him.
He don’t understand everything but he knows the truth that the Japanese
soldiers were invading them and taking away the smiles villagers once worn.
o Selmo’s Father- he believes that there is still hope that they can live normally
again.
o Selmo’s Mother- Cario and Selmo’s mother who always prepare food for them
and attend to their needs, and one of those women who always pray. Cario-
Selmo’s brother. He has a wife and a son but he’s not always present because he is
the “leader of men”. he needs to lead them to fight against the ‘beasts’.
o Maid- she always giggle and Selmo thinks that she is crazy.
o Nonoy- son of Nena and Cario
o Nena- wife of Cario who cries a lot, weeping for her lost husband.
o Marta- Elder sister of Bundio. She came with her family one night at Selmo’s
house.
o Bundio- young brother of Marta
o Tiong Matias- Father of Marta and Bundio who held the torch as they take the
trail to Selmo’s house.
o Father Julian- an American priest who serves as the peoples messenger of faith.
He shares them wisdom and encourage them in times of difficulties
o Celo- a father of a child who consult father Julian because his son is not well.
o Cardo- son of Celo who sadly died and was prayed by father Julian.
3. At what point of Philippine History did the
story happen?
The story happened way back in December 1941 during the invasion of Japanese in
our country. The people in the barrio were fine before but when the Japs came it was not
as happy as it was. Suddenly, the people were full of fear. The Japanese continued their
violence and cruelties in the streets of their barrio.
The Japanese soldiers always come by the corn fields every now and then, and check
if the crops are ready to harvest. When it was harvest time, they take the crops and carry
all the harvests in truck loads. The barrio people lost hope and decided never to plant
again.
4. Would the story have more effective if have

been told from the point of view of another
character? Why or why not.
It will not be more effective, if it will be based from another point of view of
another character. No one will be more effective than the victims and abuses from
the residing in the barrio. They take all the crops/harvests that the people worked
hard for.
5. Why is the story titled Early harvest?

6. Explain the theme of the Story.
The Theme of the story is Good and Evil. The people of the barrio who fought the
Japanese soldiers. They were the people who stood up for themselves in the war against
the Japanese people. The Good side of the Theme is the Harvest that the people of the
barrio worked hard for. The Evil side is the abusive and maltreatment that the people of
the barrio experience from the Japs/Beasts.

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Know the background of the Author

4. Would the story have more effective if have

5. Why is the story titled Early harvest?

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