Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region IV-A CALABARZON
City Schools Division Office of Antipolo
ANTIPOLO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Olalia Rd., Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Antipolo City School ID 301418 e-mail [email protected]

MELC 3 Appraise the unity of plot setting and characterization in a material viewed to achieve
the writer’s purpose (VC)
LESSON: Plot, Setting, and Characterization Reference: SLM page 16

Suggested Activity
Set the Mood with Music
 Begin the class by playing a short piece of instrumental music. As the music plays, ask the
students to close their eyes and imagine a story that the music might be telling. (“Adagio
for Strings” by Samuel Barber/ “The Swan” from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-
Saëns/ “Lacrimosa” from Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
 After the music ends, ask the students to jot down what they imagined—whether it was
images, emotions, or even a brief storyline.
 Ask the student, "How far would you go for love, and what would you risk to bring
someone back?"

Myths are stories about gods, goddesses, and heroes passed from one generation to
another. Many Greek myths have a great deal of influence on our culture.

Orpheus
by Alice Low
Reference: Celebrating Diversity through World Literature pp.55-57

There were nine goddesses called Muses. Born out of Zeus and Titaness named
Mnemosyne, each muse presided over a different art of science. Calliope, one of these sisters,
was the inspiration of poets and musicians. She was the mother of Orpheus (a mortal because
his father was one) and gave her son a remarkable talent for music. Orpheus played his lyre so
sweetly that he charmed all things on earth. Men and women forgot their cares when gathered
around him to listen. Wild beasts lay down as they gathered around him as if they were tame,
entranced by his soothing notes. Even rocks and trees followed him, and the rivers changed their
direction to hear him play. Orpheus loved a young woman named Eurydice, and when they
were married, they looked forward to many years of happiness together. But soon after,
Eurydice stepped on a poisonous snake and died. Orpheus roamed the earth, singing sad
melodies to try to overcome his grief. But it was no use. He longed for Eurydice so deeply that he
decided to follow her to the underworld. He said to himself, “No mortal has ever been there
before, but I must try to bring back my beloved Eurydice. I will charm Persephone and
Hades with my music and win Eurydice’s release.” He climbed into a cave and through a dark
passage that led to the underworld. When he reached the river Styx, he plucked his lyre again,
and Cerberus, the fierce three-headed dog who guarded the gates, heard the sweet music and
lay still to let him pass. Orpheus continued to play his lyre tenderly as he made his way through
the gloomy underworld. The ghosts cried when they heard his sad music. Sisyphus, who had
been condemned to roll a rock uphill forever, stopped his fruitless work to listen. Tantalus, who
had been sentenced to stand in a pool of receding water, stopped trying to quench his thirst. And
even the wheel to which Ixion was tied as punishment stopped turning for one moment.
At last, Orpheus came to the palace of Hades and Persephone, King and Queen of the
underworld. Before they could offer him to leave, he began his gentle song, pleading for
Eurydice. When stern Hades heard Orpheus’ song, he began to weep. Cold Persephone was so
moved that, for the first time in all her months in the underworld, her heart melted. “Oh, please,
my husband,” she said to Hades, “let Eurydice be reunited with Orpheus.” They summoned
Eurydice, and the two lovers clasped each other and turned to leave. “Wait!” said Hades to
Orpheus. “Eurydice is yours to take back to earth on one condition.” What is that?” asked
Orpheus “She must follow you, and you must not look back at her until you are on earth again.”
“I understand,” said Orpheus, and “I am forever grateful.” Orpheus and Eurydice left the
underworld and made their way through the dark passage that led to the upper world. At last,
they reached the cave through which Orpheus had descended. “I can see daylight ahead” called
Orpheus to Eurydice. “We are almost there.”But Eurydice had not heard him, and so she did not

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answer. Orpheus turned to make sure that she was still following him. He caught one last
glimpse of her arms stretched out to him. And then she disappeared, swallowed by darkness.
“Farewell,” he heard her cry as she was carried back to the underworld. Orpheus tried to follow
her, but this time the gods would not allow it. And so he wandered the earth alone. He sang his
sad songs to the trees and longed for the time when he, too, would die and be reunited with his
beloved Eurydice in the underworld.

CHARACTERS (CHARACTERIZATION), PLOT AND SETTING

 Characters
Characters refer to persons, persons, creatures or things serving as actors or movers in a
story. They portray specific roles with corresponding dialogues and plot lines. Stories have
protagonist/s and antagonist/s.
 Characterization
Characterization is a writer’s tool, or “literary device” that occurs any time the author uses
details to teach us about a person. This is used over the course of a story in order to tell
the tale. Let’s figure it out from the example below:
 In the Harry Potter series, Dobby refers to Potter as “the noble Harry Potter,” or
“good Harry Potter,” which shows us how the house elf adores the young wizard. It
might also be a hint of how Dobby would show affection for other people he admires.
 Plot
Plot shows how the author arranges events to develop the basic idea; There are five
essential parts of plot:
 Exposition (introduction) is the beginning of the story.
 Conflict can be any form of struggle the main character faces. there may be only
one central struggle, or there may be many minor obstacles within a dominant
struggle.
o Character vs. Self -struggles with own soul, physical limitations, choices, etc.
o External - Struggle with a force outside one's self.
o Character vs. Character - Struggles against other people.
o Character vs. Nature - Struggles against animals, weather, environment, etc.
o Character vs. Society - Struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of
others
 Climax is the turning point of the story. Readers wonder what will happen next; will
the conflict be resolved or not?
 Falling action is where the resolution begins; events and complications start to fall
into place. These are the events between climax and denouement.
 Resolution (Conclusion) is the final outcome of events in the story.
 Setting
Setting refers to the time and location when and where a story takes place. For some
stories, the setting is very important; while for others, it is not. When examining how
setting contributes to a story, there are multiple aspects to consider:
 Place - Geographical location; where is the action of the story taking place?
 Time - Historical period, time of day, year, etc.; when is the story taking place?
 Weather Conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.?
 Social Conditions - What is the daily life of the character's like? Does the story
contain local color (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs,
etc. of a particular place)?
 Mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story?

Suggested Activity and Reading Text (Daedalus and Icarus LM pp. 13-15)
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Each group will discuss the following questions:
Plot: What are the major events in the story? How do these events contribute to the
overall message or theme?
Setting: How does the setting influence the mood and events in the story? Could the
story have taken place in a different setting?
Characterization: How are the characters portrayed? How do their actions and
personalities contribute to the development of the plot?
Unity: How do the plot, setting, and characterization work together to achieve the writer’s
purpose?

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 MELC 6 Evaluate and make judgments about a range of texts using a set of criteria, e.g.
comparing arguments on the same topic, critiquing a short story (LC)
LESSON: Evaluating and making Judgments Reference: SLM page 29

EVALUATING AND MAKING JUDGMENTS

In making judgments, it is necessary that evaluators form the sense of objectivity. Being
objective means being fair. There is no presence of bias. Personal feelings are detached from the
act of judgment. Giving judgment vary from images, media, texts and images. Judging these
complex works or performances becomes easier with the help of criteria. These criteria guide the
evaluators on the scope and limitation of what to judge or examine.
Basically, criteria are set of standards and/or principles considered in judging a particular work,
output or performance. They may vary depending on the what is to be judged or evaluated, i.e.
criteria in evaluating an essay may be different in evaluating a song.

The most common indicators in evaluating a text include the following:

1. Content refers to the idea, concept, focus or details of the subject matter as discussed in text.
2. Cohesion refers to the connection and organization of words, phrases, ideas and concepts
presented in the texts.
3. Grammar deals with fluency and accuracy in terms of language structure and facility.
4. Mechanics refers to accuracy in punctuations and capitalization.
5. Word Choice deals with appropriateness of words especially in terms of depth and level of
formality.
6. Tone refers to the emotion or feelings attached as expressed by the texts.

Thought there are still other points to consider in evaluating texts, these six (6) indicators are the
most common criteria used.

Suggested Activity
Directions: Divide the class into groups and assign each group to evaluate either Icarus’s or
Daedalus’ point of view.

Icarus: The Thrill of Flight

I had always admired my father's genius, though I never understood the full extent of his
brilliance until the day he revealed the wings. My heart raced as he showed me how to wear
them, explaining the wax and feathers that would carry us far from this cursed island.

He spoke of dangers, but his words were lost on me, drowned out by the thrill of what was to
come. I had never felt the wind beneath me, never imagined the world from above. My heart
pounded with excitement as we took flight, the world shrinking below us, the sky our new
domain.

Higher and higher I flew, the sun beckoning me with its warmth. I could feel the power in my
wings, the freedom I had never known. My father's voice was distant, a mere whisper against the
roar of the wind.

But as the sun grew closer, the warmth turned to heat. I felt the wax soften, the feathers
loosening. Panic surged through me as I realized my mistake, but it was too late. My wings were
falling apart, and with them, my dreams of freedom.

The world rushed up to meet me, the sea a cold and unforgiving embrace. I had flown too close
to the sun, but for a moment, I had known what it was to be free.

1. Content
What central theme is conveyed through Icarus's perspective, and how effectively does
the story highlight the thrill of freedom and its consequences?
2. Cohesion
How are the ideas of excitement, freedom, and downfall connected in Icarus’s narrative?
3. Grammar
Are the sentences in the narrative structured correctly and fluently?
4. Mechanics

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 Is the punctuation used correctly and effectively in the narrative?
5. Word Choice
How appropriate are the words used to convey Icarus’s excitement and eventual panic?
6. Tone
What tone is set in Icarus’s narrative, and how does it influence your emotional response?

Daedalus: The Weight of Responsibility

The moment I saw Icarus, I knew he was my greatest creation. More than any labyrinth or statue,
he was my legacy, my reason for living. When Minos trapped us on this island, I swore to myself
that I would find a way to give him the life he deserved.

Building the wings was no easy task. Every feather, every thread of wax was a labor of love, a
means of escape. But it wasn't just the physical challenge that weighed on me; it was the
responsibility. Icarus was young, impulsive, and full of life. How could I trust him to heed my
warnings?

As we prepared for flight, I gave him strict instructions. "Fly a middle course," I told him, my
voice heavy with the fear of what could go wrong. I watched as he nodded, but in his eyes, I saw
the gleam of excitement that worried me.

When we finally took to the skies, my heart swelled with pride and fear. We were soaring, leaving
Crete behind, but I couldn't shake the anxiety gnawing at me. I kept my eyes on Icarus, my every
instinct screaming to keep him close, to make him understand the dangers.

But he was too far gone, too intoxicated by the freedom that flight offered. I watched in horror as
he climbed higher, ignoring my pleas, his wings disintegrating before my eyes.

I tried to reach him, to save him, but I was too late. Icarus fell, and with him, a part of me died.
The sea swallowed him, and I was left with the unbearable weight of my failure.

I buried him on a lonely island, naming it Icaria in his memory. Every day since, I've wondered if I
could have done more, if my genius was worth the life of my son. My greatest creation, my
beloved Icarus, lost because I dared to dream too high.

1. Content
How does Daedalus’s perspective emphasize themes of parental responsibility and guilt?
2. Cohesion
How does the narrative connect Daedalus’s actions, thoughts, and feelings throughout the
story?
3. Grammar
Are the sentences in the narrative structured correctly and fluently?
4. Mechanics
Is the punctuation used correctly and effectively in the narrative?
5. Word Choice
How does the word choice reflect Daedalus’s maturity and sorrow?
6. Tone
How effectively does the tone of Daedalus’s narrative convey his sorrow and sense of
responsibility?

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