Magnificence

byEstrellaAlfon

There was nothing to fear, for the man was always so gentle, so kind .

At night when the little girl and her brother were bathed in the light of the big
shaded bulb that hung over the big study table in the downstairs hall, the man
would knock gently on the door, and come in. he would stand for a while just
beyond the pool of light, his feet in the circle of illumination, the rest of him in
shadow. The little girl and her brother would look up at him where they sat at the
big table, their eyes bright in the bright light, and watch him come fully into the
light, but his voice soft, his manner slow. He would smell very faintly of sweat and
pomade, but the children didnt mind although they did notice, for they waited for
him every evening as they sat at their lessons like this. Hed throw his visored cap
on the table, and it would fall down with a soft plop, then hed nod his head to say
one was right, or shake it to say one was wrong.

It was not always that he came. They could remember perhaps two weeks when he
remarked to their mother that he had never seen two children looking so smart. The
praise had made their mother look over them as they stood around listening to the
goings-on at the meeting of the neighborhood association, of which their mother
was president. Two children, one a girl of seven, and a boy of eight. They were both
very tall for their age, and their legs were the long gangly legs of fine spirited colts.
Their mother saw them with eyes that held pride, and then to partly gloss over the
maternal gloating she exhibited, she said to the man, in answer to his praise, But
their homework. Theyre so lazy with them. And the man said, I have nothing to do
in the evenings, let me help them. Mother nodded her head and said, if you want to
bother yourself. And the thing rested there, and the man came in the evenings
therefore, and he helped solve fractions for the boy, and write correct phrases in
language for the little girl.

In those days, the rage was for pencils. School children always have rages going at
one time or another. Sometimes for paper butterflies that are held on sticks, and
whirr in the wind. The Japanese bazaars promoted a rage for those. Sometimes it is
for little lead toys found in the folded waffles that Japanese confection-makers had
such light hands with. At this particular time, it was for pencils. Pencils big but light
in circumference not smaller than a mans thumb. They were unwieldy in a childs
hands, but in all schools then, where Japanese bazaars clustered there were all
colors of these pencils selling for very low, but unattainable to a child budgeted at a
baon of a centavo a day. They were all of five centavos each, and one pencil was
not at all what one had ambitions for. In rages, one kept a collection. Four or five
pencils, of different colors, to tie with strings near the eraser end, to dangle from
ones book-basket, to arouse the envy of the other children who probably possessed
less.Add to the mans gentleness and his kindness in knowing a childs desires, his
promise that he would give each of them not one pencil but two. And for the little
girl who he said was very bright and deserved more, ho would get the biggest
pencil he could find.

One evening he did bring them. The evenings of waiting had made them look
forward to this final giving, and when they got the pencils they whooped with joy.
The little boy had tow pencils, one green, one blue. And the little girl had three
pencils, two of the same circumference as the little boys but colored red and
yellow. And the third pencil, a jumbo size pencil really, was white, and had been
sharpened, and the little girl jumped up and down, and shouted with glee. Until
their mother called from down the stairs. What are you shouting about? And they
told her, shouting gladly, Vicente, for that was his name. Vicente had brought the
pencils he had promised them.Thank him, their mother called. The little boy smiled
and said, Thank you. And the little girl smiled, and said, Thank you, too. But the
man said, Are you not going to kiss me for those pencils? They both came forward,
the little girl and the little boy, and they both made to kiss him but Vicente slapped
the boy smartly on his lean hips, and said, Boys do not kiss boys. And the little boy
laughed and scampered away, and then ran back and kissed him anyway.The little
girl went up to the man shyly, put her arms about his neck as he crouched to receive
her embrace, and kissed him on the cheeks.The mans arms tightened suddenly
about the little girl until the little girl squirmed out of his arms, and laughed a little
breathlessly, disturbed but innocent, looking at the man with a smiling little
question of puzzlement.

The next evening, he came around again. All through that day, they had been very
proud in school showing off their brand new pencils. All the little girls and boys
had been envying them. And their mother had finally to tell them to stop talking
about the pencils, pencils, for now that they had, the boy two, and the girl three,
they were asking their mother to buy more, so they could each have five, and three
at least in the jumbo size that the little girls third pencil was. Their mother said, Oh
stop it, what will you do with so many pencils, you can only write with one at a
time.

And the little girl muttered under her breath, Ill ask Vicente for some more.Their
mother replied, Hes only a bus conductor, dont ask him for too many things. Its a
pity. And this observation their mother said to their father, who was eating his
evening meal between paragraphs of the book on masonry rites that he was reading.
It is a pity, said their mother, People like those, they make friends with people like
us, and they feel it is nice to give us gifts, or the children toys and things. Youd
think they wouldnt be able to afford it.The father grunted, and said, the man
probably needed a new job, and was softening his way through to him by going at
the children like that. And the mother said, No, I dont think so, hes a rather queer
young man, I think he doesnt have many friends, but I have watched him with the
children, and he seems to dote on them.The father grunted again, and did not pay
any further attention.Vicente was earlier than usual that evening. The children
immediately put their lessons down, telling him of the envy of their schoolmates,
and would he buy them more please?Vicente said to the little boy, Go and ask if
you can let me have a glass of water. And the little boy ran away to comply, saying
behind him, But buy us some more pencils, huh, buy us more pencils, and then
went up to stairs to their mother.

Vicente held the little girl by the arm, and said gently, Of course I will buy you
more pencils, as many as you wantAnd the little girl giggled and said, Oh, then I
will tell my friends, and they will envy me, for they dont have as many or as
pretty.Vicente took the girl up lightly in his arms, holding her under the armpits,
and held her to sit down on his lap and he said, still gently, What are your lessons
for tomorrow? And the little girl turned to the paper on the table where she had
been writing with the jumbo pencil, and she told him that that was her lesson but it
was easy.Then go ahead and write, and I will watch you.Dont hold me on your lap,
said the little girl, I am very heavy, you will get very tired.The man shook his head,
and said nothing, but held her on his lap just the same.

The little girl kept squirming, for somehow she felt uncomfortable to be held thus,
her mother and father always treated her like a big girl, she was always told never
to act like a baby. She looked around at Vicente, interrupting her careful writing to
twist around.His face was all in sweat, and his eyes looked very strange, and he
indicated to her that she must turn around, attend to the homework she was
writing.But the little girl felt very queer, she didnt know why, all of a sudden she
was immensely frightened, and she jumped up away from Vicentes lap.
She stood looking at him, feeling that queer frightened feeling, not knowing what to
do. By and by, in a very short while her mother came down the stairs, holding in her
hand a glass of sarsaparilla, Vicente.But Vicente had jumped up too soon as the
little girl had jumped from his lap. He snatched at the papers that lay on the table
and held them to his stomach, turning away from the mothers coming.

The mother looked at him, stopped in her tracks, and advanced into the light. She
had been in the shadow. Her voice had been like a bell of safety to the little girl. But
now she advanced into glare of the light that held like a tableau the figures of
Vicente holding the little girls papers to him, and the little girl looking up at him
frightenedly, in her eyes dark pools of wonder and fear and question.

The little girl looked at her mother, and saw the beloved face transfigured by some
sort of glow. The mother kept coming into the light, and when Vicente made as if to
move away into the shadow, she said, very low, but very heavily, Do not move.She
put the glass of soft drink down on the table, where in the light one could watch the
little bubbles go up and down in the dark liquid. The mother said to the boy, Oscar,
finish your lessons. And turning to the little girl, she said, Come here. The little girl
went to her, and the mother knelt down, for she was a tall woman and she said,
Turn around. Obediently the little girl turned around, and her mother passed her
hands over the little girls back.Go upstairs, she said.
The mothers voice was of such a heavy quality and of such awful timbre that the
girl could only nod her head, and without looking at Vicente again, she raced up the
stairs. The mother went to the cowering man, and marched him with a glance out of
the circle of light that held the little boy. Once in the shadow, she extended her
hand, and without any opposition took away the papers that Vicente was holding to
himself. She stood there saying nothing as the man fumbled with his hands and
with his fingers, and she waited until he had finished. She was going to open her
mouth but she glanced at the boy and closed it, and with a look and an inclination
of the head, she bade Vicente go up the stairs.The man said nothing, for she said
nothing either. Up the stairs went the man, and the mother followed behind. When
they had reached the upper landing, the woman called down to her son, Son, come
up and go to your room.The little boy did as he was told, asking no questions, for
indeed he was feeling sleepy already.As soon as the boy was gone, the mother
turned on Vicente. There was a pause.

Finally, the woman raised her hand and slapped him full hard in the face. Her
retreated down one tread of the stairs with the force of the blow, but the mother
followed him. With her other hand she slapped him on the other side of the face
again. And so down the stairs they went, the man backwards, his face continually
open to the force of the womans slapping. Alternately she lifted her right hand and
made him retreat before her until they reached the bottom landing.
He made no resistance, offered no defense. Before the silence and the grimness of
her attack he cowered, retreating, until out of his mouth issued something like a
whimper.The mother thus shut his mouth, and with those hard forceful slaps she
escorted him right to the other door. As soon as the cool air of the free night
touched him, he recovered enough to turn away and run, into the shadows that ate
him up. The woman looked after him, and closed the door. She turned off the
blazing light over the study table, and went slowly up the stairs and out into the
dark night.

When her mother reached her, the woman, held her hand out to the child. Always
also, with the terrible indelibility that one associated with terror, the girl was to
remember the touch of that hand on her shoulder, heavy, kneading at her flesh, the
woman herself stricken almost dumb, but her eyes eloquent with that angered fire.
She knelt, She felt the little girls dress and took it off with haste that was almost
frantic, tearing at the buttons and imparting a terror to the little girl that almost
made her sob. Hush, the mother said. Take a bath quickly.Her mother presided over
the bath the little girl took, scrubbed her, and soaped her, and then wiped her gently
all over and changed her into new clothes that smelt of the clean fresh smell of
clothes that had hung in the light of the sun. The clothes that she had taken off the
little girl, she bundled into a tight wrenched bunch, which she threw into the
kitchen range.Take also the pencils, said the mother to the watching newly bathed,
newly changed child. Take them and throw them into the fire. But when the girl
turned to comply, the mother said, No, tomorrow will do. And taking the little girl
by the hand, she led her to her little girls bed, made her lie down and tucked the
covers gently about her as the girl dropped off into quick slumber.
 Analysis of the Story

1. Vocabulary

Magificence- comes from the Latin magnum facere, which means to do

something great. The Latin word draws on the Greek megaloprpeia. This noun
conveys the meaning of doing something great which is fitting or seemly to the
circumstance.It regards the greatness of actions, courage, excellence, honour,
generosity, and splendour of lifestyles of noble purposes.

The descriptions of the mother and Vicente are contrastive not only against each
other but also against stereotypes of their genders. The story opens with Vicente
being described as so gentle, so kind, a phrase usually used for women. Vicente is
a dark little man whose voice [was] soft [and] manner slow. On the other hand,
the mother is a gloating mother whose eyes [held] pride. She is barely
described at the start, as absent as the father except for short delivered lines, which
are also in a tone not in sync with stereotype mothers. Only later is the mother
completely revealed: a tall woman who spoke in a voice very low, very heavy
and with an awful timbre. The contrast emphasizes the darkness of Vicente and
the mothers magnificence.

2. About the Author

EstrellaAlfon was born in San Nicolas, Cebu City on March 27, 1917. She went to
medical school to finish her medicinal studies but when she was misdiagnosed for
having tuberculosis, she had to withdraw from her studies. She finished her
education with a degree in Associate of Arts instead.

She became the first and only female member of the Veronicans, a group of writers
in the 1930s, prior to the Second World War, led by Francisco Arceuana and H.R.
Ocampo. They were recognized as the first group of Filipino writers who wrote
almost exclusively in English. She was named the most prolific Filipina writer prior
to World War II.

EstrellaAlfons first story was Grey Confetti which was published in 1935. One
of her stories, Fairy Tale for the City, was condemned by the catholic League of the
Philippines for its being obscene. When she was brought to court for the trial, some
of her fellow writers stood by her but some did not and that hurt her deeply.

She was appointed professor of the Creative Writing at the University of the
Philippines, Manila despite having only an Associate of Arts degree. In 1940, she
won the Honorable Mention in the Commonwealth Literary Award for writing her
short story Dear Esmeralda. She took home all the awards in the Arena Theater
Play Writing Contest for four of her outstanding plays namely, Losers Keepers,
strangers, Rice, and Beggar. In 1961, she won the top prize in the Palanca
Contest for her story With Patches of Many Hues.

On December 28, 1983, during the awards night of the Manila Film Festival, she
suffered a heart attack which led to her death the same night.

3.Plot

The story is about the little girl who almost got molested by his tutor. His name is
Vicente. He is a conductor and volunteered as a tutor for extra money. The father of
the family is very busy he usually dont talk too much with the children. It is
usually the mom who is there but then when it is tutor time they are left by their
mom.

3.A. Summary

There is couple with a son and a daughter. Their parents have a good job. They go
to school. Their mother is a president in their village. In a meeting the man
volunteered to be their tutor because he doesnt do anything in the evening also for
an extra job. His name is Vicente. He is a bus conductor. So he went to the house
every night to teach the kids.

He promised the kids to give them 2 pencils each. One night he gives the pencil to
the kids. That time it was the "it". The children in this time want pencils. Vincent is
nice to the children. He knows their wants. But when he gave the pencil, he gives 3
pencils for the girl and 2 for the boy. Their mother said to say thank you. The boy
kissed Vicente but Vicente told him that boys don't kiss boys. Then the girl goes to
Vicente to say thank you. He hugs her so tight and the girl started to get out of his
too tight hug. The girl looks at Vicente with a little wonder on his face. The next
day they were so proud and happy with their new pencils. They showed it to their
friends in class. They also thought of asking Vicente for new pencils.

In dinner they talked a little about Vicente but the father is busy reading something.
He did not listen to what the mother said. The mother thinks that Vicente is fond of
the children with the way he is treating them. That evening Vicente arrived earlier.
The children are proud of the pencil. Their classmates are jealous with their new
pencils given by Vicente. He asked the little boy to get him a glass of water. Then
he put the girl on his lap. Then he let the girl write her homework. The little girl
told him not to carry her because she is heavy. Vicente is perspiring, and his eyes
are strange. Then the girl jumped out of his lap because she became afraid. Then
their mom arrived. She rubs the girls back and told them to go upstairs. The mother
slapped the man repeatedly. Vicente just accepts the entire slap that the mother
gave him. Then he went out of the house. The mother closed the door. She gives a
bath to the girl. Then she asked them to throw the pencil. Then she put her to sleep.

3.B. Exposition

In the middle of the night, while the little girl and boy are sitting beside the study
table in the downstairs hall, Vicente will knock on the door and come in.

3.C. Rising Action

Vincent knew that the children liked pencils very much so he promised that he
would bring each of them two pencils. However, he added that he would look for
the biggest pencil he could find for the girl since she was bright and deserved
more.One evening full of kids' anticipation, Vicente came with all the pencils he
had promised. Both kids were very happy, but still, they wanted more

3.D. Falling Action

It's when the mother bathed the young girl and throws the clothes that was used by
the girl at the garbage bin and the next day, she burned it along with the pencil. The
mother rushed to her daughter and inspected her back. She demanded Vicente not to
move while she sent her children up to their rooms. After that, she slapped Vicente
and throws him out of the house as soon as possible.
3.E.Conflict

When Vicente came earlier usual in that evening. The children immediately put
their lesson down, telling him of the envy of their schoolmates and would buy them
more pencils. Then Vicente asked Oscar, the young brother to get him some glass of
water.

3.F. Climax

Vicente arrived earlier next evening. He asked the little boy to go fetch him a glass
of water and there left alone was him and the little girl. He told the girl to continue
writing as he held her on his lap. The little girl felt very uncomfortable until she felt
frightened and immediately jumped out of Vicente's lap. Just as the little boy and
the mother holding his drinks came, Vicente snatched some papers on the table to
cover his crotch.

4. Setting

At home

4.A.Places

Downstairs,in the living room

4.B. Time

Evening

5. Characters

- Vicente- bus conductor, tutor, late 20s

- Young girl- 7 years old - Mother
- Oscar (young boy)- 8 years old - Father

6.Symbolism

The mother was unnamed because it represents universality, meaning, it can happen
to anybody and that mother can be any mother. The title itself posts significance,
meaning "magnificence" is the adjective used to describe the presence of a mother's
guidance.
7. Personal Reflection about the Piece

I think the story of EstrellaAlfon is well written. It shows here in this story that
sometimes you need to give more time for the children. Maybe if the father is just
more observant about the people around him and not too busy with his job maybe
he will notice something. For me this is what EstrellaAlfon wants to tells us. Lets
be observant with the people that goes inside our hearts. There are people that will
try to take advantage of us. Like in this situation, they didn't even bother to check
his background why he seem so fond with the kids. Maybe he love the kids but is
there something that more that he wants. I can see the urge of the mother to slap
Vicente. As a mother she protected her daughter. She dont let any mosquito bite
her daughter. Then this guy tried to molest her daughter. But then after that the
mother was still there. He really make sure that her daughter will feel well.

Overall I can say that this is a good story. This can be read by parents for them to
realize that you need to maybe check on the people that you trust your child with.
You cannot trust everyone around you. Your children are very precious. As a
parent, you want them to be always safe with the people around.