By: Jasper G.

Angeles

THE CHIEFTEST
MOURNER

AIDA RIVERA-FORD:

Born in Jolo, Sulu

In 1949, she cross over for an english
degree at the University of Michigan.
to secure her masters degree.

SUMMARY:

The story is all about the death of the

narrators uncle. It is a story with a focal point
focused on love and innocence in the context of
death. At the establishing point of the story,
the first story lines already shows a tint of
innocence and simplicity but the gloomy tone of
the story is already felt. The situation is just a
very typical scenario in the Philippines but
through the writers prolific used of diction
and imagery a common situation is turned into
something new a work of art.

CONTINUATION:
But what will move most of the readers is
the authors command of language and smooth
flow of situations.It predominant in a sense
that it all happen in the wake that all of the
actions and emotions of the characters.The
story shows the conflict between the couples
and the legal wife and the second wife of the
poet

In what way the title is suitable to the

story ?

The chieftest Mourner is the title chose by

Aida Rivera Ford because it discusses the story
of the two wives that were on the wake of the
poet. Who will be the chieftest mourner for that
wake , is it the legal one? Or is it the second
wife? In a nutshell, who has the right to be the
chieftest mournerfor the poet and the poets
family. It is suitable to the story because the
story occurred on the wake ofthe poet and the
storyrevolves and evolves on the two women who
are battling fortheir rights for the dead poet
and having the title of the chieftest mourner..

What sort of conflict confronts the

leading character or characters?

The external conflict confronts the

characters. Because it is in the Man vs. Man
situation die to the battle and argument of the two
wives of the poet having to whom the recognition to
be the right wife for the poet. Also the poet and the
legal wife, as you can see in the story, they was a
situation that they had this quarrel and it reached to
the point that the wife tie him on the chair for that
the poet could not again do hisvices. And because of
these, the poet struggles to hiswife and as aresult,
the poet decides to escape and separate from the
legal wife.

Origin of the Problem:

The husbands constant and seemingly

unstoppable drinking.

The husbands reluctance to cave in to his

wifes request.

The wifes reluctance to tolerate the

husbands drinking.

The contradiction of his wife and the

misunderstanding that followed

What is the time setting for the action?

It was on the morning before class that the niece read the
news about the death of her Uncle . It is somewhat from Spanish
era up to the present time. The season was during the school days.
The story on the wake happened merely all throughout the day.

The book was published three years after World War II.During
the war, many marriages were broken due to soldiers staying away
from their wives. This can be an explanation of the wifes
desperation to have her husband with her, to the point where she
tied him. The mistress may represent the current situations of
some men nowadays wherein they have other priorities and left
the most important thing: family..

CONTINUATION:

At that time minimal Spanish colonialism

practices is also being reflective in the
story through the practiced of
delicadeza system. The author makes
the reader conscious of its trait by
placing it on the arguments of the 2
wives on the wake and also how they
behave and act on the wake

SYMBOLISM

She used symbolism for the reason

that the niece saw white flowers shaped like a
dove that means that the legal one has the
right to have the position in the wake. And
this also symbolizes here pure intention with
the poet and also her love to his husband. Also

the lemonade refers to alcoholic drink,

this proved that the poet is an alcohol
drinker that cause him to be separated
with her legal wife.

ANALYSIS:

The story entitled "The Chieftest Mourner" is a

very interesting and a confidential story in a sense
that it tackles on certain issues about love and
marriage. In the story, the society has become the
judge on who should be the receiver of the honor of
the late poet. Based on the law, it was the legal wife
who should be honored, but based on love, it was the
mistress who deserves it more. Sometimes, feelings
could be confusing to the extent that you should
choose between the one you love, and the one that
you should love. But the story clearly tells us in the
end who is the chieftest between the two .

THEME:

The general theme is a story

with a focal point focused on love and
innocence in the context ofdeath.
The underlying theme is the disloyalty
of people through their love ones.

APPROACH:

Formalism
- The poet used symbolism to hide
the fact that he cant stop drinking
alcohol. He used the symbol of lemonade
that actually refers to an alcohol drink.
Also the niece used the symbol of the
pink ribbon when she fasten it to her
hair that means that symbolizes her
innocence and youthfulness.

APPROACH:

Feminism
- There are women who only exist in the story
to relay gossips, women who are genuinely
mourning for the dead and women who are caught
in between. But the main highlights of feminism
in the story are the symbolism of both mistress
and wife. First, being the legal wife, powerful
enough to make her man feel so weak, the
superior partner. Another one is the mistress, a
mistress with a good heart and a good reason.

CONTINUATION:

The woman is referred to as a mistress

because
she accompanied the poet when no one
else would.
It may sound sour to the ears of a
mindful reader but she, as a mistress,
was decent enough to give her man the
kind of love any wife couldve given.

PSYCHOANALYSIS:

ID (desire)
- the desire of both camps , the wife and
the mistress, to be the chieftest mourner.
EGO (reality)
- the reality is no one of the both parties
wants to give way.

SUPEREGO (morality)
- the real wife should be the chieftest
mourner because she is the one who is legal
and the lady married with the poet.

-THANK YOU -