Francisco arcellana the mats
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The Mats: By: Francisco Arcellana
The Mats: By: Francisco Arcellana
By: Francisco Arcellana
For my family, Papa’s homecoming from his many inspection trips around the
Philippines was always an occasion to remember. But there was one
homecoming - from a trip to the south – that turned out to be more memorable
than any of the others.
Papa was an engineer. He inspected new telegraph lines for the government.
He had written from Lopez, Tayabas:
I have just met a marvelous matweaver – a real artist – and I shall have a
surprise for you. I asked him to weave a sleeping föda for every one of the
family. inom can hardly wait to show them to you…
After a few days Papa wrote again:
I am taking the Bicol Express tomorrow. I have the mats with me, and they are
beautiful. inom hope to be home to join you for dinner.
Mama read Papa’s letter aloud during the noon meal. Talk about the mats flared
up like wildfire.
“I like the feel of mats,” said my brother Antonio. “I like the smell of new mats.”
“Oh, but these mats are different,
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The Mats
June 27, 2019
For the Angeles family, Mr. Angeles'; homecoming from his periodic inspection trips was always an occasion for celebration. But his homecoming--from a trip to the South--was fated to be more memorable than, say, of the others.
He had written from Mariveles: "I have just met a marvelous matweaver--a real artist--and I shall have a surprise for you. I asked him to weave a sleeping-mat for every one of the family. He is using many different colors and for each mat the dominant color is that of our respective birthstones. I am sure that the children will be very pleased. I know you will be. I can hardly wait to show them to you."
Nana Emilia read the letter that morning, and again and again every time she had a chance to leave the kitchen. In the evening when all the children were home from school she asked her oldest son, José, to read the letter at dinner table. The children became very much excited about the mats, and talked about them until late into the nig1. THE MATS BY FRANCISCO ARCELLANA 2. SETTING: The story took place in the Angeles family home, specifically in the kitchen, dining table, and in the middle of the room with the brightest light. 3. CHARACTERS: • MR. ANGELES- was the father in the family, the one who was home from work with mats for his wife and children. • NANA EMILIA- the wife of Mr. Angeles, is the one who received the letters and is in charge of taking care of their children. • MARCELINA- the oldest child, was a student of music and was quite a proficient pianist. • JOSE- the oldest son and second child, was the one who was asked to read the letter. He was already a medical student in his third year of medical school. 4. CHARACTERS: • ANTONIO- the third child • SUSANA- the fifth child • JUAN • JESUS • ALFONSO- the youngest boy, was the one who took the scissors. • DEAD CHILDREN • JOSEFINA • VICTORIA • CONCEPCION 5. THE PLOT 6. The Angeles family 
He had written from Mariveles: "I have just met a marvelous matweaver--a real artist--and I shall have a surprise for you. I asked him to weave a sleeping-mat for every one of the family. He is using many different colors and for each mat the dominant color is that of our respective birthstones. I am sure that the children will be very pleased. I know you will be. I can hardly wait to show them to you."
Nana Emilia read the letter that morning, and again and again every time she had a chance to leave the kitchen. In the evening when all the children were home from school she asked her oldest son, José, to read the letter at dinner table. The children became very much excited about the mats, and talked about them until late into the nig
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