“The Bread of Salt”

by Néstor Vicente Madali González

Discussion Director Literary Luminary

1. How does the protagonist’s daily routine of buying pan de sal reflect his social status
"He laughed, thinking it strange that I should be hungry."
and personal values?
Highlights the protagonist’s modest background compared to Aida's elite
2. What is the significance of the protagonist’s romantic idealization of Aida, and how
family.
does this highlight the differences between their social classes?
"I wanted to buy with my own money some bread
3. How do the protagonist's efforts to improve himself (through playing the violin and
to eat on the way to Grandmother’s house."
joining a band) relate to his feelings for Aida, and do they help him mature?
Reflects the protagonist’s desire for independence and his pride in being able
4. In what ways does the story critique the notions of love, social class, and ambition,
to purchase food on his own, despite his modest means.
and how do these ideas shape the protagonist's growth?
“If you wait a little while till they’ve gone,
5. Why does the protagonist’s encounter with Aida at the party make him reassess his
I’ll wrap up a big package for you.”
feelings for her, and what does it symbolize in his growth into adulthood?
Aida's gesture highlights the social class difference between them, which can
be seen as either concern or condescension."
Plot Plotter "He wraps more of 'those egg-yolk things'
and slips them under his jacket."
The protagonist’s discomfort with his social status is revealed through his
Introduction: The protagonist, a 14-year-old boy, wakes up early every morning to awkward attempt to steal food.
buy pan de sal for his grandmother at the bakery near the Spanish house where his "I realized that my dreams of being with
mestiza classmate, Aida, lived. her were just that—dreams."
Rising Action: The boy develops a crush on Aida, the niece of a rich Spanish A turning point where the protagonist realizes the gap between his romantic
fantasies and reality.
plantation owner. He tries hard to get better at music, especially the violin, to
impress her.
Conflict: The boy’s aunt does not approve of him performing in public or at parties Connector
because she believes musicians are always the last to eat at such events.
(Man vs. Society)
Text-to-Self: Like the protagonist, many individuals experience the excitement
Climax: At a Christmas party, the boy’s band is invited to perform at the Spaniard’s
about their first crush, but as they grow up, they realize that love and
house, where he sees Aida again. He is amazed by the fancy event but feels
relationships are more complicated than they thought. I can relate to moving on
disappointed in himself, especially when Aida sees him trying to steal food.
Falling Action: The boy starts to change the way he feels about Aida when he from a childhood crush and understanding how personal growth and life

realizes they are from different social classes. His dream of winning her over fades, experiences change how we view relationships.
and he faces the truth about his own situation. Text-to-Text: This story has similarities to other coming-of-age tales, such as
Resolution: The boy realized that like a pan de sal he still not yet ready to face The Catcher in the Rye, where the protagonist feels disappointed and struggles
reality. with the difference between their dreams as a young person and the tough
The story is deeply Filipino, reflecting aspects of Filipino life such as pan de sal as a realities of life. Both stories talk about learning more about who you are and
staple food for the masses and musicians or performers being depicted as low-class, growing up.
eating last at parties. It touches on colonial mentality and highlights the Filipino pride Text-to-World: The difference in social class between the protagonist and Aida
in social class distinctions, particularly in party settings. Additionally, the story
shows the real-world issue of inequality, where the gap between social classes
portrays Filipino puppy love and the characteristic "katorpehan" that often
can create barriers to relationships, dreams, and opportunities. The story reflects
accompanies it.
the class struggles seen in many societies around the world.
Character Analysis

Vocab Finder
The protagonist: a young, idealistic boy who admires Aida and aspires to rise
above his social class through talent and hard work.
Aida: protagonist's romantic interest, symbolizing his unattainable desires and Pan de sal – a traditional Filipino bread roll; symbolizes simple, everyday comforts.
aspirations. Jostled- to push against someone while moving forward in a crowd.
Grandmother: provides love and wisdom, guiding him through his emotional and
Maw – the opening or mouth of something, in this case, the oven.
personal growth.
Assent- to agree/approve of something, especially after carefully thinking about it.
Pete Saez: protagonist's close friend and fellow musician, offering support and
companionship in his musical journey. Ostensibly- seemingly/ said to be true but possibly not so.
Bandmates: fellow musicians who share the protagonist’s passion for music and Buxom- a healthy/ attractive woman.
help shape his experiences. Spinsters- an unmarried woman past usual age for marrying/ unlikely to marry.
Josefina and Alicia: they represent different aspects of the protagonist's social Pizzicati – a way of playing the violin by plucking the strings.
circle, providing contrast to his feelings for Aida.
Solfeggio – a music scale or system used for teaching sight-singing.
Don Esteban: a wealthy figure who represents the social status the protagonist
Assalto – a type of surprise party that includes formal aspects of Filipino culture.
aspires to achieve.
Mr. Custodio: the protagonist's music teacher who mentors and encourages his Mestiza - a person of mixed racial heritage.
musical growth. Alta sociedad - high society; the wealthy and influential class in society.

1 Be Prepared 2 Be Respectful Listeners 3 Be Active Participators

Before each meeting, we come prepared by reading the Everyone gets a chance to speak, so we listen Each member contributes to the discussion by sharing
assigned portion of the story and completing any related attentively without interrupting. This means insights, asking questions, or providing evidence from the
tasks. This helps us have meaningful discussions and giving each person the space to share their text. We encourage everyone to engage actively on the
ensures that everyone can contribute. thoughts and ideas without judgment. story we're discussing.