GOOD AFTERNOON, HORN!

Prayer
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What are the five elements of Short
Story?
1. CHARACTER – a person or animal who takes part in the action.
2. SETTING – the time and place in which the story happens.
3. CONFLICT – the clash of opposing forces with a character’s own
pursuit of a goal.
4. PLOT – a series of events and character actions that relate to the
central conflict.
5. THEME – the meaning behind events and characters’ actions in a
story.
 My Father Goes
to Court
by Carlos S. Bulosan
MELC 28: Discover through Philippine Literature the need to work
cooperatively and responsively in today’s global village
 Objectives:
• Identify the elements of the story.
• Appreciate the moral lesson of the
story.
• Create activities that will showcase
the ways how to be socially
responsible.
 JUS
DEL TICE
AYE
JUS D IS
T IC
DEN E
I ED
WORD SCRAMBLE!
Directions: Unscramble the
jumbled letter in each
number to reveal the word
being defined. Use the given
pictures as clue.
1. A statement that a
situation is
unsatisfactory or
unacceptable.

AC P I L NT MO
1. A statement that a
situation is
unsatisfactory or
unacceptable.

C OMP L A I NT
If your neighbor tells you that your music is too loud.
Your neighbor is complaining or having complaints due to
dissatisfaction.
2. A person who is
responsible for a
crime or other
misdeed.

UC LRP I T
2. A person who is
responsible for a
crime or other
misdeed.
CU LPR I T
3. A group of people who have been chosen
to listen to all the facts in a trial in a law
Court and to decide if a person is guilty or
not guilty or if a claim has been proved.

Y UJ R
3. A group of people who have been chosen
to listen to all the facts in a trial in a law
Court and to decide if a person is guilty or
not guilty or if a claim has been proved.

J URY
4. A public official appointed to
decide cases in a court of law.

DU E J G
4. A public official appointed to
decide cases in a court of law.

J UD GE
5. A tribunal presided over
by a judge/s or a
magistrate in civil and
criminal cases.
O C T U R
5. A tribunal presided over by
a judge/s or a magistrate in
civil and criminal cases.
C O U R T
6. A small mallet with which an
auctioneer, a judge or the chair of a
meeting hits a surface to call for
attention or order.

L E G V A
6. A small mallet with which an
auctioneer, a judge or the chair of a
meeting hits a surface to call for
attention or order.

G AV E L This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under

CC BY-NC-ND
7. A licensed professional whose job
is to give advice to people about the
law and speak for them.n court.

RE YWA L
7. A licensed professional whose job
is to give advice to people about the
law and speak for them.n in court.

L AWY ER
About
the
Author
CARLOS SAMPAYAN BULOSAN
• Was born on November 24, 1911
to Ilocano parents in the in
Binalonan, Pangasinan, Philippines.
• Bulosan spent most of his youth in
the countryside as a farmer.
• was an English-language Filipino
novelist and poet who immigrated
to America in 1930.
• His best-known work today is
“America is in the Heart” and My
Father Goes to Court published in
New Yorker Magazine.
• He died in September 11, 1956.
Are rich people happy because
they have everything?

Are poor people sad because

they don`t have anything?
MY FATHER GOES
TO COURT
(excerpt)
CARLOS S. BULOSAN
 This story was narrated by a four-
year old kid whose family lived in a
small town in Luzon. His father’s farm
was destroyed by a flood in 1981.
That was the reason why they
preferred to live in a new place. They
had a rich man neighbor, and the rich
man’s children rarely went outside.
 The rich man’s house was tall, and
their family could watch the farmer’s
kids play outside their house. The rich
man’s servants were always cooking
delicious food like fried chicken, ham,
and bacon. The poor man’s family
would always take the aroma of the
heavenly essence of the rich man’s
foods.
 The poor man’s family always bonds
outside in the sun and bathes in the
river. They always had a good time and
had a contagious laugh, and some
people join their bonding, while the rich
man only watches them. As days passed
on, the rich man’s family had a
problem. The children became thin, the
wife had a cough like the rich man.
 There was the opposite effect in the
poor man’s family, they became bright
and healthy. The rich man’s family’s
sickness was not in the food, because
their servants were always cooking
something delicious to eat. After that,
their house was always closed, but the
aroma of the food still drifted by the
wind.
 One morning, a policeman
knocked on the door of the poor
man’s house. The rich man had a
complaint against them because
they were accused of stealing the
spirit or essence of the rich man’s
food.
When the trial came, the poor
man’s family came first.
 After a few minutes, the rich man’s
family came with a lawyer, their body
was so thin, and they looked sick. The
poor father didn’t have a lawyer, he
fought on his own. The trial starts, and
the lawyer questions the poor father. In
the first question, the poor father
didn’t agree that they stole the spirit of
wealth and food.
 The father agreed with the
second question, stating that
their family hung out outside
the rich man’s house and inhaled
the food. He also agreed that
when the rich man’s family
became sick, their family became
strong and healthy.
 The rich man’s children went in
shyly. They were skinny and looked sick.
When it was time for the rich man, the
poor father was the one who questioned
him. The rich man agreed that while the
poor man’s family was having fun, the
rich man’s family became worse and
sad, and he said that they also stole the
spirit of their wealth.
 He also agreed that the poor man’s
family stole the spirit of their food
by hanging out outside their windows
while their servants cooked the food.
The poor father committed to pay
the rich man, he took the straw hat
and collected some centavo and silver
coins around the courtroom.
 When the poor father was ready,
he went to the rich man and shook
the hat in front of the rich man. He
asked the rich man if he heard the
spirit of money, and the rich man
agreed. In that case, the poor father
told the man that he had already
paid the demand of the rich man.
After that, the case was dismissed.
 The judge told the poor father the
story of how his uncle died because of
laughing. The judge likes to hear the poor
man’s family laughing. The narrator’s
sister started to laugh, and all the people
in the courtroom laughed and the judge’s
laugh was the loudest of all.
Source: English Grade 7 Learner’s Material (1 st ed.) (2017). Department of Education
In Line
with the
1.Where did the story happen?

In a small town in the

Philippines
2. When did the story happen?

sometime in 1981
3. Who are the characters in the story?
poor man (father) rich man
their families lawyer
Policeman judge
4. What is the conflict in the story?
The conflict was introduced when the rich
man filed a complaint against the poor
family. The rich man accused the poor
family of stealing his wealth and food spirit.
The accusation was illogical, but the poor
family, including the father, appeared in
court.
5. What is the theme of the story?
It was about two distinct families
and how they live their lives. The
narrator's family was poor. The poor
family lives happily and healthily,
whereas the rich family does not
have any social life.
It’s Time to
Ponder
Are rich people happy because
they have everything?

Are poor people sad because

they don`t have anything?
Reflection
Time
1.According to the narrator, how did the poor family
become healthy?
They were all healthy because
they went out in the sun and
bathed in the cool water of the
river. They are always in the best
spirits and laughter.
2. In the court, what did the father of the poor family do
when his family was accused of stealing the rich family`s
spirit of wealth and food?

He paid it with the spirit of

money by letting them hear the
sweet tinkle of the coins.
3. How does the poor family work cooperatively and
responsively to their community?

They were always in the best

of spirits to share laughter in the
neighborhood.
 Small Group Activity
• Group 1 & 3: Interpret the pie graph provided Criteria for Judging  
about Happiness. What conclusion can you make
from the graph?
Relevance to the 50%
• Group 2: In a plot pyramid template, sequence
theme
the events in the story.
Delivery 25%
• Group 4: Use APO Hiking society song “BAWAT
BATA”. Internalize the message and produce your
own version to act out in class. Content Mechanics 25%

• Group 5: Illustrate ways on how to be socially

responsible in your community, school, and Total 100%
family
• Group 6: Describe the poor man`s family and the
rich man`s family using the Venn Diagram.
 Group 1 & 3
Interpret the pie
graph presented.
What conclusion
can you make
from the data
provided?
 Group 2
In a pyramid
template,
sequence the
plot of the
story.
Group 4
Use APO Hiking
society song “BAWAT
BATA”. Internalize
the message and
produce your own
version to act out in
class
Group 5
Illustrate ways on
how to be socially
responsible in your
community, school
and family
 Group 6
RICH MAN’S
Describe the FAMILY

poor man`s
family and the
rich man`s POOR MAN’S
FAMILY
family using the
Venn Diagram.
Group Presentation
Criteria for Judging  

Relevance to the theme 50%

Delivery 25%

Content Mechanics 25%

Total 100%
Read the questions carefully and write the letter of the correct answer.
1.Who is the author of the story?
a. Carlos Bukosan b. Carlos Butasan c. Carlos Bulosan
2.Who laughed the loudest of them all?
a. The judge b. The father c. The infant
3.When did the poor man`s farm get destroyed?
a. 1918 b. 2022 c. 1891
4.Why did the poor man’s farm got destroyed?
a. Because of the pestb. Because of a fire outbreakc. Because of the
flood
5.What kind of man is the poor man` s neighbor?
a. Poor man b. Rich man c. Middle-aged man
Answer Key:
1. C
2. A
3. A
4. C
5. B
The lesson showed how parents take care of their
family, especially their children, and other Filipino
values. Since every family has different values, their
child-rearing duties vary.
Happiness should always be genuine. For if you and
your family are happy while you accomplish your
obligations, no amount of hardship, poverty,
judgements, or other negativities can bring you down. 
Quiz: Answer the following question by selecting the letter of the correct answer.
1. Why were the people in the courtroom amazed when they saw the children of the rich man?
a. Because they were nourished and healthy b. Because they were fat
c. Because they were thin and pale
2. Why did the rich man`s family file a complaint?
a. Because they wanted to get revenge for their fallen brethren
b. Because they claimed that the poor man`s family have been stealing the spirit of their wealth and food
c. Because they claimed that the poor man`s family steal their food.
3. How does the family of the poor man differ from the family of the rich man?
a. The rich man`s family grew sickly and tubercular while the poor man`s family became strong of limb
and fair complexion
b. Both family lived happily ever after
c. The rich man`s family became victorious and healthy while the other family grew weak and ill.
4. What is the moral or lesson of the story?
a. The gift of nature b. The gift of politics c. The gift of laughter and happiness
5.What did the judge whisper to the father when he walked down the courtroom to shake hands with
the poor father?
a. I had a friend who died laughing b. I don`t like you c. I had an uncle who died laughing
Answer key:
1. C 2. B 3.
A 4. C 5. C
 Add a Slide Title - 4

CHARMIE D. SEÑA
Teacher III