Magnificence

By: Estrella Alfon

Brief Background of the Author:
Before I start with telling the story and stating my reaction, let me give give a little
background of the author. Estrella Alfon was born in Cebu City around 11!. "he #oined a grou$
named the %eronicans that is com$osed of writers including &rancisco Arcellana and '%(
)on*ales during college at the +niversity of the ,hili$$ines. -ue to her $oor health condition, she
wasn.t able to finish her studies and received an Associate in Arts. "he made a com$ilation of her
stories titled /(agnificence and other stories/ in 101. 1! and a year before her death, she
handled the fiction $art of the ,hili$$ine 2riting Contest conducted by the +niversity of the
,hili$$ines.
Summary
3he /(agnificence/ talks about the magnificence shown by the mother in the story. 4et.s
start with the flashback first so the flow of the story could be understood easily. 3he mother and
%icente met in a neighborhood association meeting. After the meeting, %icente told the mother that
he is willing to to tutor her two children 53he boy is eight years old and the girl is seven years old6
and his reasons were the smartness of the children and his vacant time during the evenings 5for he
was a bus conductor6. %icente $romised the two children that he will be bringing two $encils for
each of them. %icente has what we call favoritism because he $lans to give the girl more by buying
her the biggest $encil he can find. But why give something like $encils7 ,u$ils or kids were cra*y
over $encils and they always want to show it off. 3wo weeks later after his first tutor with the
children, he brought along with him the $encils he $romised. 3he ne8t evening, %icente was earlier
than the usual time he goes there to tutor the children. After asking the boy to get a glass of water
for him, he was left alone with the girl. A little while, the girl got frightened and got away from
%icente. As she got away, the mother came and saw what was about to ha$$en. After telling the
children to go to their room 5and the children com$lying to what she said6, she ke$t on sla$$ing
%icente until he was brought to the door and he ran away to the shadows. 3he mother took the girl
a bath before the girl sle$t. And that.s where the story ended.
3his time, the author combined language and $oint of view. 3he language was kind of
confusing because the narrations include the dialogues of the characters and the $oint of view was
no one in the story. In the $ast, this story is really unthinkable. But now, who wouldn.t have taught
that this kind of story could ha$$en in our generation7
2ell, that.s the sad $art and has been included in reality. Anyway, the $art that I liked was
how the mother controlled the situation first than doing things by force immediately and how she
cared for her child in s$ite of what ha$$ened. I ho$e we learned something im$ortant from this
story.
Analysis
3he descri$tions of the mother and %icente are contrastive not only against each other but
also against stereoty$es of their genders. 3he story o$ens with %icente being described as 9so
gentle, so kind,: a $hrase usually used for women. %icente is a dark 9little: man whose 9voice ;was<
soft ;and< manner slow.: =n the other hand, the mother is a 9gloating: mother whose 9eyes ;held<
$ride.: "he is barely described at the start, as absent as the father e8ce$t for short delivered lines,
which are also in a tone not in sync with stereoty$e mothers. =nly later is the mother com$letely
revealed: a 9tall woman: who s$oke in a voice 9very low, very heavy: and with an 9awful timbre.:
3he contrast em$hasi*es the darkness of %icente and the mother>s magnificence.
3his contrast is also dis$layed in the meta$hor of light or illumination. At the start, %icente
was described as slowly advancing into the circle of light. -uring the crucial moment, the mother is
9transfigured ;by a< glow: 5note the connotation of ?esus@)od, images of magnificence6. "he had
been 9in the shadow: literally, and figuratively, about %icente>s 9Aueerness: that 9crouched:
inside him. In her anger, she 9advance;s< into the glare of light: and reveals her magnificent self.
%icente is then forced 9out of the circle of light: and 9into the shadows that ate him u$.:
3he mother>s sense of control with %icente is set against her inner dis$osition once with her
daughter. Ber touch is 9heavyCkneading:, eyes with 9angered fire:, her actions 9almost frantic.:
3he reversal of gender assignments is not only incidental. 3he story is not #ust about one
magnificent woman but of all women and mothers who have been in shadows but 9raise ;their<
hand;s<: against male abuse. 3his is shown in how throughout the story the mother is referred to as
9mother: but at the moment she was $unishing %icente, she is called 9woman.:
2hen she gets back to her daughter, she is seen as 9mother: again, but in e8$loring her dis$osition
and rage she is again 9woman.: &inally, u$on calming down, she becomes 9mother: and tucks her
child in.
PLOT
(agnificence.s $lot follows the traditional $yramid model.
It began by introducing the characters and setting of the story.
It showed how %icente, the bus conductor relates with the two children by hel$ing them in their
studies. Also, he $romises the kids to buy them $encils that would make their classmates envy
them.
3he story now reveals his real intention. Be was actually trying to earn the little girls trust and
wanted to molest and touch her $hysically.
&ortunately, the mother came down stairs and caught %incente.s act before he could harm the little
girl.
3he woman was very much angry and sla$$ed %icente.s face. "he asked the little girl to take a bath
and change her clothes.
"he stayed by her daughter.s child until she fell aslee$.