Short Story Elements and Timawa Novel Analysis

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the fundamental elements of a short story and the key themes, characters, and plot points of the Tagalog novel 'Timawa' by Agustin Caralde Fabian.

Kaisipan o Tema

The main message, lesson, or general thought that the author intends to convey to the readers.

Suliranin

The problem that the main character needs to solve, which serves as the driving force of the entire story.

Tagpuan

Refers to the place and time where the events occurred, including the general atmosphere or feeling of the environment.

Banghay

The orderly sequence of events in a story, typically consisting of the introduction, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Tunggalian

The emergence of a problem or struggle, which may be categorized as man vs. man, man vs. self, or man vs. nature/society.

Kasukdulan (Climax)

The most intense and exciting part of the story where the character directly faces their problem.

Kakalasan

The falling action where a solution to the problem begins to be found.

Wakas

The final part of the story that shows the resolution or the ultimate fate of the characters.

Tauhan

The beings that give life to the story by acting, thinking, and making decisions.

Protagonista

The hero or main character who faces the central conflict of the story.

Antagonista

The opponent or rival of the protagonist, which can be another person, nature, or society.

Timawa

A landmark Tagalog novel by Agustin Caralde Fabian published in 1953; the term also historically refers to the 'freemen' social class.

Agustin Caralde Fabian (A.C. Fabian)

The author of the novel Timawa, first published in 1953.

Andres Talon

The protagonist of Timawa, a brilliant and ambitious young Filipino who vows to become a doctor to serve the poor.

The Double-Edged American Dream

A core theme in Timawa highlighting the sacrifices, systemic racism, and isolation experienced by immigrants chasing success.

Social Mobility

A critique in the novel of rigid class structures in Philippine society where the poor are treated like modern-day slaves.

Alice

A kind American woman whose affection eventually softens Andres Talon's cynical and hardened heart.

Bill

A hardworking American classmate of Andres who strives to improve his situation and eventually marries Estrella.

Alfredo

A wealthy Filipino medical student who makes a transactional financial deal with Andres to stay away from Estrella.

Estrella

A wealthy Filipina who moved to the United States to study piano.

Medical Corps

The branch of the U.S. Armed Forces that Andres joins during World War II.

Major

The military rank earned by Andres Talon during his service in World War II.

Tandang Pedro

The kind old man who cared for Andres while he suffered from trauma and amnesia following a heavy bombing campaign.