Book

Report
The Summer Solstice
By Nick Joaquin
Pajarito, Christine Jewel
Dionela, Marinela
Sison, Ailene
Dela Cruz, Flora Mae
Montealto, Jhasmin
Echaore, Judith
Morla, Joanna Marie
Villaflores, Lorens
Catbagan, Raniel
  Introduction

Nicomedes Marquez Joaquin also known as Nick Joaquin, he is a Filipino writer,

historian, and journalist. He is well known for the writing a short stories and novels in English

language. He was born at about 6:00 A.M. in Paco, Manila on 4th of May 1917. He started

writing stories, poems and essays in 1934. Many of the books of Nick Joaqun were published in

Manila magazine, and a few found their way into foreign journals.

The book of Summer Solstice is contains of one hundred eleven (111) pages and he

was the one that publish it. Summer Solstice was written by Nick Joaquin is set on St. John’s

day in 1850’s in the Philippines. Summer Solstice was classed as controversial because of the

mix of Pagan ritual and Christian rites of passages. The story was adapted into a play and this

was itself adapted into a film.

We like the book of Summer Solstice because it contains a different tradition and beliefs

of the Filipino. As well as, there are moral lessons you can learn while reading the book. It helps

the reader to understand the real story between woman and man. We could also noticed how

the life of the some people depends on the belief they use to know. Lastly, it makes us reflect on

the changes between the characters that might be compared to the Filipino attitude.

 Plot Summary

Exposition/ Introduction

The Moretas was spending and enjoying the St. John festival with their children's

grandfather. Doña Lupeng awoke feeling faint with the heat, a sound of screaming in her ears.

In the dining room the three boys already attired in their holidays suits, were at breakfast and

came crowding around her, talking at once. Doña Lupeng heard the scream of Amada. She
asked Entoy if he beats again his wife, Entoy responded and say that he did not do anything to

his wife that she is under the ritual of Tadtarin.

Rising action

Guido came back from Europe to join the feast of St. John. He saw Doña Lupeng which

happened to be the wife of his cousin. He said a lot of suggestive comments to Lupeng and

kissed her feet as sign of adoring her. That is the reason why she felt seeking of adoration. She

wanted to be adored and treated well by men. Guido is the main reason why Doña Lupeng

became so ambitious. The couple got home but Lupeng wants to join the ritual, so she beg for

the approval of his husband. So she went and join the ritual.

Climax

Doña Lupeng rushed to the dancing women and Don Paeng ran after her, shouting her

name. But Doña Lupeng laughed and shook her head and darted deeper into the dense maze

of procession moving towards the chapel. When Don Paeng search Doña Lupeng because she

is inside the crowd doing the ritual while Don Paeng had many bruises and scratches after he

was trapped tight among milling female bodies. He ended beaten up because he intruded in the

ritual that was for only female.

Falling action

They begun to had an argument. Don Paeng told her that he needs to whip Doña

Lupeng. He told his wife that she needs to get punish because of what she did. Then Doña

Lupeng told Don Paeng to crawl on the floor and kiss her feet even it’s full of bruises.

Resolution
 Don Paeng did what Doña Lupeng told. He sprawled down flat and working his arms and

legs, gaspingly clawed his way across the floor. He lay exhausted, his face flat on the floor. He

lifted his dripping face and touched his bruised lips to her toes, lifted his hands and grasped the

white foot and kissed it savagely. In the end, he did what her wife wanted him to do.

 Theme

The St.John’s festival is about men and their fertility, which seems quite vulgar to

Lupeng and makes her start to realize how she wishes woman could be seen in the

same way. The Tatdarin festival is the exact opposite, showing women as a leader of

fertility since they carry children. This festival is the last trigger to Lupeng feel as though

she is stronger than a man and deserves adoration. The ritual was one of the Filipino

beliefs where in they believe about the equality of both woman and man. It is a ritual

where made especially for woman.

 Character Analysis

Doña Lupeng Moreta

She is the wife of Don Paeng Moreta. She is the master of the house where Amada and

Entoy are working. In the beginning of the story she doesn’t show any interest in joining the

festival. She does not even believe in tadtarin ritual because for her it was a way of indecency

for woman. On the latter part she joins the procession and has the eagerness to be adored by

man. In the story, her character changed a lot. From being a complex woman, she became so

boastful and so high. Along the way we can see how woman became wishful and ambitious

regarding to the power they possess in the character of Lupeng.

Don Paeng Moreta

He is the honorable husband of Doña Lupeng. He has the principle that woman must

gain respect and not to be adored. He was very strict to his family especially to his wife. In the

end of the story he drop his principle and let his wife win. He gave what his wife wanted so

badly, so he kissed the feet of Doña Lupeng, as sign of adoring. His character became feeble in

the latter part; he let someone to control him. He became a slave of his other half.

Amada

She is the housemaid and cook of the Moreta’s family. She believes in Tadtarin and

attended the three days ritual. She is wife of Entoy. As well as, she is one of the factor why the

Doña Lupeng seeks for adoration and became ambitious.

Entoy

He is the carriage driver of the Moreta’s family. He oftenly beats his wife, Amada. One

day he stops beating Amada because according to him, he is under the ritual of Tadtarin.

Guido

He is the cousin of Don Paeng. He came back from Europe to celebrate the St. John

day. He gave a lot of comments to Doña Lupeng that she must be adored even she is now a

married woman. He even knelt down to kiss Lupe’s feet. He is the main reason why Doña

Lupeng was eager to join the ritual. He make Lupeng feel how to be adored like a god.

Three Boys

They are the three sons of Doña Lupeng and Don Paeng. There characters were not

elaborated well and they just introduced as the sons of the couple.
  Conclusion

 Personal Reaction/ Recommendation

It is good for us to know the story of Nick Joaquin which is entitled the summer solstice In

the story, we will understand how people depend their life towards rituals and its part of their

culture. I have realized that mostly of the people may prefer rituals as a means of solutions to

their problems because in some ways rituals give good benefits to them. For now, rituals are

considered as superstitious belief because not everyone follows it now. There are times rituals

are the means of curing illness mostly accepted by people in the boondocks but now these are

ignored by people in this modern world.

As I’ve read the story of Nick Joaquin the summer solstice I’ve really much appreciated

and interested in our culture and beliefs. And also I learned the importance of St. John festivals

about men and their fertility, which seems quite vulgar to Lupeng. As women I should be

appreciate by the men and women are still a human that should be notice by.

I like the story of the summer solstice by Nick Joaquin because it talks about the belief

and culture doing by women. As I’ve read the story, it shows an unequal treatment between

men and women who are men are the superior, as what the middle part of the story tried to

emphasize. In this story, we can see the loneliness of the wife because her husband did not

give her satisfaction. I've learned that, as a man, we are obliged to do the responsibility by

satisfying the needs and wants of women. In other words, we should understand their feelings.

We should treat woman as equal to man.