What are

superstitious belief?
 Superstition is the belief in
supernatural causality—that one
event causes another without any
natural process linking the two
events—such as astrology and
certain aspects linked to religion, like
omens, witchcraft, and prophecies,
that contradict natural science.
 Do you believe
in superstitions?
 Nick Joaquin
 Nicomedes Márquez Joaquin
was a Filipino writer, historian and
journalist, best known for his short
stories and novels in the English
language.

 He also wrote using the pen

name Quijano de Manila.
 Born: May 4, 1917, Paco, Manila

 Died: April 29, 2004, San Juan,

Metro Manila

 Plays: A Portrait of the Artist as

Filipino

 Awards: Ramon Magsaysay Award

for Journalism, Literature, and
Creative Communication Arts
 Summary
The story started with a
flashback. Dona Agueda was
facing the mirror on Monday eve.
Dona Agueda really believed
Anastasia. That’s when she faced
the mirror, her future lover
would appear in the mirror.
 Summary
As soon as Don Badoy appeared in
the mirror, they decide to marry each
other because they believed in
Anastasia. When they got their
married life began to be miserable.
Because of the fact that they don’t
love each other and nothing special
happened to them.
 Characters
Anastasia
- a mischievous old
woman, who called a
maga
 Agueda
-a beautiful young
woman with long dark
hair.
-she is bold, liberated
and a non-conformist.

-as an old woman, she

had a hard, bitter,
vengeful face with
graying hair.
Don Badoy Montiya
-a young man with curly hair, a
mustache and a scar on his
cheek.
-he is a vain, promiscuous, a
steriotypical man, who intends to
proves his machismo.

-as an old man, he had turn very

pale.
Voltaire
-grandson of Badoy Montiya

Agueda’s daughter
-a young girl with curly hair.
 Setting
May Day Eve begins in 1847 and ends in
1890. the story opens at a ball in a fine
hacienda in honour of a group of young men
who have just returned from Spain after
studying there, as was the custom for the
upper class.
Exposition
Plot
Anastasia told the girls about the story that they would be
able to know their future husband by reciting an incantation in
front of the mirror but if it gone wrong, they would see a devil.

Complication
Agueda tried the incantation in front of the mirror then she
saw Don Badoy. They had some confrontation and she ended up
biting Don Badoy’s hand because he wouldn't let her go. At that
moment, he fell in love with her but he would still make her pay
for what she did.
Climax
Don Badoy told his grandson, Voltaire, that he once saw a
witch in front of a mirror when he caught him doing the
incantation in front of the mirror. Amazed by what he said, Voltaire
told him that his grandma once saw the devil in that mirror.

Denouement/Falling Action
Don Badoy realized that he ponders on love that had been
wasted. They had shared a bitter and loveless marriage. He forgot
his love to Agueda since that May day eve.

Resolution
Don Badoy reminisced the time when he saw Agueda in
front of the mirror and when he fell madly in love with her. That
old love had been blinded by hatred, but it has now resurfaced but
it’s too late because Agueda is dead.
 Theme
 Believing in superstition

 Magical realism
 Lesson
 Considered by most to be that
marriage should only be the result of
love.

Love should be chosen carefully ,

because love may not last, and it may
even turn to bitterness.
 Activity
What do you think
the conflict of the
story? Why ?
 Man vs. Man
Man vs. Supernatural
Man vs. Himself