The Awakening ALING SEPA.

( With an effort at self-

A realistic drama of the barrio control). You mean for Luisa? (in a
Feliciana Estagle
whisper) My little girl!
Scene: MANG CELO. (Smiles indulgently at Aling
A room in a typical barrio home. The words Sepa and sits on left end of papag). Of
are bare except for a calendar. A window, course, I meant Luisa. Why not? She’s
right. Down right center is a papag, and at useless around here. You should be glad to
left, a table with a bench in front of it. A get rid of Luisa— and in a very profitable
door, down right, leads to the kitchen and a way, too. Tino has hinted about giving us a
door up center is the entrance to the house. piece of land by the river side. Aba! You
A bench is just left of this door. Aling Sepa should be glad of the match.
sits at the right end of the papag, ALING SEPA (Feebly). Luisa helps me.
embroidering. Now and then she stops in She helps me cook and clean the house.
the middle of a stitch in deep thought. Mang MANG CELO. Yes, but how about the time
Celo enters by the center door and stands she wastes on those silly books she reads?
framed in the doorway. How about the centavos she spends
uselessly on paper and pencils? Why
MANG CELO (Cheerfully, fanning himself doesn’t she help you with the embroidery
with his hat). and earn money?
Sepa, tonight we shall have visitors.... ALING SEPA. But...But...
(Aling Sepa looks up questioningly from her MANG CELO. Yes defend her. (Stands,
work. Mang Celo hangs up his hat left of moves left). Everything has been your fault.
door; puts bolo on bench beside door).Tino You have been soft with her. Why didn’t
and I are going to close our arrangement for you make her grow up like Maneng?. There
our child’s match. is the boy for you. A great help on the farm.
(He comes to center, look at her intently, Well, I guess he took after me. (Leans on
and waits for the effect of his words upon table).While Luisa...( He shakes his head
her). disapprovingly).
ALING SEPA (Stops her work abruptly ALING SEPA. But Celo, Luisa is only a
and looks incredulously at her husband) child.
You made a match...for Maneng? MANG CELO. A child? Bah! Won’t she be
MANG CELO. Maneng? Ho, ho! Listen to sixteen next harvest time? She’s old enough
the woman talk. Oh no! How stupid of you! to bear children. (Comes center.) You were
Where did you expect to get the dowry? sixteen when I married you.
ALING SEPA (Winces at his words, ALING SEPA. I have no objection to him
Weakly). I thought I’d like to keep her as a person, but as Luisa’s husband....
longer. MANG CELO. That’s enough. I think you
MANG CELO. What? ( Sits on right have said more than enough. I have been
bench.) To be a burden some more? She has very patient with you. (Stands.) Just
been enough of a burden to us, what with remember—be ready for the visitors
your letting her waste her time on those tonight.
infernal books of hers. How many times (He turns and leaves the room, going left.
have I told you to put a stop to that girl’s Aling Sepa continues to sit with her
reading and writing? How many times have embroidery in front of her. Slowly her face
I told you to teach her to spend her time becomes hard. A look of open defiance
more profitably? No, she is going to marry. creeps into her eyes.)
I can’t afford to feed all of us any longer. ALING SEPA (Half aloud). He will not
ALING SEPA. But I’ll help with my marry her off.
embroidery. I shall double my earning. (Luisa enters at rear with a book and pad of
MANG CELO. Yes! That’s it! See how paper in one hand and some rice cakes in
eagerly you will work just to make that the other.)
daughter of yours a profesora. LUISA. What did you say, Mother?
ALING SEPA. I only want to give her the ALING SEPA. Nothing, child.
chance I missed. LUISA. (Looking concernedly at Aling
MANG CELO. Chance! Nonsense. Sepa). Mother, what is it? (She approaches
(Stands.) As I have said, you are too soft her mother slowly.)
with her. But that’s not what I want to talk ALING SEPA. You have been extravagant.
about. You have not even asked me whom What will your father say?
I have decided she should marry. LUISA. (Putting her things on table). Oh,
ALING SEPA. (In a very tired voice). I but Mother, you like rice cakes, don’t you?
have guessed....It’s Lucio. (Crosses to table and gets a fan.) And
MANG CELO (Proudly). Yes, Lucio. (Sees besides, it was the money you gave me for
the contempt in Aling Sepa’s face.) Well, writing the paper. I didn’t have to buy any.
what’s wrong with Lucio, pray? (Sits on (Sits on papag). See, (holding up a tablet of
papag.) Isn’t he industrious? Isn’t he paper.) Dra. Paz gave me this. And the
thrifty? Won’t he be a good husband? He’ll book, Mother! Oh, Mother, she lent me one
make her work and forget all that nonsense again. (She shows the book to her mother
of hers.
and sits beside her.) She said it’s a good ( Throws book on floor down left, with left
book. Have you read it? hand.) You should do housework instead.
ALING SEPA. No, I haven’t. I couldn’t It’s time you did. You are going to marry
read much in my time, dear. very soon and you don’t know anything.
LUISA. (Moving closer to her mother). LUISA. (Looks startled at her father, then
Mother, why didn’t you continue studying? at her mother). Is it true, Mother?
You could have been a school teacher ALING SEPA. (Looks at her husband with
perhaps. Maybe a doctor even like Dra. Paz. open defiance). No!
Who knows? Why yes, Mother, you could MANG CELO. (Takes a step nearer and
have! looks at Aling Sepa sharply). What did you
ALING SEPA. No, I couldn’t have. My say?
parents couldn’t have afforded it. I could ALING SEPA. (Disregards the question
barely finish up to seventh grade. We were and addresses Luisa). Luisa, it’s late now.
very poor. It was a burden to feed me. So I Better go and prepare that supper.
was given to the first suitor. MANG CELO. No! You stay here, Luisa,
LUISA. You mean you never fell in love? ( and you are going to listen to me. (Luisa
With a shocked tone.) Why, Mother. sits, left end of papag.) And you
ALING SEPA. ( Smiling bitterly; pause). (Addressing Aling Sepa.) are going to keep
Luisa, I am going to tell you something. your mouth shut. Sit! I have decided to
LUISA. (Looking curiously at her mother). marry you off to Lucio. Lucio and his father
Yes? ( Heavy footsteps are heard are coming here tonight. We are going to
approaching.) receive Lucio and accept his proposal. (He
ALING SEPA. Your father is coming. I’ll goes down left. A cry of anguish escapes
talk to you later. Go and cook the rice, and Luisa. She looks at Aling Sepa as if for
just boil the fish. denial of all she heard. Aling Sepa remains
(Luisa starts for the kitchen. She takes the quiet but her face twitches with fighting
book with her. Mang Celo enters and sees emotions.)
her. He regards her angrily. Snatches LUISA. (In a whisper). Mother, is it true?
book.) Oh, Mother, you said you were going to
MANG CELO. Where did you get that send me to town to study. You said...
book? Haven’t I always told you to spend MANG CELO. So she did, did she? (Comes
your time more usefully? to center). So you have other plans for your
How many times have I forbidden you to daughter, eh? A fine wife you are!
read those things?
ALING SEPA. ( Addressing Luisa). Leave ALING SEPA (Continuing as if she had not
us alone, Luisa. ( Luisa leaves, crying heard him). I never had that chance—now I
softly, picking up her book on the way.) want Luisa to have that chance.
MANG CELO (Sneering). And now will MANG CELO. It shall be as I have said!
you please tell me about your plans for your (He leaves by door, center rear,
daughter? blusteringly. Aling Sepa sits again — stares
ALING SEPA ( Stands, steeling herself blankly ahead. Luisa enters and steals
against her husband). All right! I’ll tell you. softly to her mother. Sits beside her.)
I want Luisa to have a better chance than I LUISA. Mother, I don’t want to marry yet.
had. She’s a clever girl. I don’t want to ALING SEPA ( Puts her arms about her
make her do anything she will later on daughter protectingly). And you will not
reproach us for. ( Mang Celo narrows his have to. My parents ruined my life. Yours
eyes and looks at her with ignorant malice.) will not be ruined. I shall not let your father
I want her to be educated and have the do it. I might be killed for it but (
chance to choose a better husband than an Stands)...Luisa (Luisa stands; softly.) we
ignorant man who can’t understand her. will run away....
MANG CELO. Is that what you think about LUISA (With a deep breath). Mother!
me? Hmph! I have been afraid of that. Just CURTAIN
because you reached the seventh grade and
I never went to school, you dare make fun
of me, ha? I, who have clothed and fed you.
ALING SEPA. I don’t see why I shouldn’t
tell you the truth.(Gently) I had dreams of
marrying someone who could talk to me
about the things I have learned—someone
who could teach me, someone who could
understand further than a good crop and a
big harvest. When one has read about a
bigger world than what she sees about her,
she doesn’t stay satisfied with the things
around her. Oh, but you wouldn’t
understand.
MANG CELO (With a hint of threat).
Better stop or I’ll...