Analysis- Bob Ong and RJ Ledesma
I think we could all agree that life is one big hell of a mess, but it is the kind of mess that we like. It is messy, tiring, and certainly fun. In Bob Ong’s Stainless Longganisa and RJ Ledesma’s I Do or I Die, we get to discuss some of life’s unanswered questions and the process of marrying in the Philippines, respectively.
Both texts have used the subjective approach and first person POV towards writing the texts. They add a personal touch to the text to an extent. They have made the text to be read easily and for the readers to connect better with the texts. The structure of Stainless Longganisa follows a parallel structure, where there are several stories running side by side. This can be seen when Bob Ong talked about computers and children where he used the computer to describe children nowadays. This also helped in creating a somewhat cohesive text through some words or stories going to another- like the deodorant and commercials being said again in another story. The next story, on the other hand, follows a chronological structure mixed with a frame structure. The chronological structure was used to organize the main thought of the text, which is how he got to marry his wife while the other structure was used for explaining or setting an example for the heading.
Bob Ong’s text did not really make an impact on me in all honesty. If I were to maybe read the whole text, then maybe I would have understood it better. However, my main takeaway would be on the passage of time as it was implied quite a lot. Times do really change in all aspects- technology, culture, you name it, but we are all unsure whether these changes are for the better or worse. Sometimes, reality would just hit us with what ifs. What if we did not change our ways? What if we just stick to what we know? We never can really guarantee that something will happen, but we have to try. We also have to accept that not everything from the past is perfect. They have to be revised a little, but sometimes, we completely change them. We should still keep in mind the past no matter what because it will help us become more progressive in the future.
RJ Ledesma’s text wanted to show the reality on how someone, a normal person, gets married and its process. It wanted to deviate from what the media portray- the very princess type of proposals. He showed that their engagement was not the most fairytale-inspired one, but it was made with love. During the “pamanhikan”, the dad was not mad or not carrying a gun. He just accepted because he was just right on time in asking his daughter for marriage . The wedding was not as extravagant, but it was perfect for the both of them. They do not have to satisfy anyone else but themselves. Their honeymoon was so wholesome and sweet and was not the typical honeymoon we see in media, which is most of the time just straight up sex. Being extravagant or over the top is not always grand. Most of the time, simplicity works better.
To end this, I just wanted to say to enjoy the little things in life. Never hesitate to ask when you want to. Life may not be as grand and bright as others, but it will always be enjoyable.