CREATIVE NONFICTION

4. Voice. Voice is related to tone and style . It refers to the choice of word, length
LESSON 3 THE WRITING PROCESS of sentences, use of certain images, metaphors, allusions, etc.- which reveal a
particular personality, and a particular attitude.
INTRODUCTION | Priming Activity 3. Follow the special instruction inside the box 5. Structure. Your topic will itself suggest the structure of your text. Structure is the
below. Afterwards, answer the questions that follow. Write your answers on a arrangement or organization of the text.
separate sheet of paper. Chronological structure - an arrangement of events in a linear fashion as they
Draw a box on your answer sheet. Write your answer to the following question occurred in time.
inside the box. Flashback structure - beginning in a certain point of the story then moving back
in the past.
PARA KANINO KA BUMABANGON? Parallel structure - a type of structure that has several stories, running side by
1. Can you elaborate what you have written in the box? side with occasional cross-cutting or convergence.
2. How do you feel every time you wake up with that goal/reason in mind? Collage or Mosaic structure - it involves pasting together of small fragments,
which all together build up the total picture of what happened.
DEVELOPMENT | Waking up each day (especially amid this pandemic) is one thing Question and Answer structure - it allows the reader to hear the subject’s voice
everyone must really be grateful for. Waking up with a goal in mind is another thing without awkwardness of having to repeat “he said” or “she said” before or after
we must thank for as well. The goals and reasons we have why we open our eyes in every direct quotation.
the morning serve as guide and direction for our lives. Frame or The story-within-a-story - it is a good structure to use when you want
Writing is a way of life so it has to have a direction as well. Good and responsible to say two stories- say, a travel narrative, where the actual physical journey is
writers and storytellers do not go on rambling about random stuff without hitting any paralleled by an inner journey.
point. That is why in this lesson, we will be exploring how to become better writers 6. A strong, Dramatic Beginning
and storytellers by focusing more our pen in how to write, what to write, and who to a. Title. It is not necessarily written before the piece is written, but it is good
write for. to have a working title to help you focus.
• Catchy and clever tiles have an advantage
The Pre-writing Process. Here are the needed preparatory activities before • Titles which are too long are at disadvantage
engaging yourself into the actual writing process: • Titles should not be misleading
1. Select a topic. The beginning writer often complains that he has nothing to write • It should give the reader an idea of what to expect
about, yet, as Jacobi said: “From walking. From talking. From listening. From b. The first paragraph. First paragraphs lead the reader to reading the whole
observing. From doing. From reading. From believing. From disagreeing. From text. Thus, it must catch attention, give the reader a hint of what the subject is,
dreaming. From asking. From having an open mind,” subjects or topics for writing set the tone, and guide the reader to what comes next.
are everywhere. The key to good creative nonfiction is dramatic writing and the key to good
You should begin with something close to home or close to you, something you dramatic writing is action. You can begin your piece with any of the following:
are interested in or curious about, but it shouldn’t stop you from reaching the world. • Passage of vivid description
However modest it may be, a work that pretends to be literature should be both • Quotation
local and universal, both timely and enduring. (Alfred Gonzales, 1947) • Dialogue
2. Determine your audience. All the facts in the world would be wasted on readers • Question
who are unable to appreciate them. • Striking statement
Thus, it is necessary to handle and organize your essay depending upon who the • Reference to current event
target audience is. Your choice of language is also a necessary factor to consider-
• In medias res- plunge right into the middle of the action
i.e., the choice of words, the length of sentences, the images, the allusions. Your
7. Rhetorical Techniques
approach would also vary upon the audience- i.e., personal narrative would not be
a. Definition. It is particularly important on essay writing or expository writing
so effective to children, yet, it may be effective to adult people.
where the major concern is explaining the concept or idea or issue.
The amount and type of information that the essay or article should contain would
b. Comparison-and-contrast. It is easier for the readers to understand an idea
also depend on the audience’s capacity to absorb it.
or concept when compared to something they are familiar with.
3. Gather Data. An important thing to remember is: no matter how great your way
When using this method, remember not to compare and contrast more than
with words, or how engaging the personality you project, the bottom line is: how
two items at the same time, otherwise, you may confuse your readers instead
much do you know about your subject?
of enlightening them. It is also important to compare only those that belong to
In gathering information, you have to consider the following factors:
the same class.
• What kind of information c. Illustrations and examples. This technique makes abstract or general ideas
• Where to get it more concrete, it clarifies. It may be in the form of anecdotes and quotations
• Keep current information or in simple enumeration.
It is also immensely important to develop in yourself the art of listening. Make sure that the relation between your example and the idea you wish to
clarify is immediately apparent to the reader.
Strategies of Writing Creative Nonfiction. The strategies of creative nonfiction are d. Classification. It is a good device for organizing complex materials provided
very much alike with the strategies of fiction. Gutkind said that the basic objective of that there is a principle governing the classification and that principle must be
creative nonfiction is to teach (he refers to it as “the mission of the genre”), but the meaningful enough.
point is to do it in such manner “that the most resistant reader will be interested in e. Analogy or extended metaphor. An extended metaphor is a metaphor that
learning more” (1997). Eventually, it means that a good piece of creative nonfiction is developed in great detail. The amount of detail can vary from that of a
has a personal voice, a clearly defined point of view, which will reveal itself to the tone, sentence or a paragraph, to encompassing an entire work. In an extended
and be presented through scene, summary, and description, as it is in fiction. metaphor, the author takes a single metaphor and employs it at length, using
1. Approach. It has something to do with how the writer handles hi subject. It may various subjects, images, ideas and situations. Example is an author wanting
also be the angle on how the story is viewed. to tell a story about a criminal, might employ extended metaphor and instead,
Objective Approach - there is no narrator present in the text. tell a story about a fox who attacks a farmer’s flock of chickens. The fox would
Subjective Approach - the writer himself is the narrator and his personal represent the criminal and the chickens would represent the victims.
emotions towards the subject would reflect on the text. 8. Concrete and evocative details. The most successful pieces of creative
Whether which of the two- objective or subjective approach- is appropriate in a nonfiction are rich in details. Bare facts are never enough. They need to be fleshed
text will be dependent upon the writer’s circumstances. out; they need to be humanized.
2. Point of View. It has something to do with perspective- whether who owns the Details should be accurate and informative and details must be suggestive or
story or who can best tell the story. The narrator may act as either a participant or evocative.
an observer. 9. Scene. The chief distinction between traditional reporting and creative nonfiction
Note that point-of-view greatly differs from the grammatical person. is the use of scenes and dramatic writing. It heightens the feeling of being “right
Consequently, even the first person is used, the point-of-view may still be that of an here” in the thick of what happened. This is done by presenting the news not
observer; and even the point-of-view is that of the principal character, the third through summary and exposition but through scenes.
person may be used. 10. A convincing ending. It must be the logical conclusion of the flow of your text
Occasionally, the writer uses second person into draw the reader into the story, or of the development of your ideas. The reader must be left with the impression
creating the impression that he is a part of the story, thus he is witnessing the events that the subject was adequately discussed or presented.
described in the text. Ways of ending:
Creative nonfiction however, generally use the first and third persons or they use a. Dramatic denoument
the indefinite pronoun “one”. b. Note of quiet lyricism
3. Tone. Tone is the writers attitude towards his subject. A subject may be c. Moral lesson
presented in a sarcastic tone, reverent tone, or apologetic tone, depending on the d. Anecdote
distinction of the writer. e. point made at the beginning of the essay
Tone may be evident in a text through the writer’s choice of words.
* NOTE: Approach, tone, and point-of-view are very important strategies in writing Writing a news report. This is not part of the creative nonfiction course guide but as
your essay. Handling these three correctly and wisely on your text will effectively a writer, I saw how this lesson have made an impact in my years of writing various
convey your meaning. types of creative nonfiction.
 CREATIVE NONFICTION
One of the most fundamental similarities between journalism and creative nonfiction Example:
is that writers of the genre both obtain the information they write about. Creative + According to a police report, the suspect threatened the cashier with a gun
nonfiction writers and journalists obtain information through a variety of reporting before running away with the money.
techniques, which can include interviewing sources, looking through government + Sa isang public briefing, sinabi ni Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario
documents, researching old articles, and observing events firsthand. Vergeire na kahit mahalaga ang nasabing bakuna, dapat lamang na maging
Good news writing begins with good, accurate reporting. Journalists perform a public boluntaryo ito para sa isang indibiduwal.
service for citizens by presenting truthful facts in honest, straight-forward articles. Integrating quotes. The first time a source is introduced in an article, you should use
News Values. Journalists commonly use six values to determine how newsworthy a that source’s full name and title. After this initial reference, use the last name only.
story or elements of a story are. Knowing the news values can help a journalist make Example:
many decisions, including: “The swine flu vaccine is an incredible advance in modern medicine,” said Health
• What information to give first in a news article, and in the lede and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
When attributing a direct quote, always use the verb “said” and never any other verbs
• Which articles to display on a newspaper’s front page such as “explained,” “whispered,” etc. It is also more common to use the format “XXX
• What questions to ask in an interview said” instead of “said XXX.”
The six news values are: Even when information from a source is not used in a direct quote and is paraphrased
1. Timeliness- Recent events have a higher news value than less recent ones. instead, it still must be attributed to that source.
2. Proximity- Stories taking place in one’s hometown or community are more Example:
newsworthy than those taking place far away. Direct quote - “The recession might be over,” Bernanke said.
3. Prominence- Famous people and those in the public eye have a higher news Paraphrase - Bernanke said the recession is probably over.
value than ordinary citizens. Below are sample news articles in English and Filipino.
4. Uniqueness/oddity- A story with a bizarre twist or strange occurrences. “Man Patients evacuated as fire hits PGH
bites dog” instead of “dog bites man.” MANILA, Philippines — Fire hit part of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
5. Impact- Stories that impact a large number of people may be more on Taft Avenue in Manila sometime past midnight on Sunday, according to an
newsworthy than those impacting a smaller number of people. alert posted by TXT Fire on Facebook.
6. Conflict- “If it bleeds, it leads.” Stories with strife, whether it’s actual violence The fire was on the second alarm as of 12:59 a.m. and was raised shortly after
or not, are more interesting. 1:00 a.m. to the third alarm.
The newsworthiness of a story is determined by a balance of these six values. There The PGH is the country’s biggest COVID-19 referral hospital.
is no set formula to decide how newsworthy a story is, but in general, the more of A video posted by a Twitter user showed thick gray smoke billowing out of the
these six values a story meets, the more newsworthy it is. upper floors of the hospital as firetruck sirens blared all around.
Lead. The lead of a news article is the first sentence, usually written as one Another video showed evacuated patients in beds and gurneys with their
paragraph, that tells the most important information of the story. When writing a lead, relatives on the sidewalks and driveways outside the hospital.
it is helpful to use the “tell a friend” strategy. Imagine you had to sum up to a friend, in According to people chatting outside the hospital, the fire apparently started at
one sentence, what your story is about. How would you sum up quickly what an electrical room on the third floor of the hospital.
happened? A story’s lead answers the “Five W’s” in a specific order: Who? What?
When? Where? Why? ENGAGEMENT | Activity 3.1 Reading creative nonfiction. Read the text below.
Example: Afterwards, proceed to Activity 3.2
A couple who claimed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) Return Flight
surrendered to policemen in Eastern Samar on Thursday, saying they want to live ni Allan B. Lopez
a normal life.
WHO: A couple who claimed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) NOONG 2011 lamang naging malinaw sa akin na matanda na nga talaga ang
WHAT: surrendered to policemen nanay ko.
WHEN: Thursday, May 13 Nasa airport kami ng Hong Kong. Biyernes ng hapon. Tanging kaming dalawa
WHERE: Eastern Samar lang ang nandoon sa malawak na hintayan ng pasahero sa harap ng check-in
WHY: they want to live a normal life counter ng Philippine Airlines.
Naglalakad siya papuntang banyo. Pinapanood ko siya—ang kanyang unti-
Other Examples: unting lumiliit na anyo, gatuldok lamang sa maliwanag at higanteng terminal; ang
+ The average new COVID-19 cases per day in the National Capital Region (NCR) kabagalan niyang maglakad; ang pagsisimula marahil ng kanyang pagkakuba, na
decreased by 30 percent over the past week, experts from the OCTA Research lalong luminaw sa akin nang siya’y lumikong pakaliwa.
group reported Saturday. Naging malinaw sa akin—matanda na nga talaga ang nanay ko. Alam ko
+ Inihayag kahapon ng Department of Health (DOH) na hindi dapat gawing naman siyempre na ilang taon na lang, siya’y magiging 70 na, pero sa
requirement sa mga nag-aaplay ng trabaho na sila ay nabakunahan laban sa pagkakataong iyon lang talaga naging malinaw ang pagdating ng kanyang
COVID-19. katandaan.
Inverted Pyramid. News articles are written in a structure known as the “inverted
pyramid.” In the inverted pyramid format, the most newsworthy information goes at MAHABA ang kuwento ng araw na iyon. Siya ang pinagasikaso ko ng kotse
the beginning of the story and the least newsworthy information goes at the end. sa hotel at wake-up call. Akala niya’y alas tres y medya (15:30) ang lipad namin
pabalik ng Pilipinas, iyon pala’y ala una y medya (13:30). Akala niya’y magagalit
ako. Sa taksi, ang behaved niya. Tahimik lamang siyang nakikinig habang
tumatawag ako sa mga hotel na malapit sa airport na maaari naming tuluyan
sakaling maiwan nga kami ng flight at hindi na makapag-book sa araw na iyon.
Pagdating sa airport, nang makita naming sarado na ang check-in counter, at
mas kumalma na ako dahil wala na palang magagawa, sinabi niyang masakit pala
ang tiyan niya. Kailangan niyang pumunta ng banyo. Sorry siya nang sorry,
bagamat hindi ko naman talaga makuhang magalit. Siguro bahagya na siyang
natatakot sa akin, dahil buong linggong iyon—ang kanyang unang bakasyon sa
labas ng bansa—ilang beses ko na rin siyang kinainisan. Mangilang beses pa
ngang napagalitan. Mga maliliit na bagay lang naman.
Halimbawa, noong tumawag siya sa cellphone na natataranta dahil naliligaw
daw siya sa loob ng isang Watsons. Sabi ko, kumalma ka lang, susunduin kita
mamaya, kasi nagyoyosi pa ako. Pinagpilitan niyang sunduin ko na daw siya
agad, kasi ang dami daw Intsik at hindi niya maintindihan ang nasa paligid niya.
Sabi ko, malamang, nasa China ka, at hindi naman ikaw ang pinag-uusapan.
Nagpumilit pa rin siyang magpasundo.
Minsan naman, nahihirapan siyang gamitin ang cellphone na binigay ko sa
kanya para sa bakasyong iyon, maski ilang beses ko nang itinuro. Isang hapon,
nang ako’y sumingit ng isang job interview at binilinan siyang magrelaks lang
sa hotel, tinawagan niya ako na nagpa-panic—nawawala na siya. Iyon pala’y
pumunta sa supermarket, nakarating doon sa pagtatanong-tanong sa mga Pinoy,
kasi nagtakam daw siya sa tsokolate at namahalan sa binebenta sa hotel.
After you have written your story’s lead, order the information that follows in terms of
most important to least important. There is no formal conclusion in a journalism article NANINIWALA akong ang mga utak natin ay parang filing system—isang photo
the way there is in an essay or analysis paper. album kung mamarapatin. Bawat taong kakilala natin, may picture. Kalakip
Attributing information. All information in a news article must be attributed to the ng picture na iyon, isang maikling profile. Maski paano pa magbago ang taong
source where the reporter got his/her information. The reporter must indicate in his/her nabanggit, palagi tayong bumabalik sa imahe at sa ideyang naka-file.
article where material was obtained from – from an interview, court documents, the Sa isip ko, si Mama ay hindi iyong matandang nagmamadali nang pagkabagal-
Census, a Web site, etc. Direct quotes and paraphrasing can be used to attribute bagal papunta sa banyo ng airport. Ang naka-file na larawan sa isip ko ay isang
information obtained in an interview with a source. babaeng may mataas na heels. Sa profile, nakatala na mabilis siyang kumilos at
sobrang listo. Umuuwi pa sa bahay para mananghalian para makatipid lang,
 CREATIVE NONFICTION
noong nakatira kami 20 minutes away from her office. Bale uuwi siya, kakain nang namundok na lang ako o nagtrabaho ng mababa ang sweldo, pero gusto kong
10 minuto, at babalik ng opisina sa loob ng isang oras lamang. Isang Pasko, matikman mo ang mga ito. Kaya susubukan na rin niya. At kapag kanyang
noong medyo gipit pa kami, nagluto siya ng 600 na cupcake para may dagdag na natikman, siya naman ay galak na galak. Sasabihin niya, ah, kaya pala mahal.
kita. Minsan naman, nagtahi siya ng tig-walong uniporme ng anim na matatabang Sasabihin ko, huwag mo isiping mahal. You deserve it.
magkakapatid ng isang kaibigan dahil sayang naman daw ang ekstra na kita. Isipin mo mayaman ka, at lahat ng mga problema mo, sosi problems. Ako ang
Madiskarte. Halos lahat yata kaya niyang gawin. bahala. Ngingiti na lamang siya.
Siya iyong nakarating sa eskwelahan namin noong lumindol noong 1990, bago They are a cooking family, at alam kong marami silang kaanak sa Cotabato na
pa man ako nakababa ng quadrangle—for a while misteryo talaga sa akin kung may kaya. Bata pa man ako, nakikita ko kung paano siya sumasaya kapag may
may pakpak ba siya o ano. Siya ang mataray na babaeng sumugod sa aking high natitikmang masarap. Hindi naman kami nagutom o naging hikaos, pero alam
school noong una kong ninais na sumali ng writing contest at ayaw bigyan kong may bahagi ng kanyang nakaraan na hindi na niya nababalikan dahil
ng certification (hindi naniniwala ang mga guro ko na kaya kong sumulat, kasi magtrabaho ka ba naman mag-isa para magtaguyod ng pamilya—walang
hindi naman ako honor student), nagmaldita in half-Tagalog, half-Chavacano katuwang, walang kasama. Hindi man niya naikukuwento sa akin dati ito, malinaw
(napapa-Chavacano siya pag nagagalit, nanakot siyang meron siyang abogado, sa akin na merong mga bagay na kinailangan niyang talikuran para itaguyod ako.
e wala naman) at halos magtatakbo sa Salcedo Village para hanapin ang Ng mga ikatlong araw na nagtututuro siya sa La Maison du Chocolat ng
embahada ng Thai Embassy (wala kasi siyang pantaksi) para mahabol ang alas tsokolate na hindi nagtatanong ng presyo, labis akong natuwa. Iyon siguro ang
dose ng tanghali na deadline. Noong nanalo ako, siya ang sumama sa akin sa pinakamasayang alaala ng pagbabakasyon namin.
bangko para turuan akong mag-encash ng tseke. Binibigay ko sa kanya, pero
hindi niya tinanggap. Akin daw ‘yon. NAPANGITI ako nang husto nang tanungin ko siya habang naglalakad kami
Malayong-malayo ang babaeng ‘yun sa nakita kong naglakad papuntang papunta sa boarding area kung ano ang paborito niya sa biyahe namin.
banyo. At noong hapong ‘yon, sa airport, habang nakikinig sa isang recording ng Sabi niya, iyong mga kinain daw. Alam daw kasi niya, sina Medy (‘yung
“Bolero” ni Ravel, na pinatugtog ko sa aking cellphone para mabawasan ang inis, kaopisina niya), kapag nagpupunta sa Hong Kong noong bata sila (may kaya kasi
nakilala ko siya muli sa ilalim ng alon-alon na kisame ng Hong Kong airport. ang asawa noon), nagbabaon pa ng pansit canton. At least siya, natikman niya
Isang pagbabago na hindi ko namalayan, hindi ko inasahan. Tatanda din pala ang masasarap na restawran daw. Tatawagan daw niya at iinggitin pag-uwi, tapos
ang spunky na nanay ko. Kaya pala nitong mga huling taon, mas nabubuo ang tulungan ko din siyang mag-email. Gusto niya i-email ang isang tiyahin ko sa
kuwento ng kanyang buhay sa akin. Dahil mas madalas niyang balikan ang taon Seattle. Tumira daw kasi ‘yon sa China nang matagal dati, at ng pagbalik sa kanila
ng kanyang kabataan sa Cotabato City—mga taong hindi ko naman kilala, mga sa Cotabato ay nagluto ng masasarap na Chinese food tuwing may party.
kaibigang kahit kailan hindi ko nakita. Magsesenti pa sana siya bago kami sumakay—salamat daw. Hindi naman daw
Sa totoo lang, akala ko nage-emo-goth na siya, pero mukhang ito na nga at niya inakala na makapamamasyal pa siya sa labas ng bansa. First time kasi niya
dumating na ang pagtanda. Kailangan ko na yatang mag-file ng bagong larawan magkaroon ng passport—para sa isang practically ay single mom, iyong
sa photo album ng aking isipan. mangarap na magbiyahe pa ay malayo sa katotohan. Lalo na noon. Kung ngayon
pa internet-internet na lamang ang maraming nangangarap na makapunta kung
IYAN ang isang bagay na hindi siya inclined gawin dati—ang bumalik sa saan-saan, noong panahon niya, sa sitwasyon niya, isa itong malaking kalabisan.
nakaraan. Kaya ang pagkakakilala ko sa kanya ay mas sa kwento ng ibang tao at Thank you, anak, ha, thank you. Hinila-hila niya ang aking kamay. Kako, tse,
sa mga nakikita ko. Alam ko, halimbawa, na malakas ang loob niya dahil nag- huwag ka nga magsenti. Ngumiti lamang siya.
down siya ng para sa sariling bahay na wala namang ipon—literal na tatlong
buwan ko siyang hindi halos nakita, sa kaoobertaym. Nagigising na lamang ako NASA eroplano kami pauwi nang tanungin niya kung ano ‘yung screen sa
ng sandali kapag hahalikan niya sa gabi. harap ng upuan. Sabi ko, entertainment system. Dinikit ko ang headset, nilagay
Alam kong mataas ang pangarap niya sa akin—maski mag-isa lang na sa tenga niya. Sabi ko, sige pindutin mo kung gusto mo makinig ng music.
kumakayod sa buhay (unemployed hanggang mamatay ang kanyang asawa), Sinubukan niyang pindutin, lumabas ang mga album. Ginabayan ko ang daliri
gusto niyang makatapos ako sa private school. Noong araw, hindi siya niyang mag-scroll. Sabi niya “Ay Frank Sinatra! Gusto kong makinig!” Sabi ko, i-
kumbinsido na mag-UP (University of the Philippines) ako kasi public, saka ilang scroll mo muli pataas. Hindi niya magawa. Nagsalubong na naman ang kilay ko.
beses daw siyang nanaginip na mamamatay ako sa rally, pero sinamahan niya Sabi niya, sige huwag na lang.
ako ng mag-Upcat at sabay kaming napanganga sa ganda ng campus at siya ang “Hmp. Ito naman, balat-sibuyas,” kako, sabay kuha ng daliri niya para gabayan
nagsabing, anak, dito ka dapat mag-aral. Medyo hindi kasi ganoon kaaya-aya ang sa pag-scroll. Pinindot ko ang album ni Frank Sinatra. Nagsimulang tumugtog.
mga tinirhan namin sa Pasay. Parang langit sa amin ang UP campus. “SALAMAT ANAK!!!!!” sigaw niya.
Ang irony niyan, noong papasara na ang kanilang kumpanya noong Natawa ako. Tinanggal saglit sa tenga niya ang headset, sinabing ang lakas
nasa college ako, siya ang nakita ko sa isang parang piket. Nagsasalita niya magsalita. Napahagikhik siya. Tinanggal ko saglit ang headset at ginabayan
sa reporter ng Channel 4, ilang buwan lamang pagkatapos matanggalan ng isang ko ang kamay niya para malaman niya kung ano ang pipindutin kung ayaw niya
suso dahil sa cancer. Nawalan na siya ng trabaho pagkatapos no’n, at hindi na ng kanta, o kung gusto niya hinaan o lakasan.
nakahanap muli. Napatingin ako sa mga daliri niya bago ko ito tuluyang bitawan. Sa isang
Kapag pinagtatagpi-tagpi ko ang kanyang nakaraan—na ilang beses ko na rin mabilis na pagkakataon, parang gusto ko lang sana sabihin, na maski minsan
namang ginawa dahil manunulat ako—ang laging nagiging ending ay ang kwento maiinis ako sa kanya, mawawalan ng pasensiya, hindi ko makakakalimutan na
sa akin ng isang tiyahin sa Quezon City. Binibilinan ako na huwag ang mga kamay na iyon ang parehong mga kamay na nagtaguyod sakin. Maski
magtatarantado, dahil masipag daw ang nanay ko. Maski daw simple lang ang mukha na silang string beans ngayon.
buhay namin, dapat ko daw tandaan na dumating ng Maynila iyon ang dala’y isang Napangiti ako noong may maalala ako tungkol sa mga kamay niya.
bag at isang kahon. Kahit konti lang ang meron kami sa buhay, lahat iyon pinundar Nasa Jollibee kami. May magandang nangyari noon. Hindi ko na matandaan
at pinaghirapan niyang mag-isa. Kaya huwag kong sayangin. kung ano. Parang nakatanggap ‘ata ako ng parangal. Habang kumakain ay may
dumaang isang bata na may dalang sundae. Napatingin ako—parang masarap.
NAKATATAWA, dahil noon bumalik si Mama kung saan ako nakaupo at Hindi naman ako batang mahilig humingi.
binabantayan ang aming mga bagahe, may dala din siyang isang bag at isang Habang kumakain, nakikita ko sa salamin—pasimple niyang hinahanap
kahon—ng hopia, galing Kee Wah, na minsang natikman namin sa isang sa bag ang mga barya-barya, pasimpleng binibilang sa ilalim ng mesa. Malinaw
malayong MTR station at hindi na nahanap muli sa loob ng limang araw. Gustong- na malinaw kong naaalala ang mga daliri niyang nagbibilang, marahil ng
gusto kasi niya ‘yon. Parang seasonal na autumn hopia. pinakahuling pera.
“O, saan galing ‘yan?” tanong ko. Kulay pula pa ba naman kasi ang mga kuko niya noon. Magaganda, mapuputi,
“May nakita kasi ako na taong may dalang ganito. Sinundan ko kung saan siya nakaayos ang mga kuko. Tapos inabutan niya ako ng pera. Sabi niya, bumili daw
galing. Tapos may nakita ako na isa pa. Mukhang Amerikano. Kaya tinanong ko ako ng sundae.
na lang. Isang linggo tayong may hopia!” May isa siyang kaopisina, kinuwento sa akin dati, ito daw si Mama, minsan
Tiningnan ko sa airport map. Ang layo pala ng pinuntahan niya. “Ang layo na nangungutang pa kung merong magandang mangyayari sakin, para lang
naman ng nilakad mo! Mabuti nakabalik ka!” Sabi niya, o huwag daw ako mapakain sa Jollibee. Pagkain din pala ang naging bribery niya sa akin noon.
magagalit. Sabi ko, hindi naman ako nagagalit. Tanong niya kung gusto ko. Sabi Kaya hinawakan ko ang mga kamay niya. Nakakatulog na siya noon. Ang
ko, ayoko. Nagbukas siya ng isa. Binanggit ko na pumunta ako doon sa isang help gaspang na talaga. Ang igsi na ng kuko. Ang taba na.
desk, kalahati lang naman daw ang laman ng susunod na flight, at wala na kaming Dyahe minsan makipag-holding hands sa matanda (pogi points sa iba, pero
problema. Napangiti siya, at binalik ko naman ang aking headset. Maya-maya, wala namang nakakakita sa amin). Although, sa tingin ko, sa pagkakataong iyon,
andiyan na ang kamay niya sa bunganga ko, binubusalsalan ako ng hopia. parang iyon ang tama.
Kinain ko na lang. Napaisip ako: Kung sa mata ko’y isang Mama mula
nakaraan, ano kaya ako sa isip niya? Activity 3.2 Analyzing creative nonfiction. Identify three strategies the author has
Malamang, isang bata pa ring nanalo ng apat na libo for the first time, na hindi adapted in writing the text found in Activity 3.1. Write your answer on a separate sheet
makakuha ng certificate sa eskwela at walang naniniwalang kaya niyang gumawa of paper.
ng ano mang kapaki-pakinabang o maganda. WRITING STRATEGY EXPLANATION
1.
PAGKAIN ang tema ng aming bakasyon, at siya ring unang mga pinagawayan 2.
namin sa Hong Kong. Dito kasi umikot ang aming isang linggong pamamasyal; 3.
hindi kasi siya mahilig sa shopping. Nilista ko ang lahat ng masasarap na
restawran na alam kong kaya kong kainan (maging iyong may mga Michelin star)
at dinala ko siya sa mga iyon.
Noong una, napapalunok siya sa presyo ng nakikita niya. Pero kagagalitan ko.
Sasabihin ko, pinagipunan ko naman ‘to, sa totoo lang kung hindi kita nanay, baka
 CREATIVE NONFICTION
Activity 3.3 News writing. Write a complete news report based on the fact sheet
below. Provide a suitable headline for your news article. Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.

An article appeared today in the Journal of the Philippine Medical Association. The
article concerns the dangers of hot dogs. "If you were trying to design something
that would be perfect to block a childs airway, it would be a bite-size piece of
hotdog," says a researcher. He concluded that children under 4 should "never be
given a whole hotdog to eat," and that hotdogs should never be cut crosswise.
The hotdogs are so dangerous that every five days, it is estimated, someone,
somewhere in the United States, chokes to death on them. Other risky foods for
young kids up to 9 years of age include: candy, nuts, grapes, apples, carrots and
popcorn.

ASSIMILATION | Performance Task 3.1 Freewriting. For this activity, kindly

1. Write a creative nonfiction piece. You have the freedom to pick any topic that you
want.
2. Your output must have at least five paragraphs and 250 words.
3. Write your output on a separate sheet of paper.
4. The grade for your output will be based on the rubrics below.

Needs
Excellent Proficient Developing
Improvement
Learner was Learner Learner was Learner was
able to was able to able to not able to
showcase showcase showcase showcase the
the following the some of the following:
excellently: following following: clarity of
clarity of sufficiently: clarity of ideas;
ideas; clarity of ideas; appropriate
appropriate ideas; appropriate choice of
choice of appropriate choice of literary
literary choice of literary elements;
elements; literary elements; appropriate
appropriate elements; appropriate use of the
Content
use of the appropriate use of the elements; and
elements; use of the elements; effective
and elements; and combination of
effective and effective the ideas and
combination effective combination the chosen
of the ideas combination of the ideas literary
and the of the ideas and the elements.
chosen and the chosen (45 points)
literary chosen literary
elements. literary elements.
(60 points) elements. (48 points)
(54 points)
Learner was Learner Learner was Learner was
able to follow was able to able to not able to
all the follow most follow some follow the
guidelines of the of the guidelines
provided for guidelines guidelines provided for
Organization
their chosen provided for provided for their chosen
outputs. their their chosen outputs.
(20 points) chosen outputs. (15 points)
outputs. (16 points)
(18 points)
Learner has Learner has Learner has Learner has
evident sufficient limited minimal
control of control of control of control of
grammar, grammar, grammar, grammar,
mechanics, mechanics, mechanics, mechanics,
spelling, spelling, spelling, spelling,
Conventions
usage as usage as usage as usage as well
well as well as well as as important
important important important elements of
elements of elements of elements of poetry.
poetry. poetry. poetry. (15 points)
(20 points) (18 points) (16 points)

ASSESSMENT | True or False. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. First paragraphs lead the reader to reading the whole text, so it has to be catchy.
2. A good writer writes the title first before the body of his/her piece.
3. A writer must adjust his/her writing voice depending on his/her target audience.
4. There is only one structure in writing creative nonfiction.
5. Research is unnecessary in writing creative nonfiction.