The Mats/Divide By Two

The Mats by Francisco Arcellana, for me, was at first a Filipino story because of the “pasalubong”, in the first part, it was stated there “For the Angeles family, Mr. Angeles'; homecoming from his periodic inspection trips was always an occasion for celebration. But his homecoming--from a trip to the South--was fated to be more memorable than, say, of the others.

He had written from Mariveles: "I have just met a marvelous matweaver--a real artist--and I shall have a surprise for you. I asked him to weave a sleeping-mat for every one of the family. He is using many different colors and for each mat the dominant color is that of our respective birthstones. I am sure that the children will be very pleased. I know you will be. I can hardly wait to show them to you."”, Now this line in “The Mats” kinda reminds me of my own father because my dad would often bring home a pasalubong almost every night back when I was still a kid. In the story, the “pasalubong” was obviously the mats and bringing home a “pasalubong” was a Filipino attribute which henceforth gives me to my opinion that this story indeed is a Filipino one.

Now in this line: “Yes, Emilia," said Mr. Angeles, "There are three more mats to unfold. The others who aren't here..."

Nana Emilia caught her breath; there was a swift constriction in her throat; her face paled and she could not say anything.

The self-centered talk of the children also died. There was a silence as Mr. Angeles picked up the first of the remaining mats and began slowly unfolding it.

The mat was almost as austere in design as Mr. Angeles' own, and it had a name. There was no symbol or device above the name; only a blank space, emptiness.” I wasn’t first sure of why there were three more mats but then I saw in the ending in this line: ” "Do you think I'd forgotten? Do you think I had forgotten them? Do you think I could forget them?

"This is for you, Josefina!

"And this is for you, Victoria!

"And this is for you, Concepcion."

Mr. Angeles called the names rather than uttered them.

"Don't, Jaime, please don't," was all that Nana Emilia managed to say.

"Is it fair to forget them? Would it be just to disregard them?" Mr. Angeles demanded rather than asked.

His voice had risen shrill, almost hysterical; it was also stern and sad, and somehow vindictive. Mr. Angeles had spoken almost as if he were a stranger.

Also, he had spoken as if from a deep, grudgingly-silent, long-bewildered sorrow.” That the extra mats were for their dead children and the mother and the father were really sad in losing their children.



The second story, before was entitled “Divide by Two” which is quite confusing for me maybe because of its title: “Divide by Two”. Now this is a weird story because for mew, I think this story is like a normal story which happens in everyone’s life. “Panloloko” usually happens in anyone. In this story, a neighbor fools someone in dividing the property. I don’t like the story because it’s like more of a documentary than a story.