The document provides a summary of the short story "The Summer Solstice" by Filipino writer Nick Joaquin. It discusses the main themes of female empowerment and the contrast between the festivals of St. John and Tatarin. The story follows Donya Lupeng, a married woman who feels discontent on St. John's day and curious about the Tatarin ritual, where she gains a sense of power and control over her husband by joining the women.

2. NICK JOAQUIN-
Nicomedes "Nick" Márquez Joaquín (May 4,
1917 – April 29, 2004) was a Filipino writer
and journalist best known for his short
stories and novels in the English
language.
He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de
Manila.
Joaquín was conferred the rank and title
of National Artist of the Philippines for
Literature.
He has been considered one of the most
important Filipino writers, along with José
Rizal and Claro M. Recto. Unlike Rizal and
Recto,
whose works were written in Spanish,
Joaquin's major works were written in
English despite being a native Spanish
speaker

3. • Had his first piece published at age 17 in the literary
section of the pre-WWII Tribune where he works as a
proofreader
• Won a nationwide essay competition to honor La Naval de
Manila
UST awarded him an honorary Associate in Arts and a
scholarship to ST. Albert’s Convent, the Dominican
monastery in Hong Kong
• joined Philippine Free Press as a proofreader
• Intellectual and provocative works were noticed and
appreciated reached the level of reportage in the country
• Represented the PH at the International PEN Congress in
Tokyo,1957 • Appointed member of the Motion Pictures
commission

4. SUMMER SOLSTICE
also known as midsummer, occurs when one of
the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the
Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in
each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For
that hemisphere, the summer solstice is when the
Sun reaches its highest position in the sky and is
the day with the longest period of daylight.

5. SUMMER SOLSTICE
"The Summer Solstice", also known
as "Tatarin" or "Tadtarin", is a short story written
by Filipino National Artist for Literature Nick
Joaquin. In addition to being regarded as one of
Joaquin's most acclaimed literary works, the tale
is considered to be controversial. The story
narrates a ritual performed by women to invoke
the gods to grant the blessing of fertility by
dancing around a Balete tree that was already a
century old.

6. Main Theme: St. John’s and Tatarin Festivals –
The St. John’s festival is about men and their
fertility, which seems quite vulgar to Lupeng and
makes her start to realize how she wishes women
could be seen in the same way. The Tatarin
festival is the exact opposite, showing women as
leaders of fertility since they carry children. This
festival is the last trigger to make Lupeng feel as
though she is stronger than a man and deserves
adoration.

7. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
SETTING
The story takes place in 1850s Philippines during
the Festival days of St. John.

8. CHARACTERS
1. Donya Lupeng Moreta – long-married
woman with three children
2. Don Paeng Moreta – highly moral
husband of Donya Lupeng
3. Guido – younger cousin of Paeng who
studied in Europe
4. Amada – cook of Moreta family; Entoy’s
battered wife; one of the Tadtarins
5. Entoy – family driver of Moreta family

9. CHARACTERIZATION
DYNAMIC :
Donya Lupeng, Don Paeng,
Entoy, Amada
STATIC : Guido

10. PLOT
EXPOSITION
The Moretas family was enjoying the days of the
St. John’s Festival. Donya Lupeng awake feeling
faint with the heat , a sound screaming in her ears.
In the dining room, the three boys already attired
in their holiday suits, were at breakfast, and come
crowding around her all at once

11. RISING ACTION
The sight of the men horde celebrating the feast of St.
John annoyed Donya Lupeng.
CRISIS
Guido, the young man, makes suggestive comments
to Donya Lupeng propping up his elbows, dragged
himself forward on the ground and solemnly kissed
the tips of Donya Lupeng’s shoes. This made Donya
Lupeng leave abruptly. She felt that there is something
missing to her as a woman and became jealous and
curious to the Tatarin ritual

12. CLIMAX
Donya Lupeng decided to join the Tadtarin ritual.
Don Paeng tried to stop her but the fellow women
ganged up on him. Entoy found Don Paeng
bleeding and with bruises and they immediately
went home with Donya Lupeng

13. FALLING ACTION
As the two return home, Paeng
says he must whip his wife
because he loves her and feels
that she needs to be put in her
place. To this, she shouts and
says that she wants to be adored
not respected.

14. DENOUEMENT
Donya Lupeng gained control
of his husband and made him
kiss her feet.

15. CONFLICTS
MAN VS MAN
Donya Lupeng vs Don Paeng
MAN VS HIMSELF
Donya Lupeng vs Her curiosity
MAN VS SOCIETY
Donya Lupeng vs Their place’s
feast of St. John’s celebration

16. THEME
St. John’s and Tatarin Festivals – The St. John’s
festival is about men and their fertility, which seems
quite vulgar to Lupeng and makes her start to
realize how she wishes women could be seen in
the same way. The Tatarin festival is the exact
opposite, showing women as leaders of fertility
since they carry children. This festival is the last
trigger to make Lupeng feel as though she is
stronger than a man and deserves adoration.
Woman Empowerment- Woman should have equal
right with men.

17. RHETORICAL ELEMENTS
TONE: provoking
“I think it is to remind us men that once upon a time you
women were supreme and we men were the slaves.”
“I remember that you are a woman, yes. A beautiful woman.
And why not? Did you turn into some dreadful monster
when you married? Did you stop being a woman? Did
you stop being beautiful? Then why should my eyes not
tell you what you are—just because you are married?”
As she lifted her skirts to walk away, the young man,
propping up his elbows, dragged himself forward on the
ground and solemnly kissed the tips of her shoes. She
stared down in sudden horror, transfixed—and he felt her
violent shudder.

18. MOOD – victorious
“That I adore you. That I adore you.
That I worship you. That the air you
breathe and the ground you tread is
so holy to me. That I am your dog,
your slave… “
“Then come, and crawl on the floor,
and kiss my feet!”

19. SYMBOLISM
Amada – When Lupeng rushes to find
her cook, Amada, she sees her in a
compromising position on the bed
which makes Lupeng blush and feel
restrained about her own sexuality.
Kissed the feet - Kissing the feet of
women shows respect and
submitting man's self to woman.
Water - a sign of Baptism. Cleansing
the sins of humanity
Saint John – represent the
domination and superiority of men

20. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
EXAGERATION-
“That the air you breathe and the ground
you tread is so holy to me.”
METAPHOR
“That I am your dog, your slave”
SIMILE
“Because the tides of women, like the tides
of the sea, are tides of the moon.”
IRONY:
“The huge moon glowed like a sun” …