The summary is: 1) The story follows Isaac McCaslin and others on annual hunting expeditions seeking a legendary bear named Old Ben. 2) On one expedition, Old Ben is finally killed after a fierce fight with another bear named Lion. Both Lion and an elder named Sam Fathers die shortly after. 3) Years later, Isaac returns to find the hunting grounds sold to loggers. He visits the graves of Lion and Sam Fathers, reflecting on his attitude towards land ownership.

1. Critical Analysis of a Short Story
Harvest
By Loreto Paras Sulit
II. Synopsis
Vidal and Fabian were taking play stalks in the late afternoon sun. When they
were harvesting, they talked about five carabaos where in Vidal must marry Milia. It was
because their need of carabao for plowing the fields. While they were talking a not
exactly young beautiful girl came named Miss Francia. After chatting, the brothers went
to work again until sunset. On their way home, Vidal saw a moth and paused to catch it
but then; his brother crashed the moth in no time. Vidal asked, “Why are you that way”.
Fabian replied, “What is my way?”. “The way destroying things that are beautiful like
moths”, Vidal answered. “Things that are beautiful have a way of hurting. I destroy it
when I feel a hurt”, Fabian explained.
While eating dinner, Tinay did not join them for she cannot leave her baby and
her daughter Trining was playing siklot in a corner all by herself. Fabian keeps on telling
that Vidal must marry Milia so that they could have five carabaos. For the reply, Vidal
said that he will go with Miss Francia to the city to work as her model.
The next day, Fabian went to Miss Francia’s place, he told that his brother will
have a child with Milia so his brother may not go to the city with her. Miss Francia asked
Fabian to be her model to finish his work.
When Fabian went home, he saw his brother and wife talking; He heard that
Vidal already accepted to marry Milia. Vidal watched his brother cleansing his face and
arms later wondered why it took his brother too long to wash his arms, why he was
rubbing them as hard as that.
III. Critical Literary Analysis
a. Setting
Rice field- where the brothers are working and met Miss Francia.
Miss Francia’s Place- when Fabian told her that Vidal will have child with Milia.
Fabian House- where they talked about the marriage of Vidal and Milia.
Batalan- where Vidal and Tinay taked to each other.

2. b. Characters
Fabian- elder brother of Vidal / Husband of Tinay.
Vidal- younger brother of Fabian / Model of Miss Francia
Miss Francia- cousin of the master / the girl who catch the attention of Fabian
and Vidal.
Millia- a girl belongs to a family with five carabaos.
Tinay- wife of Fabian.
Trining- daughter of Fabian and Tinay.
The Master- owner of the farm.
c. Plot
In the late afternoon sun Fabian and Vidal were Harvesting Palay Stalks
under the Master’s rice field. Miss Francia went to rice field and made Vidal as
her model for the statue that she will be working on. Miss Francia will be leaving
in two days she wanted Vidal to go with her, where she would finish the figures
she was working on. But Fabian told Miss Francia that Vidal couldn’t go with her
because he’s going to marry Milia a girl who belong to a family with five
carabaos.
The statue isn’t finish yet, arms are still incomplete and Miss
Francia have to finish it before she leaves, So she decided to make Fabian as a
substitute of Vidal to complete her statue. When Fabian returned Vidal was at
Batalan brooding over a crumpled twenty peso bill in his hands. Vidal watched
his brother cleansing his face and arms later wondered why it took his brother too
long to wash his arms, why he was rubbing them as hard as that.
The end of the story depends on reader’s perception.
d. Theme
The short story is about the envious brother, Fabian. Due to Fabian’s envy to his
brother, he even manipulated his brother’s own life to the point that he even
talked to Miss Francia that his brother will have a child by accident so that she
would cancel the work, offered to his brother.
Implication
Be responsible of the decisions we make in life.
We must be contented of what we have.
Reviewed by:
Ringgit Espiritu Aguilar

3. Critical Analysis of a Short Story
The Bear
By William Faulkner
II. Synopsis
As Isaac grows older, he becomes an expert hunter and woodsman, and
continues going with the hunting parties every year. The group becomes
increasingly preoccupied with hunting Old Ben, a monstrous, almost immortal bear
that wreaks havoc throughout the forest.
Old Ben's foot was maimed in a trap, and he seems impervious to bullets. Isaac
and Boon go into Memphis to buy whisky for the men, and the next day, they go
after the bear again. General Compson declares that he wants Isaac to ride Kate,
the only mule who is not afraid of wild animals and, therefore, the best chance any of
the men have to get close enough to the bear to kill him. In the deep woods, near
the river, Lion leaps at Old Ben and takes hold of his throat. Old Ben seizes Lion and
begins shredding his stomach with its claws. Boon draws his knife and throws
himself on top of the bear, stabbing it in its back. Old Ben dies, and a few days later,
Lion dies as well. Sam Fathers collapses after the fight and dies not long after Lion.
Lion and Sam are buried in the same clearing. Isaac returns to the farm near
Jefferson, to the old McCaslin plantation.
After refusing the inheritance, Isaac moves into town and becomes a carpenter,
eschewing material possessions. He marries a woman who urges him to take back
the plantation, and he eventually gives in when she tries to convince him sexually.
Lucas' sister, who moved there with a scholarly negro farmer who never seems to
farm, but she refuses his offering. Once, he goes back to the hunting camp where
they bad stalked Old Ben for so many years.
Major de Spain has sold it to a logging company, and the trains come closer and
louder than before. Soon, it will be whittled away by the loggers. Isaac goes to the
graves of Lion and Sam Fathers, then goes to find Boon Hogganbeck. Boon is in a
clearing full of squirrels, trying to fix his gun. As Isaac enters, Boon shouts at him not
to touch any of the squirrels: "They're mine!" he cries.

4. III. Critical Analysis
a. Setting
Tallahatchie River region in mythical Yoknapatawpha County.
b. Characters
Isaac McCaslin, General Compson, McCaslin Edmonds, Uncle Ash, Sam
Fathers, Boon Hogganbeck, Walter Ewell, Old Ben, Major de Spain.
c. Plot
The adventure and exploits of an annual, late autumn hunting expedition
in the wild lands of the Tallahatchie River region in mythical Yoknapatawpha
County. As Isaac grows older, he becomes an expert hunter and woodsman, and
continues going with the hunting parties every year. General Compson declares
that he wants Isaac to ride Kate, the only mule who is not afraid of wild animals
and, therefore, the best chance any of the men have to get close enough to the
bear to kill him. In the deep woods, near the river, Lion leaps at Old Ben and
takes hold of his throat. Old Ben seizes Lion and begins shredding his stomach
with its claws. Boon draws his knife and throws himself on top of the bear,
stabbing it in its back. Old Ben dies, and a few days later, Lion dies as well Lion
and Sam are buried in the same clearing. Isaac returns to the farm near
Jefferson, to the old McCaslin plantation. After refusing the inheritance, Isaac
moves into town and becomes a carpenter, eschewing material possessions.
Major de Spain has sold it to a logging company, and the trains come closer and
louder than before. Soon, it will be whittled away by the loggers.
d. Theme
The bear concerns about Ike’s attitude towards land.
Implication
Do not be greedy and be contented of what you have. Because in some point of
our life what we only care for are the things we think important but the truth is it
does no value. We only realize to value things and people if it’s already lost.
Reviewed by:
Ringgit Espiritu Aguilar