The short story "The Execution" by Charlson Ong depicts a Chinese family's experience during the Philippine Martial Law era. It focuses on how the execution of a Chinese drug lord named Lim Seng had a profound negative impact on the family, particularly the father Lim Bien-So. Angry that the Chinese community did not intervene, Lim Bien-So became distant from his family and their relationship deteriorated. He later fell ill and died, reminding the narrator Mario of the trauma of Lim Seng's execution.

1. "THE EXECUTION"
Charlson Ong
Prepared by: Princess O. Catao
ENG 101-CODE 1735

2. "The Execution" by Charlson Ong is a short story
that depicts a peek of what a certain Chinese
family living in the Philippines has experienced
during the Martial Law era.
It talks about justice and freedom from the
negative experiences, biases, prejudices, abuses
for being Chinese rooting from the Martial Law.
INTRODUCTION

3. A resident fellow of the Institute of
Creative Writing.
A fictionist, scriptwriter, and a singer.
Extraordinaire was born on July 6, 1960.
He obtained an A.B. in Psychology from
the University of the Philippines in 1977,
and currently teaches literature and
creative writing under UP's Department
of English and Comparative Literature.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHARLSON L. ONG

4. A multi-awarded fictionist who has
received, among others: a Palanca
award for his short story, The Trouble in
Beijing; a second-place Philippine
Centennial Literary Prize for his novel,
An Embarrassment of Riches; and
several National Book Awards for his
works across the years
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHARLSON L. ONG

5. A Chinese Drug-lord, who was executed
in the morning of January 15, 1973.
Through a firing squad at Fort Bonifacio
where he was strapped to a wood pole
and blindfolded.
He rans various legitimate businesses to
cover all his illegal activities.
He supplies his drugs in Thailand,
Singapore, and US West Coast.
lim seng
inspiration of the story

6. setting
The story was set on the initial years of the
Martial Law period.
President Marcos declared Martial Law at
September 23, 1972 (Sept. 21 in the story)
The story was narrated through flashbacks.

7. CHARACTERS
Mario- the narrator of the story
Lim Bien-So- the father of Mario; was eaten by his
frustrations on the death of Gan that greatly
affected his relationship with his family.
Gan So- drug smuggler, executed in the Martial Law
period.

8. Mario described the day of the execution.
He was awaken by the loud fighting of his parents. His mother
trying to stop his father from bringing him over to the
musketry.
Mario's father (Lim Bien So) was an acquaintance of Gan, a
Chinese illegal smuggler who has been sentenced to death.
In the fear of the consequences of being related to Gan, his
mother do not want his father to get involved.
SUMMARY

9. Lim Bien-So was so furious of the fact that none of the
Chinese community, not even their association, neither Gan's
own family interfere for his execution.
Lim Bien-So was mad as to how a Christian country can
punish a person through execution not abiding by its Christian
principle.
So Lim become aloof and distant to his family, as what he
only think about was the execution.
Mario's family was so broken, it was only his mother who has
been keeping them.

10. Lim will just come and go, pick a fight with his wife then left,
not known when will he be back again.
Until such time that Lim had become weak and sickly. His
been admitted to the hospital for quite sometime because of
complications until his last breath.
Lim's death reminded Mario of the trauma of Gan's execution,
and somewhat he has heard a gun shot again from afar.

11. conflict
Person vs Self
Person vs Person
Person vs Society

12. POINT OF VIEW
The story was narrated in the first person
point of view in the character of Mario.

13. THEME
DEATH
"A stranger's death for all the trouble it
caused."

14. HISTORICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL THEORY
About the narrator........ About the author........
Happens in the implementation of
Martial Law (Sept. 21, 1972)
9-year old Mario (the narrator)
reminisce his experiences as how
the people from the Chinese
community had been treated
brought about by the execution of
a Chinese drug lord, that greatly
affected their family most
especially his father.
The author was also a 12-year old
child in the implementation of
Martial Law (Sept. 23, 1972).
Charlson Ong is also a Chinese
blooded person living in the
Philippines.
The author might be sharing his
personal or the Chinese
community's sentiments in the
story of Mario.

15. references
https://opinion.inquirer.net/95625/lim-seng-
remembered
https://www.esquiremag.ph/author/charlson-ong
https://brylits.tripod.com/repthex.html
ONLINE

16. THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!