the theme and analysis

2. About The Author

3. About The Author :

4. Daguio was known for his literary works that
explored themes of love, cultural identity, and social
issues. He is considered one of the pioneers of
Philippine literature in English, and his works
continue to be studied and appreciated in the
country and beyond.
What kind of person was she/he?

5. About The Story

6. It was written in the Philippines during the mid-
20th century. The specific time period is not
mentioned in the story, but Daguio's active writing
career spanned from the 1940s to the 1960s.
In what place and time was it written?

7. Major Characters
Lumnay
• Awiyao’s former wife who is still in love with him, despite the
fact he married another.
Awiyao
• The lead male in the story who loves Lumnay, but left her
because she didn’t produce children for him.
Madulimay
• Awiyao’s new, younger wife, with whom he hopes to have
children.

8. Background
• Awiyao and Lumnay most likely to belong to the Igorot people
who inhabit the mountain areas of Luzon, the largest island in
the Philippines. The Philippine islands were settled by various
migrants from Southeast Asia for centuries. These peoples built
up a number of different cultures and clan-based social
structures on the many islands of the archipelago. In the 1500s,
Spain colonized the islands, spreading Christianity and the
Spanish language. Following Spain’s loss in the Spanish-
American war of 1898, the Philippines became a territory of
the United States. During World War II, the islands were
occupied by the Japanese until gaining their independence in
1945. The Igorot people maintained many of their traditional
cultural practices through the late 19th century. Even today,
dance and gangsa music form an important part of their
celebrations

10. What was going on at the time?
During the time the story was written, the
Philippines was undergoing significant
changes. The country had experienced
colonization under Spanish rule and then
American occupation, leading to cultural and
societal transformations.

11. Synopsis of "The Wedding Dance"
• "The Wedding Dance" by Amador Daguio, is a short story about a
husband and wife, Awiyao and Lumnay, who had been married for
seven years. In spite of being in love with his wife, Awiyao feels the
need to marry again in order to have a son. At his second marriage
celebration, Awiyao goes to check on Lumnay, knowing she was upset.
Awiyao thought the answer to Lumnay's sorrow would be to have her
join the other women during the wedding dance. Lumnay was in fact at
his wedding, but left. She could not stand the idea of her husband
marrying another woman because she could not give him children.

12. What events and ideas were important?
Important events during this period included the struggle for
Philippine independence, the rise of nationalism, and the social,
economic, and political changes that occurred after World War
II. The country was also grappling with issues of land reform,
poverty, and the search for a national identity

13. EXPOSITION
•The story begins at night in a
mountain village in the Philippines,
where Awiyao has just been
remarried.

14. What was the worldview?
The world view during this time in the Philippines was
influenced by a mix of indigenous Filipino culture,
Spanish colonial legacy, and American cultural
influences. Traditional beliefs, customs, and values
coexisted with the introduction of new ideas and
perspectives, creating a complex and dynamic society.

15. CONFLICT
• Awiyao has left his wife Lumnay because she couldn’t give
him a child. He has now married Madulimay in the hope of
having a son. Lumnay is upset because she loves Awiyao
and doesn’t want this separation.
• The conflict here is Man vs. Society .The lead characters
have to follow their tribe’s custom , and it is resolved when
they had a heart-to heart talk that they should separate
and continue with their separate lives. And if Awiyao's
second marriage will not work he will come back to
Lumnay's arms again. They should follow their tribe's
custom and on the part of Awiyao he shows that he really
wanted to have a child to follow his name but there is a bit
hesitance on Lumnay's part.

16. How many parts are there to this work?
The story divided into different sections based on its
narrative structure and development.
1. Introduction: The story begins by introducing the main characters,
Awiyao and Lumnay, and provides background information about their
marriage and the issue of their childlessness.
2. The Wedding Dance: This section focuses on the titular event,
where couples in the village participate in a traditional dance. It
explores the significance of the dance and its connection to the
theme of love and relationships.

17. 3. Lumnay's Desperation: In this part, Lumnay tries various tactics during
the dance to regain Awiyao's love and attention and prevent him from
divorcing her. She dances with other men, hoping to make him jealous
and reconsider his decision.
4. Awiyao's Indifference: Despite Lumnay's efforts, Awiyao remains
indifferent to her attempts. He dances with a young, fertile woman named
Madulimay, highlighting his desire for a child and his readiness to move
on from Lumnay.
5. Lumnay's Heartbreak: This section portrays Lumnay's realization that she
has lost Awiyao. She feels hopeless and defeated, symbolized by her
sobbing at the end of the story. It reflects the pain of unrequited love and
the sacrifices she made for the relationship.

18. Point of View
•The Point of View used in this short story is the
Omniscient Limited – The author tells the story in
third person (using pronouns they, she, he, it,
etc). We know only what the character knows
and what the author allows him/her to tell us. We
can see the thoughts and feelings of characters if
the author chooses to reveal them to us.

19. RISING ACTION
•Outside, the villagers are dancing in
celebration of the wedding. Awiyao
leaves to try and comfort Lumnay. He
offers her many items of the life thatthey
built together. Lumnay refuses them and
clings to Awiyao, wishing he would stay.

20. CLIMAX
•Awiyao finally leaves to re-join the
wedding and Lumnay runs into the
hills.

21. FALLING ACTION
•Lumnay sits on the side of the
mountain
overlooking the blazing fire and
dancing women, thinking about how
her life has changed. She has a
sense of desperation, isolation, and
worthlessness.

22. RESOLUTION
•The reader is left not knowing what
will become of Lumnay.

23. "The Wedding Dance" Theme :
•If you truly love a person, you must let
them be happy
•Have you ever heard the saying “if you love
someone, let them go”? The story of
Lumnay and Awiyao wrestles with this
difficult issue. Despite how upsetting it is to
Lumnay, she must let Awiyao go, not only
because of their culture, but also because
it is clear that he will not be happy without
a child.

24. Six Symbolic Elements
• Gangsas
The gangsas are culturally important. The sound of the gangsas represents the
man in the wedding ceremony. Like the gangsas, they are strong and provide a
beat to the dance, or a "beat to life".
• Dancing
Culturally, the dancing is a celebration of happiness. It is also a show of sexuality
by the women. Because Lumnay has not produced a child, she feels ashamed to
dance and show herself to the other men, as she believes no one will look at her.
• The Fire
The fire or flames signify the burning intensity of both love and hate that Lumnay
feels in the situation. When Awiyao stirs the embers in Lumnay’s dark hut, he stirs
up both of these feelings in her. Later, as Lumnay watches the bonfire from afar,
her physical distance from the fire reflects her emotional separation from the man
she loves.

25. Six Symbolic Elements
• The Beads
The beads in the story symbolize the promise that Awiyao made to
Lumnay. They are also very precious and are worth 20 fields. The fact that
Awiyao gives them to Lumnay shows that he cherishes her, and that he
still believes she has worth.
Although Lumnay rejects the hut and field Awiayo offers her, she accepts
the
beads, suggesting her desire to remain connected to Awiyao.
• The Floor
A number of times the narrator draws the reader’s attention to the rattan
floor as Lumnay pulls it apart. This is symbolic of their marriage
unraveling.
• The Night
The nighttime setting symbolically adds to the darkness and isolation that
Lumnay feels as she runs away from the village. As she works her way up
the dark mountain alone, she is unable to envision a path to the future.
The reader, too, is left in darkness with the unresolved ending.

26. Quiz Time!
Test 1 (Give the correct answers)
1.-3. Give the Three Main Characters of the story.
4. The title & Author of the story.
5. What Year thus the story written?
6. The were settled by various migrants from Southeast Asia for centuries.
7. Awiyao and Lumnay most likely to belong to the people.
8. colonized the islands, spreading Christianity and their language.
Test 2 (Identify What kind of Symbolic Elements )
9. Symbolize the promise that Awiyao made to Lumnay.
10.Celebration of happiness. It is also a show of sexuality by the women.
11. culturally important. The sound of the represents the man in the wedding ceremony. Like the
gangsas, they are strong and provide a beat to the dance, or a "beat to life".
12.Signify the burning intensity of both love and hate that Lumnay feels in the situation.
13.Symbolically adds to the darkness and isolation that Lumnay feels as she runs away from the village.
14.-15. Bonus!

27. That’s All . . .
Thank You !