Impeng Negro

IMPENG NEGRO

OGOR

BOY

IMPENG'S MOTHER

Summary of the Story

Impeng Negro

by Rogelio R. Sikat

Impeng Negro is a short story about a young boy namely Impen, who was born looking differently; having a dark complexion, thick and dark hair, large eyes, and lips that looked more like an animal's. Despite having the said description, Impen is known to be more hard-working and diligent than anyone in his town but on his normal days at work, he would encounter people who tended to tease him because of how he looked and criticisms would normally come his way. One day, his most hated co-worker, Ogor, appeared in front of him and teased him some more which resulted in a violent fight between the two of them in which Impen won.

The story was published in 1962 which was the year when colonizers appeared in our country. Impen represented a tall, dark, and ugly Filipino who is poor, marginalized, and in the lowest rung of the socio-economic order while Ogor, represented the colonizers and the exact opposite of Impen.

There is not enough background of Impen and his family that could create the idea for the readers on how Impen was able to acquire his features. There are numerous versions of the story but the main idea of Impeng Negro is of Impen having an unpleasant visual appearance and how he is able to handle the people who make fun of him. The outcome of the story could have been adjusted into a more child-friendly sense that would usually result in the story having a moral lesson and a heroic character. The main idea of the story was more fitting to a child's story because of the teachings it could give to children from discrimination of all forms, bullying, and even up to mental health.

CHARACTERS