Literary Analysis of John Patrick Tacla

"Forgiveness does not change the past but it does enlarge the future"- a famous quote written by Paul Boese who has a relationship on the literary work of Marie Aubrey J. Villaceran entitled by "SINIGANG" ( a famous filipino dish in the Philippines) narrates how Liza, the protagonist on the story who also act as the narrator, handle the issue of her father who had an extramarital affair with Sylvia who had a son name Lem that die due to cancer.

The story all happened in Liza's home, as well as Sylvia's house, while preparing the sinigang dish ( the favorite dish of her father) together with her Tita Loleng. During the preparation of the Sinigang, Tita Loleng suddenly ask on Liza's first encounter with Sylvia, the woman who had an affair with her father, while attending on Lem's funeral. After her aunt ask on what happened back then Liza's vivid memories start to came up revealing the memories, but it's not only shows on how she was uneasy when she finally met Sylvia, how Sylvia beg forgiveness stating "Everyone makes mistakes,Liza" while kneeling because she knew that what she did is wrong, how Liza behave towards his father while feeling jealous with Lem because unlike Lem, she is "Sinverguenza, the shameless daughter". On that particular part, we can clearly say that she feel sad for herself because she also wants to be loved by her own father, she also want an attention by her father. But, while preparing the Sinigang dish she also remember her memories with her mother and Meg (her little sister) sitting behind her, showing them on how to prepare sinigang dish. Her mother shows selflessness in the story, despite of what Liza's father did, she still loved him unconditionally and that's what a true love makes, you will do anything for your love one's without thinking yourself first even if it takes no good outcomes to you.

Continuing the preparation of Sinigang, she remember her father crying in front of her stepbrother (Lem) grave and at the same time thinking "Would he be the same if I was the one who died?". Interpreting that thought or message of Liza we can identify that she think that is she worth enough for her father's love? Then suddenly without any warning his father gave sorry to her. The word that Liza's needed the most, the word that she's been waiting and wanting to hear from her father, the word that might help her to overcome her situation. We all know that all parents love their children/child they put them above everything, even from their own selves. After the Sinigang was cooked they start to eat dinner and Liza picture or imagine herself with a complete family having dinner and conversation in the table like a happy and complete family do. Those thoughts would never happened again so she accepted that those things would never be like where it was before and all she has to do is to keep moving forward. From what Liza have done, we can say that she truly respect his father's decision knowing that everything would never be like where it was before.

In every life forms we always encounter problems and mistakes in our life. Even if your rich enough, it doesn't count that your an exception to experience problems and mistakes. Mistakes are the outcome of people do when they did something that was not good and problems will enter if you make mistake. If we make mistakes it doesn't mean that we are bad persons, mistakes are wrong/bad when you do not accept that your mistake is a mistake. Forgiveness is the one of the best solution in most mistakes.

Maybe most of us are curious about the title, so do I, but after reading upon the story "SINIGANG" and gaining knowledge about it. I therefore conclude that the author wants to resemblance our life in the Filipino dish Sinigang. Our lives might be sour like the Sinigang dish because of all the bad things we've been through like family issue, academic issue, crime issue, and so on. But you know, these problems will thought us very important lessons everytime that we encounter those. It help us to grow better and to live better. After finishing reading the story entitled by "SINIGANG" I realize that it's all about on kindness, courage, love, decision making, and especially Forgiveness. All people makes mistakes and from mistakes we learned a lesson that we can used or apply in our lives. Yes, we all are not perfect people but one thing for sure, we need to take the responsibility for what we have done because we chose to do it. I've also realized the importance of being "CONTENTED" in the story SINIGANG, Liza's father commits a not being contented on what he have, I'm not specifically saying that seeking or wanting more is wrong, what's wrong is the process you do to achieve those. If you hurt someone's feelings to just obtain what you want, that, that's completely wrong.

"Capricornus"