Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc in a novel with a six-cell

storyboard containing the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell, have
students create a scene that follows the story in sequence using: Exposition,
Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.

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Plot Diagram Example of "The Wedding Dance"

Exposition
The setting is a mountain village of the Philippines where Awiyao has been
remarried.

Conflict
Awiyao has left his wife Lumnay, whom he loved very much. However, she couldnt
give him a child. He has now married Madulimay in hopes to have a son, who will
continue his legacy. This is something Awiyao expresses as important in his culture.
However, Lumnay is upset because she loves Awiyao and doesnt want this
separation.
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 that they built together.
Lumnay refuses them and clings to Awiyao, wishing he would stay.

Climax
Awiyao finally leaves to re-join the wedding and Lumnay runs into the hills.

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.

Resolution
The reader is left not knowing what will become of Lumnay.
Major Characters
Lumnay

Awiyaos 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 didnt
produce children for him.

Madulimay

Awiyaos new, younger wife, with whom he hopes to have children.

Symbolism is an important element in many literary works. Part of the Common
Core ELA strands is introducing and explaining this complex concept. Like themes,
these ideas are abstract and are often difficult for students to grasp on their own.
This is why using a storyboard is helpful. Storyboards allow students to visually
demonstrate their understanding of a concept like symbolism.
In the classroom, students could be to track the six symbols that this story uses to
communicate idea about culture and marriage.

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 Lumnays 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.

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 readers 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.
Valuable aspects of any literary work are its themes, symbols, and motifs. Part of the
Common Core ELA standards is to introduce and explain these complex concepts.
However, abstract ideas are often difficult for students to anatomize without
assistance. Using a storyboard, students can visually demonstrate their
understanding of these concepts, and master analysis of literary elements. For best
practices, see our article with specific lesson plan steps on setting up your
classroom and activities to teach themes, symbols, and motifs.
In the classroom, students can be to track the theme this story uses to communicate
important messages to the reader.

"The Wedding Dance" Theme for Discussion

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.
 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 Spains 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. View the videos below to get a
sense of the gangsa sound and the Kalinga wedding dance featured in The
Wedding Dance by Amador Daguio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Oj7sO3cqeQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJLamaUUuu8

Amador Daguio was born in the Ilocos province of the Philippines in 1912. He began
writing poetry in high school and published his first poem before he graduated.
Throughout his career, he taught at a number of schools in the Philippines and also
worked as a lawyer, editor, reporter, and public relations officer for the Filipino
government. In his writing, Daguio seeks to establish a pure Filipino voice, distinct
from its colonizers. Even in English, Daguios writing is Filipino in essence. In The
Wedding Dance, he draws upon the culture of his ancestors to explore Filipino
traditions along with the universal themes of love, suffering, and societal
expectations. Read more information about Daguio here.

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 A Quick 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 is
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.

Essential Questions for "The Wedding

Dance"
1. What are the expectations for men in Awiyaos culture? What about for
women?
2. How does your culture influence your decisions? Does it affect your plans for
your future?
3. Is it true that love conquers all? When might this be untrue?
4. How important is having children to you? How important is it in your family?
What about in your culture?
5. What is your legacy?