Distilled Story: A Trend for Literature

    It is really interesting to know a new technique that could enhance learning and the comprehension, especially of literature and linguistic. Through Distillation - a process of increasing the concentration of, separating, or purifying by or as if by distillation - a part or a particular scene of a story is being highlighted. Through this, the exact actions and emotions are being implied. It is a riveting way to indulge oneself in understanding and comprehending a particular scene. Experiencing the process of distillation somehow interest me to further know about it.

["The Grave Giggers (photo credits to Farzeah Jaafar)]

The distillation of Edilbert K. Tiempos’ "Grave Diggers" is the first that I have seen. It presented by the students of ENG 4 sections M1 and M2, under Professor Jean Graciela E. Penola and Mr. Amado C. Guinto, last March 19, 2013 at the MSU-IIT Mini Theater. The distilled part of the "Grave Diggers" story focuses on Agustin and Nicolas digging for a grave on the cemetery that day. Nicolas is an in law of Agustin, because Nicolas is Sebia's uncle. Agustin is a young man married to Sebia, Nicolas' niece. Sebia, on the other hand, has tuberculosis. That is why, Agustin had to work hard for her wife's treatment, but he couldn't find a descent job aside from digging a grave for every funeral in their town. Nicolas, with the urge to help Agustin give Sebia her needs, confessed that he digs the grave of the dead at night to find jewelries and he has been doing that job for almost fourteen years, he also convinced Agustin to come with him that night. Even though Agustin has grudges and was afraid of doing such disrespectful act to the so long dead, he was left with no choice because he has to look for money to cure Sebias's illness. That is why, on that night, Agustin was forced to come with his in law, Nicolas. There, they dug the graves to look for jewelries in the bodies of the dead and they found out a skull of Pantanleon. Pantanleon is the lead of the flock of ghosts roaming around the cemetery. Along with the other two diggers Inggoy and Julian, Nicolas drank "tuba" using the skull of Pantanleon to serve as a shot glass as they drank while working. Nicolas and the two others forced Agustin to drink but he insisted, and a commotion ended the play then, with the flock of ghosts led by  Pantanleon  watching them. 

(Pantaleon, with the flock of ghosts)

     At first, i thought i would be so scary because of the setting and the technical effects, but as the play goes it’s getting funnier. Well, who are to blame? I understand the actors for having that manner on stage. It’s a great consideration, i guess, and that it was their first time. But it is also amazing to think that they were successful in presenting so.

(the CEMETERY setting of "the Grave Diggers")

                                                                                                                  

All in all, it is a nice start, both for the actors, the production and the process of distillation itself. It is really refreshing to associate this process on literature and linguistic aside from using it in science. Distillation is a new wonderful way to go deeper to the world of literature and linguistic.