My Father Goes to Court by Carlos Bulosan | English Lesson | Teacherrific!

Summary

In Carlos Bulosan's story 'My Father Goes to Court,' a family's joy and laughter are wrongly accused of stealing the spirit of wealth and food by their rich neighbor. The father defends his family in court, proving that happiness and health are not stolen but are a state of mind. The judge, moved by their laughter, dismisses the case, emphasizing that true wealth is a happy heart.

Takeaways

• 📚 The story is based on the work of Carlos Bulosan, a Filipino-American novelist and poet.
• 🌾 The narrative centers around a family living in a small town on Luzon whose farm was destroyed by a flood.
• 🏘️ The family moves to a new place and befriends their wealthy neighbor and his children.
• 🍲 The family is known for their happiness and the delicious aroma of the food they cook, which the rich neighbor's children can smell.
• 📉 The rich neighbor's children become thin, while the poor family's children grow robust and full of life.
• 🚔 A conflict arises when the rich neighbor accuses the family of stealing the spirit of their wealth and food through the aroma.
• ⚖️ The case goes to court, where the poor man represents himself without a lawyer.
• 💰 During the trial, the father uses the sound of coins to illustrate that they have paid for the 'spirit' they've supposedly stolen.
• 😄 The story concludes with the judge dismissing the case and joining in the family's laughter, symbolizing the triumph of joy over material wealth.
• 💡 The moral of the story is not to judge others by their appearance or status, and that happiness and health are true wealth.

Q & A

Who is Carlos Bulosan and what is he known for?

Carlos Bulosan was a Filipina American novelist and poet, born in Binalonan, Pangasinan. He is best known for his semi-autobiographical work 'America is in the Heart'.

What happened to the family's farm in the story?

The family's farm was destroyed by a flood, which led them to move to a new place.

What was the relationship like between the poor family and their rich neighbor initially?

Initially, the relationship was friendly as the rich neighbor would join the poor family in having fun and they would enjoy each other's company.

Why did the rich neighbor start to close his windows?

The rich neighbor started to close his windows because his children began to look thin and pale, while the poor family's children grew robust and full of life.

What was the complaint filed by the rich man against the poor family?

The rich man filed a complaint claiming that the poor family had been stealing the spirit of their wealth and food.

What was the outcome of the trial between the rich man and the poor man?

The case was dismissed by the judge after the poor man demonstrated that they had paid for the 'spirit of the food' by the sound of coins.

Why did the poor man bring a hat full of coins to the courtroom?

The poor man brought a hat full of coins to the courtroom to symbolize that they had paid for the 'spirit of the food' they had inhaled, thus proving they did not steal it.

What did the judge do after the case was dismissed?

After the case was dismissed, the judge agreed to hear the poor family's laughter, and he ended up laughing the loudest of them all.

What is the moral of the story?

The moral of the story is not to judge others by their physical appearance or status in life, and that having a happy heart can lead to a healthier life, which is true wealth.

How did the rich man's children look at the end of the story?

The rich man's children looked thin and pale at the end of the story, in contrast to the poor family's children who were robust and full of life.

What did the poor man ask the complainant during the trial?

The poor man asked the complainant if he had heard the spirit of money, to which the complainant agreed, leading the poor man to say that they had paid for the spirit of the food.