CLEARING-DEBT a Short Story about Clearing Debt

Short Story

1. CLEARING DEBT BY : NADINE SARREAL PRESENTED BY: Sanjanshel Ramos & Aime Toriaga

2. A play is defined as a type of literary work that is designed for performance in a theater in front of an audience. A play is composed of dialogue between various characters and divided into acts and scenes to increase the dramatic effect.

3. A typical play contains the following elements: 1. Acts and scenes 2. Characters 3. Dialogue 4. Plot 5. Setting 6. Stage directions

4. VOCABULARY WORDS

5.   Vying -competing and contending. Shorn - cutting and stabbing. Chamber -a large room used for formal or public events. Cinched -secure (a garment) with a belt. Buckled - To bend something or become bent.

6. Clawing - tear something or someone. Fists -a hand with the fingers and thumb held tightly in. Jolted -to (cause something or someone to) move suddenly and violently. Blotting -dry (wet surface or substance) using an absorbent material. Ironic -outcomes and consequences.  

7. NADINE SARREAL She was born in Seattle to Filipino parents. She is the author of two volumes of poetry, Start of Infinity (1973) and In the Fullness of Time (1991) as well as short stories collections. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College. After residing with her family in Euless, Texas, Nadine is now based in Singapore with her family 7

8. Clearing Debt By Nadine Sarreal     i . The crowd pressed against the glass, each person vying for a better view. I couldn’t look at them. My mouth was dry. It was my first time, and as it turned out, also my last. Senior Warden said it would be easy-one swift motion.   The woman sat unmoving in the chair. Shorn of hair, her head revealed uneven ridges, hard and shiny flesh. Two reporters stood by the door. I heard the guard tell them she had converted three times before coming to the chamber. Christian to Buddhist. Buddhist to Muslim. Muslim to Christian again. He seemed puzzled by the sequence.   ii. I had taken the five thousand. It paid my debts of the moment.  

9. iii. I cinched thick leather straps around her slender wrists-first the right, then the left. I buckled her ankles to the chair legs. My hands brushed her skin-cold flesh on cold flesh. There was no life in her eyes; a dull flat expression closed her away. We were both afraid, but I more than she, because I would live after her execution. And finally, the black cloth. I draped it over her head and loosened its folds enough for her to breathe.   iv. Senior Warden paced the room. He glanced only once at the red phone. At two past ten, he nodded. “It’s time.” People strained against the window, melded into a soundless clawing beast, a massive centipede. Isolated from its body, one hand worked a rosary wooden bead. Mouths exhaled words that we inside could not hear. Did they say, “Let her live”? Did they shake fists with anger or a violent compassion? “Gentlemen,” Senior Warden said, “and ladies,” nodding in our direction for I stood behind he r, to the side of the chair. “It’s time. Mark the hour.”

10. V I had to will my fingers toward the metal lever. It was my job. I had taken the money. It was as good as done. The unmistakable odor of urine rose in the room and the hot rush jolted me into motion. I pulled the lever down. A hard definite click connected with the power. She shuddered in the chair and gurgled, choking on her tongue. Her hands flexed with individual madness, straining the leather straps. Beneath the cloth, her eyes bulged, her head tilted against the chair. What final images passed before her? Did she smell burning meat and wondered what it was? Senior Warded turned his head to the wall, away from us and from the people grown silent at the window. Did they see the wet marks down the legs of my pants?   VI The manual says the body must be left there hours to cool. I drew curtain across the window, blotting out stunned faces. Ironic to accord privacy for the corpse but not formerly to the living. The phone rang as we left the chamber. Senior Warden paused in the haul “Answer that, will you?” – and walked on. But I closed the door and left her. Just three hours respite before I had to return and unstrap her body. Whoever was calling, whatever it was they had to say, it was too late.

11. Element s of Plot

12. EXPOSITION A man have taken the five thousand to pay his debt. He accepted the job being offered to him by their Senior Warden.   RISING ACTION People are scrambling to get a better view because one woman is being strapped in her arms and legs in a chair, black cloth to her head and ready for the execution. This is the job being offered to the man. A job to conduct the execution of the woman. CONFLICT This is the job being offered to the man. A job to conduct the execution of the woman. CLIMAX Senior Warden signals to the man that “it’s time”, this means that it is time to execute the woman. The man pulled the lever down and the woman fell to her death.

13. FALLING ACTION People at the window became silent, Senior Warden turned away and the man was trembling, ready to left the corpse for three hours to cool down as the manual says. The man drew the curtains across the window to give privacy to the corpse. RESOLUTION Someone called on the phone but it is too late because the woman died. In the mind of the man, whoever is calling and whatever they say, it is too late because he already pulled the lever that cause the woman to died.  

14. Reflection

15. In our lives, sometimes people tend to do something for money. something that not even they would consider doing. Something that may cause them harm or good They didn’t think of the consequences of their actions. They didn’t think twice or very many times before doing it. They didn’t think if someone would be hurt. They didn’t think if someone would die. But life being unfair, some people left with no choice. They have no choice but to do it so they can have money. Just like in the story of "Clearing Debt", he had to do the job for him to pay his debt. REFLECTION

16. 20XX presentation title 16 How did the woman react to the process of execution? A. She was screaming and struggling B. She was unmoving and had a dull expression C. She was praying and reciting religious chants D. She was calm but had tears in her eyes 2. What is the title of the story? A. Clearing Debt B. Clearing Bed C. Clearing garbage 3. Who is the author of the story? A. Nadine S areal B. Nadine Sarreel C. Nadine Sarreal 4. How much did Senior Warden pay to the protagonist? A. Six thousand B. Eight thousand C. Five thousand 5. Why the protagonist agree to carry out the execution? A. Because she wanted to seek revenge on the woman B. Because he was promised a large sum of money in return C. Because he was forced to do it by Senior Warden

17. 20XX presentation title 17 6. How did the people outside the execution chamber react to the event? A. They were silent and watching intently B. They were shouting and protesting C. They were cheering and celebrating 7. How did the protagonist feel during the execution? A. Afraid and nervous B. Angry and resentful C. Sad and regretful 8. What was the smell in the room during the execution? A. Roses and perfume B. Urine C. Incense and candles 9. What did Senior Warden do during the execution? A. He left the room before it happened B. He prayed and recited religious chants C. He paced the room nervously 10.What was the protagonist required to do after the execution? A. Clean up the execution chamber B. Answer the phone that was ringing C. Return and unstrap the woman’s body

18. THANK YOU