PATRIARCHY AND ALFRED YUSON’S DREAM OF KNIVES

______________________

A Research Presented to the Faculty of the

College of Teacher Education
Urdaneta City University

______________________

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Degree Bachelor of Secondary Education
Major in English

______________________

by

Joselito O. De Vera
Judy A. Fernadez
Allyza Marie G. Cajas
Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes
Mikhaela Marie R. Bruan

June 2021
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 ABSTRACT

Name of Researchers : Joselito De Vera

Judy Fernandez
Mikhaella Marie Bruan
Allyza Marie Cajas
Jessyrene Anne Echanes

Institution : Urdaneta City University

Course : Bachelor of Secondary Education

Semester and School Year : Second Semester A.Y 2020-2021

Adviser : Maria Leah M. Manangan, MAEd

Title of the Thesis : Patriarchy and Alfred Yuson’s

Dream of Knives

Key Terms : Patriarchy, symbolism, Alfred

Yuson and feminist theory

Poetry is one of the kinds of literature that contains rhyme and symbols in

each poem. The symbol is the object, looks, or acts that indicate some other

meaning on its own. The symbol often contained words that are not common to

describe a meaning. Additionally, although the Philippines is not an entirely

patriarchal country such as China, Korea, and India, we are still influenced by the

patriarchal ideologies from our ancestors, which showed our culture and

literature up to this day.

This study aimed to analyze the poem’s symbol to reveal the concept of

Patriarchy using the literary research method. Furthermore, they employed

document analysis in gathering the data.

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 The analysis found that symbol, Dream, knife, and journey in “Dream of

Knives.” had a significant impact in revealing the concept of Patriarchy

underlying in the poem “Dream of Knives.” The ‘knife’ shows the male

dominance towards women, while the journey shows the gender bias of the

poem’s speaker. Lastly, dream shows how he wanted to bear a son.

Finally, the study concluded that the poem “Dream of Knives” contains

different symbols that can be used to unravel the concept of Patriarchy in the

poem. After discussing the poem, the writers suggest to the teachers, especially

literature teachers, that this study can help to provide great materials concerning

literary analysis. Second, students in English Departments are important to learn

and be aware of literary analysis to enrich their knowledge about literature.

Lastly, for future researchers, conduct a similar analysis in different subjects,

especially Filipino literary works, and analyze more features.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE i

APPROVAL SHEET ii

DEDICATION iii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT iv

ABSTRACT v

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

Chapter

1 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 1

Theoretical Framework 7

Conceptual Framework 11

Statement of the Problem 15

Assumptions of the Problem 15

Scope and Delimitation of the Study 15

Significance of the Study 16

Definition of Terms 17

2 METHODOLOGY

Research Design 18

Subject of the Study 19

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 Data Gathering Instruments 19

Collection of Data 21

Ethical Consideration 22

3 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

Symbolism 23

4 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions 38

Recommendations 39

REFERENCES 40

APPENDICES
A SUBJECT OF THE STUDY 44

B LETTER TO THE DEAN 45

C LETTER TO THE ADVISER 46

D LETTER TO THE CRITIC READER 47

E LETTER TO THE CHAIRPERSON 48

F LETTER TO THE PANEL 49

G LETTER TO THE PANEL 50

H RECEIPT OF PANEL FEE 51

I R1 FORM 52

J R4 FORM 53

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 K GRAMMARLY AND PLAGIARISM 54

L GANNT CHART 87

M DOCUMENTATION 88

CURRICULUM VITAE 90

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 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Primordial images of an ancient man carrying his woman on his shoulder,

clutching a big club in his other hand, modern images of gender disparities such

that of a stereotype girl Friday who sits on the lap of her boss are archetypal

patterns that depict man’s domination and social authority, gender relations and

political power that existed ever since time immemorial and up until now. These

images exemplify Patriarchy. Merriam Webster defined Patriarchy as “a social

organization marked by the supremacy of the father in the clan or family, the

legal dependence of wives and children, and the reckoning of descent and

inheritance in the male line broadly (Ademiluka, 2018). Thus, it is the control by

men of a disproportionately large share of power. A large portion of power is

apparent in political leadership, business management, religious institutions,

economic systems, and property ownership right down to the family home,

where men are considered the head of the household.

Different thinkers define the concept of Patriarchy in different ways.

Mitchell, a feminist psychologist, uses the word patriarchy “to refer to kinship

systems in which men exchange women” (Mitchell, 1971 cited in Sultana, 2011).

Walby defines “patriarchy as a system of social structures and practices in which

men dominate, oppress and exploit women” (Walby 1990 cited in Sultana, 2011).
 2

She explains Patriarchy as a system because this helps us reject the notion of

biological determinism (which says that men and women are naturally) (Sultana,

2011).

To date, matters on gender inequality, women abuse are still existing

transgressions despite urgent calls for equality. Gender issues have long been

discussed, deliberated upon, a consistent subject of controversy that fervent calls

have been launched to open the languid eyes of society towards women’s

empowerment. Most often, literature has been wholly instrumental in depicting

such gender issues. For instance, an animated film co-produced by United

Nations with Dagmar Doubkova of Krakty Films, Czechoslovakia, The Impossible

Dream, an award-winning animated video produced in 1983, the video has

become a widespread advocacy and training tool on awakening women and men

to gender issues in society that affect the family, workplace, and community

(United Nations, 1983, The Impossible Dream). Bygone days of William

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird are strong

suggestions of gender issues and has dwelt though not blatantly on male

domination or Patriarchy. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Achebe’s Things Fall

Apart, Sapay Koma by Jhoanalyn Cruz have motifs and themes that display

gender inequality and Patriarchy. These pieces of literature are reflections that

gender disparity still lingers and that something is still amiss.

In the research, “One Able Daughter Is Worth Ten Illiterate Sons,” by

Sania Sultan Ahmed and Sally Bould, Bangladesh women depended on men: father,
 3

husband, and sons. Sons are more preferred over daughters as their sole security

when parents grow old. The necessity of sons has these women locked up in a

patriarchal family system of extreme subordination (Cane et al. 1979 cited in

Feldman, 2001). It was not until 25 years later that women saw the necessity of

assisting their husbands through employment because of extreme poverty and

landlessness; this created a space and a chance for women to make choices and

decisions independent of the wishes of men in their families.

Among Filipino families, traditional patriarchal practices designate the role of

the husband and wife as household head and domestic manager, respectively

(Alcantara 1994). Although presently, a significant number of Filipino homemakers

have already joined the labor market and have been contributing to the family’s

economic needs, their economic role plays only second to her domestic role, which is

her ability to have children and take good care of her children and her husband.

Even if the wife may earn more than her husband does, the husband remains the

breadwinner.

Patriarchy and Feminist Theory

Literary theories arose as a means of comprehending the varied ways in

which people interpret texts. All literary theories are lenses through which we

can see writings (Appleman, D. 2015). Feminist criticism is a kind of literary

criticism established on feminist ideologies. These feminist theories are

concerned with the struggles of Patriarchy and sexism. In reality, feminist

philosophy opposes patriarchy and sexism because they discriminate against and
 4

prevent women from achieving political, economic, social, and psychological

equality with men. Several questions for analysis of a literary piece in the said

theory may be, “Is the author male or female?” and “Is the text narrated by a

female or male?” among others. Gender is juxtaposed to particular roles played

or depicted by the speaker or author of the literary piece under study. Other

questions for analysis, such as, “Are the female characters the protagonists or

secondary and minor characters?” and “What is the attitude towards women held

by the character or the persona (speaker)?” may not have expressed in the text

(content) but in the context of the text.

That civilization is patriarchal is ubiquitous, and an offshoot of this is

discrimination of women. However, that being the pronouncements of the

feminist theory, this study intends solely to analyze the patriarchal context of

the poem and state assumptions on other bases of Patriarchy that are indirectly

inclined to discrimination, such as specific male preferences that emanate from

cultural variation. One of these is gender preferences for children.

Henceforth, this research will employ a specific study on poetry as the

groundwork in discussing its textual context. In this research, symbolism will be

one aspect of discussion and the poem’s text as a basis in analyzing a poem of

Alfred Yuson, Dream of Knives, concerning the concept of Patriarchy.

Poetry is writing that generates a focused, imaginative awareness of

experience or a specific emotional reaction through language chosen and

organized for its meaning, tone, and rhythm. Poetry has been around for almost
 5

four thousand years. Like other forms of literature, poetry is written to share

ideas, express emotions, and create imagery. Poets select words according to

their meaning and acoustics, then arrange them to create a pace. Some poems

use rhyme systems, with two or more lines ending in similar-sounding words.

Poetry emphasizes the intensity of emotion of meanings and ideas by

using rhythm and style. Its core is on the association of words and other text

levels and its function inverse. According to Eagleton (as cited in Adamu, 2015),

Poetry as an art of form uses words and language to symbolize meaning and

content. Words were linked together to form sounds, definitions, and ideas that

might be hard to understand but are essential in generating meanings and

making poems.

Literary studies discuss literary works through several literary criticisms.

The literary piece results use many unique approaches, revealing different

meanings and interpretations in examining the same literary work as its data.

Meanwhile, Simpson (2004), as cited in (Asmara 2018), affirms that “literature

offers the chance to explore the language that is out of ordinary language, which

is often the preeminent embodiment of the creative spirit” (p. 98). Thus, it is

possible to say that literature provides unusual language that brings many

sources to be analyzed in literary study. Hence, in literary studies, literary works

can be examined and analyzed through their symbols.

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A literary device, symbolism is frequently used to communicate a

particular message to the target audience, and it is commonly used by writers as

an implies with creative expression. For its symbolic, figurative, and reflective

nature, the symbolism was indeed essential not only through poetry but in all

modalities of discourse. Meanwhile, Warren and Wellek (1984) say that a symbol

has evolved into an intellectual period and remains to appear in a wide range of

contexts and purposes. It means that its effectiveness is evident when it

encapsulates, conveys, and perfectly illustrates in poetry.

Symbolism illustrates objects, behavior, thoughts, and related concepts in

traditional or public, traditional or private settings. Knickerbocker (1963)

expounds that a symbol is a distinction between the two that should be

understood to distinguish the various types of symbols in the poems. Therefore,

symbols refer only to a word or set of words that imply an object or event itself

that symbolizes anything beyond itself. Furthermore, the symbol is the most

valuable and also the trickiest of the poetical figures. Its abundance and difficulty

arise from its ambiguity.

The poem observed in this study was written by Alfred Yuson entitled

“Dream of Knives.” Dream of Knives was written in 1985 by Alfred Yuson and

won first prize (co-winner) in Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature

English poetry category. It shows a man’s monologue after he dreamt that he

bought a knife to give his son (Frijas, 2014, para 3).

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Alfred Yuson is a contemporary Filipino English writer. Yuson won 13

Palanca awards in his writing career. He was inducted into the Palanca Hall of

Fame in 2001 (Tantiangco, 2018). Some of his poetic works are Icon Corner

(1978), Travelogue (1980), Tightwire and other poems (1982), Dream of Knives

(1985), and Pillage and other poems (2001).

Some reasons make the researchers pay considerable attention to the

poem and interest to make it the study’s object. The first researcher’s reason for

writing this research is because the researchers aim to analyze an award-winning

poem that wrote by a modern Filipino poet and not written in a traditional form.

Second, the poem’s content was suitable for the researcher’s main point to

prove.

The research focused on the symbolisms in Alfred Yuson’s Dream of

Knives to reveal the whole meaning and analyze it in terms of its socio-cultural

context, Patriarchy. The entire meaning of the poem is revealed by analyzing the

symbolism in the poem and its socio-cultural underpinnings.

Theoretical Framework

This study focused on Patriarchy and Alfred Yuson’s Dream of Knives. This

study employed theories and approaches associated with Patriarchy, feminist

theory, and sexism.

Sexism is the differentiation of a person based upon gender through

power and privilege in culture (Napikoski, 2021). Gender, ethnicity, ability, sexual
 8

harassment, male dominance in leadership roles, women as home

administrators, males as firstborn, and gendered expectations of profession,

clothing, and lifestyle choices are all examples of gendered abuse today. Sexists

used the distinction between groups to prove that one group is better or inferior.

Sexist prejudice against women is the means of maintaining male domination.

Feminism describes global movements to increase awareness and

eradicate sexism, sex exploitation, and oppression to ensure equal social,

economic, and political rights across the gender spectrum (Hooks, 2000).

Therefore, Feminism is an action to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and unjust

treatment.

The feminist theory encompasses different ideas, reflecting the diversity

of women around the world. Feminist theory has impacted virtually all structures,

systems, and disciplines, challenging traditional metaphysics and human nature

assumptions. Feminism has developed in three waves. The first wave dealt with

their right to vote, the second centered on equal access, and the current wave is

selling on global equality. In literature, Feminist criticism deals with “how

literature supports the economic, political, and social, and psychological

oppression of women” (Tyson 83). It looks at how our culture’s feature is

naturally patriarchal (male-dominated) and aims to uncover hate in writing about

women. Feminists coined the term ‘patriarchy’ to describe the power relationship

between men and women’s subordination (Chatraporn, 2004).

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Patriarchy is a “sexual system of power in which the male possesses

superior power and economic privilege” (Einstein, 1979 cited in Wilson, 2000). It

implies that men hold privilege in all essential parts of the society, but it does not

mean that women are powerless of rights, influences, and resources (French

1985 cited in Wilson, 2000). Hence, Patriarchy implies the rule of the father or

the patriarch, and it was used to describe a type of ‘male-dominated family,’ the

large household of the patriarch under the rule of the male. Now, it is more

common to refer to male control, to the power relationships by which men

suppress women, and to characterize a system whereby women are kept

subordinate in some ways (Bhasin 2006 as cited in Sultana, 2011).

Moreover, Hartmann states that Patriarchy is a set of social relations

between men, which have a material base, that, though hierarchical, establishes

interdependence or solidarity among men to control women. She added that the

material base that defines Patriarchy rests most in men’s control over women’s

labor-power and does not rest only on childbearing in the family but on all the

social structures that permit men to control women’s labor. Control is to continue

denying women access to necessary economically productive resources and

restricting women’s sexuality (Sultana, 2011).

In Aristotle’s theory, he called males active, females passive. For him, the

female was someone who does not have a soul, a “mutilated man.” In his view,

women are inferior because of their biological inferiority. Because man is

superior while a woman is subordinate, man is born to rule and woman to be

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governed. He stated that forcing a woman to obey demonstrates a man’s power

(Learner 1989 cited in Sultana, 2011).

While, socialist feminist prefers to use the concept of subordination of

women rather than Patriarchy, which they reject as historical. According to them,

Patriarchy is neither universal nor an all-embracing phenomenon as different

kinds of relationships always have reality between men and women in history.

According to them, it is not sex that causes Patriarchy but gender which is

essential. They added that sex is biological while gender is social. (Oakley 1972

as cited in Sultana, 2011).

Lerner (1989), as mentioned in (Sultana, 2011) states that patriarchy is a

process that develops over time, with some variables accountable for creating

male domination as we know it today. From the perspective of 19th-century

officials and churches, Patriarchy’s function is to control the work, and the

relationship between a father and his children, since the patriarch’s role was to

observe who is under his control and ensure that they live in a holistic manner

and obedience to the law. The patriarchal role thus implied some rights and

responsibilities. The patriarch was subject to the culture and disciplinary

measures of the nation, the Church, and the informal control of a local

community and was expected to live up to a specific characteristic which

involved self-control and responsibility-taking (Stark, 2016).

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Furthermore, Poems, for example, can be used to describe patriarchy.

Some literary works show the reality and portray patriarchy. One of the

examples is Sylvia Plath’s poems which she uses symbols that describe

patriarchal culture. Plath describes the manifestation of man’s domination over

women. Her poems criticized man’s superiority and how women suffer (Subagyo,

2015).

Close reading, active reading, and independent-mindedness are hugely

encouraged in these theories to discover and unravel the meaning of a text

unassisted by outside data.

Conceptual Framework

Alfred A. Yuson is a formidable author with an assortment of work that

traverses poetry, fiction, short and long, creative non-fiction, essays, and a

weekly column in the Philippine Star. He is also known as Krip Yuson. He has

written 23 books, including novels, poetry collections, short fiction, essays, and

children’s stories, aside from having altered different titles. His bibliography

includes poetry collections such as Sea Serpent (1980), Trading in Mermaids

(1993), Mothers Like Elephants (2000), Hairtrigger Loves: 50 Poems on Woman

(2002), and the translation, Love’s A Vice/ Bisyo ang Pag-ibig: Translations into

English of 60 Poems by Mike L. Bigornia (2004).

Alfred Yuson’s poem Dream of Knives was written entirely in English. It is

a 15-line poem, whereas each of the three stanzas contains five lines. In this
 12

way, the poem may be conveyed using denotative understanding: The persona

dreamed last night about a knife he purchased as a gift for his son. The knife’s

design was uncommon because the expense was less expensive than what it

ought to be. Some knife features were also portrayed to stress how happy the

youngster would be when he saw his present. It would surely bring joy to the

child that could please them simultaneously. The persona suddenly awakened.

He discovered that there would not be a return, a journey, and a gift to give. He

was then thinking about how he could find that knife and the happiness he had

longed for. It hurt him so much (Frijas, 2014).

Poetry is a kind of literature dependent on the interaction of words. In

poetry, words are strung together to form sounds, images, and thought that

might be too excessively intricate or dynamic to describe directly. Poets generally

created poetry following very strict meter and rhyme rules, and each culture had

its own set of norms. It gives an essential understanding of the way of life that

creates it. Along these lines, fantasy and science fiction writers often make

poetry for their developed cultures. It is probably the weariest form of literature

and presumably predates the origin of writing itself.

Poetry clarifies daily life in a general way in all manner with the least

words.

The poem has a short and thick sentence, but it contains the authors’

experiences, emotions, and ideas. Poetry is a type of language that says more
 13

and expresses it more forcefully than a common language (Perrine as cited in

Nora, 2016).

According to Abrams (1981), a symbol is anything that means something

else. In this view, all words are symbols. To truly appreciate its relevance

requires interpretation and comprehension. Watches that symbol in fiction are

simply objects, activities, or occasions that pass on meaning. According to him,

the meaning they convey extends past their strict significance beyond their more

self-evident real reason for being included within the story (Di Yanni cited in

Chukwu, 2014). Symbol, as a feature of semiotics, is massively important. In

composing, literature empowers the author to deal with meaning in a few words

or descriptions. 

Halliday in Webster (2003), as cited in Chukwu (2014), says that semiotics

advances out of an examination of dialect as a question to enhance

understanding of the meaning and of systems of meaning with changing modes

of realization. The ponder of semiotics could be a think about on sign. Eco

(1976) characterizes sign as anything which may be semiotics. He presents a

study of the theory that the meaning of the signals or signs is decided by the

objects (i.e., things or events) to which they allude (Chukwu, 2014). He argues

that the meaning of signals or signs is not necessarily determined by whether

they allude to actual objects and clarifies that the presence of things to which

signals or signs may correspond is not a necessary condition for their meaning.
 14

Littlejohn and Foss (2008) attest that semiotics alludes to “how signs

come to speak to objects, thoughts, circumstances, sentiments and conditions

exterior of themselves.” They assist state that the cognizant elucidation of the

individual continuously intervenes such “representation, and any translation or

meaning for a sign will alter from circumstance to situation.” Semiotics, in their

opinion, is frequently divided into three areas of thought: semantics, syntactic,

and pragmatics. Semantics addresses how signs relate to their referents or what

signs stand for as if replying to the address, what meaning does a sign bring to

an individual’s intellect inside a circumstance? They see syntactic as the ponder

of relations among signs. It is concerned with the rules by which we combine

signs into complex frameworks of meaning. They clarify that pragmatics looks at

how signs distinguish people’s lives or the commonsense utilization and impacts

of signs and their effects on social life (Chukwu, 2014).

Pierce Charles, an Anglo-American researcher, is another researcher

whose hypothesis is of incredible significance. Agreeing to Atkin (2006), Puncture

sets a semiotic idea of signs giving an account of meaning, representation,

reference, and meaning. He clarifies that Pierce’s thoughts, almost semiotics, are

accounted for in three-wide stages, beginning with his thoughts on the

fundamental structure of signs and implication (Chukwu, 2014). Puncture

essentially claims that signs comprise three inter-related parts: a sign, a

question, and an interpretant. In Pierce’s assertion, the sign may be understood

as the signifier, such as Bengania (constructed in words); the question can be

 15

anything intended by the term “Bengania,” and the interpretant is the signifier

knowledge that we have of the sign/question relationship. Subsequently, the

interpretant is central to the substance of the sign since the meaning of the sign

is as it was caught depending on the elucidation given to it by its clients. In this

manner, in semiotic interpretation, two universes exist a world of things and a

world of signs. The relationship between these two universes makes a difference

in forming meaning. A sign cannot have substance without being an expression

and cannot be an expression without having substance. The term of a sign

presupposes its substance, and the substance of a sign presupposes its

expression. So, for a sign to have semiotic noteworthiness, it must be an

expression.

Statement of the Problem

This study focused on the poem “Dream of Knives” by Alfred Yuson. The

following questions determined the patriarchal aspects of the poem:

1. What are the symbolisms found in Alfred Yuson’s Dream of Knives?

2. How does the use of symbolism reveal the concept of Patriarchy in

Alfred Yuson’s Dream of Knives?

Assumptions of the Problem

The following assumptions served as guiding beliefs in this investigation:

1. It shows a denial of the value of women in society.

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2. The poem shows male domination in the family, social authority, and

discrimination against women.

3. It shows the cultural variation in parental gender preference of

children.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

         This study dealt mainly with the poem entitled “Dream of Knives,” written

by Alfred Yuson, as the study’s subject. The researchers utilized the poem to

analyze its symbolic features. Moreover, In interpreting the text, the researchers

were led by ideas such as Feminism and Patriarchy.

         The researchers identified that an author wrote with the same patterns in

his works. Thus, the study is limited to one Palanca awardee in the English

poetry category written by a Modern Filipino literary writer.

Significance of the Study

The researchers believed that this study would provide important

information to particular groups in the community who have an interest in

poetry, included as follows:

Institution. This study would contribute to the College of Teacher

Education and Human Sciences research center of Urdaneta City University. As

one of the few literary research that will add to the diversity of investigations,

this will open a new avenue for literature study.

 17

English Language Learners and Teachers. This study would be

significant in further literary research as future academic tasks of BSE English

majors, thus cultivating and honing their analytical, critical, and interpretative

skills to produce more literary analysis.

Future Researchers. This study will assist further significant fields of

specialization concentrate more on qualitative research, especially on the arts

and humanities literary analysis.

The Researchers. This study would enhance the researcher’s literary

analysis and criticism knowledge, combining the theories and concepts they have

learned in the English language. This study will improve their linguistic and

phonological knowledge and understanding of their area of specialization.

Definition of Terms

The terminologies are conceptually defined based on how they are used

and functioned in the study to understand the readers better.

Analysis. In this study, analysis is carefully examining the poem Dream

of Knives by Alfred Yuson to understand the poem’s symbolism and reveal the

concept of Patriarchy in the poem.

Close Reading. In this study. Close reading is a detailed and careful

reading of the poem Dream of Knives by Alfred Yuson to extract valid

interpretations of the poem’s symbolism.

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Patriarchy. In this study, Patriarchy is the main idea of the poem Dream

of Knives, which needs to be revealed using the poem’s symbolism.

Poetry. This study is the type of literature that the researchers used to

analyze, The Dream of Knives by Alfred Yuson.

Symbolism. In this study, it is the words, things, and ideas that have

another meaning.
 Chapter 2

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology of the study. Specifically, it

discusses the research design, subject of the study, data gathering instrument,

and ethical consideration.

Research Design

This study employed a literary research design. Literary research design

dealt with man’s work of art and is essentially concerned with man as the maker

of literary art. According to Altick (1975), as mentioned in (Jeyaraj 2015),

“literary research calls devotion ‘to the enlightenment of criticism,’ by seeking ‘to

illuminate the work of art as it is.” Thus, literary research aimed to utilize

academic theories and approaches in evaluating and analyzing a work of art,

which helped researchers investigate the symbolical features of the poem

“Dream of Knives,” following the interpretive approach.

Interpretivist aimed to reveal meaning for a better understanding of the

text. According to Parry, Interpretivism encouraged the researcher’s engagement

in collecting data (Chetty, 2013). Thus, the data analyzed is based on the

researcher’s understanding of the collected data.

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Subject of the Study

To analyze a modern Filipino literary writer’s poetic work, the researchers

identified and concentrated only on one artwork, Alfred Yuson’s poem “Dream of

Knives,” to be the study’s subject. 

Alfred A. Yuson is a Filipino author of poetry, novels, and short stories

born in Manila in 1945. He was elevated to the Hall of Fame on the Carlos

Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the Philippines’ most prestigious literary

distinction. In 1992, he was given South East Asia (S.E.A.) Write Awards for

lifetime achievements. “Dream of Knives” was written and won first prize co-

winners in 1985 in Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature English poetry.

It shows a man’s monologue after he dreamt that he bought a knife to give his

son (Frijas, 2014, para. 3).

The researchers chose “Dream of Knives” as the study’s subject because

the poem “Dream of Knives” is one of the country’s most well-known literary

works. It had been referenced in several literature courses but had not been

given the opportunity to be explored. Furthermore, the concept of the poem

corresponded to the topic of the research.

Data Gathering Instruments

The study used a document analysis method to gather data. Documents

such as reflections, journals, blogs, critical essays, articles on the research topic,
 20

which are written, printed, and electronic, giving information serves as the basis

of interpreting this piece of art, Alfred Yuson’s poem. Documents are stable,

“non-reactive” materials, which implies they remained unaffected by the

researcher’s impact or the study process, even after being reviewed numerous

times (Bowen, 2009). Thus, the data was consistent throughout the research

process.

The researchers used the text of Alfred Yuson’s poem as its primary data,

and they relied on other sources on the internet like books, journal articles,

newsletters, and other literary studies on poetry and symbolism, which was

essential in their analysis and interpretation of Alfred Yuson’s Dream of Knives. 

Document analysis is a systematic approach for assessing documents-

both printed and electronic material. It helps the researchers to get the correct

data for the study. Moreover, in this method, the researchers utilized the internet

to find the documents they needed. The primary document required in the study

is a copy of the poem “Dream of Knives” by Alfred Yuson.

Dreams of Knives
Alfred Yuson

Last night I dreamt of a knife

I had bought for my son. Of rare design.
It went cheaply for its worth—short dagger
with fancily rounded pommel, and a wooden sheath
which miraculously revealed other miniature blades.

Oh how pleased he would be upon my return

 21

from this journey, I thought. What rapture

will surely adorn his ten-year princeling’s face
when he draws the gift the first time. What quivering
pleasure will most certainly be unleashed.

When I woke, there was no return, no journey,

no gift and no son beside me. Where do I search
for this knife then, and when do I begin to draw
happiness from reality, and why do I bleed so
from such sharp points of dreams?
(Abad & University of the Philippines Press, 1998).

Furthermore, the researchers gathered data from literature books and

based their analysis and interpretation on their knowledge of symbolism and the

secondary data collected from journals and articles related to the study.

Collection of Data

The researchers sought the permission of their mentor for the possible

subject of the study. The researchers and their mentor decided that the poem

“Dream of Knives” by Alfred Yuson will use in the study. They had taken the

manuscript of the poem on Scribd, a digital library. After determining the subject

of the study, the researchers employed some steps in analyzing the poem. The

first step in analyzing the poem was doing the close reading. The researchers did

a close reading to find the most dominant and most significant symbols used in

the poem. Second, collecting all the necessary data and relevant sources needed

to provide the theoretical ground for this study and support the analysis. The

researchers skimmed and examined the collected data and sources to find all of

the relevant hypotheses for the study. Lastly was doing the analysis. Since the
 22

study aims to answer all the problems, thus the steps of doing the analysis were

divided into two smaller steps. The first is to identify and interpret the significant

symbol and draw a connection between the sign and the poem’s socio-cultural

context.

Ethical Consideration

As a basis for ethical considerations, the researchers followed the

procedures and protocols in analyzing the poem’s symbolism, basing their

assumptions on the knowledge of other poets and written articles about

symbolism. To eliminate bias and subjective interpretation of the poem and

misinterpretation, the researchers carefully verified the credibility of their sources

and the veracity of their claim as based only on reliable and scholarly

documentation such as journals and articles and other studies related to the

present study. The researchers were careful not to favor nor prescribe any of the

theories used in this study. This research is meant only to analyze the cultural

context of the poem and its inclination towards Patriarchy.

The researchers looked at similarities and differences with other articles

and studies related to the research to develop valid and logical interpretations

and analyses from different perspectives and experiences. Access to the data

should be limited to the analysis and understanding of the work of art only

(Trinidad, 2018).
 Chapter 3

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the results and discussion of the data findings

obtained from the study undertaken. The results and discussion is divided into

two parts. The first part is the analysis of the symbols. While, the second part is

the discussion of the symbols concerning the socio-cultural context, patriarchy.

A. Symbolism

According to Cuddon (2013), symbolism is an object, animate, or

inanimate representing something else (Ardhani, 2021). Hence, symbols, such as

words, things, and abstract ideas, have a meaning more than the word itself.

In this study, the researchers focused on symbolism, which has a

connection or symbolic meaning related to patriarchy and objects or ideas

inclined to the context. The researchers found three symbols based on the

analysis concerning the thing that gives a symbolic meaning concerning

patriarchy. They are the dream, knife, and journey.

Dream

A Dream is a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a

person’s mind during sleep (OxfodLanguage). It was originated from Germanic

origin related to Dutch droom and German traum, and probably also to Old

English dream.
 24

There are several reasons an author chooses to use a dream in their

literary works. They can show things about the character’s wishes and fears for

their future and past, foreshadow things that might come, set a mood, or reveal

flashbacks.

According to Sigmund Freud, dreams represent thoughts, unconscious

desire, motivations, and wish fulfillment. Unfulfilled and unconscious longings,

such as aggressive and sexual drives, motivate people. He further wrote that

dreams are “disguised fulfillments of repressed wishes” (Zhang & Guo, 2018).

Furthermore, Dreaming a knife symbolizes emotional conflict and

separation. There are issues with loss or change that the person struggles with

in real life: an emotional hurt or threat (Emily, 2019).

Hence, from the data, researchers indicate that the symbol dream

symbolizes the fulfilled and unfulfilled desire of the father in the poem. The

poem mainly narrated the dream of the father. The father’s dream involves a

knife and a son, which he wished to have in his entire life.

“Last night I dreamt of a knife

I had bought for my son. Of rare design.
It went cheaply for its worth—short dagger
with fancily rounded pommel, and a wooden sheath
which miraculously revealed other miniature blades.” (Yuson, line 1-5)

In lines 1-5, the father dreamt of a knife that he bought for his son. In

this line, his desire seems fulfilled because he found a knife and have a son. He

further vividly described the knife that he found in his dream. He also expected
 25

that his gift would bring his kid’s great happiness and that if he saw his son

happy, he would have fulfilled his job as a parent.

However, just like any other dream, he woke from it. He suddenly goes

back to the reality that he wanted to escape. The truth that he will never find a

knife and bear a son, leaving him astounded and disappointed that his dream

was turned into an unfulfilled desire.

“When I woke, there was no return, no journey,

no gift and no son beside me. Where do I search
for this knife then, and when do I begin to draw
happiness from reality, and why do I bleed so
from such sharp points of dreams?” (Yuson, line 11-15)

At last, he woke from his deep dream and struck to the reality that he

does not have a son, a knife, or a journey. Due to his ultimate desire for a knife

and a son, his life shattered more in reality because his dream is just a dream,

and he needs to face reality. His pain due to an unfulfilled dream makes him ask

himself where he could find the same happiness he felt in the dream into reality.

Further, he metaphorically stated, “bleed from such sharp points of dreams”

(Yuson, line 14-15), relating to the damage caused by his dream, desire, and

reality.

Knife
 26

A Knife is an instrument composed of a blade fixed into a handle, used for

cutting or as a weapon (OxfordLanguage). It was originated from Old Norse,

knifr, of Germanic origin, and in late Old English, cnif.

A knife is a tool with a loaded of symbolic meaning. It signifies severance,

death, sacrifice, division, or liberation. In Buddhism, cutting represents

deliverance, as in cutting the bonds of ignorance. In Christianity, it represents

martyrdom. It connotes revenge and sudden defense.

Poet Adrienne Rich used a knife in his poem Diving into the Wreck to

symbolize danger. The knife suggests a willingness to be ruthless in pursuing

truth, which pursuing such truth can be dangerous (Rich, 2013).

Another, William Golding, in his novel, In Lord of the Flies, uses a knife to

symbolize military power and the savagery that comes with the need to kill. He

further explains the common traits in a stereotypical “savage” society, such as

corruption and intimidation to control the populace (Golding, n.d.) Hence, it

became a symbol of the boys’ desire for power and ever-increasing antagonism.

“Last night I dreamt of a knife

I had bought for my son. Of rare design” (Yuson, line 1-2)

With denotative understanding, the line 1-2 suggests that the persona had

a dream last night about a knife. He bought it as a gift for his son. Thus, the

knife is used as a symbolic figure connected to the persona and the son.

Virginia Woolf, in her novel, Mrs. Dalloway, the knife exists as a symbol of

the power that Peter’s Masculinity flaunt to Clarissa and the domestic sphere she
 27

inhabits and also as a threat to the marital economy to which Clarissa is bound

and in which she has invested her entire life. (Bednarska, 2011)

In addition, In many of the “Strange Lands and Strange Tales” series by

Zheng Wanglong, the heroines are experts using knives in battles. Although they

have guns, knives are prominent when they show their masculine prowess.

Hence, knives symbolize power over men, women, animals, and nature (Louie,

2011).

Meanwhile, in Dream of Knives, the line 1-2 hinted the researchers that

masculinity is being described. So, the researchers identified the persona as a

male character. A woman can have a son, but not to the degree that she would

think a knife is an appropriate gift for her son. The father’s behavior of thinking

of a phallic symbol as a gift shows that the father favors his son than a daughter

as he dreamt of a thing that he would give to his son. Hence, from the data

above, the researchers draw a knife to represent masculinity and symbolism of

instinctive forces, or in a Patriarchal term, the power held by men.

“short dagger
with fancily rounded pommel, and a wooden sheath
which miraculously revealed other, miniature blades.” (Yuson, line 3-5)

In connection to the knife as a symbolism of masculinity and power, the

father vividly described the features of the knife he bought in lines 3-5. In this

line, it was revealed that the knife that the father bought from his journey has

other miniature blades attached to the knife. Hence, the researchers draw that

the knife features symbolize the various roles men can hold in a society, wherein
 28

they could practice their power. The father’s idea to give the knife to his son

indicates that he wanted his son to be masculine and take up the strength he

could use to hold various societal roles.

“Oh how pleased he would be upon my return

from this journey, I thought. What rapture
will surely adorn his ten-year princeling’s face
when he draws the gift the first time. What quivering
pleasure will most certainly be unleashed.” (Yuson, line 6-10)

In lines 6 to 10, The father refers to a knife as a gift, which he identified

as the best present that he could give to his son. The father thinks that his son

will be thrilled once he receives the gift. Again, it expresses one’s paternal love.

Research suggests that giving gifts may improve a person’s state of mind.

Giving gifts can make a person feel happier about themselves and the person

who has received their gifts (Tayo, 2017).

Meanwhile, in Li-Young Lee’s The Gift, the gift was used as a

representation of Joy. The poem beautifully portrays the father-and-son

relationship. Instead of the father’s monologue, the poem describes the memory

of the son when his father eases the pain that left him with great respect to his

father. The gift is the joy that his father gave him memory and hope despite his

father’s death (Beaming Notes, 2017).

The researchers also found that the gift symbolizes joy in the poem. In

lines 6-10, the father begins to imagine the joy the knife could bring to his son.

It is implied that the father is not with his son in his current situation. The knife
 29

would bring love and bond to each other. It shows not just a typical joy but a

greater joy. Thus, it shows how joyful the father is; even if he has no son, he still

describes he would feel once his son receives the gift.

“When I woke, there was no return, no journey,

no gift and no son beside me. Where do I search
for this knife then, and when do I begin to draw
happiness from reality, and why do I bleed so
from such sharp points of dreams?” (Yuson, line 11-15)

In this line, the father finally awakened. He found out that it was just a

dream. He then wondered if where he will find the happiness and the knife.

In Sonnet 24 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the author used the symbol

knife to represent pain and negativity in life. The speaker believed that self-

absorbed and materialistic people often exploit others and cause harm

(GradeSaver, 2021).

Another, Jia Pingwa, in his novel Human Extremities, also used a knife to

symbolize pain. He used the knife to show that men can also feel pain despite

their acquired power (Louie, 2011).

Hence, From giving joy to him and his son in lines 6-10, the knife became

a symbolism of pain in lines 11-15. Due to his desire to have a son and finding a

knife, he became attached to looking for it. Therefore, after he awakens and

comes to losing his dream and everything related to it, the knife, the son, and

the joy bought about by giving the knife as a gift to the son. The idea that the

father, in reality, is in pain seems to be considered to attain the happiness of his

 30

fantasy by searching for the knife in real life. His realization of not having a son

is the “sharpest point” of his life.

Journey

Another symbol identified in the poem Dream of Knives is “Journey.”

According to Merriam Webster, Journey is an act of traveling from one place to

another or the journey from youth to maturity. Life is an adventure full of

lessons, hardships, heartaches, joy, celebrations, and remarkable moments an

excellent way to lead us to our destination ultimately. That is our reason in life.

Journey originated from Old French Journee means “a day’s length; day’s work

or travel” and Vulgar Latin *diurnum means day.

T. S. Eliot used “journey” in his poem Journey of the Magi to represent

the journey of wise men took when following the stars to Bethlehem where

Christ was born. However, Eliot uses “journey” to symbolize his journey in his

poem and relate it to the three kings from the East traveling to pay a visit to the

baby Jesus.

Another, Mary Olivers’ poem, “The Journey,” used “ journey” to symbolize

a positive change. She shows the dark past and how to start a brighter future. It

is about leaving your old self, the wrong and evil doings, and creating new life, a

path that will give light in the darkest moments in our life (Spacey, 2020).
 31

“Oh how pleased he would be upon my return

from this journey, I thought. What rapture
will surely adorn his ten-year princeling’s face
when he draws the gift the first time. What quivering
pleasure will most certainly be unleashed” (line 6-10)

In lines 6-10, the persona talks about his return from the journey. His

journey is to find the best gift for his son. To give his son happiness when he

returns from his trip.

A journey is a symbol for life as it reminds us that destination is not our

only goal. Just like any other journey, roads might be straight, lumpy, and windy.

There are ups and downs and potholes along with the ways. Along the way,

some surprises and discoveries might make or break man’s life (Holmes, 2019).

Furthermore, Robert Frost used ‘journey’ in his poem Stopping by Woods

on a Snowy as a symbolism of man’s life journey as in real life as a whole, and

the person cannot stop and enjoy what he likes. He cannot enjoy those moments

for a long time, for he has to move on to his responsibilities (Shrestha, 2013).

From the data above, the researchers indicate that the journey in the

poem is a metaphor for the father’s journey in life. He shows how he wanted to

have a son and the happiness of having it. The father feels the excitement and

expectation that his gift will bond their relationship. Throughout his life, he was

waiting and wishing to have a son. A son who could fulfill his dreams, dreams of

being a father, bearing a son, and especially giving his love, affection, and
 32

attention. His desire to have a son became an obsession that unconsciously he

disregarded women in his journey.

“When I woke, there was no return, no journey,

no gift and no son beside me. Where do I search
for this knife then, and when do I begin to draw
happiness from reality, and why do I bleed so
from such sharp points of dreams?” (Yuson, line 11-15)

Furthermore, his journey finished when he woke from the dream that

gives him an epiphany. An epiphany that after many years of waiting and

wishing to have a son, he will not have it, leaving a massive space in his heart.

His heart became filled with disappointment and pain because of his long desire.

Even though he woke up to that dream, he still searched for that knife and his

son.

B. How the symbols reveal the concept of Patriarchy

Dream of Knives by Alfred Yuson mainly narrated the father’s dream of

looking for a knife for his son, which is inclined to masculine domination and the

parental gender preference for male children. The dream reveals our unknown

nature, our true desires, and traits that we are afraid of admitting ourselves.

Dreaming is like an imagination of what we want in life or something that scares

us.

“Last night I dreamt of a knife

I had bought for my son. Of rare design.
It went cheaply for its worth—short dagger
with fancily rounded pommel, and a wooden sheath
 33

which miraculously revealed other miniature blades.” (Yuson, line 1-5)

In the poem, the dream refers to the father’s fulfilled and unfulfilled

desire to have a son. In Afghanistan’s deeply patriarchal society, sons have

highly valued over daughters to the point where a family is deemed “incomplete”

without a boy (Nadia, 2014 cited in McKenzie, 2019). When it comes to

guaranteeing a son’s birth, many parents are unwilling to leave it up to chance.

Lower levels of total fertility mean that families with a strong desire for at least

one son are more likely sex select by abortion, polygyny, or neglect (Lamson,

2020).

In the poem, he feels the fulfillment of being a father because he had the

son and the knife even in his dream. Throughout the poem, his dream revolved

around the knife and a son. It indicated that the father was longing for a son.

Son preference is a form of gender discrimination established in the view that

sons are more relevant than daughters and typically demonstrate in males being

treated more favorably than females.

“Last night I dreamt of a knife

I had bought for my son. Of rare design.” (Yuson, line 1-2)

The knife, in lines 1-2, symbolizes power. Men usually can hold a knife in

public. For instance, men are trained to use a knife for their weapon and

protection in wars, which have been long correlated with manhood. As an

extension of physical strength, weapons symbolized masculine physical might

and dominance (Exquisite Knives, 2017).

 34

In addition, it was used to represent masculinity. Masculinity refers to the

roles, behavior, and qualities associated with maleness and considered

appropriate to men such as, showing leadership, taking care of the family, being

tough, being virile, and getting what he wants (Silvia, 1999 cited in Asiyabola,

2011). Hence, Patriarchal masculinity emphasizes man’s superiority to man and

his counterpart, which maintains gender inequality.

The father, in the poem, wanted to extend his masculinity to his son by

buying him a phallic symbol such as a knife. He is more likely to reinforce

common gender stereotypes, preferring gendered things such as knives, guns,

toys, sports, and rough play with their sons, which shows his discrimination

between genders.

In society, fathers are delighted in buying their son a gift than to their

daughter. The reason is that they know more about what their son wants

because of their shared character traits and behavior. Furthermore, by giving a

phallic gift, such as knives, basketball, and guns, fathers think they could instill

their masculine traits to their sons. This idea of a father still lingers up to this

date to the members of LGBT+. Their father tries to instill masculinity in their

son at a young age once they see their son transitioning to the feminine side.

They reinforce male sports such as basketball, male circle of friends, male

courses like engineering and criminology, and for worse, they use their power to

assure themselves that their son to be masculine.

“short dagger
with fancily rounded pommel, and a wooden sheath
 35

which miraculously revealed other, miniature blades.” (Yuson, line 3-5)

Furthermore, the author described the knife features, symbolizing that

man can hold various roles in society. According to Lerner, men have power in all

important institutions of society (Sultana, 2011). They practice their masculinity

through taking up spaces such as holding political leadership, moral authority,

control to a property in the family, and a bloodline successor.

In addition to their power in the society, in a patriarchal system, the more

excellent son’s value has been treated as an economic good linked to women’s

economic inactivity. The social functions are mainly seeing sons as financial

sources for the family. Hence, a son has a more significant economic factor

(Yang, 2012 cited in Sun & Lai, 2017). In some developing countries, parents

with limited financial resources tend to prefer boys due to gender-related

reasons, such as boys being more valuable and worthy of investing in. For

example, a preference for sending boys to school is fueled by believing that all

girls will eventually get married off.

Due to social inequality created by the patriarchal system, some families

prefer having a son and attach special care towards them, which sometimes

leads to disregarding women’s values. Like in the poem, the father only wished

to have a son, which makes him disregard women, such as his wife and

daughter (if he had any).

“Oh how pleased he would be upon my return

from this journey, I thought. What rapture
will surely adorn his ten-year princeling’s face
 36

when he draws the gift the first time. What quivering

pleasure will most certainly be unleashed.” (Yuson, line 6-10)

In lines 6-10, the author elevated the symbol knife into a gift. He used the

gift to symbolize joy. A joy that a father would feel of having a son and the

fulfillment of seeing his son happy towards him. It can also be the bond between

the father and the son.

In a patriarchal society, such as China, having a son is a family’s pride and

joy. Therefore, a male succession will continue their family line. For instance, In

traditional Confucian culture and patriarchal environment, the male is the heir

and ‘pillar’ to the family (Sun & Lai, 2017). Hence, couples are obliged to bear a

son to be the successor and carry the name of the family’s bloodline.

Having a son is a gift to a father, especially if a father waits for too long to

have a son. The father in the poem waited for too long, and finally, he could give

his attention to his son. However, due to his happiness, he tends to make his son

happy because he feels that his son is his extension of the family. His fulfillment

as a father will be seen in his son’s reaction once he returned and draw his gift

to his son.

“When I woke, there was no return, no journey,

no gift and no son beside me. Where do I search
for this knife then, and when do I begin to draw
happiness from reality, and why do I bleed so
from such sharp points of dreams?” (line 11-15)

The last symbolism of the knife is pain. Cuts from a sharp knife can cause

redness, swelling, and pain and may continue to worsen and bleeds. The knife
 37

gives too much joy to the father in the “Dream of Knives,” but it also causes too

much pain. According to the research conducted in North America, families are

more likely to continue having children if they only have daughters versus if they

only have sons, indicating a preference to have male children. (Buitenbos, n.d.).

Furthermore, Having no son reminds them how vulnerable their family is and

how lonely their family is once their daughters married off (Sonawane, 2020).

For example, in society, parents wish to have a son during the delivery of their

child but came out as not, then that gives pain, especially to the father’s side.

Son is the pride of a father. Thus, as a father, having no son gives a

father too much loneliness and pain and feels like something is missing. The

realization of not having a child is the most devastating part of his life, and his

fatherhood will be incomplete. In the poem, the father was devastated and

disappointed that he will never bear a son. For a long time, a son he dreamt of

and wished to give his attention throughout his life and a son who will forever be

his son is just a fragment of his mind. It hurts him so much to the extent of

asking where to find such happiness in his life.

To the father, his ultimate journey is to fulfill his fatherhood and to have a

son. Throughout his “journey,” he feels the joy of being a father, the satisfaction

of having a son, and fulfillment as a person even if it was only his dream.

However, his journey ended when he woke from his deep slumber. His vision of

having a son cuts a wound to his heart. As he continues to walk on his “journey,”

the pain that the knife gives will continue to worsen, like accidentally cutting
 38

yourself. The deeper the cut is, the more it takes time to heal. Thus, this

surrealistic poem of Alfred Yuson ends in a painful reality of a much-desired son

that never was.

 Chapter 4

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter consists of conclusions and recommendations of the study.

The conclusions explain the main results of the study in a simplified way. The

recommendations deliver some suggestions for future researchers and English

learning.

Conclusions

The concept of Patriarchy is that society was lead or hold by men or a

‘patriarch’ or simply, a male-domination. Having this concept, the symbols found

in the poem reveal the connection between poetry and Patriarchy. His journey or

dream of having a son shows that he is gender-biased, and having a son would

be a father’s pride. Meanwhile, the knife reveals how eager a ‘patriarch’ to gain

power in society. The dreamlike monologue of the persona did not include any

mention of a female character of that of a mother and was entirely told in the

father’s perspective, and neither was there any mention of other siblings; thus,

this gives the reader an interpretation that the persona’s desperate yearning for

a firstborn son. Thus, the poem Dream of Knives of Alfred Yuson utterly exhibits

the concept of Patriarchy not only in its theme but also in its use of symbolism.

The socio-cultural context of the poem is inclined to masculine domination and

the unequivocal parental gender preference for male children.

 39

Recommendations

Based on the results and conclusions of the study, the researchers

proposed the following recommendations. First, this study can help English

teachers provide excellent materials concerning literary analysis, especially those

who teach literature. This study contributes to the literature study development

as an additional source in teaching and learning. Second, students in English

Departments must learn and be aware of literary analysis to enrich their

knowledge about literature. Lastly, a literary analysis should improve further

analysis. Thus, the writers would like to suggest that other researchers conduct a

similar analysis on a different subject. The subject can be other literary pieces or

other poems, especially from the Philippines, that have not been studied before.

Exploring its aspects can help to enhance the analysis. As this research only

analyzed symbolism to unravel the socio-cultural context of the poem, the

writers suggest analyzing more characteristics and context. As a result, a

thorough and wholesome analysis can be expected from the researchers.

 40

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 44

APPENDIX A
Subject of the Study

Dreams of Knives
Alfred Yuson

Last night I dreamt of a knife

I had bought for my son. Of rare design.
It went cheaply for its worth—short dagger
with fancily rounded pommel, and a wooden sheath
which miraculously revealed other miniature blades.

Oh how pleased he would be upon my return

from this journey, I thought. What rapture
will surely adorn his ten-year princeling’s face
when he draws the gift the first time. What quivering
pleasure will most certainly be unleashed.

When I woke, there was no return, no journey,

no gift and no son beside me. Where do I search
for this knife then, and when do I begin to draw
happiness from reality, and why do I bleed so
from such sharp points of dreams?
 URDANETA CITY 45
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

APPENDIX B
Letter to the Dean

January 18, 2021

PRESCILA I. MARCELO, EdD

College Dean
Urdaneta City University

Madam:

We, the undersigned BSE third year students Major in English are conducting a
research study entitled “PATRIARCHY AND ALFRED YUSON’S DREAM OF
KNIVES” as a requirement in our Language Research.

In this regard, we would like to ask permission from your good office to allow us
to gather information from the colleges here at Urdaneta City University.

We are anticipating for your utmost approval. Thank you very much and more
power.

Thank you and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

(Sgd) Joselito O. De Vera (Sgd) Allyza Marie G. Cajas

(Sgd) Judy A. Fernandez (Sgd) Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes
(Sgd) Mikhaella Marie R. Bruan

Noted:

(Sgd.) MARIA LEAH M. MANANGAN, MAEd

Research Adviser

Approved:

(Sgd.) PRESCILLA A. MARCELO, EdD

Dean, College of Teacher Education and Human Sciences
 URDANETA CITY 46
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

APPENDIX C
Letter to the Adviser

January 18, 2021

MARIA LEAH M. MANANGAN, MAEd

College Instructor
Urdaneta City University

Madam:

The undersigned are presently conducting research study entitled

“PATRIARCHY AND ALFRED YUSON’S DREAM OF KNIVES” in partial
fulfillment of the requirement in Language Research.

With this regard, may we request your professional assistance to be our Adviser
in this endeavor.

Your kind consideration and approval with regard to this matter is highly
appreciated.

Thank you very much, and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

(Sgd) Joselito O. De Vera (Sgd) Allyza Marie G. Cajas

(Sgd) Judy A. Fernandez (Sgd) Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes
(Sgd) Mikhaella Marie R. Bruan

Noted:

(Sgd.) RYAN JAYSON V. DELOS REYES, PhD

Research Instructor

Approved:

(Sgd.) MARIA LEAH M. MANANGAN, MAEd

Research Adviser
 URDANETA CITY 47
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

APPENDIX D
Letter to the Critic Reader

January 18, 2021

ARLENE G. JUGAL
College Instructor
Urdaneta City University

Madam:

The undersigned are presently conducting research study entitled

“PATRIARCHY AND ALFRED YUSON’S DREAM OF KNIVES” in partial
fulfillment of the requirement in Language Research.

With this regard, may we request your professional assistance to be our Critic
Reader in this endeavor.

Your kind consideration and approval with regard to this matter is highly
appreciated.

Thank you very much, and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

(Sgd) Joselito O. De Vera (Sgd) Allyza Marie G. Cajas

(Sgd) Judy A. Fernandez (Sgd) Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes
(Sgd) Mikhaella Marie R. Bruan

Noted:

(Sgd.) MARIA LEAH M. MANANGAN, MAEd

Research Adviser

Approved:

(Sgd.) ARLENE G. JUGAL

Critic Reader
 URDANETA CITY 48
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

APPENDIX E
Letter to the Chairperson

January 18, 2021

RHEA M. AGIBUAY, MAELL

College Instructor
Urdaneta City University

Madam:

We, the undersigned third year BSE major in English students of UCU, are
conducting a research entitled “PATRIARCHY AND ALFRED YUSON’S
DREAM OF KNIVES” to partially fulfill the requirements for the course
Language Research.

In connection to this, we would like to request your professional assistance to be

our chairman in the said study.

Your kind consideration and favorable action relative to this request will be highly
appreciated.

Thank you and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

(Sgd) Joselito O. De Vera (Sgd) Allyza Marie G. Cajas

(Sgd) Judy A. Fernandez (Sgd) Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes
(Sgd) Mikhaella Marie R. Bruan

Noted:

(Sgd.) MARIA LEAH M. MANANGAN, MAEd

Research Adviser

Approved:

(Sgd.) RHEA M. AGIBUAY, MAELL

Chairperson
 URDANETA CITY 49
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

APPENDIX F
Letter to the Panel Member

January 18, 2021

RYAN JAYSON V. DELOS REYES, PhD

College Instructor
Urdaneta City University

Madam:

We, the undersigned third year BSE major in English students of UCU, are
conducting a research entitled “PATRIARCHY AND ALFRED YUSON’S
DREAM OF KNIVES” to partially fulfill the requirements for the course
Language Research.

In connection to this, we would like to request your professional assistance to be

one of our research panels in the said study.

Your kind consideration and favorable action relative to this request will be highly
appreciated.

Thank you and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

(Sgd) Joselito O. De Vera (Sgd) Allyza Marie G. Cajas

(Sgd) Judy A. Fernandez (Sgd) Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes
(Sgd) Mikhaella Marie R. Bruan

Approved:

(Sgd.) RYAN JAYSON V. DELOS REYES, PhD

Panel Member
 URDANETA CITY 50
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

APPENDIX G
Letter to the Panel Member

January 18, 2021

ARIEL BAMBALAN, MAEd

College Instructor
Urdaneta City University

Madam:

We, the undersigned third year BSE major in English students of UCU, are
conducting a research entitled “PATRIARCHY AND ALFRED YUSON’S
DREAM OF KNIVES” to partially fulfill the requirements for the course
Language Research.

In connection to this, we would like to request your professional assistance to be

one of our research panels in the said study.

Your kind consideration and favorable action relative to this request will be highly
appreciated.

Thank you and God bless!

Respectfully yours,

(Sgd) Joselito O. De Vera (Sgd) Allyza Marie G. Cajas

(Sgd) Judy A. Fernandez (Sgd) Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes
(Sgd) Mikhaella Marie R. Bruan

Approved:

(Sgd.) ARIEL BAMBALAN, MAEd

Panel Member
 51
URDANETA CITY
UNIVERSITY
Owned and operated by the City Government of Urdaneta COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

APPENDIX H
Receipt of Panel Fee
 52

APPENDIX I
R1 FORM
 53

APPENDIX J
R4 FORM
 54

APPENDIX K
Grammarly and Plagiarism Check
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
 87

APPENDIX L
GANNT CHART
Month Novem Januar Februa March April May June
ber y ry
Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week
ACTIVITY 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3
Formulation
of title
Giving of
request letter
Title defense
Formulation
of chapter 1
and chapter 2
Giving of
request letter
and signing of
R-form 1
Thesis
Proposal
Revision of
Chapter 1 and
chapter 2
Signing of R-
form 2, 3 & 4.
Plagiarism
Check, Book
Binding and
getting of CRD
Gathering of
data
Formulating
chapter 3 and
chapter 4
Giving of
request letter
and signing R-
Form 1
Final defense
Calendar of Activities
 88

APPENDIX M
Documentation

TITLE DEFENSE
 89

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

FINAL DEFENSE
 90

CURRICULUM VITAE

A. Personal Details

Name : Joselito O. De Vera

Address : La Paz, Umingan, Pangasinan

Date of birth : November 10, 1999

Nationality : Filipino

Marital Status : Single

Email Address : [email protected]

Contact Number : 09955227078

Parents : Salome O. De Vera
Julito C. De Vera (deceased)

B. Educational Background
Elementary : La Paz Elementary School
La Paz, Umingan, Panagasinan

High school : Junior High

La Paz National High School
Umingan, Pangasinan

Senior High
La Paz National High School
Umingan, Pangasinan

College : Urdaneta City University

1 San Vicente West, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

C. Educational Philosophy:

“Education is not to be viewed as something like filling a vessel with water

but, rather, assisting a flower to grow in its own way.” ― Bertrand Russell
CURRICULUM VITAE
 91

A. Personal Details

Name : Judy A. Fernandez

Address : Leet, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan

Date of birth : November 20, 1999

Nationality : Filipino

Marital Status : Single

Email Address : [email protected]

Contact Number : 09959205304

Parents : Almeda A. Fernandez (deceased)
John B. Fernandez

B. Educational Background
Elementary : Lambayan Elementary School
Lambayan, Mapandan, Pangasinan

High school : Junior High

Primicias National High School
Primicias, Mapandan, Pangasinan

Senior High
Mapandan National High School
Poblacion, Mapandan, Pangasinan

College : Urdaneta City University

1 San Vicente West, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

C. Educational Philosophy:

“When you educate one person, you can change a life. When you educate
many, you can change the world” - Shai Reshef
CURRICULUM VITAE

A. Personal Details
 92

Name : Allyza Marie G. Cajas

Address : Inamotan Manaoag, Pangasinan

Date of birth : April 2, 2000

Nationality : Filipino

Marital Status : Single

Email Address : [email protected]

Contact Number : 09656929919

Parents : Allan P. Cajas (deceased)
Eliza G. Cajas (deceased)

B. Educational Background
Elementary : Narciso R. Ramos Elementary School
Asingan, Pangasinan

High school : Junior High

Luciano Millan National High School
Asingan, Pangasinan

Senior High
Phinma - UPANG College of Urdaneta
Mc Arthur Highway Nancayasan Urdaneta City,
Pangasinan

College : Urdaneta City University

1 San Vicente West, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

C. Educational Philosophy:

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” -Benjamin

Franklin
CURRICULUM VITAE
A. Personal Details

Name : Jessyrene Anne C. Echanes

 93

Address : Donya Loleng, Torbilla

Apartment, Nancayasan,
Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

Date of birth : September 13, 1999

Nationality : Filipino

Marital Status : Single

Email Address : jessyechanes21gmail.com

Contact Number : 09971339338

Parents : Sharon C. Echanes
Rommel E. Echanes

B. Educational Background
Elementary : Don Amadeo Perez Sr. Memorial Elementary Central
School
San Vicente Centro, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

High school : Junior High

Urdaneta City National High School
Udaneta City, Pangasinan

Senior High
Urdaneta City National High School
Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

College : Urdaneta City University

1 San Vicente West, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

C. Educational Philosophy:

“Be a lifelong student. The more you learn, the more you earn and more
self-confidence you will have.” - Brian Tricy

CURRICULUM VITAE

A. Personal Details

Name : Mikhaela Marie R. Bruan

 94

Address : Ventinilla Sta. Barbara,

Pangasinan

Date of birth : November 9, 1999

Nationality : Filipino

Marital Status : Single

Email Address : [email protected]

Contact Number : 09104095500

Parents : Teresita R. Bruan
Rafael R. Bruan

B. Educational Background
Elementary : Sta. Barbara Central School
Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan

High school : Junior High

Daniel Maramba National High School
Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan

Senior High
Daniel Maramba National High School
Sta. Barabara,Pangasinan

College : Urdaneta City University

1 San Vicente West, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

C. Educational Philosophy:

“If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade,
plant trees; if you are planning lifetime, educate people.” -Chinese Proverb