Worksheet #1- Call me Flory

Title: Call me Flory

Author/Playwright: Wilfrido Maria Guerrero

Published: December 1964

Type of Play/ Genre: (one-act-play) Melodrama

Summary:

Call me Flory

By Wilfrido maria Guerrero

The play Call me Flory is about a woman who does not know how to look back from where she started. Florencia Aragon de Caracoles is the protagonist in the story. She became rich when she marries Juan caracoles, a man, whom people believed is, making money with the Japanese which caused him to become rich. With his wealth, Flory, his wife, turned out to be a boastful arrogant woman. ─ In the story, Flory was invited by Matilde to join a charity program for the people of Sapang Palay (the place where she used to live.). With the opportunity to meet well known rich personalities, Flory agreed to join the charity work and even bet that she will buy as many ticket as possible only if she will be introduced and get acquainted with the first lady. But Flory’s secret 

CONTENT

Setting:

            The story took place somewhere in San Lorenzo Village

Where is it set:

            It happened at the house of Matilde

The plot:

            The play is about Flory, and Matilde’s invitation for her to join a charity program. She then accepted the invitation not due to her willingness to help the poor but for her desire to meet and get acquainted with rich and well known personalities, specially the first lady. Flory agreed to join the cause not knowing that the secret of her yesterday will be used against her.

Characters:

1.      Florencia Aragon de Caracoles

·         She’s otherwise known as Flory, but during the days when she was still poor, people call her Enchang

·         She is a rich woman who used to live at the slum area before she married a man who makes money/ business with the Japanese, the reason why they suddenly became rich. Later on, Flory enjoyed their wealthy life turning her to a boastful arrogant person trying to bury the life she used to have.

·         Adjectives: social climber, boastful, arrogant

2.      Matilde

·         A true blooded rich woman who married a fine business man. She is engaged in charity works and enjoys helping the unprivileged members of the society. She is very humble and kind of heart.

·         Adjectives: humble, kind, simple

3.      Osang

·         A poor woman who does embroidery for Matilde. She used to be the neighbor of Flory when she was still living at Sapang Palay. It was from her that Matilde discovered the kind of life that Flory used to have.

·         Adjectives: poor, simple, hard working

Message:

            Wherever we are now and whatever we have become, we must know how to look back from where we started.

LANGUAGE

            (Note: I already know these words/ phrases but these might be new to first year high school students.)

• Aloof from
• the common hoi polloi
• a plebian woman

OPINION

1. The play can be described as Pretentious, because it shares about the story of a woman who tries to cover up the life that she once had only because she is now wealthy and it might cause her shame.

2. If the play is to be staged, the following will be followed: For the costume of Flory, she will be wearing an elegant dress matched with elegant jewelries, bag and shoes. For Matilde, she is to wera a simple but elegant dress that would match her simple but stylish mansion. As for Osang, she is to wear fine/ ordinary clothing. The set should be on a large stylish mansion decorated with expensive furnitures starting from the chandelier, up to the paintings haning on the wall, the antique jars, the tables, chairs, etc. All the props present in the house should be characterized with class. The lighting should reflect the time of the day when the scene took place; the sound need not to be dramatic for it will only be ab accompanying material to add up to the presentation.

3. I will recommend the play because it is simple, yet full of values. If it will be staged well, the play will be very entertaining to watch a woman who is trying to cover up the life that she used to have with her wealth and arrogance.