Tatarin (Descriptive Essay)

One of the best dramas I have ever read was the drama entitled “Tatarin” by Nick Joaquin. Personally, I would like to thank our Philippine Literature instructor Mr. Joseph Estroga for giving us the chance not only to read but to watch the movie Tatarin. The task given to me now is to write a narrative essay regarding the conflict in the drama Tatarin and I should relate it to any of my significant experiences in the past. Go on and read this blog post and you will be able to know the conflict that I have chosen and the experience I have related with it.


The type of conflict that I have chosen in the drama was the conflict between man and himself. This conflict happened when Juanito (the son of Don Paeng and Doña Lupe) had a role confusion. The role confusion that I am referring here was when Juanito had a difficulty on identifying on what role he should play, will he remain to be a boy that is being supervisioned by his maids and his parents or will he be a señorito that will be partly independent from his parents and be followed by his housemaids. Yes! That scene indeed cuffed my attention. It happened near the Balete tree during the day fo the feast of St. John when Juanito and a housemaid happened to meet there and they had a tête-à-tête. During their conversation, Juanito was palpably conscious on the way he talks and acts that’s why in the end of their talk, Juanito asked the maid to if they could have a kiss on the lips so that Juanito will be able to prove to himself that he is no longer a juvenile lad. When I’m going to connect the scenario to my past experiences, the first thing that will come into my mind is when I have experienced role confusion way back my High School years. During that time, my family and relatives kept on convincing me that I should not act like a girl. They have done it because they have noticed that I started to possess womanly characteristics. Since then, I was confused on how will I react to different situations. Will I be a man? Or a man trapped in a man’s body? But now, I decided to be who I am. I have chosen that thing that will make me completely happy. I have no regret on whom and what I am right now. What matters most is that I am happy as well as the people around me.


Life is indeed full of enigma. And as human beings, we often face confusions. We just have to deal with these confusions in the right manner. Because these confusions are tests for us to develop a higher reasoning when it comes to making a decision. To my colleagues who are experiencing role confusion, worry not! You just have to be you. Stick on the thing that makes you happy. Be true! Be you! God Bless Us All!!