The stub-Book Pedro Antonio de Alarcon

The stub-Book

Pedro Antonio de Alarcon, Spain (1833-1891)

b. Apply the four levels of interacting with the text “The Stub-Book”.

Literal comprehension:  This story “The stub-Book” starts in Rota a smallest city in Spain. Among dedicated and hardworking farmers of fertile sandy soil of Rota Uncle Buscabeatas was the best example. He was the most dedicated gardener of plants, fruits and vegetables. Most importantly, he was fully familiar with each plant of vegetable and each fruit by shape, color even by name. Being sixty years old farmer, he had spent 40 years in toiling same soil with same dedication. That year he had grown large and nice 40 pumpkins. Like to daughters or children uncle Buscabeatas was well familiar with name and size of pumpkins. He had deep love, compassion as well as dedication in growing them up. One day he made his mind to sell 40 ready pumpkins in market at Cadiz. That night he couldn’t sleep being serious like the father whose daughter was going to get married next day. He expected to earn 15 dross from them.

Next morning to his surprised he didn’t find his pumpkins in his garden. He though they were stolen at might be sold in Cadiz son he went there with police. When he saw his pumpkins he told police to arrest the seller. Seller informed his that he bought them form Uncle Fulano.  When Uncle Buscabeatas was giving proof, Uncle Fulano came there. Fulano tried to escape but inspector ordered him to stay, Uncle Buscabeatas gave the analogy of stub-book of tax pay and joint all the steps of pumpkins perfectly fitted in all. That convinced all standing there. Inspector made Uncle Fulao give 15 dross to seller and that amount was given to Uncle Bascabeata’s Uncle Fulano was sent to jail.

Interpretation: This suggestive story might be trying to focus on the concept of love, dedication and job one does. It is our tendency that we hardly respect and love the work we do rather, we evaluate others’ works better. Again another meaning of this story is that the root of labor is bitter but its fruit is sweet. If we do hard labor sooner or later we meet its fruits like Uncle Buscabeatas. Like him we people must respect and be in touch with our work and our production. Still another idea this story might be trying to open up is that evil door will be punished one day. We cannot be rich by robbing and stealing rather by hard labor and dedication to our work. The message of this story. In generals is that let our work be loved and respected by all.

Critical Thinking:  The story is presenting the idea of love and deep compassion one must have toward his/her creation. It is worth attending idea that we must be positive and always cheerful on what we do. I agree with the crux of this story but there are some confusions that I like to ask. Some questions about. How can a sandy land be so much fertile? Can a man kiss his vegetable forty times a day? Is it possible to be familiar with dozen of vegetables by names? Can always such proof as given by uncle Buscabeatas be convincing? Still the moral aspect of the story is unquestionable one.

Assimilation: After reading this lessonful text, I learnt new thing that we must be happy and love our work very much. We must have dedication and positive attitude what we do. Only then we can meet our goal. Only then we can be successful. Before reading this beautiful piece of story I thought my job very boring one but after reading this story I learnt that my job of folding papers in the printing press is not less important. By my labor a number of people will be educated and knowledgeable. I changed my negative looking view to my work.

c. Retell the story “The Stub-book” in are paragraph.

Among dedicate farmers of Rota of Spain Uncle Buscabeatas was the hero with full dedication in same farming for 40 years. He was well familiar with each plant, fruit, vegetable he had grown with size, color and even by name. He had grown up nice 40 pumpkins. He made a plan to sell them in local market next day. He couldn’t sleep whole night thinking that he was going to lose his dear pumpkin like the father to his going to get married daughter. He hoped to earn 15 duros from them. To his surprise he did not find his pumpkins next mornings. He guessed that they might be stolen at night and taken to local market Cadiz. He went there with a police and sooner found a seller who was selling his pumpkins. Buscabeatas ordered the police to arrest him but the seller told that he bought the pumpkins from Uncle Fulano. Fulano came there at right time. He tried to escape but he was stopped by inspector. He threatened Uncle Buscabetas to prove his claim. But Uncle Buscabetas had brought the stems of those pumpkins and gave analogy of stub-book in tax payment. All the people along with police were convinced from Buscabeatas ideas. Fifteen duros was given to Buscabeatas and Uncle Fulano was sent to prison for his crime.