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Prompt: Analyzing the character of Philip in the short story 'Ximong's Father'
Sample essay: Analyzing the character of Philip in the short story 'Ximong's Father'
Task:
It's no coincidence that G. Mopasang became a famous French realist writer in the 19th century. Nor is it random that the world of characters in this prolific author's works always has a profound compassion. It all stems from the lofty compassion of the author, spreading to the world of characters in the works. And the character Philip in the excerpt 'Ximong's Father' speaks to that. It's a chance encounter, or rather, a fateful meeting between two individuals. One in need of love, the other eager to give, to spread love. The lonely pieces of their lives meet and warm each other's hearts with profound love.
Ximong is the son of Sister Blang-sot, a beautiful woman deceived into raising her child alone. His childhood is extremely unhappy, being shunned and mocked by friends for not having a father. The miserable boy seeks death due to loneliness and humiliation. The blacksmith Philip led him home and met his mother. Understanding and sympathizing with the unfortunate circumstances of Ximong's mother and child, he agreed to be Ximong's father. The encounter on the riverbank between the two individuals happened accidentally. In his most desperate moment intending to commit suicide: 'I cried again, my body trembled, I knelt down and recited prayers as before going to bed. But I couldn't finish the prayer because of the overwhelming, chaotic, suffocating sobs.' In his deepest agony, he met Philip. When led home, in front of his mother, he asked Philip: 'Do you want to be my father?' Philip immediately answered firmly and decisively: 'Yes, I do, do you want me to be.' Thus, Philip saved him from the hands of Death, helping him escape pain, despair, and return to life.
Initially, Philip thought it was a fleeting thought to comfort Ximong from desperate thoughts, pain. However, when Ximong came to him at the forge and said: 'Father Philip, just now Uncle Micot said that you are not my father at all because you are not my mother's husband.' At this point, Philip raised a serious issue. Ximong may be very sad and desperate again if Philip considers it a joke with a child. The blacksmith uncle, Philip's colleague, helped him see the beauty in the soul of Philip's mother, a beautiful but extremely pitiful woman. She was not at fault, and Philip came to the decision to propose to that woman. This made Ximong truly happy, the boy proud and proud to have a father: 'My dad is Philip Remi and my dad promised to pull the ears of anyone who bullies me.'
