The Filipino Short Story

Well, I did apologize for being late a while ago in class. But as you have learned I simply must be late. And I say again that I am currently nursing my kids back to full health due to a slight case of pneumonia. And as you are all aware, this is no ordinary cough.

Anyway they'll be fine. Kids these days are sort of mutants, with all that multivitamins and stuff scientists put in their food products. They're slowly becoming... better than us. That's what I am to believe.

Right, so about the last discussion... We... I mean... I (since it appears I am the only one enthusiastic about the subject) was just discussing about how the Americans have influenced our everyday life just by teaching us English. Well, for those who are curious, let me tell you all about it.


The thing is, learning a new language has an overall effect on people. For one thing, a teacher cannot teach a new language without including cultural expressions unique to the language. This is exactly what happened to the Filipino when the Americans came in 1898. Much of the English expressions we have today are actually foreign expressions entirely. They may say what we feel, but not exactly what we mean. It's the same with Filipino Literature in English. The very concepts the Filipinos try to express in their literature are still a bit foreign.

From what we can sumrise, there were three major phases that the Filipinos had gone through to attain the level of English literacy we have today. And they are as follows:

PERIOD OF RE-ORIENTATION
(1998-1910)
While the last remants of resistance were fanning down, most Filipinos were too eager to embrace their new colonizers. This accounts for two reasons. One, because the Spaniards have long oppressed the ordinary "Indio," even their so-called tradition are considered colonialist. The Americans, on the other hand, were not entirerly forceful of their rise to power. In fact, they envisioned themselves as our "Big Brother" who would guide the Filipinos until the latter can be able to govern themselves. Two, the Americans have given what most Filipinos crave for, education.

The second reason has beneficial and equally devastating effect on the present state of the Filipino.

Beneficial for it has given Filipinos the opportunity to expound in many careers such as engineers, architects, accountants, and even the ever-flourishing profession of journalism. Moreover, they became aware of the concepts of democracy and free-choice.

The devastating effect of education from the Americans is on cultural influence. Much so that Filipinos look at their culture as artifacts, spectacles for special ocassions, and not as truly a severe and reverent part of their life. The result is the dying of many Filipino traditions, supplanted by Western culture.

So, as the USS Thomas came to shore, bearing with her a number of volunteer soldiers as teachers for the first-ever public school system, they gave the Filipino more than just education. They gave him a new identity to choose from.

The main root of this can be traced back to the learning of the English
language. As I have said, whenever one learns a new language, learning its culture is not far behind.


And so, in the 1900's, as English became
the medium of intruction in public schools, many had tried to use the language in their everyday communication.

The late Tony Velazques, the creator of the now classic comic strip hero Kenkoy, had much to say on its effect. Throughout Kenkoy's existence, Velazques critiqued some Filipinos who acted like "Little Brown Americans," brandishing the latest fashion and trend the Americans brought with them, including the use of American expressions like "By golly, wow" and "Never worry." This they did while learning that "A is for Apple," that "the concept of Christmas must be about Christmas trees, Santa Claus and white snow," that the names of kids must be "Dick and Jane and their dog is Spot."

Of course, the more serious ones to use English are the writers who took turns in using it as part of their tongue. It is them, actually, who took most of the impact the Americans made upon the Filipino. The writers found it hard to adjust to a newfound freedom from oppression of thought and speech. To a few, the sensation came as a shock, to others, they became doubtful of how long it would last. And then to some, it is a sudden blessing.

These writers have also adjusted to the difference of English as a language from their own vernacular tongue, resulting to stilted writing, imperfect english, and awkward use of American expressions.

In this early stage, not much literature were in fact written, save for a few that resembled Western literary classics.

Then, in 1908, the University of the Philippines was founded.

PERIOD OF IMMITATION
(1910-1924)

The foundation of UP became the stepping stone for some writers to fully appreciate the new language.

In 1919, the first UP College Folio was published, containing the first Filipino writers in English. They can also be called the pioneers of the Filipino short story in English. The only criticism that can be said of these group is that they imitated American and British models, ranging from theme down to the very plot. Of course, one cannot blame this tendency since the adjustment to the new language means an adjustment to literary as well as cultural standards set up by the Western Classics.
Moreover, as reflected by the period of Re-orientation, the writings are still artificial (in our colloquial tongue "pilit"), bears an unnatural style (due to the patterned formula of the West), lacked vitality (because of its artificialness), and lacks spontaneity (since Filipinos are still much preoccupied in perfecting more their grammar than on the art itself).

This became different when Filipinos finally had a feel of the language in the later part of the American reformation.

PERIOD OF SELF-DISCOVERY AND GROWTH
(1925-1941)

By this time, Filipinos have by then acquired mastery over the English language. They can now freely express themselves as well as use them in intellectual debates.

But due to the heavy influence of the past colonizers, the short stories written still left traces of old Spanish style of writing, namely they are florid, exaggerated, bombastic, and quite often didactic.

The Implication of culture in English

So these are the three periods in the flourishing of the English language in the Philippines. Today, English has become the Filipino's second language, if not the suplement (or spice) to the Tagalog. And the introduction of English had also paved way for many Filipinos to read and discover for themselves what it is to be like Sherlock Holmes, Romeo and Juliet, Jean Valjean, Harry Potter, Edward Cullen, and all other Western icons. The understanding of English became the means for names like Elvis Presley to become household names. And the understanding of English had set a new standard on critiquing Tagalog literature as low brow and for the "pang-masa." Well, it's up to you now to react. But this is what is happening.

Now let's proceed to the discussion of the short story.

THE FILIPINO SHORT STORY

Quite arguably, fiction in itself is Western. The first ever fiction can be traced back in the 17th century and the art of writing short stories was perfected only during the 19th century through the efforts of the late Edgar Allan Poe, who can be said to be the father of the modern short story.Since then, the writing of short stories flourished throughout America with the help of a number of other writers such as Samuel Clemens (more famously known in his pen name Mark Twain), and H.P. Lovecraft (Who wrote in gothic horror and eventually influenced a lot of later generation of horror writers).

If the short story is a product of the West, how can one determine for sure if a short story is truly Filipino in nature?

This is a great theoretical challenge. One that is most often debated not exactly by scholars, but by ordinary folks. Both in character and tone, Filipino fiction is distinctive. As it is said, most Filipino writers are bombastic, or have used a forceful tone and voice in their writing. Another thing is that most Filipino short stories talk more about social status and social relationships. Whether it be about the rich or the poor, the mere thought of being poor, or just plainly about social isolation, Filipinos quite often trouble themselves with self-esteem. To fully appreciate any individual view of these short story writers, we must first understand the way we read stories.

Prose is very much different from poetry. While poetry has rhythm and rhyme, prose on the other hand is straighforward and bears no ryhthmic style whatsoever. What it follows, however are logical patterns in wriitng, in terms of argument, retelling of a narrative, or steps in a process.

In fiction, the logical pattern is called a plot structure. The plot structure goes like this:

A. Initial incident - a significant situation happens that opens up the story, usually a problem is about to be handed to a hero, or perhaps he is already faced with a problem.

B. Rising Action - so while the hero handles a problem, he encounters certain difficulties in solving it.

C. Climax - at the peak of action, the hero manages to find a solution to his problem.

D. Deneument - also known as the downlfall action, the story manages to unwind itself. Maybe there will be a reversal of fortune: the good is rewarded, the bad is punished.

E. Ending - eventually, everything falls down to a conclusion, leaving the reader a sensation of justice, if not a sensation of a revelation in life.

All novels have a series of climaxes. These are called an anticlimax. Since a novel is quite long, these anticlimax serve as a number of significant encounters the hero faces.

The short story only has one major climax: the point of illunmination. The point of illumination is very much important for it speaks about the major change in the fortune of the hero. Also, it speaks of a major revelation that will definitely change the hero's point of view.

Knowing the point of illumination in a story can help us determine what the whole story is really all about. Now, how do we interpret what we see?

Well, in literary criticism, we often use five approaches: moral, cultural, historical, archetypal, and psychological.

To fully utilize all these is to follow it by steps.

A. Moral - the first step is to make your own lesson about what you have read. Moral teaches us a kind of value, the lesson tells us of what to make of that value. So if the moral is "Don't do to others what you don't want others do to you," the lesson will be about "Because others will do exactly the same to you." To put it simply, lessons help explain the reason for the given value.

So how do you find the moral value? How do you explain it through the lesson? Look up on the other steps.

So once you already have the moral value, try to figure out what are the elements in the short story that contributes to it. You will need a piece of paper to list these down on each category.

B. Cultural - Every culture has its own set of values, depending on the country's social structure. So what you must do is to find out first where the short story came from. What culture does it try to portray? What brings this culture forth, in terms of actions, location, costumes, etc.?

C. Historical - Not only is culture important, you must also look at the short story's history. When was it written is important since each generation has its own set of values, too.

D. Archetypal - Symbols are a big part of literature. Look at the symbols that contribute to the story and find its representation and meaning. All symbols within a story contribute to the meaning of the moral set by the author. Say dove for peace, a heart for love.

E. Psychological - in the last phase, think of how the actions of each character are fuelled by their motivations. Why do you think they did what they did? Find this out, you find all the other literary approaches in play. Which of course brings us back to the first approach, moral.

Once everything is laid out on your paper. Make a connection as to how you can explain the moral value. Give the lesson, and then react to the entire story in relation to issues such as social, political, spiritual, sexual, or even your own personal issue.

I hope this brief discussion compensates for my lateness and, God hope not, absences. Well, I still have to attend to my kids.

Time for their medication.
Byte me!

Remember Ninoy, not Noynoy

Ninoy Aquino's Arrival Speech
This is the speech that Benigno Aquino had prepared to give on his return to the Philippines from exile. He was assassinated at the airport that now bears his name.

Arrival Speech of Ninoy Aquino

I have returned on my free will to join the ranks of those struggling to restore our rights and freedoms through non-violence.

I seek no confrontation. I only pray and will strive for a genuine national reconciliation founded on justice.

I am prepared for the worst, and have decided against the advice of my mother, my spiritual adviser, many of my tested friends and a few of my most valued political mentors.

A death sentence awaits me. Two more subversion charges, both calling for death penalties, have been filed since I left three years ago and are now pending with the courts.

Three years ago when I left for an emergency heart bypass operation, I hoped and prayed that the rights and freedoms of our people would soon be restored, that living conditions would improve and that blood-letting would stop.

I could have opted to seek political asylum in America, but I feel it is my duty, as it is the duty of every Filipino, to suffer with his people especially in time of crisis. I never sought not have I been given any assurances, or promise of leniency by the regime. I return voluntarily armed only with a clear conscience and fortified in the faith that in the end, justice will emerge triumphant. According to Gandhi, the willing sacrifice of the innocent is the most powerful answer to insolent tyranny that has yet been conceived by God and man.

Rather than move forward we have moved backward. The killings have increased, the economy has taken a turn for the worse and the human rights situation has deteriorated.

During the martial law period, the Supreme Court heard petitions for habeas corpus. It is most ironic after martial law has allegedly been lifted, that the Supreme Court last April ruled it can longer entertain petitions for habeas corpus for person detained under the Presidential Commitment Order, which covers all so-called national security cases and which under present circumstances can cover almost anything.

The country is far advanced in her times of trouble. Economic, social and political problems bedevil the Filipino. These problems may be surmounted if we are united. But we can be united only if all the rights and freedoms enjoyed before September 21, 1972 are fully restored.

The Filipino asked for nothing more, but will surely accept nothing less, than all the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the 1935 constitution – the most sacred legacies from the founding fathers.

Yes, the Filipino is patient, but there is a limit to his patience. Must we wait until that patience snaps?

The nationwide rebellion is escalating and threatens to explode into a bloody revolution. There is a growing cadre of young Filipinos who have finally come to realize that freedom is never granted, it is taken. Must we relive the agonies and the blood-letting of the past that brought forth our republic or can we sit down as brothers and sisters and discuss our differences with reason and goodwill?

I have often wondered how many disputes could have been settled easily had the disputants only dared to define their terms.

So as to leave no room for misunderstanding, I shall define my terms:

Six years ago, I was sentenced to die before a firing squad by a military tribunal whose jurisdiction I steadfastly refused to recognize. It is now time for the regime to decide. Order my immediate execution or set me free.

I was sentenced to die for allegedly being the leading communist leader. I am not a communist, never was and never will be.

National reconciliation and unity can be achieved, but only with justice, including justice for our Muslim and Ifugao brothers. There can be no deal with a dictator. No compromise with dictatorship.

In a revolution there can really be no victors, only victims. We do not have to destroy in order to build.

Subversion stems from economic, social, and political causes and will not be solved by purely military solution: It can be curbed not with ever increasing repression but with a more equitable distribution of wealth, more democracy and more freedom.

For the economy to get going once again, the working man must be given his just and rightful share or his labor, and to the owners and managers must be restored the hope where there is so must uncertainty if not despair.

On one of the long corridors of Harvard University are carved in granite the words of Archibald Macleish: ‘How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms; by truth when it is attacked by lies; by democratic faith when it is attacked by authoritarian dogma. Always and in the final act, by determination and faith.’

I return from exile and an uncertain future with only determination and faith to offer – faith in our people and faith in God.
(1983)

1. What was Benigno Aquino’s plan upon his return?
2. According to him, what is the current state of the country?
3. Explain his stand on the thought of revolution?
4. What do you think is going through his mind when he said, “It is now time for the regime to decide. Order my immediate execution or set me free.”?

Byte me!

Array ko Spits

"Okay, class! Remember! When you graduate College, be sure to enroll next in elementary! Look at me, after my presidency, I will run for Congress. After that, Mayor. Next, Baranggay Tanod! So are you with me? Okay, let us review my very first speech!"


INAUGURATION SPEECH OF PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
JANUARY 20, 2001

In all humility, I accept the Presidency of the Republic.

I do so with both trepidation and a sense of awe.

Trepidation, because it is now, as the Good Book says, a time to heal and a time to build. The task is formidable, so I pray that we will all be one -- one in our priorities, one in our values and commitments, and one because of Edsa 2001.

A sense of awe, because the Filipino has done it again on the hallowed ground of Edsa.

People Power and the oneness of will and vision have made a new beginning possible. I cannot but recall at this point, therefore, Ninoy Aquino's words:

"I have carefully weighed the virtues and the faults of the Filipino, and I have come to the conclusion that he is worth dying for."

As we break from the past in our quest for the new Philippines, the unity, the Filipino's sense of history, and his unshakeable faith in the Almighty that prevailed in Edsa '86 and Edsa 2001 will continue to guide and inspire us.

I am certain the Filipinos of unborn generations will look back with pride to Edsa 2001, just as we look back with pride to Mactan, the Katipunan and other revolts, Bataan and Corregidor , and Edsa '86.

I am certain that pride will reign supreme as they recall the heroism and sacrifices and prayers of Jaime Cardinal Sin, former Presidens Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos, the legislators who fought the good fight in Congress, the leaders whose principles were beyond negotiation, the witnesses in the impeachment trial who did not count the cost of testifying, the youth and students who walked out of their classes to be here at Edsa, the generals in the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police, and the Filipino out there who stood up to be counted in these troubled times.

The Filipino, crises and all, is truly worth living and dying for.

Ngunit saan tayo tutungo mula rito?

Jose Rizal, the first to articulate self-determination in a free society, provides the answer.

Rizal counseled the Filipino to lead a life of commitment, "He must think national, go beyond self."

"A stone is worthless," Rizal wrote, "if it is not part of an edifice."

We are the stones, and the Philippines is our edifice.

On many occasions, I have given my views on what our program of government should be. This is not the time or place to repeat them all. However, I can tell you that they converge on four core beliefs.

1. We must be bold in our national ambitions, so that our challenge must be that within this decade, we will win the fight against poverty.

2. We must improve moral standards in government and society, in order to provide a strong foundation for good governance.

3. We must change the character of our politics, in order create fertile ground for true reforms. Our politics of personality and patronage must give way to a new politics of party programs and process of dialogue with the people.

4. Finally, I believe in leadership by example. We should promote solid traits such as work ethic and a dignified lifestyle, matching action to rhetoric, performing rather than grandstanding.

The first of my core beliefs pertains to the elimination of poverty. This is our unfinished business from the past. It dates back to the creation of our Republic, whose seeds were sown in the revolution launched in 1896 by the plebian Andres Bonifacio. It was an unfinished revolution, for to this day, poverty remains our national problem. We need to complete what Andres Bonifacio began. The ultimate solution to poverty has both a political and an economic aspect.

Let me first talk about the political aspect.

In doing so, I will refer to one of my core beliefs, that of the need for new politics. Politics and political power as traditionally practiced and used in the Philippines are among the roots of the social and economic inequities that characterize our national problems. Thus, to achieve true reforms, we need to outgrow our traditional brand of politics based on patronage and personality. Traditional politics is the politics of the status quo. It is a structural part of our problem.

We need to promote a new politics of true party programs and platforms, of an institutional process of dialogue with our citizenry. This new politics is the politics of genuine reform. It is a structural part of the solution.

We have long accepted the need to level the playing field in business and economics. Now, we must accept the need to level the playing field in politics as well. We have long aspired to be a world class economy. Now, we must also aspire to develop a world class political system, one in tune with the 21st Century.

The world of the 21st Century that our youth will inherit is truly a new economy, where relentless forces such as capital market flows and advances in information and communications technology create both peril and opportunity.

To tap the opportunities, we need an economic philosophy of transparency and private enterprise, for these are the catalysts that nurture the entrepreneurial spirit to be globally competitive.

To extend the opportunities to our rural countryside, we must create a modernized and socially equitable agricultural sector.

To address the perils, we must give a social bias to balance our economic development, and these are embodied in safety nets for sectors affected by globalization, and safeguards for our environment.

To ensure that our gains are not dissipated through corruption, we must improve moral standards. As we do so, we create fertile ground for good governance based on a sound moral foundation, a philosophy of transparency, and an ethic of effective implementation.

Considering the divisions of today, our commitment will entail a lot of sacrifices among us all, as we work to restore the dignity and pre-eminence of the Filipino.

Join me, therefore, as we begin to tear down the walls that divide. Let us build an edifice of peace, progress and economic stability.

People Power has dramatized the Filipino's capacity for greatness.

People of People Power, I ask for your support and prayers. Together, we will light the healing and cleansing flame.

This we owe to the Philippines. This we own to every Filipino.

Thank you and may the Good Lord bless us all.


1. What is Gloria Arroyo’s view about revolution?
2. What have you understood about her plans for the Philippines now that revolution had put her on power?
3. In terms of politics, in what way does she want it reformed?
4. In terms of economics, what does she want to have?
5. As an evaluation, explain your stand as to whether or not her visions for the future of the Philippines have been met.

Byte me!

Not for the faint of heart

For many who are simply wondering why there are so many demonstrations and outright cries concerning the Ampatuan case and the Maguindanao Massacre, well... look at these photos.

But just a warning. Never, ever see this with a full stomach. Follow the link...



I Warned You.

Byte me!

My son now one

Just so some people I know knows.
Byte me!

In my Absence

I regret not having met my Thursday class. I've been feeling a bit ill and did not manage to get up.

Today, I still feel a bit under the weather.
I hope you understand.

Now, for those asking about any poems of Danton Remoto, try the following in this link.


Water, by Danton Remoto

Untitled

And look for his works on different filipino literature textbooks you find inside our library.

There's bound to be one.

As for the reporting of my monday and thursday class, it will be moved on thursday next week, since we got no class on monday.

Yes, you're welcome.
Byte me!

Written Report?! WTF?!

Greetings, eager ones.
First off, let me again apologize for the long delay in my entry here. Computer terminals are hard to come by these days.
Well except if you’re willing to make a kindly donation to my favorite charity: me.


So it seems unavoidable that we must not only present in class as a group, but we must submit a written report as well. Oh, don’t get your pitchforks just yet. It’s just that you must have copies for me to base your grade with.

The point is, your presentation grade goes like this:

20% goes to the creativity of the presentation
20% goes to the organization and clearness of your presentation and
10% goes to the overall impact.

Now...

50% goes to the written report.

Why the 50%, you ask? If you must know, the biggest part of being a student is to learn how to do a term paper. It’s your preparation for making your thesis in your senior year. If you don’t do this, what’s the fun of learning?
The written report IS one half of your overall Class Standing, at it reflects your understanding of the subject.
If you are still unconvinced, then it’s up to you to risk it.
I know… life sucks.


Okay, so you are up to the challenge then? Well, if you really are, then look below for the details on how you are to write your written report. Remember that this is a group effort, which means EVERYONE MUST DO THEIR PART. If a group member lacks in his part, ditch him and tell it straight to me so I can give the young one a very special Christmas present. Believe me he will not like five golden rings on his card, would he?

So, read on to find out how to write the report.

=====================================================================================

POETRY
Poetry is rather easy to do… okay so it’s paradoxical. Still, it is easy.
Since there are at least five to six of you in a group, all you have to do is to pick three poems from a single author. Then, you share the three poems among yourselves. Two will get the first poem, the next two the other, and the last two the last one. Easy, right?

Two heads are better than one, unless both have none. Just do what we do in reading and analyzing a poem. It’s not that hard once you get the hang of correlating things. At most, use common sense.
Just don’t forget that you choose only one poem to present from the three poems you have.

Here’s an outline on what to put on your paper. Just convert the outlines into full paragraphs and there you go…

I. Background of the Author
• Scholastic Achievement
• Past and Current Affiliation
• Awards

Note: Actually, you already know these so all you have to do is write a brief biography of your author. Remember, brief, NOT a full and long biography.

II. The Poems
• Just type a copy of all three poems.
• One Poem per Page.

III. Analysis
A. General theme of all of the author’s poems
• General topics
• Usual images involved and why

1. Poem # 1
a. Poem’s general message
b. Any significant image/s found to support the message
c. Your own interpretation of the message
(analysis with supporting evidence)

2. Poem # 2
a. Poem’s general message
b. Any significant image/s found to support the message
c. Your own interpretation of the message
(analysis with supporting evidence)

3. Poem # 3
a. Poem’s general message
b. Any significant image/s found to support the message
c. Your own interpretation of the message
(analysis with supporting evidence)

B. Synthesis
• Your overall impression on the common message of all the poems.
• Lesson Learned.

=====================================================================================

Short Story
Writing reports on the short story is rather tricky. But on the lighter side, you only two.

As it is, you only choose one among the two and present it in class. The written report goes like this:

I. Background of the Author
• Scholastic Achievement
• Past and Current Affiliation
• Awards

II. Short Story Analysis
• (optional) Historical / cultural background
(of when and where the story was written)
• Setting
(When and where the story took place)
• Characters and characterization
(A brief list and description of each character, from main character to
the most mundane character)

III. The Short Story ( A Copy of the Original Short Story)

IV. Analysis
• Theme (what the story talks about)
• Value (what the lesson the story tries to impart)
• Its cultural significance then (during its time) and its significance today
• Group reaction / reflection


As for the essay and the speech, I’ll just bring you up to date next time. Perhaps within this week. As for now, let me remind those who are to present pretty soon to prepare.

And again… good luck to all of you.

Byte me!