From the moment I heard how the lady with five suitors fooled the five lustful men that she met, I said, she is the kind of woman who survives in this present history. However, as I learned about Savitri, I realized that cognition is useless without affection; thus, I realized I salute to women’s courage.
Seductive as she seems, the lady with five suitors symbolizes women’s wit as to how they play men in their hands and how men testifies that their ultimate weakness are women. The story tells about a woman who is very problematic because her lover was imprisoned but what was so impressive in the story was how she solved her problem with ease, with poise and above all with elegance. It is not easy to beg to the most powerful men in the society especially that she is not at all famous or someone very significant in the community. The lady with five suitors only amends what Coelho said in his novel the Alchemist that “Beauty is the great seducer of men.”
This story somehow criticizes (most) men’s lustfulness of choosing beauty over brains. Beautiful connotes big boobs, round butts, small waistlines or someone who oozes with sex appeal, even if she does not know how to spell the word bouquet or give any opinion about premarital sex, if she got all those biggies then she is beautiful. Ironically, it is both funny and sad.
Moreover, the lady with five suitors showed that no matter how a man is so established in his career, like the king, he would still be stupefied by a woman and that shows how women can be powerful like men (so forget about women being second class).
On the other hand, Savitri, who fought the god of death, showed the readers the emotional strength women uphold. Savitri showcased emotional bravery when she still continued her marriage to her husband even she already knew that he will die. She also showed women’s side of doing anything for the people they love. In contrast, with the notion that “when in lust, men become dumb” Savitri showed that “when in love, women become the best that they can be”.
However, as much as I want to promote women exclusively, I cannot deny the fact that both women did what they have done, all because of the men that they love. Thus, it can be said that as much as men’s weakness are women, women’s weakness are also men. Or should I say that each sex’s drive is always each sex’s opposite sex.
Generally, what makes both women very admirable is their being assertive when feeling emotional. Assertiveness involves learning a range of ways to handle any situation so that a person is able to choose a way which seems appropriate for them on each occasion. The women in the story then had choices how to handle the situation. The two women are encouraged to notice and accept what they feel, both of which involved emotional competence.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Battles and Generals: A Commentary on Sun Tzu’s ART OF WAR
The bible tells us that humans are given the freedom to choose. Whether he believes in the law of God, in the law of evil or entirely in the law of man, it is his choice and he is accountable for it. And within these options given to him, comes the battles he ought to face in whatever way he could.
Every person battles in life – it is a battle within his self, within his family and within his society. In the treatise that Sun Tzu wrote, I let what he called war as the battles of life, enemy as the obstacles that makes life worth fighting for, allies as the instruments which help a man to get into his goal, army as the senses that can be manipulated by the general and the general as the person who drives his armies.
Sun Tzu said …
“In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand lies, the expenditure at home and at the front, including entertainment of guests, small items such as glue and paint, and sums spent on chariots and armor, will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. Such is the cost of raising an army of 100,000 men.”
By this, I‘d like to say that: indeed, life is full of deceptions. What we see as gold is simply a sparkling yellow that will soon turn into rust. Similarly the people we meet in our journey are not all genuine on what they are showing us; it is because they too have hidden intentions that they keep to win their own battles. Thus, we should not expect to be the only one who is good, who has the spirit to win or who has the blaze of a prudent warrior. Everyone has such a soul to fight and spirit to win in any way they could.
But even so, Sun Tzu reminds us that we should always fight as fairly as possible and do our best to win such uprisings as he said...
“It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him; if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two. If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.”
Sun Tzu also raised the idea that human should not be panicky about all the problems and pressure that circumstances offer us. We should abide with these obligations and must be able to handle them with carriage. I believe this lesson fits best to people who tends to hurry with their lives. People who rush on things worry too much and the anxiety that envelopes them pulls them down which hinders their dreams being achieved. This situation is evident in the generation today. When I was young, I remember to still be playing patintero and takyan even when I am already 16 but as I notice nowadays, girls who are 13 to 15 are already very conscious about their physique. It is understandable to be conscious with the hygienic aspects but it is quite strange (for these very young girls) to be so vain about make-up kits, facial wash, toners and even about boy – girl relationships. They tend to hurry with their lives that they grow-up too soon. They did not enjoy their youth to the fullest which (I believe) is one of the reasons for some complications in their adulthood. They better know what was said by the ancients (as retold by Sun Tzu) about a clever fighter…
“…a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.”
Life itself is a huge war composing little episodes of surviving. And one of these episodes is the battle of students not to be late in school especially when the class is an hour after sunrise; in fact, I am one of these students (in my tertiary) who try hard not to be late in my class and succumb to pass my requirements on time. Being punctual in almost everything is one asset that helps us become victorious; this was implied by Sun Tzu when he said…
“Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.”
I also would like to quote on to an analogy that struck me most in the novel, it goes…
“Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.”
This line tells us that we should be vigilant enough to know who or what we are up to. We need to see the omens for us to be aware of the realities in life; we shouldn’t live our lives in fairy tales. We must be able to use our brains to fight the struggle of living. We have to go with the flow of life but we must be sure about what we really want and what we need. We need to set our priorities and principles and be able to stand and defend it from distractions; however, we should also know when to bend because there is nothing more constant in this life but change.
Also in life, we should not be close minded. We have to open both our hearts and our minds to all opinions, comments etc. For in this way we will become better. Through these people who correct us, we are enlightened and we become wiser in dealing with our battles. Just like wars in history, life’s battle is a series of winning and loosing; nevertheless, we can outnumber our loss if we open ourselves to other people’s suggestions. In this way, we will become more equipped in the next battles that we will face.
Finally, let us not forget what Sun Tzu said…
“Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest. In raiding and plundering be like fire, is immovability like a mountain. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Now, I say, in life or in any battles that we will go through: we have to be strong and be optimistic that whatever hardship that goes into us will all take off.
LILO 092508
Every person battles in life – it is a battle within his self, within his family and within his society. In the treatise that Sun Tzu wrote, I let what he called war as the battles of life, enemy as the obstacles that makes life worth fighting for, allies as the instruments which help a man to get into his goal, army as the senses that can be manipulated by the general and the general as the person who drives his armies.
Sun Tzu said …
“In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand lies, the expenditure at home and at the front, including entertainment of guests, small items such as glue and paint, and sums spent on chariots and armor, will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. Such is the cost of raising an army of 100,000 men.”
By this, I‘d like to say that: indeed, life is full of deceptions. What we see as gold is simply a sparkling yellow that will soon turn into rust. Similarly the people we meet in our journey are not all genuine on what they are showing us; it is because they too have hidden intentions that they keep to win their own battles. Thus, we should not expect to be the only one who is good, who has the spirit to win or who has the blaze of a prudent warrior. Everyone has such a soul to fight and spirit to win in any way they could.
But even so, Sun Tzu reminds us that we should always fight as fairly as possible and do our best to win such uprisings as he said...
“It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack him; if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two. If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.”
Sun Tzu also raised the idea that human should not be panicky about all the problems and pressure that circumstances offer us. We should abide with these obligations and must be able to handle them with carriage. I believe this lesson fits best to people who tends to hurry with their lives. People who rush on things worry too much and the anxiety that envelopes them pulls them down which hinders their dreams being achieved. This situation is evident in the generation today. When I was young, I remember to still be playing patintero and takyan even when I am already 16 but as I notice nowadays, girls who are 13 to 15 are already very conscious about their physique. It is understandable to be conscious with the hygienic aspects but it is quite strange (for these very young girls) to be so vain about make-up kits, facial wash, toners and even about boy – girl relationships. They tend to hurry with their lives that they grow-up too soon. They did not enjoy their youth to the fullest which (I believe) is one of the reasons for some complications in their adulthood. They better know what was said by the ancients (as retold by Sun Tzu) about a clever fighter…
“…a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.”
Life itself is a huge war composing little episodes of surviving. And one of these episodes is the battle of students not to be late in school especially when the class is an hour after sunrise; in fact, I am one of these students (in my tertiary) who try hard not to be late in my class and succumb to pass my requirements on time. Being punctual in almost everything is one asset that helps us become victorious; this was implied by Sun Tzu when he said…
“Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.”
I also would like to quote on to an analogy that struck me most in the novel, it goes…
“Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing.”
This line tells us that we should be vigilant enough to know who or what we are up to. We need to see the omens for us to be aware of the realities in life; we shouldn’t live our lives in fairy tales. We must be able to use our brains to fight the struggle of living. We have to go with the flow of life but we must be sure about what we really want and what we need. We need to set our priorities and principles and be able to stand and defend it from distractions; however, we should also know when to bend because there is nothing more constant in this life but change.
Also in life, we should not be close minded. We have to open both our hearts and our minds to all opinions, comments etc. For in this way we will become better. Through these people who correct us, we are enlightened and we become wiser in dealing with our battles. Just like wars in history, life’s battle is a series of winning and loosing; nevertheless, we can outnumber our loss if we open ourselves to other people’s suggestions. In this way, we will become more equipped in the next battles that we will face.
Finally, let us not forget what Sun Tzu said…
“Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest. In raiding and plundering be like fire, is immovability like a mountain. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Now, I say, in life or in any battles that we will go through: we have to be strong and be optimistic that whatever hardship that goes into us will all take off.
LILO 092508
Reflections : Commentary on the Chinese-Filipino Literatures
After reading the article, a light sparked in my mind telling me that everyone in the Philippines has a struggle to belong.
I have always believe that the Chinese community is one of those fortunate groups occupying the country. They are known to be resourceful enough to meet their daily breads and supply their luxuries. However, I was wrong.
The struggle of some Filipino-Chinese writers to be accepted in the Philippine society is nothing else but a continuous battle between the contemporary society and of history. Yes, history tells us that Chinese tradesmen had been with the Filipinos for quite a long time already but the discrimination that grew in the passing of time and the influx of tragic circumstances made the relationship blunt. For this reason, the Filipino-Chinese relation in general became more casual than customary. What was harmonious trade became a half-baked communication giving each other a sense of careless independence.
Moreover, it was said in the article that instead of creating heroic stories etc. Filipino – Chinese writers write about their experiences in the Philippines, about Chinatown and the like; well, I view this as something positive because these published write-ups has became their voice. This spread of their works consents that in the Philippines they are not subdued from voicing-out about how they really feel and what they are really going through. This also shows that in one way or another even if they are aliens to this country, still, they are treated as nationals. Also, it is a good thing that they write about their group so that natural-born Filipinos will not become uninformed about their way of living.
The author commented about tradition being overlooked in the contemporary writings. As for me it is no longer an issue. We are in the new century so we have to write about what is “now” and it is evident that tradition is no longer a must in our everyday lives especially when these traditions are becoming so impractical for very poor Filipinos or even to a very scruffy country like the Philippines where politicians are just merely playing with the people’s right to suffrage. People are becoming more practical and when a practice is no longer fitting to follow, or becoming impossible to conform then might as well leave it behind. We have so much writings about the past and in them tradition is being emphasized because those were written in the milieu when tradition is so important in the lives of people as if there will be a curse proceeding if it will not be observed.
On the other hand, I cannot blame nor mock those Chinese people whose writings concern about their homeland though they live and earn money in the Philippines. This situation is similar to our own OFW’s who might be going abroad and stay there for years but still they settle in the Philippines when they grow old. Maybe, it is just human nature to be at peace with one’s country. So nevertheless the Chinese people live in the Philippines, still their innate nationalism belongs to their homeland.
With the question, Will a translation into a language accessible to the majority make Filipino-Chinese writings more acceptable asset of Philippines literature? I say, definitely! This literature will become another anthology which will add not only entertainment but also awareness to the readers. Hopefully, this can help establish a profound tie between the Filipino and Chinese communities.
I have always believe that the Chinese community is one of those fortunate groups occupying the country. They are known to be resourceful enough to meet their daily breads and supply their luxuries. However, I was wrong.
The struggle of some Filipino-Chinese writers to be accepted in the Philippine society is nothing else but a continuous battle between the contemporary society and of history. Yes, history tells us that Chinese tradesmen had been with the Filipinos for quite a long time already but the discrimination that grew in the passing of time and the influx of tragic circumstances made the relationship blunt. For this reason, the Filipino-Chinese relation in general became more casual than customary. What was harmonious trade became a half-baked communication giving each other a sense of careless independence.
Moreover, it was said in the article that instead of creating heroic stories etc. Filipino – Chinese writers write about their experiences in the Philippines, about Chinatown and the like; well, I view this as something positive because these published write-ups has became their voice. This spread of their works consents that in the Philippines they are not subdued from voicing-out about how they really feel and what they are really going through. This also shows that in one way or another even if they are aliens to this country, still, they are treated as nationals. Also, it is a good thing that they write about their group so that natural-born Filipinos will not become uninformed about their way of living.
The author commented about tradition being overlooked in the contemporary writings. As for me it is no longer an issue. We are in the new century so we have to write about what is “now” and it is evident that tradition is no longer a must in our everyday lives especially when these traditions are becoming so impractical for very poor Filipinos or even to a very scruffy country like the Philippines where politicians are just merely playing with the people’s right to suffrage. People are becoming more practical and when a practice is no longer fitting to follow, or becoming impossible to conform then might as well leave it behind. We have so much writings about the past and in them tradition is being emphasized because those were written in the milieu when tradition is so important in the lives of people as if there will be a curse proceeding if it will not be observed.
On the other hand, I cannot blame nor mock those Chinese people whose writings concern about their homeland though they live and earn money in the Philippines. This situation is similar to our own OFW’s who might be going abroad and stay there for years but still they settle in the Philippines when they grow old. Maybe, it is just human nature to be at peace with one’s country. So nevertheless the Chinese people live in the Philippines, still their innate nationalism belongs to their homeland.
With the question, Will a translation into a language accessible to the majority make Filipino-Chinese writings more acceptable asset of Philippines literature? I say, definitely! This literature will become another anthology which will add not only entertainment but also awareness to the readers. Hopefully, this can help establish a profound tie between the Filipino and Chinese communities.
My PREFACE for my test compendium in English 115 (Language Testing)
Learning is not at all done by the person who wants to acquire knowledge; although, most of the work is his, the materials laid upon him also affect his cognition. This is the work of test givers. They provide well-though and diligently planned tests that are all together authentic, reliable and valid. This compilation of tests is one instrument that helps its students to understand the requisites of language and grammar.
As the author of this compendium, I hope that you, students, will learn not only about grammar, reading, writing and listening but might as well reflect on the values either exhibited or implied but surely injected in the readings. Tests do not just measure knowledge, right? As we go on digging the corner of our minds, realizations and reflections tap our cerebrum. For whatever that runs in your minds during tests, you are responsible to handle that.
I know preparing for and taking a test is like a torture, we are like cake mixtures that tremble in the turning-on of an oven. But I tell you, as I went on with this condense of exercises, I say it is much tougher; especially when you are too conscientious to meet the standards of a good test. My brain jogged a lot, my hypothalamus got mad as I do and undo my questionnaires and my eyes and my hands got tired as I dig my fingers into the keyboard.
In this compilation, you can encounter tests on grammar which helps you to enhance and improve your vocabulary and which will master your skills in comprehending unfamiliar terms without depending on a thesaurus. Another kind of test which you can find are the reading tests which assist you to construe both literally and figuratively on the theme, knowledge and wisdom offered by the scribbles on a sheet. On the next turn you will find exercises that will gradually help you in making good compositions. And lastly are bonus exercises which I hope will help you improve your listening skills. I also provided an answer key for checking.
May you find it fun to learn and unlearn as you go through these test questions.
Actub, lovely p.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
As the author of this compendium, I hope that you, students, will learn not only about grammar, reading, writing and listening but might as well reflect on the values either exhibited or implied but surely injected in the readings. Tests do not just measure knowledge, right? As we go on digging the corner of our minds, realizations and reflections tap our cerebrum. For whatever that runs in your minds during tests, you are responsible to handle that.
I know preparing for and taking a test is like a torture, we are like cake mixtures that tremble in the turning-on of an oven. But I tell you, as I went on with this condense of exercises, I say it is much tougher; especially when you are too conscientious to meet the standards of a good test. My brain jogged a lot, my hypothalamus got mad as I do and undo my questionnaires and my eyes and my hands got tired as I dig my fingers into the keyboard.
In this compilation, you can encounter tests on grammar which helps you to enhance and improve your vocabulary and which will master your skills in comprehending unfamiliar terms without depending on a thesaurus. Another kind of test which you can find are the reading tests which assist you to construe both literally and figuratively on the theme, knowledge and wisdom offered by the scribbles on a sheet. On the next turn you will find exercises that will gradually help you in making good compositions. And lastly are bonus exercises which I hope will help you improve your listening skills. I also provided an answer key for checking.
May you find it fun to learn and unlearn as you go through these test questions.
Actub, lovely p.
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CHILDHOODS…: A Review on Batacan’s Smaller & Smaller Circles
When I finished reading the book, I decided to include it in my top 5 list of favorite novels. Since a review is required and I cannot state everything coherently, I decided to divide this review into five parts: summary, characters, motifs, Filipinoness and literary work.
SUMMARY
Smaller and Smaller Circles is about a boy named Alex Carlos who was abused and raped by his elementary P.E. teacher during his years in PAYATAS Elementary School. In his adulthood, Alex developed an attitude hating male kids who resembles his physique when he was young – petite, sickly and someone who can be bullied easily and someone who studies in Payatas. Because of this great hate he was enveloped by an irrational wrath and had been killing boys who are similar to him. Killing one boy every first Saturday of the month becomes his ritual. with this act he feels strengthened and peaceful. Now, this killing alarmed the residents of Payatas and the investigative force (NBI). A task force was then formed to investigate on the killings. Two of its members are Gus Saenz and Jerome Lucero who are not only priests but the former is forensic anthropologist and the latter a clinical psychologist. After almost three months of sleepless examinations and disturbing thoughts, after all the trouble including the false suspect who was detained by Atty. Benjamin Arcinas (another member of the investigative team}, the squad at last found out who the suspect was and he is a member of the dental service team named Alex Carlos. They knew about it by tracing Carlos’s childhood, by contacting his family and by inquiring about his strange and silent behavior. Finally, the police set out for the location of Alex Carlos. In his place they found the organs he ripped-off from his victims, in his refrigerator. Saenz was the one who found Carlos but Carlos dragged him first. Since Saenz is a man in his ripe years, Carlos viewed him as his P.E. teacher; because of this, Carlos started to stab Saenz brutally. Seeing that the priest can no longer fight and badly hurt, the police shot Carlos who was then killed. During the burial, Lucero went to Carlos’ grave only after people had left. Anticipating Lucero’s act, Saenz did the same. The priests prayed for Carlos’ soul, talked a bit and went on. While the priests were empathizing for Carlos’ wasted life and his family is grieving , from afar are Joana Bonifacio and his cameraman videoing a shot of everything that took place with thoughts: …the rating will shoot through the roof.
CHARACTERS
There were many characters introduced in the novel but I just took those which, I believe, represents a society or guild. I will start with the two protagonists Gus Saenz and Jerome Lucero. Both were priests in the story and what they were really trying to do was to find out the truth about the killings to save future victims. I say these people stood up for what priests should be. Priests should be the one guiding people to the truth about the Divine and save humanity from hoarding what is not theirs. These characters also prove essence about priests not only preaching within the church but also those who go far to serve the community.
Another note worthy character is Alex Carlos. We all know that Carlos’ behavior was just an output of his traumatic childhood experience. Carlos, for me represents the adults whose childhoods were sad. According to psychology, childhood affects adulthood; that is, whatever strange behavior a person has in his adulthood is a byproduct of his experiences as a child. Carlos’ represents these people who run away from their bleak past. And these people are quite pitiful, their wounds were not healed thus leading them into a strange adult psychology.
Another character is Joana Bonifacio who I partly hate. Bonifacio is a media personality and it is quite obvious that she represents the media. Bonifacio’s aim was to get information and cover a real catching story and this it what media people do. They simply want to get a real good rating; they are not really concerned about the people involve; this makes media people so inconsiderate and even heartless.
Moreover, although he did not really played big part in the novel I picked him because he represents every Filipino criminal – getting involved into unlawful actions because of poverty - this boy was the wrong suspect detained by Atty. Arcinas. He said that he committed the crime because of poverty. He said “Being poor. Not having a job. My mother is sick… Where will I take her? I have nowhere to go. ..There are no jobs.” This is indeed true in the Philippine scenery; the framed - up suspect is an epitome of a person, we Filipinos call as “kapit sa patalim”.
Another character that I took notice is Emong Ricafrente who was also one of the kids abused by Gorospe. But unlike Carlos, Ricafrente forgave and accepted the past which led him to live a happy and a peaceful life with the family he built. And I believe Emong is an example every person should follow.
Lastly, the villain Mr. Gorospe, he represents all the mean people who soil innocent minds and people like him must be buried alive!
MOTIFS
Every time there are killed boys, there are rats. Rats are animals which live in the dark, which creep at night and do not want to be seen. Similarly, the novel progressed because of a darkness that enveloped the characters. Each character in the story has strange mannerisms and attitude which means most of them have an unspoken darkness within. A darkness that does not want to be seen, a darkness that hides in the corner of the psyche and a darkness that creeps at night just like the rats.
Another motif of the novel was the ripping – off of the organs of the victims. This acts mean that the darkness that is kept and fed gradually takes a persons goodness. It will take away all that makes him human making him behave like a brute. Another motif are the poor families. The killer was not able to defend himself because they were poor and even the setting is poor – it is in Payatas. Poverty is the root of all tragic scenes in the novel.
FILIPINONESS
There are certain parts in the novel which showed Filipino tradition. First is the Payatas Area, all Filipinos, I think, have known about this dumpsite where some of our fellowmen get their living from. Also another “so Filipino” was the scene where a certain politician was called to make the health center available and when Lucero said that he is sure to vote the councilor because of his assistance, I blurted out “pinoy jud!”. We tend to easily thank politicians when in fact they corrupt our money. It is their responsibility to help the people because they have chosen to be public servants. Another awful situation but really a promiscuous thing in the Philippines is the injustice that most if not all poor Filipino families experience. This was what happened to Carlos’ family, they cannot do anything because they are poor and this , seems to me has become a tradition.
THE LITERATURE
I found the novel really fresh and cunning. It has no shocks, but it was narrated very heartily and intelligently. I simply want to meet F. H. Batacan and shake her hands and ask her anything about the novel. I really pity Alex Carlos for everything that had happened to him. It was not all his fault, maybe it is fate’s fault and Mr. Gorospe’s. I just want to bury all the Gorospes in the world, alive! The novel made me realize as well how fortunate I am to have a happy childhood. This novel quite helped me understand more my friends who act strangely at present because they have sad childhood encounters. Thanks to Batacan… Salute!!!
LILO…
Love & Life: A Review on Sering’s Getting Better
Fresh, contemporary, vibrant and no boring moments – this is how I find this real new thing of novella. As a youth of this generation I would definitely agree that this is a very, very, very youthful book. The point of view is definitely unique making it sound so hippy, but in fairness, with a serious touch.
Getting better is about a woman’s journey from her falling-in-love mania, to getting – engaged nausea, being – cheated drama up to her moving – on – getter – over aura, then back slid and got cheated again until the time that she finally wanted to get over and successfully got better. (That’s the use of titles – hints)
As a literary work, Getting better is something that each girl should read especially when the reason for the broke-up of her relationships were third, fourth or even fifth parties. The persona’s name was not mentioned perhaps she represents all broken and betrayed people – mostly girls of course. The persona was betrayed by her conceited boyfriend named Mico who is not really so handsome and rich and I describe him as damn stupid who mingled with oh-I-am-a-virgin-in-daylight Cynthia, who was the persona’s officemate. Mico represents men in the society who do not know how to value women – maybe they do but only in the time that a girl is all fed-up by his selfish actions. Mico is described as someone who appears so prim and proper. One cannot think of him to fool around because of his angelic face but that’s where the principle of “all that glitters is not gold sometimes it’s just a broken piece of glass” comes in; definitely, Mico is one hell a piece of as broken glass that caused a woman’s pain. Similarly, all pieces of a broken glass are not worth a tear, all traitors should be forgotten.
Another inherent scenes in the novella are episodes with friends trying to make her (the persona) happy. I notice Janice; Janice is both fun to be with but every reader knew that her personality is partly a byproduct of a lost love named Justin who, unlike her, is already very stable with his present relationship. I salute Janice’s way of sashaying, she knows that she cannot really commit wholeheartedly so she simply played - with playmates. Janice represents those people who changed their lifestyle to get over but more often they are still haunted by their lost loves. With Janice’s way of displacing loneliness with an empty pleasure, I learned that getting into many wild, wild acts to show an Ex that one can move on without him, simply does not work. I learned that to mend a broken heart means to face and to handle fallbacks one day at a time. One has to clear ends, accept reality and think positively just like what the protagonist did. I also learned that we should not be judgmental, just like the impression of some characters to Bert Reyno, some people simply act the feminine way but they are not really gay. In short this book tells us that “what we see is not always what it seems to be”.
I also think that it is better for differences to come out during the BF-GF years so that there will be less trouble during marriage just like what happened to Jake and Tonette. They almost, all the time, throw dirty words to each other. It is kind of exhausting to always quarrel over nonsense. I wonder what will happen to them in the future, I don’t think they will always enjoy that sex-after-quarrel sessions. These frequent troubles between the couple might affect their future kids. And speaking with kids, I really pity Cynthia for having not used contraceptives when she and Mico made it; now she has to conceive a child made out of foolishness. But more than Cynthia, I pity the innocent child in her womb. It is quite expected that her moving-in to Mico’s house is not agreeable by Mico and how much more by his conservative mom. Now, I conclude betrayal begets betrayal. Cynthia has to face all the consequences that she involved herself into. I also remember how Cynthia played so innocently when the photocopier was ruined because somebody made sex on top of it. I believe Cynthia does not only represent the certified-bitches society but she also belongs to the group of hypocrites who condemn “deflowered” women but eventually signed-in in the certified-bitches society.
Aside from the noticeable characters, Getting Better also implied the influence of mothers in every person’s life. I will start with Mico’s. His mother is conservative and I would say, has a control of his life. Mico’s mother still pampers him. She treats Mico like a high school boy who still needs to be reminded to go home early. One is advantageous and blessed to have a caring mom but I believe mothers the same with kids have limitations on when and when not to intrude about each others businesses. Another motherly influence was inherent when Malu was so cautious not to be caught by her grandmother to have gone home in the dawn. I would really agree that grandmother’s can sometimes really play like antagonists in one’s life. Sometimes they can be so irrational, they could not understand that the generation of today is quite different from theirs but nevertheless, I admit, most of their sermons are helpful.
Moving on, another motherly aspect I found are instincts and dreams. Mothers really have sixth sense, they know when some things are not going well, just like when the persona’s mother dreamt of Mico having an affair.
With these implications of “motherly influence” present in the novella, I can safely say that this novella is feminist.
After the motherly influence in the book, I also classify certain motifs that I named “So-Pinoy”. These So-Pinoy episodes in the novella really amused me. Truly, a novel reflects its author’s culture. One So-Pinoy experience is the living of a grandchild in his or her grandmother’s vicinity. This situation is very inherent in the Philippines which just proves the close-family-ties in the Filipino tradition. From the living-with-grandma site I will go to friends-as-shoulders team. Absolutely true in any Filipino set-up, when someone is in the drifting times of his or her life, it is expected that friends would be around – giving shoulders to cry on, wiping tears, making silly stuff to make someone happy etc. Good friends are really a treasure to any Filipino especially to girls (No wonder psychologists are poor in this country). This proof of being a Filipino is one thing that makes us one of the happiest people in the world. Another So-Pinoy characteristic, which is both positive and negative, is gossiping. Gossiping is positive because it sometimes becomes bonding sessions of friends and even a relief from stressful paperworks however this So-Pinoy habit creates enmity between groups which even leads to lousy job discussions and half-baked interactions.
Finally, I like the novel because it teaches every person, broken-hearted or not, the value of letting go, of being just, of being faithful, of opening doors, of building friendships and of love and of life. I realized that happiness does not depend on one person so why ruin a bright life when that someone has left you. One should break free from the bondages of failed and lost relationships; there are a million happier aspects of life than the gray ones. So move on people…….
SUMMARY
Smaller and Smaller Circles is about a boy named Alex Carlos who was abused and raped by his elementary P.E. teacher during his years in PAYATAS Elementary School. In his adulthood, Alex developed an attitude hating male kids who resembles his physique when he was young – petite, sickly and someone who can be bullied easily and someone who studies in Payatas. Because of this great hate he was enveloped by an irrational wrath and had been killing boys who are similar to him. Killing one boy every first Saturday of the month becomes his ritual. with this act he feels strengthened and peaceful. Now, this killing alarmed the residents of Payatas and the investigative force (NBI). A task force was then formed to investigate on the killings. Two of its members are Gus Saenz and Jerome Lucero who are not only priests but the former is forensic anthropologist and the latter a clinical psychologist. After almost three months of sleepless examinations and disturbing thoughts, after all the trouble including the false suspect who was detained by Atty. Benjamin Arcinas (another member of the investigative team}, the squad at last found out who the suspect was and he is a member of the dental service team named Alex Carlos. They knew about it by tracing Carlos’s childhood, by contacting his family and by inquiring about his strange and silent behavior. Finally, the police set out for the location of Alex Carlos. In his place they found the organs he ripped-off from his victims, in his refrigerator. Saenz was the one who found Carlos but Carlos dragged him first. Since Saenz is a man in his ripe years, Carlos viewed him as his P.E. teacher; because of this, Carlos started to stab Saenz brutally. Seeing that the priest can no longer fight and badly hurt, the police shot Carlos who was then killed. During the burial, Lucero went to Carlos’ grave only after people had left. Anticipating Lucero’s act, Saenz did the same. The priests prayed for Carlos’ soul, talked a bit and went on. While the priests were empathizing for Carlos’ wasted life and his family is grieving , from afar are Joana Bonifacio and his cameraman videoing a shot of everything that took place with thoughts: …the rating will shoot through the roof.
CHARACTERS
There were many characters introduced in the novel but I just took those which, I believe, represents a society or guild. I will start with the two protagonists Gus Saenz and Jerome Lucero. Both were priests in the story and what they were really trying to do was to find out the truth about the killings to save future victims. I say these people stood up for what priests should be. Priests should be the one guiding people to the truth about the Divine and save humanity from hoarding what is not theirs. These characters also prove essence about priests not only preaching within the church but also those who go far to serve the community.
Another note worthy character is Alex Carlos. We all know that Carlos’ behavior was just an output of his traumatic childhood experience. Carlos, for me represents the adults whose childhoods were sad. According to psychology, childhood affects adulthood; that is, whatever strange behavior a person has in his adulthood is a byproduct of his experiences as a child. Carlos’ represents these people who run away from their bleak past. And these people are quite pitiful, their wounds were not healed thus leading them into a strange adult psychology.
Another character is Joana Bonifacio who I partly hate. Bonifacio is a media personality and it is quite obvious that she represents the media. Bonifacio’s aim was to get information and cover a real catching story and this it what media people do. They simply want to get a real good rating; they are not really concerned about the people involve; this makes media people so inconsiderate and even heartless.
Moreover, although he did not really played big part in the novel I picked him because he represents every Filipino criminal – getting involved into unlawful actions because of poverty - this boy was the wrong suspect detained by Atty. Arcinas. He said that he committed the crime because of poverty. He said “Being poor. Not having a job. My mother is sick… Where will I take her? I have nowhere to go. ..There are no jobs.” This is indeed true in the Philippine scenery; the framed - up suspect is an epitome of a person, we Filipinos call as “kapit sa patalim”.
Another character that I took notice is Emong Ricafrente who was also one of the kids abused by Gorospe. But unlike Carlos, Ricafrente forgave and accepted the past which led him to live a happy and a peaceful life with the family he built. And I believe Emong is an example every person should follow.
Lastly, the villain Mr. Gorospe, he represents all the mean people who soil innocent minds and people like him must be buried alive!
MOTIFS
Every time there are killed boys, there are rats. Rats are animals which live in the dark, which creep at night and do not want to be seen. Similarly, the novel progressed because of a darkness that enveloped the characters. Each character in the story has strange mannerisms and attitude which means most of them have an unspoken darkness within. A darkness that does not want to be seen, a darkness that hides in the corner of the psyche and a darkness that creeps at night just like the rats.
Another motif of the novel was the ripping – off of the organs of the victims. This acts mean that the darkness that is kept and fed gradually takes a persons goodness. It will take away all that makes him human making him behave like a brute. Another motif are the poor families. The killer was not able to defend himself because they were poor and even the setting is poor – it is in Payatas. Poverty is the root of all tragic scenes in the novel.
FILIPINONESS
There are certain parts in the novel which showed Filipino tradition. First is the Payatas Area, all Filipinos, I think, have known about this dumpsite where some of our fellowmen get their living from. Also another “so Filipino” was the scene where a certain politician was called to make the health center available and when Lucero said that he is sure to vote the councilor because of his assistance, I blurted out “pinoy jud!”. We tend to easily thank politicians when in fact they corrupt our money. It is their responsibility to help the people because they have chosen to be public servants. Another awful situation but really a promiscuous thing in the Philippines is the injustice that most if not all poor Filipino families experience. This was what happened to Carlos’ family, they cannot do anything because they are poor and this , seems to me has become a tradition.
THE LITERATURE
I found the novel really fresh and cunning. It has no shocks, but it was narrated very heartily and intelligently. I simply want to meet F. H. Batacan and shake her hands and ask her anything about the novel. I really pity Alex Carlos for everything that had happened to him. It was not all his fault, maybe it is fate’s fault and Mr. Gorospe’s. I just want to bury all the Gorospes in the world, alive! The novel made me realize as well how fortunate I am to have a happy childhood. This novel quite helped me understand more my friends who act strangely at present because they have sad childhood encounters. Thanks to Batacan… Salute!!!
LILO…
Love & Life: A Review on Sering’s Getting Better
Fresh, contemporary, vibrant and no boring moments – this is how I find this real new thing of novella. As a youth of this generation I would definitely agree that this is a very, very, very youthful book. The point of view is definitely unique making it sound so hippy, but in fairness, with a serious touch.
Getting better is about a woman’s journey from her falling-in-love mania, to getting – engaged nausea, being – cheated drama up to her moving – on – getter – over aura, then back slid and got cheated again until the time that she finally wanted to get over and successfully got better. (That’s the use of titles – hints)
As a literary work, Getting better is something that each girl should read especially when the reason for the broke-up of her relationships were third, fourth or even fifth parties. The persona’s name was not mentioned perhaps she represents all broken and betrayed people – mostly girls of course. The persona was betrayed by her conceited boyfriend named Mico who is not really so handsome and rich and I describe him as damn stupid who mingled with oh-I-am-a-virgin-in-daylight Cynthia, who was the persona’s officemate. Mico represents men in the society who do not know how to value women – maybe they do but only in the time that a girl is all fed-up by his selfish actions. Mico is described as someone who appears so prim and proper. One cannot think of him to fool around because of his angelic face but that’s where the principle of “all that glitters is not gold sometimes it’s just a broken piece of glass” comes in; definitely, Mico is one hell a piece of as broken glass that caused a woman’s pain. Similarly, all pieces of a broken glass are not worth a tear, all traitors should be forgotten.
Another inherent scenes in the novella are episodes with friends trying to make her (the persona) happy. I notice Janice; Janice is both fun to be with but every reader knew that her personality is partly a byproduct of a lost love named Justin who, unlike her, is already very stable with his present relationship. I salute Janice’s way of sashaying, she knows that she cannot really commit wholeheartedly so she simply played - with playmates. Janice represents those people who changed their lifestyle to get over but more often they are still haunted by their lost loves. With Janice’s way of displacing loneliness with an empty pleasure, I learned that getting into many wild, wild acts to show an Ex that one can move on without him, simply does not work. I learned that to mend a broken heart means to face and to handle fallbacks one day at a time. One has to clear ends, accept reality and think positively just like what the protagonist did. I also learned that we should not be judgmental, just like the impression of some characters to Bert Reyno, some people simply act the feminine way but they are not really gay. In short this book tells us that “what we see is not always what it seems to be”.
I also think that it is better for differences to come out during the BF-GF years so that there will be less trouble during marriage just like what happened to Jake and Tonette. They almost, all the time, throw dirty words to each other. It is kind of exhausting to always quarrel over nonsense. I wonder what will happen to them in the future, I don’t think they will always enjoy that sex-after-quarrel sessions. These frequent troubles between the couple might affect their future kids. And speaking with kids, I really pity Cynthia for having not used contraceptives when she and Mico made it; now she has to conceive a child made out of foolishness. But more than Cynthia, I pity the innocent child in her womb. It is quite expected that her moving-in to Mico’s house is not agreeable by Mico and how much more by his conservative mom. Now, I conclude betrayal begets betrayal. Cynthia has to face all the consequences that she involved herself into. I also remember how Cynthia played so innocently when the photocopier was ruined because somebody made sex on top of it. I believe Cynthia does not only represent the certified-bitches society but she also belongs to the group of hypocrites who condemn “deflowered” women but eventually signed-in in the certified-bitches society.
Aside from the noticeable characters, Getting Better also implied the influence of mothers in every person’s life. I will start with Mico’s. His mother is conservative and I would say, has a control of his life. Mico’s mother still pampers him. She treats Mico like a high school boy who still needs to be reminded to go home early. One is advantageous and blessed to have a caring mom but I believe mothers the same with kids have limitations on when and when not to intrude about each others businesses. Another motherly influence was inherent when Malu was so cautious not to be caught by her grandmother to have gone home in the dawn. I would really agree that grandmother’s can sometimes really play like antagonists in one’s life. Sometimes they can be so irrational, they could not understand that the generation of today is quite different from theirs but nevertheless, I admit, most of their sermons are helpful.
Moving on, another motherly aspect I found are instincts and dreams. Mothers really have sixth sense, they know when some things are not going well, just like when the persona’s mother dreamt of Mico having an affair.
With these implications of “motherly influence” present in the novella, I can safely say that this novella is feminist.
After the motherly influence in the book, I also classify certain motifs that I named “So-Pinoy”. These So-Pinoy episodes in the novella really amused me. Truly, a novel reflects its author’s culture. One So-Pinoy experience is the living of a grandchild in his or her grandmother’s vicinity. This situation is very inherent in the Philippines which just proves the close-family-ties in the Filipino tradition. From the living-with-grandma site I will go to friends-as-shoulders team. Absolutely true in any Filipino set-up, when someone is in the drifting times of his or her life, it is expected that friends would be around – giving shoulders to cry on, wiping tears, making silly stuff to make someone happy etc. Good friends are really a treasure to any Filipino especially to girls (No wonder psychologists are poor in this country). This proof of being a Filipino is one thing that makes us one of the happiest people in the world. Another So-Pinoy characteristic, which is both positive and negative, is gossiping. Gossiping is positive because it sometimes becomes bonding sessions of friends and even a relief from stressful paperworks however this So-Pinoy habit creates enmity between groups which even leads to lousy job discussions and half-baked interactions.
Finally, I like the novel because it teaches every person, broken-hearted or not, the value of letting go, of being just, of being faithful, of opening doors, of building friendships and of love and of life. I realized that happiness does not depend on one person so why ruin a bright life when that someone has left you. One should break free from the bondages of failed and lost relationships; there are a million happier aspects of life than the gray ones. So move on people…….
“Opened Mind”
(Of Ong’s BEARERS OF SWORD and Of Baytan’s BOTTOM)
Bearer of Swords is about the story of Siu Lan and how the people’s lives around her get so messed-up because of her anxieties. It started when Se Tian Ma – the mother of the western world- foretold a prophecy about Siu Lan’s incoming daughter-in-law Dolores to bring death to the family. Nevertheless, the wedding was pushed through. Dolores bore a child who gave joy to the family and made them forget about the prophecy but there was one thing in the house that Dolores found strange – the praying of the family to the spirits of the dead relatives. When Dolores tried to talk to her husband Leonardo, they quarreled because Leonardo cannot keep his folks from influencing their child; Leonardo even raised the issue that Dolores is to be blamed with his father’s sudden death due to heart attack, as what was foretold by Se Tian Ma that she will bring death to the family. Because of his refusal to talk to his mother, Dolores threatened her husband that she will go away with her child but Leonardo won’t let her go with the child. This argument was heard by Siu Lan, so she decided that she will be the one to walk out from the house and alienate and dedicate herself into reciting her sutras. When it seemed that everything is at place, Dolores brought to their house a religious orphan named Andrea. Andrea became an assistant to Siu Lan. Andrea regularly brings her meals and they even talked about her tragic childhood experiences; but unknowingly, Andrea sees Siu Lan as an instrument of evil. Because of this misconception Andrea killed Siu Lan thinking that she has defeated the evil.
This story is written in a very mysterious format. The first time I read it, I could honestly say I didn’t get its gist but as I went through it again, a realization possessed me. The story tackles about people who are so absorbed by their beliefs that they forget to open their minds to realities. A sort of madness controlled them and led them to their destruction. Also, this story tells about how childhood experiences affect the mindset of a person when he/she becomes an adult. Truly, the rearing days of childhood should be taken cared of so that a person will become an asset to her community and not the other way around.
This story also talks about the Chinese – Filipino tradition. It talks about how contrasting these two cultures in the Philippines
Ronald Baytan’s BOTTOM
I wish I could interpret this poem with subtlety. Bottom entails about the intercourse between a man and a gay. Bottom describes the pain a gay feels during those anal activities with their men. It is ironic that what is called making love becomes a fruition of pain. The position of gay people being in the bottom somehow implies their pathetic situation that every time they fall in love they have to be the ones giving everything, the ones who will risk both emotionally and financially..
The line “Pain must be the price of my submission” simply tackles about the harm that they get when they fall in live. It’s seems that the price of their happiness is a bundle of tears and heart aches. “Things that grow and rip open the sealed vaults of my skin” is a description of how they risk just to give their partners satisfaction and pleasure that which is an exchange of their own body aches “like bricks breaking apart” at their partner’s every plunge.
I like the phrase “bullets of love”. Love is supposedly a feeling that will cause joy but with the accompaniment of bullets, love becomes a curse that brings anxiety and sorrow for the gay people or to everyone in general.
I pity the speaker as he said the lines “And it hurts, because nobody, nobody wants to be bottom.” Truly, nobody wants to be in such kind of position because as what my gay friends shared to me… even if they are hurt as long as they can see that their partners enjoy the session, they are also happy and satisfied. I believe this myth must be something gay people should rub out from their psyche.
BOTTOM is a poem not only about the pain of making love (by gays) but also it implies the discrimination and abuse that the mainstream society puts against the gay circa. Bottom is their position because they are given lesser importance and almost of no importance at all.
I believe it is now time for the mainstream society to become more aware of the importance of the gay people. We should be open-minded in dealing with these realities. And as we understand how this group behaves we will develop a virtue called respect.
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