Closed Pilipino books, saan pwedi mag download?

[medesjv25]

May activity po kac kami sa Philippine leterature.. Need ko po ng pdf manlang nung "without seeing the dawn" by stevan javellana.. Plss help.. Kahit link..

 

[PHC-Hershey]

Meron sya sa scribd. Ang gawin mo nalang manghingi ka ng ρrémíùm account for scribd, dati may nakapagbigay sakin dito

 

[woojun]

Without Seeing the Dawn
A novel by Steven Javellana
(summary)
The novel "Without Seeing the Dawn" first published in 1947, is set in a small f
arming village called Manhayang, Sta. Barbara, somewhere in Negros. Like most ru
ral baranggays, the hardworking and closely-knit village folk there had simple n
eeds, simple wants, and simple dreams. They were living their own simple lives w
hen the violence of war reached their place and brought death to their village,
their homes and their hearts.
Here revolves the story of one Ricardo Suerte, also called Carding, son of Juan
Suerte. An industrious, strong and sometimes quick-tempered young man, he aspire
d to marry sweet Lucia, the daughter of the teniente del barrio. Though his fath
er thought he was not yet prepared and had wished to send him to school, he gave
his blessing to the decision of his son. He consented to asking Lucia's hand fr
om her parents in the traditional pamamanhikan, accompanied by the village's bes
t orator and the godmother of the lass. After agreeing to the conditions of the
village chief, the marriage was set. Tatay Juan gathered up almost all of his ha
rd-earned savings for the dowry and expenses for the wedding feast. Meantime, Ca
rding excitedly built their house despite the advice of the elderly- that buildi
ng one's house in May will bring misfortune to its inhabitants.
And so it came to pass that after the grand wedding and the feast that followed-
which was even attended by their representate- the newlyweds lived happily on t
he land entrusted to Tatay Juan by Don Diego, but not ever after. Misfortune str
uck early when their first child was stillborn. A more difficult trial came when
Lucing disgraced herself, her family and her husband by the temptation of a hou
seguest-Luis, the son of their landlord. Caught *****, he was beaten up by the s
trong, angry husband whose honor and pride were hurt. The couple patched things
up, but the land that Carding and Juan Suerte had been tilling for a very long t
ime was given to another tenant.
With no land to till, the pair tried their luck in the city. There, in Iloilo, C
arding met Rosing and Nestong. The latter was his fellow stevedore and union mem
ber, and the former, a prostitute besotted with him, and also the reason why his
wife left him and returned to their barrio. Soon, Carding followed Lucing with
news that the representante entrusted them with land to till in Badlan. Lucing t
oo, had news for her husband: she was again *******t.
They moved to Badlan and worked harder than ever. They were blessed not only by
a promise of a bountiful harvest, but also with a healthy son they named Crisost
omo. Sadly, their landlord sold the land, and they were given time to harvest wh
at they sowed. Misfortune was like a shadow though. A great flood destroyed ever
ything that they had- harvest and carabao as well.
Wanting to own their own piece of land, they were convinced to move to Mindanao,
but Carding was drafted for military service. When he returned, he was delighte
d to find his wife heavy with another child. Misfortune welcomed him again as he
was told that Tatay Juan and Crisostomo died of some illness. Little did he kno
w that the Japanese soldiers who attacked their village killed his father and so
n and raped his wife. When he found out the truth, he became like a fearsome mad
man that even his wife and mother-in-law thought him to be bad. As his neighbors
, relatives and friends in barrio Manhayang were tortured, raped and massacred b
y the Japanese soldiers, Carding too became a seemingly heartless executioner to
his enemies, and not even his friend nor the brother of his mother-in-law were
spared. He also almost killed the child that his wife had just delivered, were i
t not born dead. For that, Lucing was so enraged that she sent him away and wish
ed him dead.
The Japanese ordered everyone to enter a collective barrio or else be considered
guerrilla supporters and be shot. But the villagers of Manhayang also refused t
o be considered enemies of their own sons, and so they decided to evacuate in ba
rrios farther away. However, Lucing was hesitant to go. She was waiting to see h
er husband despite everything, knowing that he will be leading the suicide attac
k to the Japanese garrison. When they did see each other, Carding asked for her
forgiveness and left her what cash he had as he bade her farewell. In the end, L
ucing refused to flee for she knew that she was still his wife, duty-bound to re
ceive the corpse of her beloved husband.




II. Review
A Review of Without Seeing the Dawn
The novel Without Seeing the Dawn first published in 1947, is set in a small farmi
ng village called Manhayang, Sta. Barbara, somewhere in Negros. Like most rural
baranggays, the hardworking and closely-knit village folk there had simple needs
, simple wants, and simple dreams. They were living their own simple lives when
the violence of war reached their place and brought death to their village, thei
r homes and their hearts.
Here revolves the story of one Ricardo Suerte, also called Carding, son of Juan
Suerte. An industrious, strong and sometimes quick-tempered young man, he aspire
d to marry sweet Lucia, the daughter of the teniente del barrio. Though his fath
er thought he was not yet prepared and had wished to send him to school, he gave
his blessing to the decision of his son. He consented to asking Lucia s hand from
her parents in the traditional pamamanhikan, accompanied by the village s best or
ator and the godmother of the lass. After agreeing to the conditions of the vill
age chief, the marriage was set. Tatay Juan gathered up almost all of his hard-e
arned savings for the dowry and expenses for the wedding feast. Meantime, Cardin
g excitedly built their house despite the advice of the elderly- that building o
ne s house in May will bring misfortune to its inhabitants.
And so it came to pass that after the grand wedding and the feast that followed-
which was even attended by their representate- the newlyweds lived happily on t
he land entrusted to Tatay Juan by Don Diego, but not ever after. Misfortune str
uck early when their first child was stillborn. A more difficult trial came when
Lucing disgraced herself, her family and her husband by the temptation of a hou
seguest-Luis, the son of their landlord. Caught *****, he was beaten up by the s
trong, angry husband whose honor and pride were hurt. The couple patched things
up, but the land that Carding and Juan Suerte had been tilling for a very long t
ime was given to another tenant.
With no land to till, the pair tried their luck in the city. There, in Iloilo, C
arding met Rosing and Nestong. The latter was his fellow stevedore and union mem
ber, and the former, a prostitute besotted with him, and also the reason why his
wife left him and returned to their barrio. Soon, Carding followed Lucing with
news that the representante entrusted them with land to till in Badlan. Lucing t
oo, had news for her husband: she was again *******t.
They moved to Badlan and worked harder than ever. They were blessed not only by
a promise of a bountiful harvest, but also with a healthy son they named Crisost
omo. Sadly, their landlord sold the land, and they were given time to harvest wh
at they sowed. Misfortune was like a shadow though. A great flood destroyed ever
ything that they had- harvest and carabao as well.
Wanting to own their own piece of land, they were convinced to move to Mindanao,
but Carding was drafted for military service. When he returned, he was delighte
d to find his wife heavy with another child. Misfortune welcomed him again as he
was told that Tatay Juan and Crisostomo died of some illness. Little did he kno
w that the Japanese soldiers who attacked their village killed his father and so
n and raped his wife. When he found out the truth, he became like a fearsome mad
man that even his wife and mother-in-law thought him to be bad. As his neighbors
, relatives and friends in barrio Manhayang were tortured, raped and massacred b
y the Japanese soldiers, Carding too became a seemingly heartless executioner to
his enemies, and not even his friend nor the brother of his mother-in-law were
spared. He also almost killed the child that his wife had just delivered, were i
t not born dead. For that, Lucing was so enraged that she sent him away and wish
ed him dead.
The Japanese ordered everyone to enter a collective barrio or else be considered
guerrilla supporters and be shot. But the villagers of Manhayang also refused t
o be considered enemies of their own sons, and so they decided to evacuate in ba
rrios farther away. However, Lucing was hesitant to go. She was waiting to see h
er husband despite everything, knowing that he will be leading the suicide attac
k to the Japanese garrison. When they did see each other, Carding asked for her
forgiveness and left her what cash he had as he bade her farewell. In the end, L
ucing refused to flee for she knew that she was still his wife, duty-bound to re
ceive the corpse of her beloved husband.
NOVEL DISCOURSE
War is indeed both mysterious and tragic. By the same vein that it can easily ki
ll man s body and soul, and bring out the monster in him, it can also bring out th
e hero in him, responding to a feverish emotional or mental call for action brou
ght forth by patriotism, justice and sadly, vengeance. It spares no one not the el
derly, the women, nor the children. It certainly did not spare Carding, his fami
ly and his baranggay in Panay Island.
Stereotypically and from my direct observation as a result of years of associati
on with them, Ilonggos are a malambing, respectful and hardworking lot who put a
ρrémíùm on family and dignity. This is explained by F.Landa Jocano in The Hilig
aynons, An Ethnography of Family and Community Life in Western Bisayas Region, a
s:
Huya, as a normative concept, underlines most of the recurrent and consistent Hil
igaynon behavior having to do with self-esteem, honor or dignity. The nearest po
pular English equivalent is losing face . It has the aspects of embarrassment, same
, and shyness rolled into one. It also implies politeness. X x x with relationsh
ips pertaining to (1)personal dignity or honor (dungog) of the individual; (2)th
e status or position(kahimtangan) of the principal actor relative to other peopl
e; (3)the internal cohesion (hiliugyon) of the family as a unity; and (4) reputa
tion(pangalan) of the entire kin group relative to the outside world.
The Hiligaynons give emphasis to individual behavior, specially in public. They
are sensitive to impropriety. Politeness and gentleness are highly valued. This
is best expressed in speech etiquette that is the tone of the voice, the choice of
words, and the like. (p223.)
They are also a superstitious people who are not only very close to their family
, but are also very involved neighbors. And so when Carding was shamed by his wi
fe s tryst with the landlord s son, it was a community event. And when the couple ne
eded help in moving their house, the neighbors did not hesitate. This is most pr
obably because:
The social prescriptions to many individual actions are said to emanate from the
feelings of the collectivity. It is the consensus of the community or neighborho
od which keeps individuals within the bounds of acceptable behavior x x x Sometime
s the term paiway is used to describe the subordination of one s own ways to the l
arger interest of the group. Local emphasis on the concept of being neighbors is p
ervasive and bound up with expectations people have of each other ( Jocano,F.L.The
Hiligaynons, An Ethnography of Family and Community Life in Western Bisayas Reg
ion,p.220)
Though these neighbors were almost relatives, there were still the common tsismi
s and panglilibak, and the allusion to Carding s malas as a result of his not mind
ing the local almanac and the old folk s advice that Raising a house in the month o
f May will saddle the owner of that house with ill-luck. Misfortune will hound h
is heels and he will drink his fill from the cup of misery ( Javellana,S. Without
Seeing the Dawn, p.91). This is by the way contrary to Jocano s contention that:
There are ways of determining the best time to build a house. One is consulting t
he almanaque(almanac) and the other is by signosan(augury).(Jocano, p.16)
Before building a house the almanaque is consulted for a good day, week, month an
d time to begin the construction x x x A house built in May or June is called ba
lay sang mga manggad(house of wealth). The house owner will acquire wealth and h
appiness in life. Good fortune awaits the owner of this house. (Jocano, p16-17)
Another way to determine the time favorable for house building is the signosan or
augury. Selection of the house site, as well as the day and time to begin const
ruction, is guided by owner s mood, feelings, dreams, and other natural signs whic
h appear at the time he is about to decide. X x x The most favorable months for
constructing a house are January, December and May. These are harvest months, an
d therefore a period of abundance. (Jocano,p.18-19)
Here, I am inclined to consider these two views. The novel s first copyright was d
ated 1947, and in that respect judging also from the relative accuracy of the narr
ation of the fiction in relation to historical events during that period, I woul
d not hesitate to advance that Javellana had a close, if not first-hand experien
ce with respect to this culture and place. However, although Jocano s book is more
recent(1983 copyright), it cannot be ignored that The data for this purpose were
gathered through the standard anthropological method of participant-observation
and case study. Actual field work was carried out on several occasions and cove
ring a period of ten years starting in 1969 and ending in 1979. Whenever necessary
archival materials have been used to supplement or elaborate the ethnographic d
escription. (Jocano,p.vi) Jocano s study surely cannot be taken for granted, but per
sonally, I would be apt to lean more on Javellana s view, believing that since his
piece was written much closer to the time subject of the book(late 1930s-mid 19
40s), his facts are less polluted by the passing of time.
In any case, Carding did seem to be the son of misfortune , with one of his son bor
n still born, another killed by the Japanese, and the other son also stillborn had a
questionable paternity. Whether fathered by him or by one of the Japanese who h
ad raped his wife, nobody knows for sure.
These misfortunes were surely hard for Carding to take especially since children
were, and still are, very important in a Hiligaynon family. Aside from the fact
that children are parents investments who in the future will help them and will ta
ke care of them
Other reasons for wanting more children have supernatural undertones. X x x Child
ren are considered gifts of God, the grace derived from divine blessings, the re
sult of clean and honest living. X x x censures surrounding the coming of childr
en make the child central to any marriage, and the desire to have more children
a religious and social requirement, because the birth of a child is a public tes
timony that the parents have led clean, obedient, and pious lives during their p
re-nuptial and through their child-bearing years. (Jocano, p.160-161)
His sons were dead, his father was killed, his wife was raped and intriguingly i
mpregnated, not to mention that he had lost the land he had been tilling twice one
to his wife s indiscretion and the other to nature. One can just imagine his pred
icament. To say that what he could be feeling was grief and hurt pride would be
an understatement. If I were to put myself in his shoes, if I didn t die of heart
attack first, I would probably be more crazed and desperate than he was, and rig
htfully so since:
The Japanese slaughtered civilians, burned houses, harvested and destroyed corn,
hauled and burned palay, shot livestock, looted poultry and clothing, and commit
ted all kinds of atrocities, such as, tortures, rape, and roasting of children. (R
odriguez, p.140)
Javellana told a faithful story of human beings, like you and me, in Without See
ing the Dawn, and successfully brought, hands and ears, a 21st century Manilena
like me in 1940s Negros. The Japanese were indeed pursuing a policy of attraction
to persuade the people who had evacuated to the hills to come down to the towns
they had deserted x x x The intention of the Japanese in occupying Negros was t
o exploit and appropriate for themselves the vast resources of the island, which
intent could be realized only if normal conditions were restored. (Rodriguez, C.A
. Negros Oriental, From American Rule to the Present: A History [Volume II],p.97
-98). This was expressed by Javellana through Uncle Jaime the brother of his mothe
r-in-law who returned from the United States but who was mediating for the Japanes
e side who was executed by Carding, and because of which the latter was seen by mo
st of his village mates, and even by his wife and mother-in-law, as a heartless
verdugo or executioner. What Nanay Maria, the mother of the slain boys, said to
Carding s mother-in-law was more sensible:
But I who have undergone travail and experienced the trials of rearing children,
should I not weep every night when I see the wide empty mat which my sons used t
o share? And you, Pia, where are the arms that worked to give you food and defen
ded you from danger? The spirit of your husband is grieved that you should speak
so against Carding and the things that he stands for. Revenge! Revenge! (Javellan
a, p.282)
Indeed, Carding stands for the revenge which all the people in Manhayang desires f
or the pain that hits them to their core and whenever he scores against the enemy , it
was as if they too, had been avenged. Beyond all this, Carding still has his hea
rt. Why else would he avenge the prostitute Rosing, or bother with the sad pligh
t of a Alicia a neighbor turned veteran prostitute , or come back and bid his wife the
one who said she wished him dead, but obviously did not mean it his seemingly fina
l farewell before he went on a suicide mission .
As a woman, I could sympathize with Lucing. In the end, she still proved to be h
er husband s wife. She opted to stay on to wait for her husband, presumably dead o
r alive, despite the need to evacuate immediately. Almost all of their village m
ates, or what was left of them, had decided to move to safer places because the J
apanese ordered everyone to enter the Japanese collective barrio. After a period
of twenty days all persons who had not entered this collective barrio would be
considered sympathizers of the guerillas and shot. The Japanese issued posters n
aming all barrios which they considered outside the boundaries of the so-called
collective barrio, the only safety area, (Javellana p.352) They did not also wan
t to enter this safety zone since If we enter the collective barrio, we would the
n be considered the enemies of our own sons (Javellana, p.352)
This dilemma by the people of Manhayang was reflected in real life, as supported
by Rodriguez:
Because of the zoning plan of the Japanese, there had been a widespread exodus of
the mountain population, especially those having small children, to the lowland
barrios. This was called the Safety Zone . The Japanese drew a demarcation line be
yond which all people living there were considered bandits and therefore could b
e shot on sight. This area was called the Bandit Zone .(Rodriguez,p.105)
If they sold or gave to the guerillas, the Japanese would shoot them; if they sol
d or gave to the Japanese, the guerillas would also shoot them. It was the civil
ians that suffered much in that kind of set-up. (Rodriguez, p.53)
While it is true that many people came back to the towns, a lot of others stayed
put in the mountains. This decision to remain in the hills was due to various re
asons. People were not sure what the Japanese would do next. Some members of a f
amily were unsurrendered soldiers; some families had beautiful daughters; there
were those who loved freedom more than life under the Japanese; and they were co
nvinced that the Americans were coming back. This people endured the hardships,
inconveniences, diseases such as malaria, unfavorable weather such as cold and m
ost of all, the risk of being captured by patrolling Japanese. (Rodriguez, p.98)
In my point of view, Javellana wrote beyond his time. The universality of human
emotions he has expressed through his characters has never been made as clear to
me, traversing time, gender, and culture. Not only did he tell of Carding s despe
ration, he also explored the thoughts and desperation of the castrated Lucio. In
a time where it was seemingly shocking to speak of good girls in a worldly way , he
candidly told of the sexual excitement of Lucing. He even reversed it and made h
eroines out of prostitutes, as in the case of Rosing blowing up the Japanese amm
unition dump. He also makes us Remember Alicia Carding s neighbor, who became a veteran
prostitute after the Japanese massacred her family, raped her and forced her int
o their brothel who frighteningly will have my revenge. I have the beginnings of th
e disease. It gives me joy to know that I am giving it to everyone who comes to
share my bed. (Javellana, p.348)
Though World War II has long ended, another war seems imminent today, yet, I fee
l that it is dangerously taken for granted by most of us. With all the freedom,
conveniences and high-tech luxuries we are privileged with, we do seem to realiz
e that in just snap, we could be experiencing the plight of Carding, Lucing, Nan
ay Maria, Lucio, Tatay Juan and all Javellana s characters who had known how war w
as, and maybe, we might also remember Alicia.

 

[woojun]

ok na po ba yan?

 

[medesjv25]

Without Seeing the Dawn
A novel by Steven Javellana
(summary)
The novel "Without Seeing the Dawn" first published in 1947, is set in a small f
arming village called Manhayang, Sta. Barbara, somewhere in Negros. Like most ru
ral baranggays, the hardworking and closely-knit village folk there had simple n
eeds, simple wants, and simple dreams. They were living their own simple lives w
hen the violence of war reached their place and brought death to their village,
their homes and their hearts.
Here revolves the story of one Ricardo Suerte, also called Carding, son of Juan
Suerte. An industrious, strong and sometimes quick-tempered young man, he aspire
d to marry sweet Lucia, the daughter of the teniente del barrio. Though his fath
er thought he was not yet prepared and had wished to send him to school, he gave
his blessing to the decision of his son. He consented to asking Lucia's hand fr
om her parents in the traditional pamamanhikan, accompanied by the village's bes
t orator and the godmother of the lass. After agreeing to the conditions of the
village chief, the marriage was set. Tatay Juan gathered up almost all of his ha
rd-earned savings for the dowry and expenses for the wedding feast. Meantime, Ca
rding excitedly built their house despite the advice of the elderly- that buildi
ng one's house in May will bring misfortune to its inhabitants.
And so it came to pass that after the grand wedding and the feast that followed-
which was even attended by their representate- the newlyweds lived happily on t
he land entrusted to Tatay Juan by Don Diego, but not ever after. Misfortune str
uck early when their first child was stillborn. A more difficult trial came when
Lucing disgraced herself, her family and her husband by the temptation of a hou
seguest-Luis, the son of their landlord. Caught *, he was beaten up by the s
trong, angry husband whose honor and pride were hurt. The couple *****ed things
up, but the land that Carding and Juan Suerte had been tilling for a very long t
ime was given to another tenant.
With no land to till, the pair tried their luck in the city. There, in Iloilo, C
arding met Rosing and Nestong. The latter was his fellow stevedore and union mem
ber, and the former, a prostitute besotted with him, and also the reason why his
wife left him and returned to their barrio. Soon, Carding followed Lucing with
news that the representante entrusted them with land to till in Badlan. Lucing t
oo, had news for her husband: she was again *******t.
They moved to Badlan and worked harder than ever. They were blessed not only by
a promise of a bountiful harvest, but also with a healthy son they named Crisost
omo. Sadly, their landlord sold the land, and they were given time to harvest wh
at they sowed. Misfortune was like a shadow though. A great flood destroyed ever
ything that they had- harvest and carabao as well.
Wanting to own their own piece of land, they were convinced to move to Mindanao,
but Carding was drafted for military service. When he returned, he was delighte
d to find his wife heavy with another child. Misfortune welcomed him again as he
was told that Tatay Juan and Crisostomo died of some illness. Little did he kno
w that the Japanese soldiers who attacked their village killed his father and so
n and raped his wife. When he found out the truth, he became like a fearsome mad
man that even his wife and mother-in-law thought him to be bad. As his neighbors
, relatives and friends in barrio Manhayang were tortured, raped and massacred b
y the Japanese soldiers, Carding too became a seemingly heartless executioner to
his enemies, and not even his friend nor the brother of his mother-in-law were
spared. He also almost killed the child that his wife had just delivered, were i
t not born dead. For that, Lucing was so enraged that she sent him away and wish
ed him dead.
The Japanese ordered everyone to enter a collective barrio or else be considered
guerrilla supporters and be shot. But the villagers of Manhayang also refused t
o be considered enemies of their own sons, and so they decided to evacuate in ba
rrios farther away. However, Lucing was hesitant to go. She was waiting to see h
er husband despite everything, knowing that he will be leading the suicide attac
k to the Japanese garrison. When they did see each other, Carding asked for her
forgiveness and left her what cash he had as he bade her farewell. In the end, L
ucing refused to flee for she knew that she was still his wife, duty-bound to re
ceive the corpse of her beloved husband.




II. Review
A Review of Without Seeing the Dawn
The novel Without Seeing the Dawn first published in 1947, is set in a small farmi
ng village called Manhayang, Sta. Barbara, somewhere in Negros. Like most rural
baranggays, the hardworking and closely-knit village folk there had simple needs
, simple wants, and simple dreams. They were living their own simple lives when
the violence of war reached their place and brought death to their village, thei
r homes and their hearts.
Here revolves the story of one Ricardo Suerte, also called Carding, son of Juan
Suerte. An industrious, strong and sometimes quick-tempered young man, he aspire
d to marry sweet Lucia, the daughter of the teniente del barrio. Though his fath
er thought he was not yet prepared and had wished to send him to school, he gave
his blessing to the decision of his son. He consented to asking Lucia s hand from
her parents in the traditional pamamanhikan, accompanied by the village s best or
ator and the godmother of the lass. After agreeing to the conditions of the vill
age chief, the marriage was set. Tatay Juan gathered up almost all of his hard-e
arned savings for the dowry and expenses for the wedding feast. Meantime, Cardin
g excitedly built their house despite the advice of the elderly- that building o
ne s house in May will bring misfortune to its inhabitants.
And so it came to pass that after the grand wedding and the feast that followed-
which was even attended by their representate- the newlyweds lived happily on t
he land entrusted to Tatay Juan by Don Diego, but not ever after. Misfortune str
uck early when their first child was stillborn. A more difficult trial came when
Lucing disgraced herself, her family and her husband by the temptation of a hou
seguest-Luis, the son of their landlord. Caught *, he was beaten up by the s
trong, angry husband whose honor and pride were hurt. The couple *****ed things
up, but the land that Carding and Juan Suerte had been tilling for a very long t
ime was given to another tenant.
With no land to till, the pair tried their luck in the city. There, in Iloilo, C
arding met Rosing and Nestong. The latter was his fellow stevedore and union mem
ber, and the former, a prostitute besotted with him, and also the reason why his
wife left him and returned to their barrio. Soon, Carding followed Lucing with
news that the representante entrusted them with land to till in Badlan. Lucing t
oo, had news for her husband: she was again *******t.
They moved to Badlan and worked harder than ever. They were blessed not only by
a promise of a bountiful harvest, but also with a healthy son they named Crisost
omo. Sadly, their landlord sold the land, and they were given time to harvest wh
at they sowed. Misfortune was like a shadow though. A great flood destroyed ever
ything that they had- harvest and carabao as well.
Wanting to own their own piece of land, they were convinced to move to Mindanao,
but Carding was drafted for military service. When he returned, he was delighte
d to find his wife heavy with another child. Misfortune welcomed him again as he
was told that Tatay Juan and Crisostomo died of some illness. Little did he kno
w that the Japanese soldiers who attacked their village killed his father and so
n and raped his wife. When he found out the truth, he became like a fearsome mad
man that even his wife and mother-in-law thought him to be bad. As his neighbors
, relatives and friends in barrio Manhayang were tortured, raped and massacred b
y the Japanese soldiers, Carding too became a seemingly heartless executioner to
his enemies, and not even his friend nor the brother of his mother-in-law were
spared. He also almost killed the child that his wife had just delivered, were i
t not born dead. For that, Lucing was so enraged that she sent him away and wish
ed him dead.
The Japanese ordered everyone to enter a collective barrio or else be considered
guerrilla supporters and be shot. But the villagers of Manhayang also refused t
o be considered enemies of their own sons, and so they decided to evacuate in ba
rrios farther away. However, Lucing was hesitant to go. She was waiting to see h
er husband despite everything, knowing that he will be leading the suicide attac
k to the Japanese garrison. When they did see each other, Carding asked for her
forgiveness and left her what cash he had as he bade her farewell. In the end, L
ucing refused to flee for she knew that she was still his wife, duty-bound to re
ceive the corpse of her beloved husband.
NOVEL DISCOURSE
War is indeed both mysterious and tragic. By the same vein that it can easily ki
ll man s body and soul, and bring out the monster in him, it can also bring out th
e hero in him, responding to a feverish emotional or mental call for action brou
ght forth by patriotism, justice and sadly, vengeance. It spares no one not the el
derly, the women, nor the children. It certainly did not spare Carding, his fami
ly and his baranggay in Panay Island.
Stereotypically and from my direct observation as a result of years of associati
on with them, Ilonggos are a malambing, respectful and hardworking lot who put a
ρrémíùm on family and dignity. This is explained by F.Landa Jocano in The Hilig
aynons, An Ethnography of Family and Community Life in Western Bisayas Region, a
s:
Huya, as a normative concept, underlines most of the recurrent and consistent Hil
igaynon behavior having to do with self-esteem, honor or dignity. The nearest po
pular English equivalent is losing face . It has the aspects of embarrassment, same
, and shyness rolled into one. It also implies politeness. X x x with relationsh
ips pertaining to (1)personal dignity or honor (dungog) of the individual; (2)th
e status or position(kahimtangan) of the principal actor relative to other peopl
e; (3)the internal cohesion (hiliugyon) of the family as a unity; and (4) reputa
tion(pangalan) of the entire kin group relative to the outside world.
The Hiligaynons give emphasis to individual behavior, specially in public. They
are sensitive to impropriety. Politeness and gentleness are highly valued. This
is best expressed in speech etiquette that is the tone of the voice, the choice of
words, and the like. (p223.)
They are also a superstitious people who are not only very close to their family
, but are also very involved neighbors. And so when Carding was shamed by his wi
fe s tryst with the landlord s son, it was a community event. And when the couple ne
eded help in moving their house, the neighbors did not hesitate. This is most pr
obably because:
The social prescriptions to many individual actions are said to emanate from the
feelings of the collectivity. It is the consensus of the community or neighborho
od which keeps individuals within the bounds of acceptable behavior x x x Sometime
s the term paiway is used to describe the subordination of one s own ways to the l
arger interest of the group. Local emphasis on the concept of being neighbors is p
ervasive and bound up with expectations people have of each other ( Jocano,F.L.The
Hiligaynons, An Ethnography of Family and Community Life in Western Bisayas Reg
ion,p.220)
Though these neighbors were almost relatives, there were still the common tsismi
s and panglilibak, and the allusion to Carding s malas as a result of his not mind
ing the local almanac and the old folk s advice that Raising a house in the month o
f May will saddle the owner of that house with ill-luck. Misfortune will hound h
is heels and he will drink his fill from the cup of misery ( Javellana,S. Without
Seeing the Dawn, p.91). This is by the way contrary to Jocano s contention that:
There are ways of determining the best time to build a house. One is consulting t
he almanaque(almanac) and the other is by signosan(augury).(Jocano, p.16)
Before building a house the almanaque is consulted for a good day, week, month an
d time to begin the construction x x x A house built in May or June is called ba
lay sang mga manggad(house of wealth). The house owner will acquire wealth and h
appiness in life. Good fortune awaits the owner of this house. (Jocano, p16-17)
Another way to determine the time favorable for house building is the signosan or
augury. Selection of the house site, as well as the day and time to begin const
ruction, is guided by owner s mood, feelings, dreams, and other natural signs whic
h appear at the time he is about to decide. X x x The most favorable months for
constructing a house are January, December and May. These are harvest months, an
d therefore a period of abundance. (Jocano,p.18-19)
Here, I am inclined to consider these two views. The novel s first copyright was d
ated 1947, and in that respect judging also from the relative accuracy of the narr
ation of the fiction in relation to historical events during that period, I woul
d not hesitate to advance that Javellana had a close, if not first-hand experien
ce with respect to this culture and place. However, although Jocano s book is more
recent(1983 copyright), it cannot be ignored that The data for this purpose were
gathered through the standard anthropological method of participant-observation
and case study. Actual field work was carried out on several occasions and cove
ring a period of ten years starting in 1969 and ending in 1979. Whenever necessary
archival materials have been used to supplement or elaborate the ethnographic d
escription. (Jocano,p.vi) Jocano s study surely cannot be taken for granted, but per
sonally, I would be apt to lean more on Javellana s view, believing that since his
piece was written much closer to the time subject of the book(late 1930s-mid 19
40s), his facts are less polluted by the passing of time.
In any case, Carding did seem to be the son of misfortune , with one of his son bor
n still born, another killed by the Japanese, and the other son also stillborn had a
questionable paternity. Whether fathered by him or by one of the Japanese who h
ad raped his wife, nobody knows for sure.
These misfortunes were surely hard for Carding to take especially since children
were, and still are, very important in a Hiligaynon family. Aside from the fact
that children are parents investments who in the future will help them and will ta
ke care of them
Other reasons for wanting more children have supernatural undertones. X x x Child
ren are considered gifts of God, the grace derived from divine blessings, the re
sult of clean and honest living. X x x censures surrounding the coming of childr
en make the child central to any marriage, and the desire to have more children
a religious and social requirement, because the birth of a child is a public tes
timony that the parents have led clean, obedient, and pious lives during their p
re-nuptial and through their child-bearing years. (Jocano, p.160-161)
His sons were dead, his father was killed, his wife was raped and intriguingly i
mpregnated, not to mention that he had lost the land he had been tilling twice one
to his wife s indiscretion and the other to nature. One can just imagine his pred
icament. To say that what he could be feeling was grief and hurt pride would be
an understatement. If I were to put myself in his shoes, if I didn t die of heart
attack first, I would probably be more crazed and desperate than he was, and rig
htfully so since:
The Japanese slaughtered civilians, burned houses, harvested and destroyed corn,
hauled and burned palay, shot livestock, looted poultry and clothing, and commit
ted all kinds of atrocities, such as, tortures, rape, and roasting of children. (R
odriguez, p.140)
Javellana told a faithful story of human beings, like you and me, in Without See
ing the Dawn, and successfully brought, hands and ears, a 21st century Manilena
like me in 1940s Negros. The Japanese were indeed pursuing a policy of attraction
to persuade the people who had evacuated to the hills to come down to the towns
they had deserted x x x The intention of the Japanese in occupying Negros was t
o exploit and appropriate for themselves the vast resources of the island, which
intent could be realized only if normal conditions were restored. (Rodriguez, C.A
. Negros Oriental, From American Rule to the Present: A History [Volume II],p.97
-98). This was expressed by Javellana through Uncle Jaime the brother of his mothe
r-in-law who returned from the United States but who was mediating for the Japanes
e side who was executed by Carding, and because of which the latter was seen by mo
st of his village mates, and even by his wife and mother-in-law, as a heartless
verdugo or executioner. What Nanay Maria, the mother of the slain boys, said to
Carding s mother-in-law was more sensible:
But I who have undergone travail and experienced the trials of rearing children,
should I not weep every night when I see the wide empty mat which my sons used t
o share? And you, Pia, where are the arms that worked to give you food and defen
ded you from danger? The spirit of your husband is grieved that you should speak
so against Carding and the things that he stands for. Revenge! Revenge! (Javellan
a, p.282)
Indeed, Carding stands for the revenge which all the people in Manhayang desires f
or the pain that hits them to their core and whenever he scores against the enemy , it
was as if they too, had been avenged. Beyond all this, Carding still has his hea
rt. Why else would he avenge the prostitute Rosing, or bother with the sad pligh
t of a Alicia a neighbor turned veteran prostitute , or come back and bid his wife the
one who said she wished him dead, but obviously did not mean it his seemingly fina
l farewell before he went on a suicide mission .
As a woman, I could sympathize with Lucing. In the end, she still proved to be h
er husband s wife. She opted to stay on to wait for her husband, presumably dead o
r alive, despite the need to evacuate immediately. Almost all of their village m
ates, or what was left of them, had decided to move to safer places because the J
apanese ordered everyone to enter the Japanese collective barrio. After a period
of twenty days all persons who had not entered this collective barrio would be
considered sympathizers of the guerillas and shot. The Japanese issued posters n
aming all barrios which they considered outside the boundaries of the so-called
collective barrio, the only safety area, (Javellana p.352) They did not also wan
t to enter this safety zone since If we enter the collective barrio, we would the
n be considered the enemies of our own sons (Javellana, p.352)
This dilemma by the people of Manhayang was reflected in real life, as supported
by Rodriguez:
Because of the zoning plan of the Japanese, there had been a widespread exodus of
the mountain population, especially those having small children, to the lowland
barrios. This was called the Safety Zone . The Japanese drew a demarcation line be
yond which all people living there were considered bandits and therefore could b
e shot on sight. This area was called the Bandit Zone .(Rodriguez,p.105)
If they sold or gave to the guerillas, the Japanese would shoot them; if they sol
d or gave to the Japanese, the guerillas would also shoot them. It was the civil
ians that suffered much in that kind of set-up. (Rodriguez, p.53)
While it is true that many people came back to the towns, a lot of others stayed
put in the mountains. This decision to remain in the hills was due to various re
asons. People were not sure what the Japanese would do next. Some members of a f
amily were unsurrendered soldiers; some families had beautiful daughters; there
were those who loved freedom more than life under the Japanese; and they were co
nvinced that the Americans were coming back. This people endured the hardships,
inconveniences, diseases such as malaria, unfavorable weather such as cold and m
ost of all, the risk of being captured by patrolling Japanese. (Rodriguez, p.98)
In my point of view, Javellana wrote beyond his time. The universality of human
emotions he has expressed through his characters has never been made as clear to
me, traversing time, gender, and culture. Not only did he tell of Carding s despe
ration, he also explored the thoughts and desperation of the castrated Lucio. In
a time where it was seemingly shocking to speak of good girls in a worldly way , he
candidly told of the sexual excitement of Lucing. He even reversed it and made h
eroines out of prostitutes, as in the case of Rosing blowing up the Japanese amm
unition dump. He also makes us Remember Alicia Carding s neighbor, who became a veteran
prostitute after the Japanese massacred her family, raped her and forced her int
o their brothel who frighteningly will have my revenge. I have the beginnings of th
e disease. It gives me joy to know that I am giving it to everyone who comes to
share my bed. (Javellana, p.348)
Though World War II has long ended, another war seems imminent today, yet, I fee
l that it is dangerously taken for granted by most of us. With all the freedom,
conveniences and high-tech luxuries we are privileged with, we do seem to realiz
e that in just snap, we could be experiencing the plight of Carding, Lucing, Nan
ay Maria, Lucio, Tatay Juan and all Javellana s characters who had known how war w
as, and maybe, we might also remember Alicia.

Thank you po