Typical Filipina Of Today

“Nothing is sadder than a child burdened by reality, after all. These stories were our family fairy tales.” Perhaps, this was the reason why Angelica’s descendants have known her to be the perfect and ideal person ever. A lot has been said about her, but those may all just be tales and the truth was just hidden. What they don’t know is behind that seemingly wonderful and flawless life of Angelica are problems, hardships, betrayals, and challenges in life, love, and family, which basically means that she is just like a typical Filipina of today. This is a novel surrounded with great sorrow, rejection, destiny, age, and curse that is caused by love and beauty. The authors made use of Angelica’s eyes to signify her different attributes, her life to mirror the life of an ordinary being which is not perfect at all, and her pregnancy to symbolize the attempt of the Filipino people in attaining freedom. (Brainard, Cuizon, Evangelista, Montes, and Sarreal, 2010).
Angelica’s Daughters is a dugtungan novel – a genre of Tagalog novel popular in the 20th century where one writer starts the story or creates a chapter and hands it off to another without consulting him and allowing him to do whatever he pleases to do with it – by five Filipina authors who cherish their Hispanic, Filipino and American cultural roots. One of them is Cecilia Manguerra Brainard who teaches, edits, publishes, and distributes books, and pulls women together to empower themselves through writing. She was born and raised in Cebu City and attended St. Theresa’s College in Cebu and San Marcelino. She is also a recipient of a California Arts Council Fellowship in Fiction, a Brody Arts Fund Award, and a Filipinas magazine Award for Arts to name a few (Brainard, 1997). Erma Cuizon who is a recipient of a Philippine Free Press award and has been a Free Press finalist is also one of the authors. She worked as a magazine editor for many years at Sun Star, and she continues to write fiction and essays in English. She is also a co-founder and founding chairperson of the Women in Literary Arts, Inc. (WILA) of Cebu. Among them also is Susan Evangelista who attended graduate school at the University of Wisconsin and taught at Ateneo de Manila for thirty years. She has had stories and essays included in various anthologies. Next is Veronica Montes who was the 2005 winner of the Ivy Terasaka Short Story competition, and her works appeared in literary journals and several anthologies as well. She maintains a blog named Nesting Ground. Lastly is Nadine Sarreal who has published both poetry and fiction in the Philippines and United States. In University of the Philippines, she studied statistics and in Vermont College in Montpelier, she completed an MBA in writing. To settle in one place and finish writing a novel is her dream (Sarreal, 2002). Each of them has different writing styles but still, they were able to come up with this piece.
In Angelica’s Daughters, three descendants from different generations make an effort to dig up and uncover the mysterious truth about the life of their ancestor, Angelica. One of them, Tess whose family migrated to San Francisco and who is unfortunately infertile, lives and goes through an unsuccessful marriage with Tonio. Her mother gives her ticket to the Philippines for a vacation, just what she needs to escape from what she believed to be the cruelties in life that Angelica may have never put up with. Once when she arrives, Lola Josefina – her ballroom-dancing grandmother who fell in love with a younger fellow which none of their family really knew about– brought her to a convent where she got to know her cousin Jesusa, who she didn’t even knew existed. After a few minutes of introduction and chitchat, Tess finally takes hold of the thick, disheveled collection of envelopes and letters written by Angelica. On their visit to their links in Cebu, Tess meets Dina, her younger cousin who, like Angelica, possesses those gorgeous eyes. It is also unknown to the family that she is caught up in a forbidden love affair. As these modern Filipinas come together and look into their foremother’s past, they discovered that she too, have fallen short on love and life, and they have learned to deal with their own difficulties as well. (Brainard, et al., 2010). The story revolves around the famous Maria Angelica Nazario de los Santos who possesses strangely astonishing eyes, one green and one blue, and is described to be beautiful and attractive, truly a sight worth seeing. She loses her father and she’s preoccupied by the thoughts of her mother marrying an American Consul who she hates so much but admires as well, evident when she said: I detest him.…I sound harsh, I realize that, and to be fair, I will admit that he is not unattractive. He has a way of looking straight at you with his startling blue eyes, and you know you have all of his attention. He is quite proud of his thick red hair and he constantly runs his hands through it, especially when the balding alcalde is around (Brainard et al., 2010, pp.30-31).
She tries to seduce the Consul and consequently, the marriage was called off. Angelica’s reaction is somewhat normal and expected since she loves her father so dearly and she cannot bear the idea of him lamenting on the other side of the world.
Then comes Teban who is a painter hired by Angelica’s mother to make a portrait for her and who later makes her feel something unexplainable and unfathomable. As they spend more time together, a stronger bond is created between them and they eventually fell in love with each other. But their story was not a happy ending because Teban left Angelica alone, confused, and pregnant. He promised her that he would be back when everything’s fine but he never did. At the very beginning, it’s clear that his promise was meant to be broken. Just like any other typical guy of today, he leaves his girl whenever responsibilities start to arise.
Angelica, on the other hand, goes on a journey to find the love of her life, the father of his child. Her travel was also a search of her own self where she has realized a lot of things and has seen what the real world is outside the place where she grew up. After some time, she finds Teban’s family and they gladly accepted and fairly treated her since she was bearing their grandson. But when she lost the baby, everything changed from nice to awful treatment. This can be observed nowadays with couples still living under their parents’ roof, especially when the latter do not want their child’s chosen partner. The supposed-to-be birth of the child which represents the endeavor of the Filipinos to attain freedom was metaphorical.
The first symbol used by the authors is Angelica’s extraordinaire eyes. There have been many things said about one’s eyes, especially their ability to reflect one’s inner self. The gaze that you do with it, sharp or soft, blinking or constant, the size, and the figure, all contributes to the beauty of one’s whole being. According to Henry Theodore Tuckerman:
The eye speaks with an eloquence and truthfulness surpassing speech. It is the window out of which the winged thoughts often fly unwittingly. It is the tiny magic mirror on whose crystal surface the moods of feeling fitfully play, like the sunlight and shadow on a still stream (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/eye-color-meaning.html).
The color of the eyes, also, is proven to speak a lot of a person’s individuality and persona. It may be determined or gotten through genetics, and most often than not, the combination of the parents’ eyes, but a lot of observations have been made about what their color corresponds to. They say something about who you really are, about how you react and respond to the various circumstances in life, and most importantly, how you deal with change. In Angelica’s case, one of her eyes is green which is said to be the rarest and most gorgeous, having its own splendor, and can be very sexy, appealing, and secretly admired. That could be the reason why Angelica has a lot of suitors and lovers who are willing to do anything and give everything just to get her love and attention. She also caught the Consul’s interest by merely staring at him straight to the eye. It was not frankly stated in the novel, rather it was implied. It is also believed that people who have green eyes are the horniest, longing for the touch and affection of the opposite sex. This is also true for Angelica especially when she tried to seduce the Consul to whom her mother is about to be married. She purposely wore that sexy innocent look and did slightly provoking acts such as bending over to look at her slippers and others. Hating him was perhaps just a front or an excuse to hide her true feelings for the Consul. Holding her breath, she expected him to kiss her and bring her to the bedroom but that did not happen that is why she was so disappointed. Even with Teban, in their last night together, she was the one who led him to the bedroom, saying she never knew anything about it but felt in her heart that it was the right thing to do at that moment. No turning backs, and hopefully no regrets.
Another interesting thing about people with green eyes is that they have long-lasting relationships and are very passionate in it. It is clearly shown in Angelica’s attitude and love towards Teban, once when he went missing, she started worrying for his well-being, whether he has been sick, has met an accident, or has already died. Finally, she found where he was, saw how terrible his condition, and without a doubt, decided to help him at all cost. After a few days together, Teban needed to run away in order for the Spaniards not to catch him. Angelica waited for him to come back but when she could not wait anymore for him, she decided to chase and look for him. She was never reluctant, not even for a single second, of what may happen to her on that journey so as long as she finds him wherever he may be, and whenever it may be. With Teban, she learned to listen, to care, and to love.
One more thing about Angelica’s eyes is that one was blue which actually suggests favor for her. It is exotic and addicting as well, some sort of an aphrodisiac. Many people are said to lust after them. With the great number of admirers she has, there must be really something in her. No one ever praises her hair. It has always been her face, especially her eyes, mostly her eyes. Men seem to be lured and drawn to her eyes, just like a drug so addictive that most cannot resist and keep coming back for more glance.
Being loved is also one of the favors of having blue eyes. It can very much be seen in Angelica’s life. Clearly, she is the family’s favorite. Many people love her and no one ever says bad things about her, purely good things and attributes. Even the stories told by the elders about her were too good to be true; they don’t know what and what not to believe in. Undesirable traits and shameful acts done by Angelica that could stain their family’s name were never discussed. There are really some families who could not bear the disgrace that one member might bring. Well, who would want one anyway, right? But there are just those who react so much to the extent of disowning that person instead of supporting and accepting them.
Angelica’s life was the second representation used by the authors in order to make the readers realize and ponder upon the difficulties in it. With Angelica, she seems to live a very perfect and ideal life. Her descendants think she never experienced the complexity and challenges it has to offer. As Tess read her letters, she later on knew that she is in fact like any other person or woman who is confronted with problems in life and in love.
Many people think the same way about other people’s lives as well, even without really knowing them. As long as they see a person happy and smiling, they assume he has everything he needs and he has no problems at all. Some even wished, if given the chance, to have lived another person’s life. A person’s outer appearance does not necessarily show how he truly feels inside. He may be smiling but is sad, laughing but is hurting, or tranquil but is anxious.
It is important to know that nobody is ever excused or exempted from troubles and crises. Not even the richest, prettiest, or best person one could ever think of. Like Angelica, she is not perfect as what she may seem to be. Like a normal person, she experiences problems of her own as well. They are actually given as wings, not to crush someone rather to lift him up, allowing him to soar higher and higher.
Angelica may be drop dead gorgeous but even she too, has problems in love. She longs for the love of her father who is long gone and for her mother who seems to be suspicious about her. Yes, she got the Consul’s affection but it was just for an instant since he immediately disappeared without a note. Even with Teban, she tried very hard in order to catch his attention because he gave an uninterested impression on her when they first met. When he finally showed his love, it was not for long as well. Everyone seems to be leaving her despite of her loveliness.
The same situation, more likely a curse, is being experienced by her descendants. Tess has problems with her infertility making her marriage incomplete and unsuccessful. Her husband left her for a younger woman and she too looks for a better man in person of Luis. They hooked up with each other but Tess is confused whether or not she truly loves him or he is just a part of the game she is playing with her husband. Cases like this are rampant nowadays. Couples who could not have children of their own start to look for someone who is capable of giving them their needs instead. They end up hurting and hating each other, resulting to an annulment or divorce. This is a sad reality about families right now.
Meanwhile, Lola Josefina has been keeping her secret for quite some time already. She even had her Boracay escapade making her granddaughter believes that she is out visiting her sick but rather perfectly fine sister. She is in her 70s or 80s while her lover is forty-three that is why she does not have the courage of telling her family that in her age, she can still afford to fall in love with a much younger fellow. In love, they say, age does not matter. People are given the gift of freedom to choose who to love and this must not be something to be ashamed of. There are however people who are too judgmental to those old people loving younger ones or those who love someone of the same sex. It may deviant or may not be right to some but they too, should be respected for they are just exercising their right to love.
Dina, also one of Angelica’s descendants, who resembles her so much, is involved in an immoral affair with a married man. Because of her love, she even allowed the man to touch her, feel her, and make love with her. At first, she is not willing to give up on their relationship that she even entertained the thought of being a mistress. But later on, she has come to her senses and she felt betrayed that is why she was able to let the man go and have her family fixed. It was also a blessing that she met her cousin Tess who gave her some pieces of advice. Such were the descendants of Angelica, women who seem to love the wrong guys. There are actually a lot of Angelicas of today, people who tend to love the wrong person so much.
Lastly, the authors made use of Angelica’s pregnancy to symbolize the Filipinos attempt in attaining freedom against its colonizer. Angelica lived in Tayabas during the Spanish era and at that time, people are prohibited to write or say something against the Spaniards. Filipinos should adhere and conform to whatever they are saying or doing to them. When Angelica met Teban, he left without a word because he is afraid that she might be in danger because of him. He is a writer in Diario de Manila which is a newspaper printed in Manila, with a goal of informing the Filipino people about the injustices and maltreatments that the Spaniards have done to the Philippines.
During one of their portrait making sessions, Angelica and Teban had a conversation where the latter shared how he got his skills in painting:
The parish priest. He asked my father if I could help paint the old church. He gave me brushes and cans of paint and left me alone to do the job. The whole church! It took me a very long time, and of course I was not paid. But gradually I began to paint little figures here and there, in the corners of the church where I thought no one would notice… Just small pictures of animals. Dogs. Cats. A rooster (Brainard, et al., 2010).
What he told her was actually metaphorical. The parish priest is a Spaniard. In history, the people who manage the church during the Spanish time are the Spaniard or the regulars, instead of the seculars. The priest asked Teban to help him but without pay. Most Filipinos were abused by the Spaniards by letting them work so hard without receiving a salary. But nobody ever complained since they were all afraid to be given a harder punishment. With all these horrible things and harsh treatment suffered by the Filipinos, they sooner realized that it is not right anymore. Teban, for instance, tried to open the eyes of the people through his drawings in the newspaper and in his paintings in the church. He had them on the corners, just little figures so that no one would notice. This was what some of our heroes have done before. They secretly formed groups to have a revolution against the Spanish colony. Teban also sketched small figures of animals like dogs, cats, and rooster. These creatures are usually taken care of and can be very friendly. But if mistreated, dogs can be wolves, cats can be tigers, and roosters can be fighting cocks, ready to combat with their enemies. Angelica’s pregnancy also tells us that the effort of creating a new life and a country free from any invader. But sadly, the baby was never born, it died inside her womb. Just like the independence of the Filipinos, it never really happened. The Spaniards may have left already but they are still there, somewhere in the corner of every Filipino’s mind. Independence Day may be celebrated annually, but was there really freedom? Filipinos still have the Spanish mentality without them even noticing it. Not just Spanish but also other colonizers that have invaded the country. Let someone choose between Nips or M&M, MyPhone or IPhone, and Vesti or Hermes. This fact, no matter how Filipinos deny it, is unfortunately true. Lessons on life, love, and family, are being presented and taught by this novel. In life, there are good times and there are bad times. There are problems in order to mold one’s personality and strengthen his character. Wealth or money is not the measure of true happiness. It cannot buy everything, not even love because true love happens when two persons feel the same way for each other not when one tries to buy it. Everyone has the right to love, not just the beautiful, the pretty, the gorgeous, or the rich. Having those qualities do not give them greater privileges to love or be loved. They may seem perfect, but they too, may have experienced rejection and failure at some point of their lives. One can only love when he has felt and has known what it is, and it starts, the moment he was born, in his family. They are the ones who first give the love that a person needs. That is why when somebody does not have a loving family or a family at all, most often than not, it is hard for him to render love to others. Angelica’s Daughters: A Dugtungan Novel is a chick lit novel which even boys could enjoy reading. It has a historical angle which kind of gives a sense of nostalgia of the early Spanish era in Philippine History which most people can relate to. The use of letters as a tool of going back to the past or flashback is very effective because Angelica seems very alive. It may have been found that she is not the sweetest and nicest after all, but her character is surely well-thought of. Jesusa’s character is interesting since she also possesses eyes like those of Angelica, but it never progressed. Lola Josefina’s character on the other hand was a bit overlooked. It was not until she confessed to Tess that she is recognized to be a part of Angelica’s descendants who suffer the same curse as well. Dina was also presented a little bit late in the story, it’s as if, her character just crossed the mind of one of the authors. While everything about Tess seem to be instant. After her marriage, she immediately found someone and right away fell in love with him. Also, since it is a dugtungan novel, there is really that difference in some chapters which is not so good. Some chapters are short but meaty while others are too long and wordy. Nevertheless, the novel is enjoyable and relatable since it deals with life, love, family, and moving on from the past.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brainard, C. (1997). Contemporary Fiction by Filipino in America. Pasig City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc.

Brainard, C., Cuizon, E., Evangelista, S., Montes, V., & Sarreal, N. (2010). Angelica’s Daughters: A Dugtungan Novel. Pasig City, Philippines: Anvil Publishing Inc.

Lalwani, P. (2012, January 25). Color Of the Eye. Buzzle. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/eye-color-meaning.html

Sarreal, N. (2002). Exactly Here, Exactly Now. Quezon City, Philippines: Giraffe Books.