the pretenders
chapter summary of the pretenders by f. sionil jose
The story of Antonio Samson is the story of many Filipinos who find themselves lost and betrayed with nowhere to run to. It is fate that is often their own compulsive making. But Antonio Samson is not just an Ilocano looking for his roots; he is also the modern Filipino who fails to act in a society bereft of decency and justice. This novel, written more than thrity years ago, continues to be read because of its contemporaneity and the insights it focuses on the dilemmas of social change. It is also the author's most translated novel
The Pretenders is a 1962[1] historical novel written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José. It is the second to the last novel composing José’s series known as The Rosales Saga.[1]
Description
José’s The Pretenders portrayed the master-and-servant and lord-and-slave relationship in the “industrial world” of Manila, Philippines.[2] The timeline is set during the years after the Second World War,[3] during the 1950s (because of a reference to Ramon Magsaysay found at the final pages of the novel).[1]
Characters
The principal character in The Pretenders is Antonio “Tony”[3] Samson. Samson was a rural area resident of Cabugawan village[1] in Rosales, Pangasinan, who gained a doctorate degree from Harvard University in New England of the United States.[1] Samson was the grandson of Istak Samson who was also known as Eustaquio Salvador (Istak was the protagonist in José’sPo-on). Antonio neglected his own father, the son of Istak Samson, who was punished by being imprisoned for life after his involvement in the burning of a municipio and killing Luis Asperri, the haciendero or ranch-owner character in José’s My Brother, My Executioner.[1] Antonio was unable to marry his “hometown sweetheart”[2] and cousin[3] with whom he fathered Pepe, Antonio Samson’s illegitimate child who became the protagonist in José’s Mass.[1] Samson was unable to fulfill the plan of marrying Pepe’s mother
The story of Antonio Samson is the story of many Filipinos who find themselves lost and betrayed with nowhere to run to. It is fate that is often their own compulsive making. But Antonio Samson is not just an Ilocano looking for his roots; he is also the modern Filipino who fails to act in a society bereft of decency and justice. This novel, written more than thrity years ago, continues to be read because of its contemporaneity and the insights it focuses on the dilemmas of social change. It is also the author's most translated novel
The Pretenders is a 1962[1] historical novel written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José. It is the second to the last novel composing José’s series known as The Rosales Saga.[1]
Description
José’s The Pretenders portrayed the master-and-servant and lord-and-slave relationship in the “industrial world” of Manila, Philippines.[2] The timeline is set during the years after the Second World War,[3] during the 1950s (because of a reference to Ramon Magsaysay found at the final pages of the novel).[1]
Characters
The principal character in The Pretenders is Antonio “Tony”[3] Samson. Samson was a rural area resident of Cabugawan village[1] in Rosales, Pangasinan, who gained a doctorate degree from Harvard University in New England of the United States.[1] Samson was the grandson of Istak Samson who was also known as Eustaquio Salvador (Istak was the protagonist in José’sPo-on). Antonio neglected his own father, the son of Istak Samson, who was punished by being imprisoned for life after his involvement in the burning of a municipio and killing Luis Asperri, the haciendero or ranch-owner character in José’s My Brother, My Executioner.[1] Antonio was unable to marry his “hometown sweetheart”[2] and cousin[3] with whom he fathered Pepe, Antonio Samson’s illegitimate child who became the protagonist in José’s Mass.[1] Samson was unable to fulfill the plan of marrying Pepe’s mother