A. Historical-Biographical Approach
A Child of Sorrow was the first Filipino novel written in English and was first published in 1921. It is indeed a reflection of Zoilo Galang’s personal life and his time. It also presents the social and intellectual currents in which Galang composed his novel. The novel releases a panorama of wonder, simplicity, beauty, urbanity, language, and history nevertheless it is also a Pandora’s Box of man’s wickedness.
There are many examples of historical and biographical influence on the novel. The years that Zoilo spent in living in the bucolic town of Bacolor, Pampanga add a vivid description of simplicity and mundane lifestyle to the life of the novel’s protagonist, Lucio Soliman. The lifestyle in which Zoilo lives his life clarifies the milieu in which the novel takes place. As Lucio Soliman traverses from the dying Spanish regime to the spring time of Filipinos intellectual prowess in Commonwealth period as well as the mundane provincial life in Fertile Valley and Merry Town, it brings the readers to the time of Zoilo Galang, allowing them to live through his thinking, beliefs, culture, and code of ethics albeit for a short period of time.
When Galang moves his characters, he manifests ...
Additionally, Galang manifests the typical provincial and conservative kind of romantic relationship since during that time Filipinos were traditionalist and old-fashioned.
The upbringing of his parents makes him fond of Spanish culture and widened his perspective under the influence of American culture. Accordingly, through his novel ...
Because of Galang’s first American educator, he follows the teacher’s appeal to give importance to the provincial life which has universal implication. Through this, Galang chooses love as the novel’s main theme. He selects love as his theme which is within the social context, economic and political living of people.
Also, during the mid-18th to 19th century there was a sentimentalist movement in Europe and it greatly affected the literary traditions of all writers in the world and one of them was Galang. In reference to the historical movement of Sentimentalism during the 18th century, this is a European idea that emphasized feelings and emotions, a physical appreciation of God, nature, and other people, rather than logic and reason. The impact on the people was that love became as important in marriage as financial considerations. European sentimentalism arose during the Age of Enlightenment, at the same time as sentimentalism in philosophy.
The utilization of the pastoral tradition from the classic literature of Greece, Rome and England is evident in the novel. The elements come from romanticism and didacticism which could be a result by the Spanish influence. Together with these aspects, are the elements of courtly love in accordance with the traditional aristocrat, the conflict between illusion and reality and the use of details derived from nature.
The novel also alludes to Greek Mythology, courtly love and events in the Bible. Even the name of the characters such as Governor Ishmael was derived from the Bible. Ishmael was the son of Abraham and who was outcast and excluded by other people. With this the readers can perceive that the character of Governor Ishmael, even at the start of the story, is wicked and ruthless. In history, the character of the governor points to Governor Honorio Ventura who acted as Civil Governor in Pampanga in 1916 to 1922. The novel is also a magnificent allegory of scorching attack on the corruption in every aspect of the 19th century Philippine social, political and religious life. However, Galang also sees his novel as an outcry against the oppression of Filipinos by the corrupted society, church and governments indifference.
Aside from a number of historical and biographical features of Galang’s life which are found from the novel, there is still aspect of Galang’s real-life that he did not include in the novel such as his migration in Columbia to finish an academic degree.
A. Moral-Philosophical Approach
The same with the importance of historical and biographical aspects, the moral-philosophical comes in when there is an intense issue of morality, politics and philosophy thoughts in a story. Moreover, a novel should teach morality and to probe philosophical issues. Unlike Plato’s suggestion that a story must emphasize moralism and utilitarianism and Horace’s view of literature to be delightful and instructive, the chief impact of A Child of Sorrow is derived from morality. It showcases the dehumanizing of man (for instance, when Oscar raped Rosa). ...
... Christian belief. Given this kind of intellectual milieu, readers may perceive that man can lose his righteous beliefs and philosophical views of man. It might also see that Lucio, Oscar and even Ishmael typify humankind as a whole.
However in its positive side, the novel endorses the conservative sexual morality and family relationships. In raising the question, what is morality? The readers might identify the question itself appears to be very simple, but the answers can be complicated. In the current Western world, some maintain that the source of morality is reason. Some maintain that it is sympathy, and some insist on the ultimate value of universal love. There are still many other answers. But in the novel per se, morality consists in value judgments based on human relations. Filial piety ...
... this confirmation is meaningful if the action of filial piety is well-understood in its relation with human life. Consequently, readers might see Rosa and Lucio as moral persons for obeying the duties to Felipa rather than to pursue what their hearts dictate. The familial bonding also extends to Lucio and Camilo David, who is as close in fraternal way as a blood brother might be.
... this confirmation is meaningful if the action of filial piety is well-understood in its relation with human life. Consequently, readers might see Rosa and Lucio as moral persons for obeying the duties to Felipa rather than to pursue what their hearts dictate. The familial bonding also extends to Lucio and Camilo David, who is as close in fraternal way as a blood brother might be.
Furthermore, the instance that Lucio is willing to give way for Oscar showcases that human being is willing to sacrifice himself for the welfare of his beloved but it is not enough to say that it is morally right. On the other hand ...
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