User talk:Johnchyazel

TITLE : TO BE FREE AUTHOR : EDILBERTO TIEMPO CHARACTERS

Hilarion Alcantara – the eldest of the alcantara brothers, the one who was involve in Katipunan and is the thinker for me. Lamberto Alcantara – popularly known as Bettu, he wanted to marry Luisa Aldeguer and has served her family for 5 years to marry her. He was fond of studying and was the son that Capitan Lucas believe to give pride to the family. Luisa Aldeguer – a simple mestiza who was not afraid of saying out loud what she has in mind. The wife of Bettu who was caring and patient. Capitan Lucas Alcantara – Capitan of Bayombong, father of Hilarion and Bettu, he was the pride of the family and was the best friend of Luisa after she marries Bettu. Waiyi Floro – father of Luisa, the one who stand for the family and have cared enough for her daughter. Bill – the American who wanted to marry Luisa and wanted to give her another life with her son. Ruben – son of Luisa and Bettu. OWN SUMMARY

Capitan Lucas wanted his sons to be successful someday, he wanted to send them to Spain for their studies, nor to Europe. He was very much open to what his son wanted to do for their life, but particularly he look forward for Lamberto or Bettu to walk his way.

One particular morning he was surprised by Bettu’s proposal of marrying Luisa Adeguer. Luisa’s step father Waigi Floro speak so for the family without consulting Luisa about it. He wanted a five year servitude of Bettu to Luisa’s family before he could marry her, which Bettu and Capitan Lucas agreed with.

Hilarion was profound of the agreement. He talk to Waigi Floro that he should let Bettu rest even for a year for his study and that they would give them servants for his replacement, but he refuses, which indeed he didn’t consult to Luisa, Capitan Lucas agreed with Waigi FLoro and so do Bettu. He now understand that whatever he wanted good for the members of the family, would mean nothing if no one would agree to him.

Before marriage, Luisa asked for a wish that they would all see Bettu walk in the house with “G-strings” on. This Bettu thought was an insult, but Hilarion make him realize that his sacrifice for five years would mean nothing if he wont be a sport in making Luisa’s wish at all, and Bettu walk inside the house with only the “G-strings” on. After, Luisa and Bettu was married, they had been living with Capitan Lucas while Bettu was still studying.

Capitan Lucas and Luisa had made good friends and company with each other. Capitan Lucas was very amazed on Luisa’s knowledge, the way she talks about is conclusions of some discussions about the country, the way she thinks of solutions to different situations, and her intelligence on the country’s status and so of them, women.

Luisa’s character had been diversify, to a fine lady to a smart woman. She was having little trouble in her pregnancy because of the changes that is occurring, not only in her body, but to almost all her senses. But despite the fact that Luisa was pregnant and all, she still manage her part as a woman who wanted to share her knowledge and her feelings to what the family is going through. ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL

It is a story of the Filipino defiance against anything he finds wrong. And acceptance to anything he finds inevitable. This novel is a testament of our dynamic Filipino literature in English. Once, there were Filipinos who wrote for us, about our time, about our character and history. We lament all too frequently that we don't have much to read, but as I go through the bins of our old literature, I discover writers like Tiempo who, to me at least, wrote the best hunting expedition a Filipino had undertaken.

The story begins with the American Occupation, as the Americans were just starting their Manifest Destiny 'project' here. But from that point on, the novel swings in a reminiscence mode, from here to past, from past to here. The two brothers fought in the Spanish-Filipino War, they joined the Revolutionaries, they were perturbed by the American colonization, and insulted by the Treaty of Paris. They were put to jail for defiance to authorities, they fought and fought and fought. They ran in politics and won. And lost. Ran their professions and earned. Then they suddenly found themselves at war again, this time with the Japanese, and later against treacherous Makapili Filipino politicians.

The story continues with marriage and children born. But as soon as a new generation emerges, a new lifestyle and mode of thinking sprouts. The new generation defies the previous one and so on and so forth. For example, the first generation daughter named Teodora elopes, something shocking to a father who served five years to earn his right to marry his wife. And then the second generation daughter named Luisa becomes a single mother, a product of her liberal ways, now shocking to her own parents and pretty much revolting to the grandfather.

LITERARY ANALYSIS CHARACTERS Hilarion Alcantara. His character was described in his words and actions are static. We can never really tell what is on his mind until the very mid-part of the story where he was involved in the revolution, and indeed Hilarion wanted to stand in his own and so to speak not only for himself, to his family but for the country indeed. Lamberto Alcantara. His character is dynamic. I can say is that Bettu was dynamic, from the first time that I read this book chapter with him walking in the house with “G-strings” with the wish of Luisa, and that he was not force to join Hilarion, but he had thought of what Hilarion wanted for the country, and he had to sacrifice his family to be able to help set the country free from colonization. Luisa Aldeguer. A round characterization is one fine expression that I can say to her. She was a fine lady, but a lady with knowledge, and she was able to stand for herself and help the family to regain its strength after Bettu left them for his heroic deed. Luisa, can be observe as a woman of today. She doesn’t care if there are people who will get hurt of what she would say, all she wanted was to say all of the things in her mind that she knows are correct. Capitan Lucas Alcantara. On the other hand, Hilarion and Bettus father was a flat character in the story, he was a Capitan, but that’s all that he can get, his title, he doesn’t speak what he knows is right and that he only cares for the people around them and what they would think about them. He wanted his sons to be successful, though they didn’t came out the way he expected them to be, they are the ones who filled up his emptiness on the family’s reputation. Waiyi Floro. A man with dignity, as to what I can describe, just like Capitan Lucan, he is a flat character, he wanted to speak for himself not for his family. He doesn’t consider others sake at all but all of his family’s. after realizing his attitude and should have never been like that for others to feel anxious of themselves, he had been a grandfather to Ruben, and had helped Louisa after Bettu left them. Bill. A dynamic character for me. I know that he is after my observation in the flow of the story. Although Louise, or Louise, this is what he calls her Louise, has a son, he wanted to tell her that he accept it, and thus, it is not a shame anymore to marry another woman with a child that its not his own. He had shown what he can give to Louise and her son Ruben, he had also earned the grandfather’s trust, to be able to entrust her Louse and Ruben. He was also transparent, he says what he had in mind and has further realization for the future of his soon-family. PLOT FLASH BACK I choose this plot because this story is sequence and that it interrupts while the character take a look back at his past. OPENING INCIDENT Bayombong place was introduce to the readers, and so thus those who will be the main characters of the story and their relationship with each other. RISING ACTION The rising action I may say is after Capitan Lucas had died and that both his sons, Hilarion and Bettu, have given their support to the Katipunan to fight against the colonization. It was when Hilarion had replaced Bettu in their father’s dream, and Bettu leaving behind Luisa and Ruben. CLIMAX When Bettu realize what he had done to Luisa and Ruben, abandoning them for the sake of his dream to help the country. When Luisa had given up on waiting for Bettu, and to be the man of the family which is her and Ruben’s with the help of the grandfather of Ruben Wayi, Luisa’s step-father and with Bill. FALLING ACTION When the war begins and thus, Bettu still remains in Sierra Madre. He always thought of the family he left in Bayombong and how he had discover, Luisa already to marry Bill an American who would replace him being Ruben’s father and a husband to Luisa. RESOLUTION The resolution I say, is that when Bettu accepted for himself that a woman can decide for her family’s future and that he had already lost his family. How he realize that he would remain in the mounts of Sierra Madre to fight for the freedom of his country. CONFLICT The main conflict could be the mix marriages that Luisa would be involving with. She would marry Bill while she was still married to Bettu, and thus, letting go of her son’s father to live peacefully and to earn respect not only to herself but to others either. THEME

There are different themes in the story. Here are some of the theme that have comes up with me after reading the novel.

•	Love for the country, as to what Hilarion and Bettu shown. •	The rights of women. As to what Luisa had in her mind and to what she had been acting in the story from the very start. •	We should recognize the people who was always there for us and never to neglect them. Always prioritize the right ones instead of bad things. We should always be proud of what we are and be contented with what we have. These are only some of the theme of the story but the major theme of the story is to love our country. Be a nationalist and be proud about your race. SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

That is the main direction of the story, the main plot, though as I have mentioned, there are lots of subplots running along the main plot. But I won't get into those for lack of time.

Just like nowadays, there are still rivalry in the power of the government, just like in Bayombong. And that only male that time of men are allowed to rule the government unlike nowadays, there are people in the government who are women who rules.

Thus, the novel just express that women until today was under men’s shadow. And that man is superior than women, but nowadays there are career women who think as intelligent as Luisa, or even much wiser. And that the author have wrote different personalities, characteristics in To Be Free but still they exists nowadays. IMAGE OF WOMEN

To what I have read, the women of that time had no right to share their views at all especially in political and heroic deeds or discussion. They are only plain housewives. When women were at their right age 15, they can be courted by a man that would make deal with her parents. A woman has no right to refuse what her parents decision for her and that he feelings was not a concern at all.

On the other hand, I have observe these few things on Luisa’s. First, Bettu asked for Luisa’s hand not making Luisa’s thoughts of it, her step-father made the decision for her without consulting her if she was in love with Bettu or not. In her conversation with the generals and other officials, Luisa’s thoughts were only set aside. On the day before their marriage (Bettu and Luisa’s) all the people in the house was very surprise of what she had wish before the marriage, and it is treated as an insult for both families for Luisa’s behavior had become out-of-hand.

VALUES

There are so many values in the novel but I listed few of them here.

First values that I have learned is to follow what our heart says. There are no other person who would play for your life than for yourself. You should decide what should be good to you.

Second one is, we should listen to others opinion, to respect what they believe and we should not be boastful of what we have.

We should consider other’s situation before we would do action that can affect them.

SOCIAL RELEVANCE

After I have read the novel, I have come out on ideas on how women are treated those times. But it was the past, women of today are more different, I say that this novel have reflected on me and that I have learned so many things especially on being a true woman. I love Luisa’s character in the novel, she is a woman of the century that wanted to change the image of women among men. She has a strong personality and that I wanted to earn. I also learned that we, women must always lean on men, or confide them what we had in-mind doubts. We can level with men but still we cannot outcome what they can do. This novel had made me see through the Philippines history, it made me see the difference of fighting for the country and for ourselves. These characters, I believe they exist, not only that time but until today, and so Luisa’s character was mere different than of today, because more women nowadays are fighter and much more wiser than her. I am so much enlightened in the novel, we Filipinos have all the rights to claim our property…our land.

CONCLUSION

To Be Free by Edilberto K. Tiempo is one such find, now I understand why this author and teacher is so much revered in our country.

I describe To Be Free as panoramic because it transports me back and forth in time. Make that Philippine time. Of course it has its own weaknesses, such as the long tedious monologues and dialogues of politicians which may be interesting if one had not met them going through the same route a few months ago. Tiempo's political writing casts an amazing if not frightening similarity to what we have today, even when he talks of it in his time 1930's. And then there is the tendency to repeat certain aspects of middle chapters to one of the last chapters.

Reading and relating to the life story of brothers Hilarion and Lamberto brings to life things I only imagined before, this book makes them real, as real as the keyboard I type on: the green lush of meadows, the mountains of Sierra Madre, the beauty of mestizos, the social structure that is deprived of resentment, where masters and slaves love their positions as if they were God's gift. Loyalty and word of honor were indeed prevalent in this time and age of Philippine history. And it's nice to remember that, especially in this age when the Filipino is in a mess.

TITLE : TO BE FREE AUTHOR : EDILBERTO TIEMPO
CHARACTERS

Hilarion Alcantara – the eldest of the alcantara brothers, the one who was involve in Katipunan and is the thinker for me. Lamberto Alcantara – popularly known as Bettu, he wanted to marry Luisa Aldeguer and has served her family for 5 years to marry her. He was fond of studying and was the son that Capitan Lucas believe to give pride to the family. Luisa Aldeguer – a simple mestiza who was not afraid of saying out loud what she has in mind. The wife of Bettu who was caring and patient. Capitan Lucas Alcantara – Capitan of Bayombong, father of Hilarion and Bettu, he was the pride of the family and was the best friend of Luisa after she marries Bettu. Waiyi Floro – father of Luisa, the one who stand for the family and have cared enough for her daughter. Bill – the American who wanted to marry Luisa and wanted to give her another life with her son. Ruben – son of Luisa and Bettu. OWN SUMMARY

Capitan Lucas wanted his sons to be successful someday, he wanted to send them to Spain for their studies, nor to Europe. He was very much open to what his son wanted to do for their life, but particularly he look forward for Lamberto or Bettu to walk his way.

One particular morning he was surprised by Bettu’s proposal of marrying Luisa Adeguer. Luisa’s step father Waigi Floro speak so for the family without consulting Luisa about it. He wanted a five year servitude of Bettu to Luisa’s family before he could marry her, which Bettu and Capitan Lucas agreed with.

Hilarion was profound of the agreement. He talk to Waigi Floro that he should let Bettu rest even for a year for his study and that they would give them servants for his replacement, but he refuses, which indeed he didn’t consult to Luisa, Capitan Lucas agreed with Waigi FLoro and so do Bettu. He now understand that whatever he wanted good for the members of the family, would mean nothing if no one would agree to him.

Before marriage, Luisa asked for a wish that they would all see Bettu walk in the house with “G-strings” on. This Bettu thought was an insult, but Hilarion make him realize that his sacrifice for five years would mean nothing if he wont be a sport in making Luisa’s wish at all, and Bettu walk inside the house with only the “G-strings” on. After, Luisa and Bettu was married, they had been living with Capitan Lucas while Bettu was still studying.

Capitan Lucas and Luisa had made good friends and company with each other. Capitan Lucas was very amazed on Luisa’s knowledge, the way she talks about is conclusions of some discussions about the country, the way she thinks of solutions to different situations, and her intelligence on the country’s status and so of them, women.

Luisa’s character had been diversify, to a fine lady to a smart woman. She was having little trouble in her pregnancy because of the changes that is occurring, not only in her body, but to almost all her senses. But despite the fact that Luisa was pregnant and all, she still manage her part as a woman who wanted to share her knowledge and her feelings to what the family is going through. ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL

It is a story of the Filipino defiance against anything he finds wrong. And acceptance to anything he finds inevitable. This novel is a testament of our dynamic Filipino literature in English. Once, there were Filipinos who wrote for us, about our time, about our character and history. We lament all too frequently that we don't have much to read, but as I go through the bins of our old literature, I discover writers like Tiempo who, to me at least, wrote the best hunting expedition a Filipino had undertaken.

The story begins with the American Occupation, as the Americans were just starting their Manifest Destiny 'project' here. But from that point on, the novel swings in a reminiscence mode, from here to past, from past to here. The two brothers fought in the Spanish-Filipino War, they joined the Revolutionaries, they were perturbed by the American colonization, and insulted by the Treaty of Paris. They were put to jail for defiance to authorities, they fought and fought and fought. They ran in politics and won. And lost. Ran their professions and earned. Then they suddenly found themselves at war again, this time with the Japanese, and later against treacherous Makapili Filipino politicians.

The story continues with marriage and children born. But as soon as a new generation emerges, a new lifestyle and mode of thinking sprouts. The new generation defies the previous one and so on and so forth. For example, the first generation daughter named Teodora elopes, something shocking to a father who served five years to earn his right to marry his wife. And then the second generation daughter named Luisa becomes a single mother, a product of her liberal ways, now shocking to her own parents and pretty much revolting to the grandfather.

LITERARY ANALYSIS CHARACTERS Hilarion Alcantara. His character was described in his words and actions are static. We can never really tell what is on his mind until the very mid-part of the story where he was involved in the revolution, and indeed Hilarion wanted to stand in his own and so to speak not only for himself, to his family but for the country indeed. Lamberto Alcantara. His character is dynamic. I can say is that Bettu was dynamic, from the first time that I read this book chapter with him walking in the house with “G-strings” with the wish of Luisa, and that he was not force to join Hilarion, but he had thought of what Hilarion wanted for the country, and he had to sacrifice his family to be able to help set the country free from colonization. Luisa Aldeguer. A round characterization is one fine expression that I can say to her. She was a fine lady, but a lady with knowledge, and she was able to stand for herself and help the family to regain its strength after Bettu left them for his heroic deed. Luisa, can be observe as a woman of today. She doesn’t care if there are people who will get hurt of what she would say, all she wanted was to say all of the things in her mind that she knows are correct. Capitan Lucas Alcantara. On the other hand, Hilarion and Bettus father was a flat character in the story, he was a Capitan, but that’s all that he can get, his title, he doesn’t speak what he knows is right and that he only cares for the people around them and what they would think about them. He wanted his sons to be successful, though they didn’t came out the way he expected them to be, they are the ones who filled up his emptiness on the family’s reputation. Waiyi Floro. A man with dignity, as to what I can describe, just like Capitan Lucan, he is a flat character, he wanted to speak for himself not for his family. He doesn’t consider others sake at all but all of his family’s. after realizing his attitude and should have never been like that for others to feel anxious of themselves, he had been a grandfather to Ruben, and had helped Louisa after Bettu left them. Bill. A dynamic character for me. I know that he is after my observation in the flow of the story. Although Louise, or Louise, this is what he calls her Louise, has a son, he wanted to tell her that he accept it, and thus, it is not a shame anymore to marry another woman with a child that its not his own. He had shown what he can give to Louise and her son Ruben, he had also earned the grandfather’s trust, to be able to entrust her Louse and Ruben. He was also transparent, he says what he had in mind and has further realization for the future of his soon-family. PLOT FLASH BACK I choose this plot because this story is sequence and that it interrupts while the character take a look back at his past. OPENING INCIDENT Bayombong place was introduce to the readers, and so thus those who will be the main characters of the story and their relationship with each other. RISING ACTION The rising action I may say is after Capitan Lucas had died and that both his sons, Hilarion and Bettu, have given their support to the Katipunan to fight against the colonization. It was when Hilarion had replaced Bettu in their father’s dream, and Bettu leaving behind Luisa and Ruben. CLIMAX When Bettu realize what he had done to Luisa and Ruben, abandoning them for the sake of his dream to help the country. When Luisa had given up on waiting for Bettu, and to be the man of the family which is her and Ruben’s with the help of the grandfather of Ruben Wayi, Luisa’s step-father and with Bill. FALLING ACTION When the war begins and thus, Bettu still remains in Sierra Madre. He always thought of the family he left in Bayombong and how he had discover, Luisa already to marry Bill an American who would replace him being Ruben’s father and a husband to Luisa. RESOLUTION The resolution I say, is that when Bettu accepted for himself that a woman can decide for her family’s future and that he had already lost his family. How he realize that he would remain in the mounts of Sierra Madre to fight for the freedom of his country. CONFLICT The main conflict could be the mix marriages that Luisa would be involving with. She would marry Bill while she was still married to Bettu, and thus, letting go of her son’s father to live peacefully and to earn respect not only to herself but to others either. THEME

There are different themes in the story. Here are some of the theme that have comes up with me after reading the novel.

•	Love for the country, as to what Hilarion and Bettu shown. •	The rights of women. As to what Luisa had in her mind and to what she had been acting in the story from the very start. •	We should recognize the people who was always there for us and never to neglect them. Always prioritize the right ones instead of bad things. We should always be proud of what we are and be contented with what we have. These are only some of the theme of the story but the major theme of the story is to love our country. Be a nationalist and be proud about your race. SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

That is the main direction of the story, the main plot, though as I have mentioned, there are lots of subplots running along the main plot. But I won't get into those for lack of time.

Just like nowadays, there are still rivalry in the power of the government, just like in Bayombong. And that only male that time of men are allowed to rule the government unlike nowadays, there are people in the government who are women who rules.

Thus, the novel just express that women until today was under men’s shadow. And that man is superior than women, but nowadays there are career women who think as intelligent as Luisa, or even much wiser. And that the author have wrote different personalities, characteristics in To Be Free but still they exists nowadays. IMAGE OF WOMEN

To what I have read, the women of that time had no right to share their views at all especially in political and heroic deeds or discussion. They are only plain housewives. When women were at their right age 15, they can be courted by a man that would make deal with her parents. A woman has no right to refuse what her parents decision for her and that he feelings was not a concern at all.

On the other hand, I have observe these few things on Luisa’s. First, Bettu asked for Luisa’s hand not making Luisa’s thoughts of it, her step-father made the decision for her without consulting her if she was in love with Bettu or not. In her conversation with the generals and other officials, Luisa’s thoughts were only set aside. On the day before their marriage (Bettu and Luisa’s) all the people in the house was very surprise of what she had wish before the marriage, and it is treated as an insult for both families for Luisa’s behavior had become out-of-hand.

VALUES

There are so many values in the novel but I listed few of them here.

First values that I have learned is to follow what our heart says. There are no other person who would play for your life than for yourself. You should decide what should be good to you.

Second one is, we should listen to others opinion, to respect what they believe and we should not be boastful of what we have.

We should consider other’s situation before we would do action that can affect them.

SOCIAL RELEVANCE

After I have read the novel, I have come out on ideas on how women are treated those times. But it was the past, women of today are more different, I say that this novel have reflected on me and that I have learned so many things especially on being a true woman. I love Luisa’s character in the novel, she is a woman of the century that wanted to change the image of women among men. She has a strong personality and that I wanted to earn. I also learned that we, women must always lean on men, or confide them what we had in-mind doubts. We can level with men but still we cannot outcome what they can do. This novel had made me see through the Philippines history, it made me see the difference of fighting for the country and for ourselves. These characters, I believe they exist, not only that time but until today, and so Luisa’s character was mere different than of today, because more women nowadays are fighter and much more wiser than her. I am so much enlightened in the novel, we Filipinos have all the rights to claim our property…our land.

CONCLUSION

To Be Free by Edilberto K. Tiempo is one such find, now I understand why this author and teacher is so much revered in our country.

I describe To Be Free as panoramic because it transports me back and forth in time. Make that Philippine time. Of course it has its own weaknesses, such as the long tedious monologues and dialogues of politicians which may be interesting if one had not met them going through the same route a few months ago. Tiempo's political writing casts an amazing if not frightening similarity to what we have today, even when he talks of it in his time 1930's. And then there is the tendency to repeat certain aspects of middle chapters to one of the last chapters.

Reading and relating to the life story of brothers Hilarion and Lamberto brings to life things I only imagined before, this book makes them real, as real as the keyboard I type on: the green lush of meadows, the mountains of Sierra Madre, the beauty of mestizos, the social structure that is deprived of resentment, where masters and slaves love their positions as if they were God's gift. Loyalty and word of honor were indeed prevalent in this time and age of Philippine history. And it's nice to remember that, especially in this age when the Filipino is in a mess.