66 pages 2 hours read

Dogeaters

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990

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Symbols & Motifs

Love Letters

The radio show Love Letters is beloved by Rio’s grandmother, Lola Narcisa, but is viewed with disdain by her father, who dismisses it as appealing to “the lowest common denominator” (18) of society. This dichotomy reflects the tension between traditional Filipino culture and the Westernized values that have permeated society post-colonization. The term “bakya crowd,” used by Uncle Agustin to describe the soap opera’s audience, refers to “bakyâ,” wooden sandals once commonly worn in the Philippines. The sandals symbolize a traditional agricultural way of life that is gradually being eclipsed by modern influences. The tragic nature of the show, in which characters often meet unfortunate ends, parallels the dark undertones in the lives of the novel’s characters. The soap opera becomes a metaphor for the Philippines itself, a country grappling with the remnants of its colonial past and the struggles of its present.

The motif of Love Letters also resonates with the theme of emotional expression within Filipino culture. As the narrator observes, “Our country belongs to women who easily shed tears and men who are ashamed to weep” (133). This statement captures the gendered expectations of emotional display, further emphasizing the deep-seated cultural and societal norms that characters in the novel navigate.

Catholicism

The motif of Catholicism comments on the themes of Colonialism and its Relationship to Authoritarianism and The Complexity of Postcolonial Cultural Identity. President William McKinley’s statement that “there was nothing for us to do but to take them all, […] to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them” (93) emphasizes the authoritarian role of religion in the colonial endeavor. The First Lady’s dream in which she seduces Pope John XXIII underscores the colonizer’s religion is literally and figuratively in bed with authoritarianism.

Catholicism is a key determiner of the gender norms forced upon characters like Trinidad and Leonor Bautista. For instance, in Part 1, Chapter 8, a priest warns Trinidad that she is “committing mortal sin” (89) and will “burn in hell” if she does not end her relationship with Romeo. He does not comment on Romeo’s wrongdoing, placing the moral burden of the relationship onto Trinidad. Leonor Bautista’s character emphasizes this as well. Her extreme religious practices, such as “fasting on water and praying prostrate on the cold cement floor to her beloved Santo Nino statue” (89) highlight the expectations of self-sacrifice and piety imposed on women. The General’s remark to Leonor, “The Lord listens to you and only you” (89), which reflects the unique position of women as intercessors and bearers of moral responsibility in colonial Filipino society.

Farmers Harvesting Rice

The painting symbolizes the dichotomy between the idealized, pastoral images of the Philippines and the harsh realities of social inequality and exploitation. It highlights the complexities and contradictions inherent in forming a postcolonial identity that grapples with both its colonial past and its present realities.

Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972), is renowned for his landscapes depicting traditional Filipino customs and rural life. His works are seen as contributing to the formation of Filipino national identity, especially in the context of colonial rule. However, Amorsolo’s paintings also romanticize rural life, presenting an idyllic image that glosses over the hardship and exploitation faced by agricultural workers in a society controlled by elites. The mixed reception of his works play into the theme of The Complexity of Postcolonial Cultural Identity.

The juxtaposition of Amorsolo’s painting in the opulent setting of Alacran’s home underscores the irony of elite Filipino society’s disconnection from the struggles of the common people. While the elites like Alacran benefit from and maintain their power through the exploitation of agricultural labor, artworks like Amorsolo’s offer a sanitized version of rural life, which plays into the novel’s theme of Social Inequality and Power Dynamics.

Silver and Iron Butterflies

In Part 2, Chapter 29, Baby Alacran dreams of an elaborate silver and gold wedding cake decorated with silver filigree butterflies. At first, she believes the butterflies were imported from Spain but then realizes they are a gift from the First Lady made by “sixteen blind nuns from the Covent of Our Lady of Perpetual sorrow” (186). These intricate, ornate butterflies symbolize the superficial elegance and the ostentatious display of wealth associated with the upper classes. Being the product of blind nuns could also reflect the obliviousness of the elites from the harsh realities of the society they live in. The contrast between the butterflies’ delicate beauty and the wedding’s underlying somber tone, which happens in the wake of Senator Avila’s assassination, highlights the dissonance between appearance and reality in the lives of the novel’s characters.

Related to this image is the First Lady’s nickname “The Iron Butterfly,” which reflects her qualities of delicacy and resilience. This symbolizes the duality of her character and reflects her ability to navigate the political landscape with finesse, maintaining a delicate balance between appearing approachable and being a powerful figure within a patriarchal and authoritarian regime.

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