Thursday, June 26, 2014
Kalungkot Naman
Kalungkot naman na mas napapadasal tayo sakay ng drayber na kaskasero kaysa pag nasa simbahan antok na nakaupo tayo. Ang biro nga, mas maraming naipuntos ang drayber sa pagrerecruit ng deboto kaysa mga pari at obispo.
Why we could sympathize with Franco but not much with Mona
9:00 AM, June 26, 2014
Let's not even talk about the actors that play Franco and Mona in the hit teleserye "Ikaw Lamang". It is a given that the series is overflowing with thespic talents, Jake and Julia included. Let's talk about why we can easily understand why Franco is the way he is while we are so ready to condemn Mona's every word and action.
We have known them since their childhood. Franco as the scion of the rich and powerful Hidalgos and Mona as the bubbly, dependable (most of the time) "kababata" of Samuel. We know how the stereotypical brat was raised by his shrewd and scheming Lolo Maximo and his delusional mom Miranda. The only thing Franco missed as a a child was his dad Eduardo's more overt display of affection towards him. Early on, we found out he was not of Eduardo's blood and we sympathized with how painful it was to have that truth thrown at his face at so young an age, no thanks to Maximo. He had Isabelle as a friend from the beginning, though the girl was always oblivious of the fact that he worshipped every inch of her. Even in London, Franco was just so sure that their common class origin and family ties made it inevitable that they will end up in marriage. What about Mona? We don't know much about her and her sister Lupe. She had no childhood problem except for the obviously accepted fact that they didn't have parents anymore. From the start they were a welcome extension of the Severino family, thanks to the charity and hospitality that seem staple in the Severino household. Since their younger years, we already know it was Franco who would play the bigger part in the story as the nemesis of Samuel and the obsessive lover of Isabelle.
Franco was treated to one embarassment after another. From being exposed as a pretend hero who took the credit for saving Isabelle in the canefields fire, to being scolded in public by his very upright father for behaving so unkindly towards the obreros. In London, Isabelle would go out with anybody but him. It was just too naive of him to propose to Isabelle when he never got past the friend zone from the beginning. Mona? We remember her for not telling Samuel that Isabelle was living for London. and she was his best friend.
Samuel and Isabelle's love bloomed after she got back from London. Franco had no idea the alitaptaps were always working against him. Meanwhile the adults (three of them: Maximo, Miranda and Gonzalo) were all for using him to forge a union between the two wealthy families so that wealth could be secured. He had to marry Isabelle. Shunned not just once but several times already, Franco with his stereotypical arrogance as the hacendero's son could not for his very limited understanding of what love is accept that a lowly rival would win every step of the way. One event after the other showed him losing to Samuel even as he was able to legally own Isabelle. On top of this, he sooner than later lost the only woman who loved him- his mother. One painful truth after another, Isabelle still carrying a torch for Samuel, Lolo Maximo as the murderer of his mother, enough to explain why Franco is sporting that insane/psycho look for many episodes now.
And Mona? We remember her for taking advantage of Samuel during his most vulnerable moment. With the help of alcohol, she won Samuel for life, stupid as he is too righteous, Samuel took responsibility and up to the most recent episode maintained an incredibly kind attitude toward his "mamimikot". It would be extremely satisfying if one day he would just slap her and remind her that he only married her out of a sense of obligation. In real life, this scenario is more likely to happen. But Samuel is a saint.
And so in last night's episode, "Ikaw Lamang: The scandal", all of Mona's words were actually hateful in that she was accusing Isabelle, the forever suffering Isabelle, of the very acts she had committed in her effort to have Samuel for herself. Isabelle, pregnant and always in tears, was being pushed and shouted at by the woman who thwarted a possible SamBelle union by giving herself to the intoxicated and very depressed Samuel.
Franco, we know was just being shrewd and with a game plan like an adroit chess player he has become. He was the one with the bigger scheme. He was controlling everyone from his wheelchair, as he has said himself. But we remember the many things he's been through, the pain, the loss, the rejection and we know where he's coming from. We know what caused him to act insane. Mona? Just an insecure legal wife who can't accept the truth that Samuel is only hers on paper.
The reactions to yesterday's episode showed that the roles were well essayed by the actors and I congratulate everyone in the project for that. Many characters are too familiar and predictable but the actors make them enegaging with their approach. This makes for affected/affective viewing which teledramas target. Ikaw Lamang and its cast always hit the bull's eye weeknight after weeknight.
Let's not even talk about the actors that play Franco and Mona in the hit teleserye "Ikaw Lamang". It is a given that the series is overflowing with thespic talents, Jake and Julia included. Let's talk about why we can easily understand why Franco is the way he is while we are so ready to condemn Mona's every word and action.
We have known them since their childhood. Franco as the scion of the rich and powerful Hidalgos and Mona as the bubbly, dependable (most of the time) "kababata" of Samuel. We know how the stereotypical brat was raised by his shrewd and scheming Lolo Maximo and his delusional mom Miranda. The only thing Franco missed as a a child was his dad Eduardo's more overt display of affection towards him. Early on, we found out he was not of Eduardo's blood and we sympathized with how painful it was to have that truth thrown at his face at so young an age, no thanks to Maximo. He had Isabelle as a friend from the beginning, though the girl was always oblivious of the fact that he worshipped every inch of her. Even in London, Franco was just so sure that their common class origin and family ties made it inevitable that they will end up in marriage. What about Mona? We don't know much about her and her sister Lupe. She had no childhood problem except for the obviously accepted fact that they didn't have parents anymore. From the start they were a welcome extension of the Severino family, thanks to the charity and hospitality that seem staple in the Severino household. Since their younger years, we already know it was Franco who would play the bigger part in the story as the nemesis of Samuel and the obsessive lover of Isabelle.
Franco was treated to one embarassment after another. From being exposed as a pretend hero who took the credit for saving Isabelle in the canefields fire, to being scolded in public by his very upright father for behaving so unkindly towards the obreros. In London, Isabelle would go out with anybody but him. It was just too naive of him to propose to Isabelle when he never got past the friend zone from the beginning. Mona? We remember her for not telling Samuel that Isabelle was living for London. and she was his best friend.
Samuel and Isabelle's love bloomed after she got back from London. Franco had no idea the alitaptaps were always working against him. Meanwhile the adults (three of them: Maximo, Miranda and Gonzalo) were all for using him to forge a union between the two wealthy families so that wealth could be secured. He had to marry Isabelle. Shunned not just once but several times already, Franco with his stereotypical arrogance as the hacendero's son could not for his very limited understanding of what love is accept that a lowly rival would win every step of the way. One event after the other showed him losing to Samuel even as he was able to legally own Isabelle. On top of this, he sooner than later lost the only woman who loved him- his mother. One painful truth after another, Isabelle still carrying a torch for Samuel, Lolo Maximo as the murderer of his mother, enough to explain why Franco is sporting that insane/psycho look for many episodes now.
And Mona? We remember her for taking advantage of Samuel during his most vulnerable moment. With the help of alcohol, she won Samuel for life, stupid as he is too righteous, Samuel took responsibility and up to the most recent episode maintained an incredibly kind attitude toward his "mamimikot". It would be extremely satisfying if one day he would just slap her and remind her that he only married her out of a sense of obligation. In real life, this scenario is more likely to happen. But Samuel is a saint.
And so in last night's episode, "Ikaw Lamang: The scandal", all of Mona's words were actually hateful in that she was accusing Isabelle, the forever suffering Isabelle, of the very acts she had committed in her effort to have Samuel for herself. Isabelle, pregnant and always in tears, was being pushed and shouted at by the woman who thwarted a possible SamBelle union by giving herself to the intoxicated and very depressed Samuel.
Franco, we know was just being shrewd and with a game plan like an adroit chess player he has become. He was the one with the bigger scheme. He was controlling everyone from his wheelchair, as he has said himself. But we remember the many things he's been through, the pain, the loss, the rejection and we know where he's coming from. We know what caused him to act insane. Mona? Just an insecure legal wife who can't accept the truth that Samuel is only hers on paper.
The reactions to yesterday's episode showed that the roles were well essayed by the actors and I congratulate everyone in the project for that. Many characters are too familiar and predictable but the actors make them enegaging with their approach. This makes for affected/affective viewing which teledramas target. Ikaw Lamang and its cast always hit the bull's eye weeknight after weeknight.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Archetypes in Teleseryes
I love teleseryes and I am sure many of you do, too and so I would like us to take a look at archetypes in teleseryes. First, the lecture on what is an archetype.
Kathy Latrobe (2002) defined archetype as "a universally recognizable element... that recurs across all literature and life". Psychologist Carl Jung referred to it as a kind of "collective unconscious" of the human race, prototypes rather than something gained from experience. The word came from Greek arche, original and typos , model, "original model".
So there, an archetype is the first real example or prototype of something. In narratives, we have archetypes of character, setting and theme. Cinderella is the archetypal rags-to-riches character or the commoner who marries the handsome prince. Her wicked stepmother and stepsisters are archetypal villains in an otherwise romantic fairy tale. Jesus is the archetypal Redeemer or sacrificial lamb, the forest is the archetype for the unexplored, the fertile and the wild, journey to find self is an archetypal theme.
We do not have to experience archetypes in order to recognize them. We read about them or witness them in other people and so when we see them in narratives we are able to predict what is going to happen next. We get bored when the story becomes predictable and so we welcome an occasional twist, but it remains that one reason we enjoy a narrative is because we sense or recognize archetypes.
Now let's see if we can recognize archetypes in the following teleseryes and characters:
1. The story of Samuel and Isabelle in Ikaw Lamang. Of course, I will have to start with my current favorite. The two showcase several archetypes. There's the Romeo and Juliet archetype, star-crossed lovers from families that are in conflict with each other. There is also the poor boy-rich girl theme. In romantic tales and even in real life, economic disparity is always a source of conflict.
2. Miranda as the evil Queen or the wicked mother-in-law. This character may be too easy to recognize as it is all too common. Given a versatile actor to play it though,as in the case of Cherie Gil, it becomes iconic despite being a cliche at the start.
3. The Beauty and the Beast archetype is duplicated in Mirabella and in Sana Bukas pa ang Kahapon's Rose Buenavista. In both instances though it's the woman who is "beastly" and the man , incredibly handsome (Jeremy or Patrick) who falls in love with the woman despite the "ugliness".
4. Dyesebel of course is Mars Ravelo's take on Hans Christien Andersen's The Little Mermaid. The archetypal theme is living in entirely different worlds and being in conflict at the same time in love with somebody from another world.
5. Many villains in teleseryes follow the archetype of the deprived and the obsessive. Nathan of Walang Hanggan, Kael of Juan dela Cruz, Nicole of The Legal Wife, Franco of Ikaw Lamang and now Sasha of SBPAK.
Archetypes are fun to recognize because they make us viewers more engaged in the narrative. It is doubly fun if the archetypes get to surprise us with some twists. For example, Isabelle gets to mouth really feisty lines as the long suffering daughter and then wife. She stays upright by continually giving in and sacrificing for her love and yet she also knows that she owes it to many women in similar situation to speak up and tell off her father and Franco every so often. Ditto with Rebecca who actually learned from Isabelle.
Also in Ikaw Lamang, the long suffering obrero gets to talk back to the hacendero which in real life may happen but with fatal results. Samuel almost died but protagonists always survive ordeals and that is a stereotype. Formulaic as it is together with lost parentage to trigger a search-for-self /true identity series of events. It's the in thing in teleseryes for some time now, did you notice?
Now let's try and recall stories you've read or been witness to and try to identify the archetypes in other teleseryes, characters, setting and themes. Hopefully, you get to appreciate watching them after you become aware of the collective unconscious working among us as teleserye fanatics.
Kathy Latrobe (2002) defined archetype as "a universally recognizable element... that recurs across all literature and life". Psychologist Carl Jung referred to it as a kind of "collective unconscious" of the human race, prototypes rather than something gained from experience. The word came from Greek arche, original and typos , model, "original model".
So there, an archetype is the first real example or prototype of something. In narratives, we have archetypes of character, setting and theme. Cinderella is the archetypal rags-to-riches character or the commoner who marries the handsome prince. Her wicked stepmother and stepsisters are archetypal villains in an otherwise romantic fairy tale. Jesus is the archetypal Redeemer or sacrificial lamb, the forest is the archetype for the unexplored, the fertile and the wild, journey to find self is an archetypal theme.
We do not have to experience archetypes in order to recognize them. We read about them or witness them in other people and so when we see them in narratives we are able to predict what is going to happen next. We get bored when the story becomes predictable and so we welcome an occasional twist, but it remains that one reason we enjoy a narrative is because we sense or recognize archetypes.
Now let's see if we can recognize archetypes in the following teleseryes and characters:
1. The story of Samuel and Isabelle in Ikaw Lamang. Of course, I will have to start with my current favorite. The two showcase several archetypes. There's the Romeo and Juliet archetype, star-crossed lovers from families that are in conflict with each other. There is also the poor boy-rich girl theme. In romantic tales and even in real life, economic disparity is always a source of conflict.
2. Miranda as the evil Queen or the wicked mother-in-law. This character may be too easy to recognize as it is all too common. Given a versatile actor to play it though,as in the case of Cherie Gil, it becomes iconic despite being a cliche at the start.
3. The Beauty and the Beast archetype is duplicated in Mirabella and in Sana Bukas pa ang Kahapon's Rose Buenavista. In both instances though it's the woman who is "beastly" and the man , incredibly handsome (Jeremy or Patrick) who falls in love with the woman despite the "ugliness".
4. Dyesebel of course is Mars Ravelo's take on Hans Christien Andersen's The Little Mermaid. The archetypal theme is living in entirely different worlds and being in conflict at the same time in love with somebody from another world.
5. Many villains in teleseryes follow the archetype of the deprived and the obsessive. Nathan of Walang Hanggan, Kael of Juan dela Cruz, Nicole of The Legal Wife, Franco of Ikaw Lamang and now Sasha of SBPAK.
Archetypes are fun to recognize because they make us viewers more engaged in the narrative. It is doubly fun if the archetypes get to surprise us with some twists. For example, Isabelle gets to mouth really feisty lines as the long suffering daughter and then wife. She stays upright by continually giving in and sacrificing for her love and yet she also knows that she owes it to many women in similar situation to speak up and tell off her father and Franco every so often. Ditto with Rebecca who actually learned from Isabelle.
Also in Ikaw Lamang, the long suffering obrero gets to talk back to the hacendero which in real life may happen but with fatal results. Samuel almost died but protagonists always survive ordeals and that is a stereotype. Formulaic as it is together with lost parentage to trigger a search-for-self /true identity series of events. It's the in thing in teleseryes for some time now, did you notice?
Now let's try and recall stories you've read or been witness to and try to identify the archetypes in other teleseryes, characters, setting and themes. Hopefully, you get to appreciate watching them after you become aware of the collective unconscious working among us as teleserye fanatics.
(Additional soucre http://www.mnstate.edu/sibley/EECE%20441%20Archetypes%20in%20Literature.doc)
Kalungkot Naman
Kalungkot naman na sobra na tayong dala sa ating mga lider kung kaya't kahit may matinong layunin ang anumang bagong panukala ay pinagsususpetsahan natin. Tulad na lamang ng mga bagong paraan ng MMDA, LTO at LTFRB na sugpuin ang mga paglabag sa batas-trapiko at prankisa ng mga PUVs. Asahan mo ang marahil 9 sa 10 drayber ang nag-iisip na panibagong pagkukwartahan na naman ng mga ahensiya ang mga bagong panukala. Bulag na rin ang mga drayber at opereytor sa kanilang mga pagkukulang at pagbali sa batas. Di mo alam sino ang sisisihin sa ganitong kaliwaang kawalan ng pagtitiwala sa isa't isa.
Ningas-kugon din naman kasi ang pagpapatupad ng batas. Dahil na rin sa hirap ng trabaho at liit ng sueldo, rumaraket ang ilang tagapagpatupad ng batas sa pamamagitan ng areglo at kotong sa mga drayber at opereytor na dahil naman sa init ng panahon at ayaw maabala sa biyahe ay maglalagay na lang o makikipag-areglo. Di naisip ng magkabilang panig na mali sila pareho, mali sa di pagsunod sa batas at mali sa pag-iisip lamang ng kung ano ang mas kumbinyente para sa sarili.
Ang pagsunod sa batas ay may kaakibat na lalim ng pagpapahalaga sa kapwa at sa komunidad. alam ng mga drayber at opereytor ang madalas nilang paglabag. Mula sa simpleng pagtatapon ng kalat sa daan hanggang sa pagteterminal sa di dapat; mula sa pagdudumi ng hangin hanggang sa maling pagsingil; mula sa pagbiyahe ng walang prankisa hanggang sa pagmamaneho nang mabilis na para bang di tao ang sakay nila. Kung malalim ang pagpapahalaga nila sa kapwa, di nila gagawin ang mga ito. Sa mauunlad na bansa, nangunguna ang kaligtasan ng sarili at ng kapwa sa isip ng mga tao sa lahat ng gawain nila. Kung kaya naman simple lang kundi man awtomatiko sa kanila ang pagsunod sa alituntunin.
Sa ating mga lansangan, laganap ang tiwaling ugali na nagbubunsod para di tayo maging kampante sa isa't-isa. Ang traffic enforcer naghahanap ng mali sa drayber, ang drayber walang pakundangan sa pasahero, ang pasahero di makasimpatiya sa drayber. Dagdag mo pa ang laganap na kapaguran ng pag-iisip sa kung may pag-asa pa bang umayos ang mga sistema sa daan ng lalong sumisikip na Kamaynilaan.
Ramdam ko ang lungkot ng pagbibyahe sa araw-araw sakay ng jeepney na tinaguriang King of the Road. Kamakailan lang nasakay rin ako ng UV Express mula Makati at may isyu rin sila laban sa LTFRB. Mga kayod-kabayong drayber, mga pasaherong pagod sa araw-araw na biyahe at trabaho, mga kawani ng ahensyang gobyerno na may di mapagkakatiwalaang nakalipas. Paano mabubuo ang tiwala, pagkakaisa at pagpapahalaga sa kapakanan ng kapwa? Kalungkot naman.
Ningas-kugon din naman kasi ang pagpapatupad ng batas. Dahil na rin sa hirap ng trabaho at liit ng sueldo, rumaraket ang ilang tagapagpatupad ng batas sa pamamagitan ng areglo at kotong sa mga drayber at opereytor na dahil naman sa init ng panahon at ayaw maabala sa biyahe ay maglalagay na lang o makikipag-areglo. Di naisip ng magkabilang panig na mali sila pareho, mali sa di pagsunod sa batas at mali sa pag-iisip lamang ng kung ano ang mas kumbinyente para sa sarili.
Ang pagsunod sa batas ay may kaakibat na lalim ng pagpapahalaga sa kapwa at sa komunidad. alam ng mga drayber at opereytor ang madalas nilang paglabag. Mula sa simpleng pagtatapon ng kalat sa daan hanggang sa pagteterminal sa di dapat; mula sa pagdudumi ng hangin hanggang sa maling pagsingil; mula sa pagbiyahe ng walang prankisa hanggang sa pagmamaneho nang mabilis na para bang di tao ang sakay nila. Kung malalim ang pagpapahalaga nila sa kapwa, di nila gagawin ang mga ito. Sa mauunlad na bansa, nangunguna ang kaligtasan ng sarili at ng kapwa sa isip ng mga tao sa lahat ng gawain nila. Kung kaya naman simple lang kundi man awtomatiko sa kanila ang pagsunod sa alituntunin.
Sa ating mga lansangan, laganap ang tiwaling ugali na nagbubunsod para di tayo maging kampante sa isa't-isa. Ang traffic enforcer naghahanap ng mali sa drayber, ang drayber walang pakundangan sa pasahero, ang pasahero di makasimpatiya sa drayber. Dagdag mo pa ang laganap na kapaguran ng pag-iisip sa kung may pag-asa pa bang umayos ang mga sistema sa daan ng lalong sumisikip na Kamaynilaan.
Ramdam ko ang lungkot ng pagbibyahe sa araw-araw sakay ng jeepney na tinaguriang King of the Road. Kamakailan lang nasakay rin ako ng UV Express mula Makati at may isyu rin sila laban sa LTFRB. Mga kayod-kabayong drayber, mga pasaherong pagod sa araw-araw na biyahe at trabaho, mga kawani ng ahensyang gobyerno na may di mapagkakatiwalaang nakalipas. Paano mabubuo ang tiwala, pagkakaisa at pagpapahalaga sa kapakanan ng kapwa? Kalungkot naman.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Sabi nga ni Lourd:..... wala tayong saysay!
Bukod sa wika, mahina rin ang pundasyon ng ating mga kabataan sa kasaysayan. Narito ang ilang patunay.
1. Itanong sa mga nagsisipagtrabaho na ngayon kung bakit holiday ang ilang petsa sa kalendaryo bukod sa Pasko, Biyernes Santo at Undas. Mas madalas di nila alam ang importansiya ng petsang ginugunita.
2. Maraming kabataan ang nag-aakalang maganda ang sistema ng pamamalakad ni Marcos. Utang na loob!
3. Marami rin ang nagsasabing pinakawalang kwentang gobyerno ang kasalukuyan. Ilang administrasyon na kaya ang naranasan nila?
4. Marami ang di nakaka-realize na ang June 12 na ginugunita natin taun-taon bilang Araw ng Kasarinlan ay paglaya lang natin sa naunang mananakop-ang mga Espanyol.
5. Marami ang alipin ng paniniwalang ang Estados Unidos ay lagi nating kakampi, na kapakanan natin ang lagi nitong nasa isip.
6. Maraming nakapuesto ng panahon ni Marcos ang nakakapagpasasa pa hanggang sa kasalukuyan, di tinutuligsa sa naging papel nila sa panahon ng Martial Law.
7. Marami ang di alam na ang wikang Filipino ay pinaghalu-halong mga wika ng ating kapuluan kabilang na ang Ingles, Espanyol, Arabo at Tsino. Hanggang ngayon Tagalog ang tawag nila sa wikang laganap.
8. Marami ang saliwa pa rin ang pagkaintindi sa sigalot na Muslim-Kristiyano sa Mindanao.
9. Marami ang nag-aakalang magkatunggali sina Rizal at Bonifacio at patuloy silang pinag-aaway.
10. Marami ang nag-aakalang ang mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ay miyembro ng mataas na lipunang dapat pagsilbihan. Sino ba ang public servant?
Ilan lang ito sa mga obserbasyon ko. Marami pang manipestasyon ng kakulangan sa paggagap at malalim na pang-unawa. Nakakatakot dahil sa media lamang umaasa ng kaalaman. Paano kung limitado sa opinyon ng maangas na broadcaster ang maririnig tulad ng taxi driver na makulit ang opinyon sa nagaganap na arestuhan sa PDAF?
The Kto12 Scare
There are a few reasons why I am not afraid of Kto12 easing us, GE teachers, out. First, I teach English and my school happens to give much importance on the subject. Second, I am tenured and I do not expect to be retrenched unless I violate some serious rule. Third, I am 51 years old, I actually look forward to more time to write instead of staying on campus 45 hours a week. Lastly, I am consulting in and writing Kto12 instructional materials.
This does not mean I do not sympathize with those who feel their teaching careers are about to end. It's just that I believe that what we GE teachers need to undergo is fair enough a bargain for the leveling up that our educational system is going through. Don't get me wrong. I have a son who was caught by this Kto12 shift but I don't mind the additional two years because I know that this system change is for the better. It also helps that this is happening in the time of Pres. Noynoy Aquino and Dep-Ed Secretary Armin Luistro.
I feel for those who believe the national language is being shortchanged by that CHED Memo. I think CHED needs to rethink what it has said so far on the language policy in HEI's under the Kto12 scenario. But I also believe our national language will prosper in basic education considering that there is the mother tongue-based curriculum in the primary years and Filipino will have the support of Dep-Ed.
To say that they (some language teachers affected by the absence of Filipino as a subject in college) fear the future and their livelihood is rather weak an argument for retention. I am sure most teachers especially in the tertiary are good in many things not just in the subject that they handle. It is a matter of attitude when one says he does not know where to get food to feed his family. The news program that aired that sentiment was of course being consistent with its fetish for the miserable and the misery it always paints about this country. If you want to feel better about yourself and your future, do not watch local primetime newscasts.
I hope that the debate triggered by the CHED Memo will result in unity among the ones who profess to support the national language. While we are at it I hope we continue with intellectualizing the language by writing instructional materials not just for HEIs but most especially for basic ed. I also think we should agree that instructional materials be written in Filipino and not just Tagalog. As it is right now our people keep referring to the national language as Tagalog which could be the reason this campaign for the national language has not gained enough support from the other regions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)