Scientifically, power is defined as the rate of doing work. It is a measure of how quickly work can be done. This meaning also applies in our society. In reality, powerful people can do and get what they want in no time. With their connections and manipulative hands, nothing is impossible. People thirsting for power do come and go. From Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, who vanquished great lands to quench their thirst for power, and for those who are yet to come as conquerors of the world.
In the life of Antonio Samson, as F. Sionil Jose had written it, power played a very important role. Tony was then a simple Ilocano who dreams of being a teacher and being understood, but fate led him to marry Carmen Villa, the daughter of Don Manuel Villa who feels that she is always in control of Tony; she had power over Tony. From then, Tony Samson was “trapped in the labyrinthine maze where the Villas were the minotaurs.” (78)
At the start, Tony, with his sense of pride and dignity, disapproved the idea of her Manang Betty - using the riches of Villas for their own sake. Realizing this, Manong Bert, the husband of Betty, told Tony “When you are poor, you can’t have pride. Only the rich have pride.” (22) Tony stood firm for his principle, but I suppose the words of Manong Bert kept him thinking.
F. Sionil Jose also portrayed power through Dean Lopez, the dean of the University where Tony was working. He is a fellow Ilocano who uses his power in the University to manipulate the authors of the works he plagiarized and published as his own. He is also dictating who shall get promotions in their institution. He was helping his fellow Ilocanos, like Tony Samson, but he had always expected something in return, something that is favourable on his part. The degree or hierarchy of power was also portrayed with his position in the society. Yes, he is the dean, but when Don Manuel Villa and Senator Reyes interfered, he can do nothing. With the connections of Senator Reyes in the University, Tony Samson would have replaced Dean Lopez if only he had not resigned and quit his teaching career.
After Tony had left the University, Don Manuel Villa offered Tony to be their spokesperson. Tony was hesitant because he knows that deep in him, he rejects the idea of the rich overpowering people. This hesitance subsided after he had a taste of what is like of being a part of the elite society. He accepted Don Manuel Villa’s offer. He became their spokesperson, joined meetings of the Board, and officially became one of the elites. He wrote speeches for Senator Reyes. He even wrote the Senator’s speech to propose the bill “that would make the new steel industry not only tax-exempt but also recipient of government subsidy until that time when it will be able to rise on its own feet.” (99-100) He wrote positive things about the Villas and their business. He wrote everything that they want him to write even if he knows that it was not the right thing to do.
As all these happenings went on, Tony Samson had an inner struggle. He was fighting with himself. His inner thoughts were revealed in his journal (The Pretenders - Chapter 12). Being part of the elite society changed him a lot. He was blinded by money, by power, by fame, by everything that the elites do have. He learned the reality in which they live in. He even knew the eleventh commandment that Don Manuel Villa follows, Never Get Caught. (99) Slowly, his whole being was eaten up by the system and by the inner monster in him that is also thirsting to be rich and powerful. He soon realizes that all the things that he’s been doing was wrong. Tony wrote on one of his journal entries, “Our worst enemy was ourselves, our vanity, our pride, and our desire for honor.” (99) He was battling against the monster in him. He can’t figure out a way to kill that monster, that’s why he decided to take his own life. Along with his physical death, that monster also died. Tony Samson won the battle.
“Whatever I do in my heart, I want it to be right. I want to say I did it because it had to be done. I may be proved wrong, but it does not matter; at least, to my own self, I must be true.” (6) Tony Samson did not let that monster, thirsting for riches and power, to engulf his own being. He fought bravely even if it meant his death. At least, before he died, he was still able to distinguish what is wrong from what is right.
In the novel, Don Manuel Villa and Senator Reyes are the main images of power. F. Sionil Jose had painted their picture gracefully. With them, I was able to get a glimpse on how do the rich and powerful think, act, and go on with their lives. The furniture business of Don Manuel Villa started as a furniture shop of his grandfather. He made it prospered because he saw “the importance of developing the friendship and the loyalty of political leaders like professed nationalists of the caliber of Senator Reyes.” (90) Don Manuel gave what Senator Reyes wants, like the well-stocked bar in the board room and lots of money. In return, Senator Reyes also gave what Don Manuel wants, passing bills that are favorable on their business. Senator Reyes is a member of the Board of the Villa Corporation. In Section 17 of the 1935 Constitution, it was clearly stated that “No Senator or Member of the House of Representatives shall directly or indirectly be financially interested in any contract with the government or any subdivision or instrumentality thereof, or in any franchise or special privilege granted by the Congress during his term of office.” This means that senators, including Senator Reyes, are not allowed to engage in any type of businesses to avoid conflicts of interest. With this, you can see the interrelation of business and politics. You can see how rotten our government system is and how trashy the people “governing” us are.
Money has always been linked to power. If you have the money, you have the power, and with power, you can have lots of money. This is true hundreds of years ago, and it is still true now that we’re on 21st century. This is why the novel of F. Sionil Jose, The Pretenders, is considered a classic. It never failed to reflect the current events and happenings here in the Philippines and even in other countries.
In our own country, our so called political leaders have always wanted everlasting wealth and power. They would do anything to keep the power for themselves. They would never let anyone get in their way, just like Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein who claimed almost 38 million lives of people that they consider “undesirables”. Two great images of greediness for wealth and power in the Philippines are Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Marcos declared martial law and ruled for 21 years. He had the thousands of people opposing him arrested, tortured, and executed. He transferred billions to himself and his family. (Life.com) Arroyo, on the other hand, had been in the palace for 10 years. Now, she’s running for Congress. She hasn’t been satisfied by all the funds of the country that she and her alliances had amassed. Just recently, the massacre in Maguindanao happened. The main suspect is the Ampatuans, one of her allies. They are just a few examples of people engulfed by the inner monsters in them. They lost the battle. They have let the evil win. They will be suffering in eternity with all the things they had done that they considered “right”.
Now that the election is near, we should do everything that we can do to prevent tyrants from ruling our own land. “Men can be enslaved by their own people, by their own prejudices, by their own rulers.” (87) Truly, this novel is a masterpiece. With it, you can get to know a lot of realities and realizations that you can apply in your life.
WORKS CITED LIST
Primary Source:
Jose, F. Sionil. The Pretenders. Ermita, Manila: Solidaridad Publishing House, 2005. Print.
Secondary Sources:
Chan Robles Virtual Library. 1935 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Web. 12 Dec. 2009. <http://www.chanrobles.com/1935constitutionofthephilippines.htm>
Jose, F. Sionil. “Our Massacred Peasants.” The Philippine Star. 29 June 2009. Web. 12 Dec. 2009
