Week 2: Discussion#2_1

In what ways can you as a Filipino reader be affected by such works (short stories in Tagalog) that endeavor to open the minds of people on socio-political and moral issues confronting the country?

Just as the bright-minded national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, did back in the Spanish Colonization, he used literature as a tool to unite Filipinos towards a common goal. He used his stories and characters with symbolism that represented the current state of their society back then. This opened the eyes of the people to the cruelty and inequalities that caused them to revolt against this system.

In the same way, shorter literary pieces such as short stories can also use the same techniques as Dr. Jose Rizal’s works. These techniques can also be used to discreetly educate the masses about social, political, and moral issues. An example of which is “Sandosenang Sapatos” written by Luis Gatmaitan. This story featured the struggles and a perspective of people with disabilities.