Dogeaters
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| Dogeaters | |
| Author | Jessica Hagedorn |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Stephanie Bart-Horvath |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books |
| Publication date | March 1990 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 251 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 978-0394574981 (first edition, hardback) |
Dogeaters is a fictional novel written by Jessica Hagedorn and published in 1990. Hagedorn also adapted her novel into a play by the same name [1]. Hagedorn's mixed ethnic background, with a Scots-Irish-French-Filipino mother and a Filipino-Spanish father, allows her to have a unique point of view of her homeland. Dogeaters addresses several social, political and cultural issues present in the Philippines during the 1950s.
[edit] Plot introduction
Dogeaters, written by Jessica Hagedorn, is set in the late 1950’s in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. A dictator rules the country, however, leftists are challenging his authority and his actions, resulting in great turmoil and violence. The story is told from the perspectives of a variety of characters, all of who are interconnected in this Filipino society.
[edit] Explanation of the novel's title
The title of Jessica Hadegorn’s novel is a common derogatory term referring to Filipino natives who supposedly eat dogs instead of pork or chicken. The term shows the attitude toward Filipino culture and society, as well as their attempt to move towards a more Westernized society. The title Dogeaters also accurately portrays the characters’ dreams of removing themselves from poverty and their hopes of living a glamorous life in the United States. Within the novel, there are references to slaughtering of dogs to illustrate the undeniable poverty and corruption in the country.
[edit] Point of View/Narration
Dogeaters is first told from the first person point of view of Rio Gonzaga, a precocious young girl who gives insight into her extensive family and the role of women in Filipino society. The novel is later narrated by Joey Sands, a male prostitute who gives a cynical glimpse into the homosexual underground in Manila. The novel also illustrates the intimate relationship between Trinidad and Romeo, the extramarital relationship between Lolita Luna and General Ledesma, and the marriage between General Ledesma and Leonor. The author reveals details about the Alacran and Avila families through an anonymous third person narrator.
[edit] Literary Form
Dogeaters has a unique form. The novel is divided into two parts which begin with an excerpt from the novel “The Philippines” and a poem by Jose Rizal, respectively. The first part is called “Coconut Palace” and the second is called “The Song of the Bullets”. Within each of these parts there are several smaller sections. Although most of these sections contain actual plot, some of them are articles from the fictional newspapers “Metro Manila Daily” and “Celebrity Pinoy”, as well as past dialogues between characters and letters written by characters. These sections also contain an excerpt from a speech by President William McKinley, as well as an article from the Associated Press. This literary form allows the author to use both fictional and authentic outside sources to create an appropriate context for the novel.
[edit] Plot summary
Dogeaters follows the stories of several characters in the Philippines, including members of the Alacran, Avila and Gonzaga families. It also delves into the lives of the working class, including a waiter, a club DJ and a store clerk. The book begins with lengthy introductions and character descriptions. Rio Gonzaga plays the role of narrator for her family and the author introduces other important characters, such as the wealthy Severo Alacran, and his wife Isabel through a third person narrator. However, the author also contrasts the upper-class lives of the Gonzagas and Alacrans with poorer characters, providing an accurate portrayal of the disparity amongst the different classes in Filipino society. Another narrator is Joey Sands, a local DJ at a gay club and a male prostitute, who offers a cynical glance at the homosexual social circles in Manila, as well as his personal experiences as a prostitute with wealthy foreigners. The author also explores the relationship between Romeo Rosales and Trinidad Gamboa. Romeo is determined to become an actor, which demonstrates the way in which Filipinos idolize celebrities and actors. The author also shows that despite the beliefs of many Filipinos, the lives of actresses such as Lolita Luna are anything but glamorous, but are rather a spiraling trap of drugs and sexual exploitation by powerful men.
The novel intertwines these characters and stories through a series of events, including the “Young Miss Philippines” annual pageant, the Manila International Film Festival, and the assassination of human rights activist Senator Domingo Avila. Daisy Avila, the Senator’s daughter, wins the beauty pageant, but instead of rejoicing in her victory, she becomes depressed and withdraws into her family home. She later publicly denounces the pageant, enters into a tumultuous relationship with foreign banker Malcolm Webb and then gets involved with political leftist Santos Tirador.
Meanwhile, the Manila International Film Festival, a project spearheaded by the First Lady of the Philippines, brings about superficial changes to Manila, including the construction of a cultural center and attempts to improve the slums. During the construction, one of the structures collapses, and kills many of the Filipino workers. Despite a brief mass, the First Lady orders cement to be poured over the bodies and the continuation of construction. Rainer, a German director, is in Manila for the Festival, and ends up in CocoRico, where he meets Joey. Despite the advances of actress Lolita Luna, Rainer takes Joey back to the house the government has provided for his stay in Manila and convinces Joey to stay with him for the rest of the week. The novel then skips forward to the day that Rainer leaves Manila. While Joey and the German are having breakfast at the Intercontinental Hotel, Joey steals money and drugs from the German, and as he is leaving the hotel, he is a witness to the assassination of Senator Domingo Avila, a political and human rights activist.
Soon after, Romeo is on his way to meet Trinidad, determined to break up with her. However, in a cruel twist of events amidst chaos in the streets, the innocent Romeo is shot, and taken into custody by the police as a suspect in the assassination of Senator Avila.
The novel next provides insight into the relationship between Lolita Luna and General Ledesma. Despite the fact that Lolita wants to leave Manila forever, and begs the General to help her leave, he refuses and she resorts to the other option of being sexually exploited in pornographic films in order to earn the money to leave the country. She insinuates that everyone knows that he was involved in the killing of Senator Avila, and that this is partially the reason why she wants to leave the Philippine; she believes that her life is in danger because she is the General’s mistress.
Pepe Carreon then reveals in conversation with Boomboom Alacran, Tito Alvarez and other characters that a man has confessed to a crime, insinuating that it is Romeo who has been forced to falsely confess that he assassinated Senator Avila.
The novel then returns to Joey, who is fleeing from the scene of the assassination. He hides out in Uncle’s shack, and while doing drugs, makes the mistake of telling the old man what he has witnessed. He also reveals key details about the assassin. Uncle leaves him the next morning to meet with Sergeant Isidro Planas and betray Joey to the authorities. He asks Isidro to pass along the message that he has vital information about the Senator’s assassination. Meanwhile, Joey wakes up and realizes that Uncle has purposely tied his dog up outside the shack to prevent Joey from escaping. In return for Uncle’s betrayal, Joey kills his precious dog then escapes to Boy-Boy’s house.
As a result of her relationship with Santos, a pregnant Daisy is arrested, raped and tortured by General Ledesma and his military men at Camp Meditation, a military complex.
The First Lady is interviewed by an American, through which it is revealed that “Orlando Rosales” has been arrested for the assassination of Senator Avila. The entire interview is filled with lies and false information. She says that he was in possession of the same gun that killed the Senator, which shows that someone framed him. The American reporter also asks her about the capture of Daisy, on which she does not comment. She also denies that the Philippines are a corrupt regime ruled by a dictator, and states that the opposition falsely invents human rights issues. She also states that the leftists double-crossed Senator Avila and they were the ones who executed him.
Boy-boy arranges for Joey to escape to a refugee camp in the mountains, where he meets Daisy, under the pseudonym Aurora, who is also a refugee hiding from the government. She has been released from Camp Meditation under the condition that she remain in permanent exile, however, she has returned to the Philippines. The novel also reveals that her child with Santos Tirador was born prematurely, and died, presumably as a result of Daisy’s torture.
Rio then narrates the rest of the story, explaining the life stories of her family members. She describes the marriages of her brother and cousin Pucha, and states that her mother left her father and took her to America. She often visits Manila, mostly to see Lola Narcisa, but returns to America. Rio never marries.
The author also inserts two last sections, one of which is narrated by Pucha, and contradicts many things that have been previously stated during the novel by Rio. She says that Rio has lied about many things. She states that their grandparents are still alive, and are living in Spain, but rather that Lola Narcisa is dead. Pucha also states that Rio’s parents are still together and married. This section causes the reader to have some doubts about the validity of Rio’s accounts, and the reliability of Rio as a narrator. The final section of the novel is a cynical version of a prayer, which highlights political and social issues discussed during the novel.
[edit] Characters in Dogeaters
[edit] Major Characters
Rio Gonzaga
Rio, the first narrative voice in the novel, sets the tone for the entire book. In the beginning, she reveals her thoughts and fantasies as a ten-year-old girl. While Rio belongs to the high class, she is unpretentious and has compassion for the lower class. Consequently, she enjoys the company of her grandmother and all the servants. Later, Rio leaves from Manila to the United States with her mother and only revisits her childhood home as an adult. Upon returning to her old home in Mandaluyoung, she is nostalgic of the old times.
Pucha
Pucha, Rio’s cousin, enjoys being the center of attention and grabbing boys’ attention. She craves the glamorous life at a young age and desires to be on top of the social ladder. Years late, Pucha marries a wealthy man with good connections- Boomboom Alacran. The marriage, however, barely lasts a year. Even though Pucha gets a divorce, she keeps the last name of Alacran.
Severo Alacran
Severo Alacran is like the Donald Trump of Manila. He is a self-made man who owns big corporations such as TruCola Soft Drinks, SPORTEX, and controls interests in Mabuhay Movie Studios. Even though he is married to a beauty queen, he has many mistresses including Lolita Luna and sleeps with many of his servants.
Isabel Alacran
Isabel is the wife of Severo Alacran. Her exceptional beauty is her biggest asset. She meets Severo at a social party and marries him out of self-interest. As the wife of Severo, she enjoys her new social status and the pampering that accompanies it.
Rosario Alacran
Rosario, nicknamed Baby, is the daughter of Severo and Isabel Alacran. Unlike her mother, she does not possess feline allure. She is plump, shy, and awkward. Baby must shower three times a day since she sweats uncontrollably. At 17, she meets Pepe Carreon and falls in love with the way he talks to her. She soon gets pregnant and elopes with Pepe. Despite the disapproval of Baby’s mother, Pepe and Baby get married in order to avoid scandal.
Daisy Avila
Daisy Avila, the Senator’s daughter is a beauty pageant queen. After winning the title of Miss Philippines, she becomes depressed. She later publicly denounces the pageant and becomes involved with political leftist Santos Tirador. Consequently, Daisy is arrested, raped and tortured by General Ledesma and his military men. She later becomes a refugee in the mountains.
Joey Sands
Joey is a gay prostitute who works as a DJ at CocoRico. He is the paid escort for several steady clients, including a famous German director. Later, Joey decides to end his relationship with the German director without a formal good-bye and by stealing his wallet and cocaine. After fleeing from his former lover, he witnesses the assassination of the Senator. Consequently, he hides out at Uncle's shack and eventually has help from Boy-Boy to escape the law.
Uncle
After Joey’s prostitute mother abandons him, Uncle adopts Joey as his own son. Even though Joey has a fatherly figure, he is not a man of good morals. Instead of teaching Joey the rewards of working hard, Uncle teaches him the art of stealing. Later, he betrays Joey by attempting to sell him out to the authorities.
Orlando (Romeo) Rosales
Orlando, known as Romeo, is Trinidad’s lover. He is a self-absorbed man, who believes his beauty will grant him fame. In attempt of pursuing an acting career, he decides one day to end his amorous relationship with Trinidad. On that day, he is mistaken for someone in a group of subversives based in the Cordilleras. Orlando is fatally shot and thus becomes part of the aftermath of the Senator’s assassination.
[edit] Minor Characters
Andres Alacran
Andres is the homosexual owner of CocoRico, a prestige bar that attracts many foreigners and famous people. As a member of a high-class family, he makes sure everyone remember he is an Alacran. He is old-fashioned and arrogant.
Boy Boy
Boy Boy is an orphan taken in by Uncle. During the assassination scandal, Boy Boy helps Joey escape from Uncle and arrest by the police. His good nature is shown through this act of kindness.
Sergeant Planas
The Sergeant works for Pepe Carreon and is Uncle's contact in the government. He has dealt with Uncle before, and Uncle goes to him when Joey is hiding out in his shack, asking the Sergeant to pass along a message to Pepe that Uncle has confidential information regarding national security.
The President and The First Lady
Both characters are intentionally only mentioned by their positions and never given specific names. Although the powerful couple has minor roles, they portray the corruption of the government. The characters are also illustrated to show how they live in luxuries, while the rest of the country suffers from poverty
General Ledesma
The General is a powerful figure who cheats on his wife with the famous movie star Lolita Luna. He pays for her house, clothes, and other amenities, but also controls her. During the scandal of Senator Avila's assassination, he is involved in the arrest and interrogation of Miss Philippines, Daisy Avila. His actions show the corruption of politics.
Lolita Luna
Lolita is a famous movie star known for her sexuality and magnificent body. She uses her fame to manipulate powerful men like General Ledesma. Even though she is considered wealthy and part of the upper class, she wishes to leave the Philippines for the United States in order to get "more shoes and more drugs" (177).
Pepe Carreon
Pepe is a twenty-seven year old man who works with General Ledesma. He later becomes Baby’s husband. Baby’s mother never approves of Pepe because of his army career, and his inherent ugliness. His presence during Daisy's interrogation links him to the political controversy involving Senator Avila's assassination.
Rainer
Rainer, the famous German director, is a foreigner fascinated by gay pornography and the simple life of Filipinos. He has a short relationship with Joey and gains Joey’s love by flaunting his BMW and luxurious lifestyle.
Senator Domingo Avila
Domingo is a politician in Manila. He is a human rights activist who is labeled a leftist by the government. His assassination becomes a great mystery since it is unclear who shot him.
Trinidad Gamboa
Trinidad is a twenty-eight year old woman who is attracted by Romeo’s beauty. She conquers Romeo on the first night by buying his love. Trinidad is a sales associate at SPORTEX who enjoys being associated with the prestigious and wealthy.
Cora Camacho
Cora is like the Barbara Walters of the Philippines. Her talk show is very popular and touches its audience. She interviews important figures such as Severo Alacran and Daisy Avila.
Important Feature
- Jessica Hagedorn includes a broad range of characters for an important purpose. The short descriptions of many characters show the relationship between high-class characters and low-class characters. Perhaps more importantly, through many characters, Hagedorn demonstrates the connections and relationships between each other.*
[edit] Major themes
Dictatorship vs. Anarchy
One theme that the author addresses in the novel is the clash between dictatorship and anarchy. The President and the First Lady have a foreboding presence throughout the novel and they are never referred by their names, but only by their titles. Another example of the clash between these two ideals is the human rights march led by Senator Domingo Avila in the beginning of the novel (98). The Senator is a human rights activist who protests because of “crimes against the people” and is labeled a “leftist” by the government (99). Later in the novel, the government assassinates the leftist opposition leader. As a result, Romeo, an innocent young man, is framed and forced to lie and confess to a crime that he did not commit (182). This is a demonstration of the oppression of the Filipino people by the government. The author juxtaposes these events with an interview with the First Lady, who lies, denying that the Filipino government is a dictatorship (220).
Marriage
Another theme illustrated in Dogeaters is the achievement of high social standing for Filipino women through marriage. Hagedorn presents several female characters whose main motivation to marry is for financial security and improvement of their place in society. For example, Isabel Alacran was a hostess at a nightclub, but after winning a beauty contest, she becomes a star (20). She meets Severo Alacran at a party when they are both drunk, but she later realizes that he is an extremely powerful and wealthy man, and they marry. The author makes a point to emphasize that Isabel is a social asset to her husband, and in return, he pays for her shopping trips and travels. She no longer acts, but her main job in life is to always appear flawless and polished. Pucha also exhibits this mindset for women. From an early age she learns to overlook minor flaws if a potential romantic interest is of high social standing and comes from a wealthy family. For example, she states, "That's Boomboom Alacran, stupid. He's good enough for me (6)." She ends up marrying Boomboom Alacran, and despite the fact that they get divorced, she keeps his last name.
Beauty
Another theme evident in Dogeaters is the importance of beauty for men and women. The novel shows how beauty can be used to manipulate others. For example, Rio’s mother Dolores follows a strict beauty regimen and uses various products and services in order to remain youthful (82). She also employs a personal dressmaker, Panchito, and a personal manicurist, Salvador (80). She warns her daughter and her niece about the dangers of old age and ugliness, thus imparting these same beliefs onto the younger generations in the novel. The idea of beauty is also epitomized in Joey, who uses his exotic looks to infatuate customers and procure money, gifts and drugs from them.
Religion
Religion seems to be an underlying theme in Dogeaters. The extent of religious piety varies with each individual in this Filipino society, but a few key characters are described as extremely religious. For example, General Ledesma’s wife, Leonor, exhibits a monastic lifestyle, with much fasting and prayer, and strives for sainthood (68). Another character that is described as being extremely religious is Rio’s paternal grandmother, Soccoro Gonzaga. Rio says that “she prays before eating, after eating and when there is a lull in the conversation and she forgets we are all there (92).” Actions such as crossing herself, and objects such as a glow in the dark rosary are associated with Socorro. Religion runs so deep, especially in the Gonzaga family, that even when Rio's grandfather, an avowed atheist, is dying, the family priest is called (17). Although Rio does not directly address the role of religion in her life during the novel, in the end she states that her “belief in God remains tentative” (247) and that she “long ago stopped going to church" (247). This conclusion insinuates the importance of religion in Filipino society, and that through Rio’s immigration and consequent Americanization, she has lost touch with this aspect of her native culture.
American Influence
A prevalent theme in the novel is the effect of American influence. From the beginning of the novel, the author shows the bombardment of the media. Through American movies and music young characters such as Rio and Pucha begin to desire American glamour and its brash style. For example, the media invokes in young girls the desire for curly hair like Shirley Temple. Through different outlets of the media, Filipinos learn to imitate the glamour of American lives. The importance of the media is also illustrated when the first lady states in an interview, “What would life be without movies?” (224). Clearly, Filipinos embrace American influence and admire the culture. Americanization is not only portrayed through the media, but also through the appearance of American products that state, “Made in de USA” (234). By mentioning the desire for American products such as “Jiffy Peanut Butter”, “Kraft Mayonnaise” and “TruCola”, the author shows the emphasis Filipinos place on becoming an American-like country.
Role of Women
Within Dogeaters women are divided into two main groups: beauty and intellects. Women are either preoccupied with beauty and climbing the social ladder or are more concerned with their education and the arts. This division shows the expectations society places on women. According to the novel, women are supposed to put marriage as a top priority. However, not everyone follows these social expectations. For example, Daisy Avila’s cousin chooses to paint “miniature landscapes of bright yellow demons with giant erect penises hovering over sleeping women” in order to release her frustration with the role of women (113). Also, Daisy Avila's mother, a professor at the University of the Philippines, protests her daughter's involvement and victory at the "Miss Philippines Beauty Pageant" (102). It is clear only a few women are not influenced by Hollywood dreams.
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is a strong undertone of the novel. The novel’s gay pornography and sexual acts can be interpreted as society’s acceptance of homosexuals. For example, women of high social standing consort with homosexual men for fashion and hair advice. In addition, society accepts young homosexual men “lathering their bodies with soap” by paying to watch such kinky acts (141). An interview with the First Lady also states that she believes her homosexual constituents to be loyal to her regime (217). The recurring images of homosexuality and people of different social standings show that people of all classes associate with gay men.
[edit] Literary significance and reception
When the novel Dogeaters was first published in 1990, the New York Times reviewed it, and said that it was written with "wit and originality" [2]Another critique shows the belief that the novel is based on Filipino nationalism. Rachel Lee, who holds a PhD from UCLA, states that Jessica Hagedorn's Dogeaters “illustrate[s] the transnational legacy of the United States imperialist practices [3].” The San Diego Union stated, "Hagedorn transcends social strata, gender, culture, and politics in this exuberant, witty, and telling portrait of Philippine society" [4]
[edit] Allusions and references
[edit] Allusions to other works
The author uses excerpts from other books, poems and speeches within the novel itself or to signify the start of a new section of the novel.
“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte (13)
“The Philippines” by Jean Mallat (1, 41, 117, 210)
Poetry by Jose Rizal (119)
[edit] Allusions to actual history, geography and current science
The majority of allusions in Dogeaters are to fictional characters, however, some references are made to actual people and places.
A section of the novel presents President William McKinleys “Address to a Delegation of Methodist Churchmen” (71), which provides a stereotypical American view of the Filipino people.
The setting of the novel is in Manila, the actual capital of the Philippines. Also, the first part of the novel is called "Coconut Palace", which refers to an actual palace in Manila that First Lady Imelda Marcos ordered to be built in honor of Pope John Paul II's visit to the Philippines.
During the novel, the names of the President and the First Lady are never explicitly mentioned, however, there are several insinuations that they are in fact Ferdinand Edralin Marcos and his wife, Imelda Romualdez Marcos. For example, in the novel the First Lady orders a "cultural center (130) to be built. This can be interpreted as a direct reference to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which was commissioned by Ferdinand Marcos. In an interview in last part of the book, the First Lady discusses her shoes, which can be interpreted as a direct reference to Imelda Marcos' extensive shoe collection [5]. However, this is not the only possible interpretation, because the setting of the novel is in the late 1950's, and Ferdinand Marcos did not become President of the Philippines until 1956 [6].
[edit] Awards and nominations
Dogeaters won an American Book Award in 1990 and was nominated for the National Book Award in 1991 [7].
[edit] Film, TV, or theatrical adaptations
The novel refers to the following characters/major films:
All That Heaven Allows (3), A Place in the Sun (15) , Bundle of Joy, Jailhouse Rock (15) , Florante at Laura by Balagtas , Rebel Without a Cause (51), The Agony of Love and The Ten Commandments
The novel also refers to the following iconic figures in order to reveal the emphasis Filipinos place on American glamour:
-
Actor/Actress Page Number Shirley Temple page 88 Barbara Streisand page 76 Anita Ekberg page 87 Rita Hayworth pages 79 and 87 Audrey Hepburn page 237 Elizabeth Taylor pages 15 and 17 Elvis Presley page 222 Sal Mineo page 51
Theatrical Adaptation:
In 1997, Jessica Hagedorn transformed her book into a play. The play was developed in Utah and first premiered in La Jolla, California on September 8, 1998 [8].
[edit] Publication history
- 1990, USA, Pantheon Books (ISBN 0394574982), Pub date ? March 1990, hardcover (First edition)
- 1991, USA, Penguin Books (ISBN 014014904X), Pub date ? June 1991, paperback
[edit] Sources, references, external links, quotations
1. http://www.amazon.com/Dogeaters-About-Philippines-Adapted-Novel/dp/1559362154
3. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=741060151&Fmt=7&clientId=1564&RQT=309&VName=PQD
4. http://ppi-pwf.texterity.com/ppi/womenstudies2007/?pg=27
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imelda_Marcos
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Marcos
8. http://www.amazon.com/Dogeaters-About-Philippines-Adapted-Novel/dp/1559362154
