A Structuralist Reading of F. Sionil Jose’s “Hero” Essay Sample

Let me inquire you one inquiry. who here doesn’t know Batman. Superman. Spiderman or even Kick Ass? Most of us know them. right? They have fought with the Joker. Green Goblin. Lex Luther and Red Mist. Don’t you of all time notice that largely all the clip the scoundrels are the proud 1s that spreads to the universe that they have saved person? While the existent heroes wear masks. nesss and jump suits to forestall the populace from cognizing who they truly are and they keep their oral cavity shuts about something extraordinary they did.

Francisco Sionil Jose was born on Rosales. Pangasinan during December 3. 1924. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www. engr. uvic. ca/~art/afsj. hypertext markup language ) His novels and short narratives depict the societal underpinnings of category battles and colonialism in Filipino society. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/F. _Sionil_Jos % C3 % A9 ) In other words. he writes short narratives about unfairness and “Hero” is apparent of unfairness.

In this short narrative. Cornelio De Dios. a tragic hero who saved the state and was non had given any recognition or acknowledgment. “A tragic hero is a adult male of baronial stature. He is non an ordinary adult male. but a adult male with outstanding quality and illustriousness about him. His ain devastation is for a greater cause or rule. ” ( hypertext transfer protocol: //shakespeare. nuvvo. com/lesson/4435-elements-of-a-tragic-hero-in- literature ) The inquiry is. how is the archetypical tragic hero seen in F. Sionil Jose’s “Hero” ? In F. Sionil Jose’s “Hero” . the archetypical tragic hero is apparent through the binary resistances of wellness vs. illness and rich vs. hapless and through the struggle and puting seen in the text. This paper desires to accomplish the undermentioned ends at the terminal of this essay: a ) how the binary resistance of wellness vs. illness reveals the archetypical tragic hero ; B ) how the struggle reveals the archetypical tragic hero ; and c ) to discourse the characteristics and traits of the chief character that embody the archetypical tragic hero.

To accomplish these ends. there are two premises that will be used to review this narrative. The first 1 is New Criticism. this enables to research and dissect all the literary elements that were used in the narrative and how it signifies something or person. The 2nd is Structuralism. “it efforts to place the smallest meaningful units in a work and analyze their manners of combination with a position to understanding how significance is created instead than construing the existent significance conveyed by a peculiar text. ” ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www2. cnr. edu/home/bmcmanus/structuralism. hypertext markup language )

This narrative took topographic point during the Filipino-Japanese war and what happened after it. Cornelio De Dios. an ex-history instructor. a bodily. the chief character and the archetypical tragic hero who fought for peace and independency of the state. Lieutenant Andres Bravo. the platoon leader and alleged “Hero” is the 1 who is really full of himself and spreads to everyone that he is the 1 that saved the state from the encroachers.

“Yes. everything was go oning really fast. You were wounded. you know. You may lost a spot of your memory because of that but I remember everything…”

“Yes. Sir. ”
“I fought them. ” Andres Bravo said huskily. but there was no strength. no strong belief in his voice. ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 174 )

The scene of the text started in 36-B Wagas Street. This is where Cornelio De Dios lives. The front door of the house was ever unfastened because no 1 would desire to steal anything from at that place. There is nil illusion in this house and this is non a typical house that people would desire to populate in.

You peered into the cramped life room. nil at that place but a moth-eaten Calamus rotang sala set. a dining tabular array that listed. and beyond the dining tabular array. a vintage icebox that creaked. the corroding kerosine range and a few pots and pans. There was besides an old wall clock that no longer worked. ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 160 )

Another scene is in the Veterans infirmary where Cornelio De Dios goes for his check-up because there is some illness that is trouble oneselfing him since the war. There is no specific illness that has been stated because the physicians could non travel on farther trials due to insufficient financess.

In the terminal. the neuro-surgeon said to him blandly. professionally. that there would hold to be more intensive and expensive probes – possibly a computerized axia! Tomoraphy. intellectual angiography. and surveies in the intellectual blood flow. All this was patiently explained and with it. the decision that there was non much that could be done. non in his old age and without equal financess. . ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 175 )

The two scenes reveal Cornelio De Dios’ societal position and physical province and this is where the binary resistances of rich vs. hapless and wellness vs. illness is explored.

The first binary resistance that will be farther discussed in this paragraph is rich vs. hapless. Cornelio De Dios’ house is really apparent on how he lives his typical life and it shows that he does non populate a epicurean life. On the other manus. Lieutenant Andres Bravo is an industrialist. nationalist leader. victor of the decoration of Valor. guardian of Bataan and Corregidor. trading spouse of the Nipponese. president of the Nipponese – Philippine “Tayo – Tayo” association and hotel proprietor. By this word picture. it proves that Andres Bravo is rich and belongs to the upper category unlike Cornelio De Dios.

The 2nd binary resistance is wellness vs. illness. Cornelio De Dios suffered from a really serious unwellness and that is really apparent throughout the whole narrative because it ever states there how bad he is experiencing and he can non walk without crutches any longer.

In the twelvemonth before he retired. Cornelio De Dios could no longer walk without crutches. The Veterans Hospital could non make much ; the X raies showed no harm to his 1s. no arthritis either. but there was something awfully incorrect with him. ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 174 )

While Lieutenant Bravo was still healthy and he is still standing strong and he is besides deriving more and more accomplishments every individual twenty-four hours. The grounds of his ongoing accomplishments can be seen through the paragraph where the other binary resistance of rich vs. hapless is dissected farther.

The struggle of a adult male vs. society is really much evident because society can non accept the fact that a lower-class individual will be able to salvage the state but if it is an high-toned individual. it is ever credible because they easy gets carried off because of wealth. celebrity and power and that has became the chief job of the society.

Always. work forces had professed the loftiest of motivations merely as Bravo had flourished on his Bataan gallantry ; ever work forces had spoken in dulcet words. in phrases of honey and many heard believed. for who would non believe those who possess the authorization of high office? ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 175-176 )

Will they of all time consider the existent personality behind the characters? Everyone believed in Lieutenant Bravo because he has high authorization. Everyone thinks he is the existent hero and Jesus of the state even though he is non. This proves that society can be really judgemental and prejudice.

“And you are proud. Papa? You are sick. But the universe is sicker than you. And we can non conceal it any longer. The unwellness is for all to see. It is non malnutrition. although that is existent. In fact. it is in the bloated faces of those affluent and powerful. ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 179 )

He is an chesty person and he besides makes Cornelio De Dios look like a sap. Not merely did he distribute the intelligence about his heroic “deed” but he besides abused Cornelio De Dios’s girl.
“Papa. Andres Bravo is non merely a coward.
He is more than that. He seduced me. He started me on this. . ” ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 179 )

The overall subject of the narrative is justness. Cornelio De Dios put on the line his ain life merely to salvage the state to derive its independency and he is non inquiring for anything in return. He is besides willing to salvage the scoundrel despite how severely he treats him. This is the true definition of a hero.

“Bravo was no hero. It was I – It was I who stopped the Nipponese with the Garand. He was a lieutenant. and I was merely a bodily. He was witting. and I became unconscious. I saved his life. killed the Japanese who bayoneted him – I retrieve this. I wanted him to corroborate it. I want to state him that I knew. he was frozen at that place with fright when the minute came… he knew… I knew. and that’s all that affairs. although the remainder of the universe elected to believe otherwise. ( Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines. 1980. p. 178 )

The scene. struggle and binary resistances reveal the archetypical tragic hero. It is seen that even though how epic his forfeits are. he was still non recognized or credited because people in society can be fooled by people in official and the immediately believe that whatever the functionary says. it is the truth. Despite that circumstance. Cornelio De Dios did non kick nor cry by the juncture. Alternatively. he accepted every agony he is sing and he is still seeking to populate life in a positive manner.

The archetypical tragic hero is seen through the binary resistance of rich vs. hapless and sickness vs. wellness and the struggle and puting seen in the text. The archetypical tragic hero frequently suffers through a batch despite making a batch for something or person. The binary resistances shows his enduring throughout the whole narrative and how he handles them all. On the other manus. the struggle and scene shows more of his agonies and despite all of that. he still take to salvage the state instead than his ain public assistance. The chief ends of how the binary resistance of wellness vs. illness reveals the archetypical tragic hero. how the struggle reveals the archetypical tragic hero. and to discourse the characteristics and traits of the chief character that embody the archetypical tragic hero have been explored further in this paper. The undermentioned elements are apparent through the treatments made in the earlier paragraphs. The points and textual groundss help in dissecting the elements for this paper to be a successful literary review.

The subject of justness is depicted good and is really much evident as the narrative progresses. He choose peace over ain interest and that entirely. truly depicts justness and shows that he is a existent hero.

Bibliography:

I. Hero by F. Sionil Jose

II. hypertext transfer protocol: //www. engr. uvic. ca/~art/afsj. html hypertext transfer protocol: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/F. _Sionil_Jos % C3 % A9 hypertext transfer protocol: //shakespeare. nuvvo. com/lesson/4435-elements-of-a-tragic-hero-in-literature hypertext transfer protocol: //www2. cnr. edu/home/bmcmanus/structuralism. hypertext markup language

Waya-Waya and Other Short Narratives From the Philippines