Philippine Daily Inquirer Essay Example for Free

Philippine Daily Inquirer Essay SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan, Philippines For many of this town?s residents, Jose Rizal?s unforgettable fictional characters Sisa, Crispin and Basilio not only existed in his 19th century novel ?Noli Me Tangere,? they actually roamed the streets here. According to local lore, the bloodstains on a wall in the convent of the San Juan de Dios church were actually Crispin?s, Sisa?s youngest son whose disappearance and probable death caused her to lose her mind. The story, told and retold by the older townsfolk, goes like this: The head sacristan had Crispin whipped over some missing cash. The boy?s bloodied body was thrown into a well at the convent, never to be seen by his mother. This supposedly true-to-life account would be immortalized in Rizal?s ?Noli Me Tangere? published in Berlin in 1887. ?Noli Me Tangere? (Touch Me Not) and its sequel, ?El Filibusterismo? (The Reign of Greed), exposed the abuses of the Spanish friars and earned for Rizal the ire of the Spanish authorities. Rizal was executed on Dec. 30, 1896, and his two books are now required reading for Filipino high school and college students. Bloodstained walls Cory Valero-Vergel de Dios, 71, said she first heard the story from her parents and older relatives. Born in 1936, Vergel de Dios spent many summers offering flowers at the church, often playing at the convent after the traditional Flores de Mayo rituals. She said she and her playmates used to gaze at the bloodstained wall and wander near the well. ?The stains were red and clear,? Vergel de Dios said. Gigi Valderrama, who works at the municipal hall, said she heard the story from her mother, who is now in her 80s. She also heard the story from her grandmother, now deceased. ?It?s just a story,? said Valderrama, who is active in parish activities. Tina, a Manila-based professional in her 20s, heard the tale from her grandparents and described the account as ?vague and sketchy.? Tableau Nonetheless, the room in the convent where Crispin was supposedly tortured to death now has a tableau which has a mannequin resembling Rizal. The Rizal mannequin sits behind a desk, writing. He faces the well where Crispin?s body was supposedly dumped. In the Noli, Rizal described Crispin as ?a timid boy with large black eyes.? He and older brother Basilio were employed in the church as ?bell ringers? to help their mother Sisa. Their father was a man who liked going to cockfights and beat their mother. The boys? unhappy life turned worse when the head sacristan accused Crispin of stealing ?two ounces? which was then equivalent to P32. On the day the loss was discovered, Crispin was not allowed to leave the convent, while Basilio was allowed to leave only after 10 p.m., which was past the 9 p.m. curfew. Last time Crispin begged Basilio not to leave him because, he said, ?they?re going to kill me.? The head sacristan dragged Crispin down the stairs from the bell tower and into the shadows. That was the last time Basilio saw his kid brother. Leaving the convent past curfew, Basilio was met by the guardia civil (the police then) who fired shots. A bullet grazed Basilio?s head. Though bleeding from a head wound, he managed to go home to his mother that night. This is the background to the heartbreaking scene of the madwoman Sisa, who wandered the streets, looking for her sons Crispin and Basilio. Some San Rafaeleà ±os believe this scene actually happened here during the Spanish colonial era. Catholic town Founded as a Spanish settlement in 1750, San Rafael is a deeply Catholic town. Residents make sure they get married in the same church where they were christened. When church bells peal at 6 p.m., residents pause to say the Angelus. Located some 150 kilometers north of Manila, the town is accessible via narrow, badly paved roads. According to the 2000 annual census, San Rafael has a population of 169,776 with 14,659 households. Msgr. Filemon Capiral said the town has a rich heritage. ?The residents, although most have gone abroad, are helping preserve the heritage,? he said. Four years ago, Fr. Dennis Espejo, who was then the parish priest, organized the Committee on the Cultural Heritage of San Rafael. Little-known history Espejo raised funds from residents who made good here and abroad and established a museum. The museum, located on the second floor of the convent, showcases a collection of religious icons and vestments, antique furniture and furnishings. The room with the bloodstained wall is part of the museum. There is a not so well-known historical fact about the San Juan de Dios Church. It was the site of one of the bloodiest battles between the Katipuneros and the Spanish troops. According to the church?s historical marker, Katipuneros led by Gen. Anacleto Enriquez and Spanish troops under Lt. Col. Lopez Arteaga fought fiercely at the site. When the smoke cleared, an estimated 800 men were dead, among them the 20-year-old Enriquez, who was a good friend of another Bulakeà ±o, the boy general, Gregorio del Pilar.

Lord Of The Flies - Symbolism :: essays research papers

In the book, Lord of the Flies, the author frequently uses symbolism. Symbolism-n 1: the art or practice of using symbols esp. by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations. In other words, discussing or explaining a broader, more general topic by linking it symbolically with a specific event in a literary work. The superb use of symbolism in the book is one of the contributing factors to the profoundness of Lord of the Flies. This book is peppered with examples of symbolism, but the ones that stand out the most are: The breaking of Piggy’s spectacles, the representation of the littluns and Jack as the "people" and the government, and Simon’s conversation with the Lord of the Flies. The breaking of Piggy’s spectacles meant much more than the mere marring of a pair of glasses. ‘Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy’s head. Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks.’ "One side’s broken." This is somewhat of a turning point in the book. The breaking of Piggy’s spectacles symbolizes a mark at which rational influence decays as the story progresses. To better understand this, you must first know that Piggy himself is symbolized a grown-up figure, with intelligence and common sense. Looking back on the story, one can begin to realize how true this is. After Piggy’s glasses are broken, the fabric that holds the island society together begins to dissolve and everything goes awry. This discussion is perhaps the single most important part of the story, and may also be the most difficult part to understand. Another subtle, but important symbolization is the representation of the littluns as the "people", and Jack as the government. By using this symbolization, the author tries to express what he feels is wrong with modern government. This symbolization is shown in the book by a statement made by Jack. "What about the littluns?" "Sucks to the littluns!" "Somebody has to look after them" "Nobody has so far." By this, the author makes reference to the government (Jack), and how government officials disregard it’s "people" (littluns). The most deeply symbolic event in the book, is Simon’s discussion with the pig’s head, or the Lord of the Flies. "-and his gaze was held by that ancient, inescapable recognition. This statement is crucial to understanding the theme of Lord of the Flies.

Explain Why Khrushchev Ordered the Building of the Berlin Wall in 1961

Explain why Khrushchev ordered the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. There were several reasons why Khrushchev built the Berlin Wall in 1961, the first of which was the economic effects of free movement in between West and East Berlin. Since the division of the city, East Germans had been able, with enough money, to leave the GDR through Berlin which was described as a â€Å"gap in the Iron Curtain†. Between 1949 and 1961 in fact, up to 4 million had fled to the Western Germany, around 20,000 per month by 1960.Most of these were skilled workers, educated professionals and scientists attracted to the wealth and prosperity of the west as well as dissatisfied with the political conditions at home. This greatly affected the economic potential of the GDR with a reduction in productivity as well as less people to tax for income. This mass migration not only hurt the USSR economically, but politically as well. The Soviets had always prided itself to the world and used propaganda t o depict the union as a â€Å"worker’s paradise†, superior to the capitalist West in every way.This was helped by the recent advances in technology including the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1959 quickly followed up by the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, in 1960, making Western technology seem left behind and outdated. As a result, the migration seemed to contradict the happy nature which the Soviets claimed existed, undermining the image of a prosperous East in the process. Another reason the wall was built was because of the belief that the West would do nothing to prevent it anyway. This was believed mainly as a result of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956.The US had failed to respond to calls of help from the Hungarians when the USSR re-invaded the country mainly for fear of war, only condemning it through the UN. Also, the fact that Allied rights to enter West Berlin hadn’t been encroached due to the wall not going the whole of th e city meant that the West were not in any valid position to argue against its building. Also, diplomats and military personnel could still get through to East Berlin for any needed negotiations. The building of the wall was also a purposeful show of power from the USSR trying to show that they are indeed the stronger of the two nations.This was particularly because of the U-2 incident in May of 1960, when the USSR shot down an American spy plane. Despite demands from the Soviets, President Eisenhower never apologized for the incident. This directly led to Khrushchev walking out of the Paris Summit, straining even relations further. Not only that, Khrushchev was also annoyed by the new President Kennedy’s attitude at the Vienna Summit meeting in June of 1961, with Kennedy not wanting to talk Berlin during entire Summit. Khrushchev also felt he could â€Å"bully† Kennedy due to his inexperience, having been much younger than him.This belief was particularly backed up by the huge failure of the ‘Bay of Pigs’ invasion of Cuba for the US, in which Kennedy had failed to provide adequate air support for the uprising. In summary, Khrushchev’s ambition to rid Berlin of Western Influence was a result of West Berlin’s position as a shining example of the advantages of capitalism deep within Soviet-controlled territory. The wall would solve many of these concerns such as preventing East German citizens from fleeing to the West and was perfect in trying to show that they were more powerful than the West.

Essay on Self-Actualization and Self-Discovery - 752 Words

When someone is brought into this world, they have no sense of who they are. When a baby is born, that baby knows nothing except for the fact that they are there and they are surrounded by people who love and care for them. In the womb, each and every individual is just a bundle of physical creation, but the very second we are born it is our job to find out who we are. Life is described by some to be an epic journey of self-discovery and actualization, and that’s exactly what it is. Self-actualization is the term used to describe how individuals go their whole lives trying to reach their full potential. Now, what does this mean to an individual? Being self-actualized means that an individual knows who they are and what they want and what†¦show more content†¦With this resource it is easy to see that becoming self-actualized is a difficult task, but one that can be done and one that will make for a happier individual. Before one can become self-actualized, they have to first meet other needs. The first needs to be met are the most basic needs of human nature like being able to have food, water, and shelter. These needs are at the bottom of the hierarchy because these are the easiest needs to meet. The next set of needs are those of safety; an individual cannot go on without knowing that they are living a stable life free from fear. If it is known that life is safe and comfortable, then social needs can be met. Without friends and family and someone to take care of us and make us feel good, we can’t progress to the next stage of life. After these external needs are met, it is time to move to internal needs. These include esteem needs in which a person gains independence and is able to be their own person. This is the last hierarchy before self-actualization, and many say that these last two sections are very similar to each other, but self-actualization needs its own category. Without meeting all of these needs first, it is impossible to be come a self-actualized individual. So, what happens when every need is met, and it is time to become self-actualized? This is where an individual must step outside of their comfort zone and live life like a child in a way. The most common problemShow MoreRelatedThe Concept Of Self Actualization878 Words   |  4 PagesThe concept of self-actualization, as discussed in the assigned article, is, at its core, a tool through which individuals achieve well-being by reaching their fully-functioning human potential. (Deci, Ryan, Guay, 2013). 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