Galing, Rad Alem D.

July 25, 2019

College Four – Class of St. Benedict of Nursia Philippine Literature
The God Stealer
by Francisco Sionil Jose
I. About the author
Francisco Sionil Jose was born to a poor family in Pangasinan on December 1924. Despite hailing from
poverty, he is a National Artist for Literature and is one of the most famous Filipino writers, not just locally but
also internationally. He has travelled abroad extensively and has experienced wars and great political and
economic shifts in his lifetime. F. Sionil José’s novels, short stories and non-fiction works highlight the social
underpinnings, class struggles and colonial history of Filipino society.
Recognitions of José’s literary works and his influence on the Philippines and Asia include the Ramon
Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Arts (1980), Philippine National Artist (2001), and
the Pablo Neruda Centennial Award (2004), and Officer in the French Order of Arts and Letters (2014).
Now in his nineties, he continues to be a prolific writer and relentless voice against social injustice and
national amnesia. Almost daily, he still climbs the three flights of steps to his writing alcove at the Solidaridad
Bookshop in Manila.   
II. Setting and Atmosphere
 The story happened few years after the World War II in a place near the Banaue Rice Terraces in
Ifugao
 The story projects an ethnic-provincial atmosphere.
III. Characters
1. Philip Latak – also known as Ip-pig, a 26 year old Ifugao who lived in Manila for four years. By
becoming a city dweller, Philip became less sentimental with his cultural indentity, beliefs and customs. His
name was derived from the word Philippines.
2. Sam Christie – a 28 year old American who wanted to see the rice terraces of the Mountain
province. He was also interested in purchasing an original figure of an Ifugao god. His name was derived from
Uncle Sam, a representation of the United States. Philip and Sam were officemates.
3. Sadek – Philip’s brother. He embraces his culture.
4. Grandfather – Philip’s grandfather. He symbolizes time, the old days, past stories.
IV. Summary
The story begins with two officemates, Philip Latak and Sam Christie, riding a bus going to Baguio.
Philip (Ip-pig) now lives in Manila against the wishes of his immediate family, particularly his
grandfather who intended to bequeath to Philip his share of the famous rice terraces.
From Baguio, Philip and Sam rode another bus going to Ifugao. They went there for one purpose: Sam
wants to buy a genuine Ifugao god as a souvenir and Philip was to help him find an authentic one through his
local connections.
Philip considers himself a city boy and has no inclination to return to mountain life. Despite this attitude,
his grandfather is pleased to see him and decides to throw a big party in his honor. On the day of the party, Sam
and Philip realized that no Ifugao is willing to sell his god. And as a last resort, Philip offers to steal the god of
his grandfather because he feels it would be his way of showing his gratitude to Sam for giving him a raise at
work. The consequence of this act are severe.
The next day, his grandfather died because he discovered that his god was stolen. Sadek also informs
Sam that Philip will no longer be going back to Manila. Curious, Sam looks for Philip and found him working
in his grandfather’s house.
Philip poignantly explains his reasons for choosing to stay in the mountains:
“I could forgive myself for having stolen it. But the old man – he had always been wise, Sam. He knew that it
was I who did it from the very start. He wanted so much to believe that it wasn’t I. But he couldn’t pretend –
and neither can I. I killed him, Sam. I killed him because I wanted to be free from these. These cursed terraces.
Because I wanted to be grateful. I killed him who loved me most…” a faltering and stifled sob.
(MOMENT OF ILLUMINATION)
In the dark hut, Sam noticed that Philip is now attired in G-string, the traditional costume of the Ifugao.
Furthermore, Philip is busy carving a new god to replace the old one which Sam will take to America as a
souvenir.
V. Conflict
 External Conflict:
1. Man vs Man (Philip vs Sam; Philip vs Sadek; Philip vs his grandfather)
2. Man vs Custom (Philip vs his Ifugao culture)
VI. Point of View
 Third person omniscient
VII. Theme
 Colonialism has adverse effects in our society
1. Fragmentary Filipino identity
2. Filipino’s attitude of reciprocity (utang na loob) has been bastardized.
VIII. Reflection
It is very significant that Philip steals the god for Sam out of gratitude. Thus, it is the Filipino who gave
up his most precious symbol of his past traditions to the Americans as an expression of gratitude. And by giving
up this symbol away, the Filipino murders his own roots. At one point in our history, colonialism brought to
Filipinos a state of confusion, troubled emotions, helplessness, torment, embarrassment, and the inability to
embrace the past.