CHAPTER 3 & 4

GROUP 2 - ARC41&42
Mateo • Ordoñez • San Jose • Tingzon • Valera • Villanueva• Vidal • Wong • Zabihi
CHAPTER 3
IMPORTANT Crispin Salvador
CHARACTERS The author of the controversial
manuscript "The Bridges Are on
Fire."
2002: Found "dead" in the
Hudson River.
The pupil of Miguel Syujuco
Miguel Syjuco
Has the same similarities as his
mentor, Crispin Salvador
Went to the Philippines to
investigate the death of C.S. and
the location of the TBA
manuscript.
Lena Salvador
The sibling of Crispin Salvador
In this chapter, Miguel interviews
her about how she criticizes
Crispin's autobiography for
misrepresenting the Salvador
family.
Senator Nuredin Basamoro
One of the politicians depicted at the
beginning of Chapter 3 was accused of
involvement in bombings and Abu
Sayaf operation attacks.
PLOT
Miguel reflects on his childhood and adolescence in first-person narration set within fragments
from Crispin's works of fiction. Crispin grew up in a political environment. He was the golden child,
the nation's future leader, according to legend. Junior became his parents' reconciliation child
after his mother, Leonora, threatened to leave with the children. They came back to the
Philippines following the EDSA Revolution. According to Kapatid from Kaputol, Gardener informed
Dulce of the balete. You'll be caught in its web. Marcelo, Grape's younger brother, died of rectal
cancer. During Grapes' funeral, Migs' esteem for him began to wane. Migs had never handled a
dead body before. And Crispin picked up Nipponggo from Yataro, who will ultimately save his life.

Miguel's interview with Crispin's sister, Lena, follows this internal narration. She didn't pay him a
visit in New York, but she wrote him weekly letters. His memoirs irritate her because of the
negative comments about the Church, his family's link to Respeto Reyes, his father abusing them,
his father's infidelity, and his mother's miserable state. Narcisito suffered from mental illness.
Crispin's girlfriend at the time was Sadie Baxter of Topeka, Kansas. Crispin was corrupted since he
was too young and was most likely chasing their money. Crispin didn't do anything for Dulcinea
because of her. She passed away while riding in Monaco. The Cinco Bravos were broken up by
the Mutya Dimatahimik affair. And she believes that Crispin did not kill himself.
PLOT
Crispin's heart was corrupted by Junior's refusal to let him meet his mother before she died. Junior
expressed her displeasure with him. Because of Autoplagiarist, Junior felt betrayed. Because of it,
Narcisito was beaten severely by his father. Naricisito committed suicide. Crispin paid a visit to
Lena in February 2002. Crispin accompanied her to Antique to assist Shirley Nuez in teaching
children, where Crispin paid for the children to view the sea, but when Lena informed him about
the items he had left behind, so he stormed off and fled.

Cristo expresses his support for Jose Rizal. Maria Clara is his wife, and they have three sons.
Change is desperately needed so Migs and his family lived in Iligan. Grapes shunned Charlotte,
and Granma suffered an emotional collapse. Grapes' infidelity was suspected by Granma. While
Jesu attempted to mend the family but became jaded. Claire managed to flee and marry in
California. And Iligan was the site of their seven-story mansion where in Grapes became easily
enraged.

In 1993, Grapes' political work forced them to relocate to Manila. Migs' father rescued Bobby
Pimplicio, a presidential candidate. Moses, on the other hand, is Lena's adopted son. Crispin's
daughter is Dulcinea. And Migs met Anais, but the relationship ended after three months, despite
the fact that Anais was pregnant.
 THEMATIC ASPECTS
In Chapter 3, as Miguel continued his quest in writing Crispin’s autobiography, various themes emerged through writing
styles that eventually revealed details about Miguel’s life as he reflected on Crispin’s life. As Miguel learned the truth from
Lena, particularly the misunderstandings that their family had, the story progressed by divulging more details about
Miguel’s life and how these relate with the development that he saw in his former mentor, Crispin. Forgiveness, love, and
accountability were evident themes in this chapter as the problems in Crispin’s family were resolved, as Miguel’s grandma
loved his uncle anyway, and as Miguel became a young father — assuming a greater responsibility as a consequence of
his actions. This chapter also highlighted what it felt for a writer to live a life away from his family and how this deteriorates
his moral sense, being away from what gave him purpose. Miguel’s lack of connection with his family caused him to find
romantic connections that would fuel his thirst for life and a sense of beauty that he tried to explore as he transitioned
from finding inspiration from merely his family to finding inspiration from what he had the power to decide for himself
alone. Through his experience in his youth, Miguel developed responsibility not only for his child but also for finishing what
he started. Therefore, developing a more intense curiosity about Crispin's life and the desire to be a writer of the truth.

“For Junior, the life away from his family suited his wayward nature-Manila in the 1930s, after all, was a place of energy and
intrigue, a spicy stew of global influences, in which those who lobbied for independence were considered by certain
cognoscenti to be fighting the noble and ever loyal fight, even as they were engaged in necessary compromise.”
SOCIAL RELEVANCE
In Ilustrado, the protagonists' social, political, and economic circumstances represent
archetypes of the Philippines' national issues across time. This time, Syjuco takes aim at the
privileged class and their role in re-establishing the country's national identity in the face of
globalization and the diaspora. Ilustrado, as a modern book, challenges set beliefs about
the form and meaning of writings, demonstrating Post-Colonial and Post-Modernist
tendencies as reactions to Westerners' organized vision of the world.

CULTURAL HYBRIDS
In this regard, "Ilustrados," as cultural hybrids, bear the weight of being shunned by the
general public and the risk of being persecuted by Spaniards. Like Jose Rizal, the novel's
protagonists Miguel and Crispin can be seen as Janus-faced heroes or villains, lauded for
their contributions as "brains of the nation" and individual acts of patriotic self-sacrifice and
heroism while reviled as a "class" for their "betrayal" of the revolution and their cooptation
by and accommodation with colonial and postcolonial states.
SOCIAL RELEVANCE
CHAPTER REVIEW
If it weren't for Crispin, Miguel would not have returned. Miguel, the novel's dynamic
character, evolves from an uncaring, aristocratic "balibkbayan" to a modern-day "Ilustrado"
influenced by socio-political challenges in the Philippines as the story develops. Miguel's
bildungsroman conclusion has him rescue the kids in chest-high, muddy, and filthy flood
water, only to drown and die. Crispin Salvador, on the other hand, is a hybrid who invents
Miguel's escapades in order to reflect on and return to a Philippines that, in its hilarious
and tragic complexity, few works of fiction have done respect to.
SOCIAL RELEVANCE
THE CHARACTER'S SOCIAL RELEVANCE
Salvador and Miguel both had affluent upbringings, and their exile bears little
resemblance to the position in which multitudes of their compatriots find themselves, as a
harsh economic reality. Crispin and Miguel seek their fortune on their own in surviving in a
strange place and sharing a sense that generating national literature is a civic obligation,
despite their politician families' wealth in the Philippines. They traveled overseas
voluntarily, and their dislocation allowed them to see Philippine problems in a larger,
global context.
Post-Modernism Miguel Syjuco's novel Ilustrado is well-known for its disorganized design,
which reflects fractured facts in today's crammed and overcrowded information world.
Pastiche is a Post-Modernist feature of this multi-award-winning first work. To begin with,
unlike parody, its goal is to praise rather than insult the renowned literary work it imitates.
Syjuco's work, like Jose Rizal's Ibarra, is a form of social protest.
CHAPTER 4
IMPORTANT Crispin Salvador
Writer of the controversial manuscript:
CHARACTERS “The Bridges Ablaze.”
Found “dead” at the Hudson river in
2002.
Apprentice: Miguel Syujuco
Grapes & Granma
Grandparents of Miguel
Secondary parents of Miguel after his
parents’ death
Grapes is a narcissistic, power hungry
politician.
“Supports” Miguel’s writing career
Miguel Syjuco
Mentor: Crispin Salvador
Went to the Philippines to investigate on
Crispin Salvador death
Lena Salvador
She is the sibling of Crispin Salvador
Dulcinea
She is the daughter of Crispin Salvador
Madison
Overly Attached Girlfriend of Miguel (Ex
girlfriend)
Fed up with Crispin’s obsession on his
mentor’s death
PLOT
Miguel returns to Bacolod Airport from his interview with Lena. After
accidentally revealing Crispin’s daughter, Dulcinea, Lena refuses to
continue the interview. During his flight he dreams of drowning in
water. He awakens falling into panic as he feels the plane gently
landing, he then takes the taxi to Makati to his inn. While there, he
reminisces his time with Crispin. This was triggered by the bacon
cheeseburger that Miguel ordered from the room service. He
remembers his time with Crispin in the States when they talked about
changing the World, while playing chess. He further reminisces his
encounters with Crispin. He remembers Crispin saying “when u get to
my age, the most insignificant memories take on significance.
Unrationalized blame, casual kindness, random gestures.” After the
last time he spoke with Crispin, he remembers going home to an
empty place he once shared with Madison, his previous fling, that
grew paranoid thinking about what Miguel was doing whenever he
was alone.
 The chapter begins with Miguel reminiscing his memories with his mentor Crispin Salvador. The

THEMATIC nostalgic reminiscing led him to the last time where he and Crispin played chess while eating
burgers. This is where they talked about having children. From this moment, various implications

ASPECTS and thematic elements are seen. One of them is the importance and impact of friendships and
relationships. The mentor-mentee relationship and friendship of Miguel and Crispin had a great
impact in Miguel's life.
Personal reflections are also seen in the story when Miguel sat on a bed and thought, "Where
did my own life go?.. What happened to the promising young phenom to whome words came so
willingly? My plans to be the youngest, the best, snorted away in some Lower East Side
bathroom cubicle with a sticky floor."
Miguel and Madison's relationship was crumbling and the issue of trust, honesty, and self-worth
was brought up. This is when Miguel introduced pornography and even his favorite strumpets to
Madison and she asked her in return, why she wasn't enough. However, Madison still tried to
satisfy Miguel but in the end, she grew disgusted that she'll look at him strangely like he was
somebody she loved less.
As the story progress, politics, societal issues, personal reflections, and enlightenment are
tackled.

"When you get to my age, the most insignificant memories take on significance. Unrationalized blame,
casual kindnesses, random gestures - one day you just need to tell someone about them." (Chapter 4,
page 129)
SOCIAL RELEVANCE

One of the literary devices the author used to bring out his passion for Philippine
social transformation is through the use of figure of speech that touches the emotion
and create picture in the mind of the readers. He utilizes paradox to carry his readers
into the serious point between self-pursuit and self-destruction. Miguel puts himself in
danger in attempting the rescue the siblings from drowning in the flood. On the other
hand, Miguel, the intertwined character of Crispin, is alive and pursue his writing career
for the salvation of many; while Crispin died exposing the ills of the society. Metaphor is
also used by the author in comparing the politicians and the traitors of the society to the
fruit “balimbing” due to its many sides. This is used by the author in comparing the
politicians and traitors of the society to the fruit balimbing due to its many sides, or
faces.
SOCIAL RELEVANCE

The author also employs symbolism to reveal the truth and portrays common
sceneries in Philippine politics. He uses names, persons, organizations, objects, and
events to bring out his passion for social change like the name President Estregan.

Foreshadowing is also used to anticipate a particular series of events that will

happen to the character’s life where Crispin’s death is foretold to happen because of his
boldness in exposing the country’s social ills.

Satire is also effectively used by Miguel to expose the Philippines’ chaotic political
conditions by telling ridiculous stories about Boy Bastos’ family. This he does to awaken
the mind of the Filipino people of what is really happening to the government and
indicating the seriousness of the matter.
 THANK YOU

FOR
LISTENING
GROUP 2 - ARC41&42
Mateo • Ordoñez • San Jose • Tingzon • Valera • Villanueva• Vidal • Wong • Zabihi