APOLINAR, MARK REN-REN P.

BSTM-3

A Heritage of Smallness

Nick Joaquin

Full essay: (https://theurbanhistorian.tumblr.com/post/5966825494/a-heritage-

of-smallness-by-nick-joaquin)

CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

The document that I’d read is a manuscript. It was published 1966. Nick Joaquin is the
author of this classic essay, he was a Filipino writer and journalist best known for his
short stories and novels in the English language. He also wrote using the pen name
Quijano de Manila. Joaquin was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the
Philippines for Literature. He was well known as a historian of the brief Golden Age of
Spain in the Philippines, as a writer of short stories suffused with folk Roman
Catholicism, as a playwright, and as a novelist. Joaquin wrote his works in English. His
intended audience are Filipinos, he deals with popular beliefs about the birth of Filipino
culture, and does so with much wit and wisdom. At this time, I believe the essay was
underrated, here are some example of responses: “Very exquisite text, yet one can agree
on how biased this is. I feel like the "Makishima Shogo of the Philippines" after reading
this”

The text is a secondary source, because it is not the real manuscript or paper that Nick
Joaquin written, it is just copy.
AUTHOR’ MAIN ARGUMENT AND POINT OF VIEW

Nick Joaquin’s essay is all about saying that Filipino has heritage of smallness, a
heritage that is already a part of our way of life as Filipinos. It talks about how Filipinos
think a small in any aspects. I think that his main objective of writing this essay is to
persuade and to present the ningas kugon. It is a persuasive essay about the attitude of
Filipinos which is usually receive a small amount of money at a high-risk job, still
continue to work. Also the author seeking for problem, he stated the problem “That
within the small area of Manila Bay there should be three different kingdoms (Tondo,
Manila and Pasay) may mean that the area was originally settled by three different
barangays that remained distinct, never came together, never fused; or it could mean
that a single original settlement; as it grew split into three smaller pieces. We don’t grow
like a seed, we split like an amoeba.” He used real evidence and I believe it is effective.
There’s no important facts that omitted, all was included even in the time of colonialism.

Nick Joaquin is credible, Filipino writer and journalist best known for his short stories
and novels in the English language. I think the author was open for the alternative
perspective but in the essay the perspective is as a Filipino who experiencing the
heritage of small. As I read the essay, I don’t think he uses his own interest or
prejudices, but as a Filipino. He mentioned the tradition of the Philippines before and
now, he also mentioned different heroes that are important and give meaning of what
we are now.