The God

Stealer
By: F. Sionil Jose
 F. Sionil Jose
He is a National Artist
for Literature and is one of
the most famous Filipino
writers, not just locally but
also internationally.
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It examines the relationship
between culture and
economy and the rifts that
occur when people change
economic classes.
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Characters:
 Sam Christie
 Philip Latak (Ip-pig)
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 Sam Christie
He is an American with a
fondness for collecting
souvenirs.
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 Philip Latak (Ip-pig)
He is a native Ifugao who has
converted to Christianity and
who has spent the last few years
working alongside Sam Christie.
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Aside from visiting his family
specifically his sick grandfather, Philip
accompanies Sam to his hometown
because he wants to repay Sam’s
kindness by helping him get another
souvenir – an Ifugao God.
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On the way to Philip’s village,

Sam is treated better than
Philip, to Sam’s discomfort.
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 Sam gets a good seat on the
bus.
 He is spoken to with
deference by Philip’s brother
Sadek.
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 When Philip offers candies to his
nieces and nephews, he is coldly
rebuffed, however when Sam does
so he is accepted enthusiastically.
 People treat Sam amiably, and
Philip with sullen silence.
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 Philip is welcomed warmly by his
grandfather despite being
vehemently against Philip leaving
in the first place.
 However, he treats Sam with
furious contempt.
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 Philip informs Sam that the old
man wants a feast to welcome
Philip home. Regardless of
Philip’s protests, Sam insists on
attending the party.
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 The pair tour around the
village with matches and candies
to offer to the villagers. They ask
the villagers where they could
purchase an Ifugao God but their
search is futile.
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 They then visit the American
reverend in the village.

 Sam and the Reverend

converse about Ifugao religion.
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 The reverend states that Ifugao
religion is based on fear and
retribution and that is why
Ifugaos are so attached to their
gods.
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 He explains that Christianity is based
on the belief of souls. He adds that a
man can lose his soul in the city
when people are corrupted by easy
living, the pleasures of sense and
the flesh, and mass corruption.
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 When Sam asks him how a man can
regain his soul, the reverend says
that it takes “cataclysm, something
tragic to knock a man back to his
wits, to make him realize his loss”.
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 Upon leaving the reverend, Sam
reiterates that he must have an
Ifugao God, stating that it would
help remind him of Philip and of the
Ifugaos.
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 Philip then answers that he can steal
a god for Sam. Sam is horrified but
Philip assures him that they can just
make another god. He convinces
Sam that he can do this as thanks for
everything Sam has done for him.
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 Sam quickly got bored of the party
and returned to the room he shared
with Philip to get some sleep. He is
awakened by a drunken Philip, who
triumphantly tells him that he has
stolen his grandfather’s god.
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 Sam is horrified and urges Philip to
return the stolen god. Philip
drunkenly rants that his grandfather
is wrong to love Philip so much
when Philip does not believe in the
old ways anymore. Philip mocks him
when Sam continues to protest.
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 The next morning, Philip leaves
Sam when he gets news that his
grandfather is dying. Sam
wanders the village and he
meets the chief of police who
treats him with respect.
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 He asks Sadek how his
grandfather died, to which Sadek
replied that it was the loss of
the god, the one that Philip had
stolen.
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 Sam is doubtful about this but
Sadek is certain about his news.
He states that his grandfather
died in Philip’s arms, and he
expresses worry about his
brother.
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 When Sam finds Philip, Philip is
determined that he will not be
returning to the city. Philip lashes
out at Sam, saying that he killed his
grandfather who loved him because
he wanted to be grateful.
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 He tells Sam that he can buy
anything, even gods. Sam then sees
that Philip is wearing traditional
Ifugao garb and he is making
another god. Sam leaves with a
heavy heart.