On Local color

Media

Part of Green and White

Title: On Local color
Language: English
Year: 1930
Rights
Fulltext: L I T' = ·SCOTT· flC.TION E ) ~ ~ IX_,~ R A POETRY- DRAMA tSSAY · On Local Color By Alfredo E. Litiatco. v. = (AUTHOR'S NOTE-Those whose memories are merciless, may remember that of the nine narratives the writer bas had published in the GREEN AND WHITE, only two had a Philippine setting. Of the remaining seven. one purported to transpire during the days of the Crusades; another in the course of the American Revolution; a third when Cardinal Richelieu was the power in France; a fourth in Chicago; and the rest in an imaginary city I chose to c,ll Erewon. It is thus quite evident that I was myself partial to the writing of "foreign" stories while a student; and yet, what I propose to do forthwith, is to criticize and preach to those students of La Salle who are partial to the use of alien settings. Hence am I a perfect example of people who, though living in glass houses. recklessly throw stones. May I mention. though, that my two GREEN AND WHITE stories that did have local color-or some vestiges of same, at any rate~were both written when I had become what I am now; i.e., no longer an under-graduate. And the alumni are mature· persons who, some time or other, go through (with immense profit) that school which is alleged to be for fools only. Thus. while most people profit by their mistakes, I am affording you the rare privilege of learning from mine. That is how generous I am 1-.A E. L.) 0 NE may reasonably indulge in the encouraging supposition that, even outside readers of more than ordinary taste, find the articles and vers.zs of the GREEN AND WHITE of interest; but, with possibly gr£ater certainty, and more reason, ·one likewise cannot but arrive at the depressing conclusion that, they probably totally ignore the majority of the efforts at fiction-writing. This may be attributed to at least four major causes, namely: first, lack of vitality; fecond, faulty technique (if there 1s at all a s·2mblance of form) ; third, immaturity; and lastly, the absence of local color. With the first three flaws, we shall not concern ourselves: they are natural and almost inevitabk One cannot expect people young in age, education, experience, and observation to be discriminating in selecting material for a story, and skillful in fashioning that material; nor can one expzct their viewpoint to be anything but adolescent. But surely,· inasmuch as this magazine's story-writers are Filipinos, or at least residents of the Philippines, pr.zsU:mably writing for readers who are Filipinos, or resideri~ts of the Philippines, one may look forward to finding the GREEN AND WHITE narratives colored with native tints. But one does not so find them. GREEN AND WHITE 125 OM of the rules of fiction-writing requires that authors never utilize settings with which they are not completely familiar; and once decided on a particular setting for a story, another rule dictates that the characters and descriptions be in accordance with that setting. Of course, the -latter rule is automatically broken, once th2 former is disregarded-which · is precisely, if in all probability, inadvertently, what practically all GREEN AND WHITE story-writers do. (In any case, should the first rule, as in a few instances, be followed, the s.xond is usually not-and again, unknowingly, maybe.) This, it goes without saying, has not been observed by the writer alone. Outside readers and exchanges have also r.2marked it. "Why is it," an outsider who is himself an author once inquired of me, "That your writers are so fond of running around the streets of N2w York, London, Paris, Berlin, when they have not even attempted to tread on the Escolta?" Let us see: what does the average La Salk student read in the way of fiction? That is, those students who write for our school publication? As a rule, these are they who are in one of the class(S from the first year high school up. The Fr.2shmen are fresh from, and mayhap, still enjoying, the Alger books and the Rover Boys series. The Sophomores are reveling in the !vlerriwdl stories, the Juniors live Sherlock Homes, while the Seniors and the other upper-classmen ·probably think that the novels of Rafael Sabatini constitut.2 the acme of adult fiction. If they read any other stories or novels, they are those which they are compelled to r.2ad in connection with their classes in English Literature. At all events, whatever they read is "foreign." They seldom, possibly never, read local works of fiction-which is probably just as well. Thus, when they writ.2 for the college periodical, they turn out would-be detective stories, would-be historical romances, would-be sports narratives, would-be rags-to-riches epics, and so forth, in an attempt to create another Craig Kennedy, another foanhoe, another Jack Lightfoot, or another Herbert Carter. And of course, they use an alien background. Granted, they have never traveled or ·~'.'en r2ad extensively. But they have a fair knowledge of the countries concerned, anyway. Haven't they gone to all sorts of places with the heroes of Henty and Stratem2yer? Haven't they sailed to Treasure Island or served under Captain Blood? Haven't they fought with Richard the Lion Heart, or gone sleuthing with Nick Carter? Haven't they been "adrift in New York," and "risen from the ranks" with Julius the Street Boy? Haven't they-oh, what period have th!y not lived in, what class of people 'have they not known, what nation have they not gone to? None, noneexcept the differrnt eras of Philippine history, the race of people known as Filipinos, that country which is called the Philippines! Yes: we can, in a measure, account for th2 absel}.ce of local color in the bulk of the storie~ in the GREEN AND WHITF. We know th2 "reason." But it is a reason that is not truly a reason, because it is not excusable. We can understand why the characters, and even the plots may be essentially .2xotic. But we cannot comprehend why the settings, as well.. should deliberately be made foreign-why La Sall.2 story-tellers, as a whole do not at least begin or attempt to write Filipino short-stories. Paucity of native touches may be unavoidable under the circumstances; but surely, not total absence. At this juncture, tutes, local color. ( 1) the mam. it may C.2 illuminating to point out just what is, or what constiThe writer will endeavor to do this negatively and indirectly-in ( 1) I suggest the interested reader procure a copy of the very first number of the Literary Apprentice, issued · · late in 1928, and read Casiano T. Calalang's "On Local Color," which is an almost perfect exposition of the subject. 126 GREEN AND WHITE It is not having local color to simply name your characters Juan and Maria instead of John and Mary, to merdy state that they live in Manila instead of in Los Angeles, that they ride in carromatas instead of in taxis, that their house is a wooden one instead of a "palatial mansion." It is n.ot having local color to fill a story with descriptions of nipa shacks and taos, carabaos and ric.z fields, kundt~mans sung and carinosa danced. Nor is it having local color to intersperse your English words with native terms conspicuously italicized. No, it is not sufficient to state the bald fact that your character, either implied or definiti!ly designated-that he is a Filipino. It is all very well to say that fundamentally all men are equal, that hearts are hearts the world over, that art knows neither national boundaries nor rao~ distinctions, that Caucasian, Malayan, Mongolian, or what-not, we all feel the same emotions: love, hate, sorrow, joy, etc. But superficially, the manner in which we react to thos.2 emotions, and give them expression differs with each race. And there are conditions which exist only in certain countries, conditions typical of them, just as there are individual traits characteristic of those living in them. Be it ever so subtle or slight, there is a difference between the way a Filipino acts, thinks, talks, and all in all lives, and the way of an American, a Frenchman, or a Turk. "There are," writes Wabzr Robh (2), "humble servants in Philippine villages, types as thoroughly grandiose and picturesqu:~ as those the world smiles at, with French writers, and those who will be smiled at with American authors when American literature is somewhat farther along than it now is; the policeman, the policeman's family, the town-council member, the teniente de! barrio, the councilman's lieutenant, usually quite puffed up by his little portion of _authority. "The little woman in village life is all-important to the student, and it must, in literature, be shown by incident and not by preachment. Just what is it? Many a tao is driven by apron strings, yet, craven though an aggressive spouse has made him, to his children his word is law. H'.!re is humor, pathos, drama of the richest sort. Man squirms like a brow-beaten child under woman's discipline, and without doubt the Philippine peasant squirms adroitly. But just how? The answer lies in specific incident ...... Some day, somebody with a learned mind and a comprehending soul will spring from our peasantry, or go out into the country and live among them; and then Philippine literature will be born. Once born, it will wax vigorous. Here is a story of the centuries, which has never been told; the loves and hates, the hopes and disappoii:tments of a simple people, and how they manage the enigma of life from the bamboo cradle, swung on a bamboo pole, to a sodden grave in th'.! campo santo. If they did this grudgingly, if they were a morose and morbid folk, the golden secret would be gilded dross. That they do it joyously, stoically, obediently-that is the unsµllied tr·'.!asure-trove hidden in their humble careers." There are those who hold that all things Philippine are in the country. With this radical view, I cannot wholly concur. I contend that the Filii:>ino of .th'.! city, changing though he may be (indeed, this very fact lends him importance, rendering him the potentiality of what may, in the distant future be an inevitable actuality), and adulterated with Occidental views and traits. I believe he, too, merits portrayal, is worthy of study. Less and less is he becoming the exception, it must be admitt.'.!d, for in this country, in truth, East and West have met and are swiftly blending. (2) In the fourth of a series of articles under the h~ading of "Haphazard Studies in the English Languaie," published in the September, 1928. number of the American Chamber of Commerce Journal. GREEN AND \VHITE 127 .. Coming again to the task of coloring our short-stories and other works of fiction with native tints, there are many things to avoid, among them: (a) Superfluous description. This will retard the movement of the story, make it lag, and so render it uninteresting and spoil its technique. A choice bit of description here 2nd there is more effective than several useless paragraphs. Make th-2 description really an integral part of the narrative. For instance, i!1 .. Soft Clay" by Casiano T. Calalang (3), in the part where father and son are traveling in a banca, you will find this sentence: "They w.~re nearing a bend, and the old man held the paddle horizontally, midway, and struck it many times against the side of the banca to warn other boatmen who happened to be on the way of their approach." This incident is at once a part of th2 story and typically Filipino. (b) Excessive use of natiue terms. If you are writing in English, never forget it in your desire to have local color. Do not use vernacular words unl.ess you cannot find English ·equivalents for them-such as naman, ano, P'-', etc.-or else, when translated literally, will not convey the correct and precise impression you d.esire. Sometimes, conversations are a great help, and are more effective than descriptions. For instance, in "Dead Stars" by Paz Marquez-Benitez ( 4), the second paragraph runs thus: "Papa, and when will the long table be set?" Which means, as we Filipinos know, "Whm will the wedding be?" Then again, one may resort to the usag.e of such characteristic ex~ressions as "Suppose I vomit blood'." as in "Dahong-Palay" by A. B. Rotor (5). Finally, there are the common me~hods hinted at previously in this article. Genuine local color stories ar.2 not at all easy to write. Such are not produced regularly by even some of our best fiction-writers. not excepting such authors as Jose Garcia Villa and Loreto Paras. Only a few have a reputation for writing truly native stories more or less consistently: Casiano T. Calalang, Alvaw L. Martinez, Isidro L. Retizos, Mariano C. Pascual . . . . It is quite well known that the majority of our short-story writers (who 11um:ber about a thousand, conservatively estimated), turn out stories which, strictly considered, have very little or no claim to being Filipino. Conditions. of course, are constantly improving, but as yet, they are far from ideal. And why? "The Filipino writer in English labors under a great handicap," Mrs. Benitez ( 6) once ~lid. "He is_ smothered by an atmosphere of clrver American magazine fiction. His horizon is so full of it that, he cannot see anything elst!. He thinks and writes in American fiction terms ... One comes across Juana at a railway s~ation with a poodle on her arm, elegantly consuming bonbons while waiting for her lover to arrive, or across Juan, addressing the 'Gentlemen of the Jury' in defense of his clients. "Our new writers ar.e blazing the way, and like all pioneers, their progress is difficult, slow, and blundering. There are no traditions to guide the hand of the Filipino writer in English. American traditions will not serve him. "That is the great advantage the Filipino writer in Spanish has over the new writers. The first can look on writing in Spanish by Filipinos. That is why their writings ar.e maturer, m.ore finished than those of Filipino writers in English of the same age and ability." (3) First published in the Philippines Herald. Reprinted in the booklet "Filipino Love Stories". edited by Paz Marquez-Benitez. and published by the Philippine Journal of Education. ( 4) First published by the Philippines Herald. Reprinted in "Philippine Prose and Poetry." a textbook for First Year Students in the public <ehools. published by the Bureau of Printing. (5) First published in The Tribune. Reprinted in the anthology "Philippine Short Stories," containing thr best Filipino short-stories of 1928. as selected by Jose Garcia Villa, and published by the Philippines Free Press. ' 128 GREEN AND WHITE And Dr. G. P. Shannon ( 6), formerly head of the English Department of our state umversity and now dean in the University of New Mexico: "It is fatal to think that a secondrate American story becomes a first-rate Filipino story by adding a few Juans and Marias, and saying that it happened in Laguna. Few writers seem to realize the wealth of legendary and historical material available for the romancer; or the dramatic, often tragic, clash of creeds, races classes and cultures that are crying for treatment by a realist. But out writers are young: in no country of the world would they at their ages be .expected to be great authors. Time will improve them; and if they can learn to write history without bombast, and describe native life without sentim2ntality, they may do something." La Salle story-tellei;s, therefore, may take heart: th2y are not the disgraceful exceptions. More experienced writers have made mistakes similar to theirs; not so grossly, perhaps, but still reprehensibly. And let us learn from, and profit by our errors-and show, eventually, that we have. Let our futur,e slogan be that of the patriotic tourist, suitably altered: Write about the Philippines first; We may not be thoroughly proficient at present, but at least we can make a beginning, and try earn,2stly-and the future, once that is done, is assured. As for material. we have that in abundance, as already pointed out in foregoing quotations. Apropos of which, let me conclude with anoth:!r one, this time from former Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison (7) : "Here in the Philippines, I would, if I could, arouse you to more earnest devotion to a literary career. You hav.e natural advantages second to no country in the world. Your history is replete with incidents and romance .. Last winter, when I returned to New York for my first vacation home, I r.zmember one particularly dark and gloomy day when the people on the streets, which are nothing more than canons between high buildings of stone and glass, wer.2 jostling one another without a spark of human sympathy or appreciation, conscious competitors in the struggle for the survival of the fittest; and my mind went back to those scenes of everyday life in th2 Philippines, to this land of sunsets across Mariveles Mountain, the dawn over Mount Arayat, the blue haze upon the rice field in the. evening, all the familiar. scenes and sounds of a life made animate by the sun, and made happy by the richness of nature. As I remembered the de.zp and tender lights of the coconut groves, and the busy industry of your daily life, I said to myself: 'There is a country which could inspire any man to literary efforts with all its wealth of romance' . . . When I recall the history of the Philippine Islands, the coming of the Christians with the sword and flaming cross, the coming of the Mohammedans, with the cresc::!nt and the crooked kris, and their cry in many a hard-fought battle, the enterprise of the Spaniard in spiritual teachings, as well as in material investments, the shouts of Legaspi's sailors across Manila Bay, the guns of Dewey so many generations later, t"he efforts of our country to establish here our principles of democracy, it seems to me that any young man or woman, born upon this soil. and inspired by these ideas, has an opportunity to take a place in the very foremost ranks of literature and history, and to show to the world not only what has been done here in education, but what the world may expect of the Filipino people when they take th2ir rank as an independent member of the brotherhood of nations." (6) (7) In the symposium entitled "The Future of Filipino Literature," compiled by Vicente L. de! Fierro and published in the Philippines Herald for July 15th, 1928. From "Rizal as a Patriotic, Author and Scientist" published in the Rizal Day Review, Dec. 30th, 1925'.