Literature: Movie Analysis - Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?

Literature: Movie Analysis - Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?

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Summary:

After the unfortunate death of Kulas's mother, after the disastrous fire that consumed completely the makeshift house they call - home, Kulas finally decided to leave their barrio to search for a new beginning - a new life by travelling to see the country. With him is his horse he fondly called - Kidlat. Along with Kidlat, together they witnessed an event that completely changed his life. To their surprise, they saw wicked bandits running after a Spanish friar named Padre Gil. Kulas, touched by the request of the friar to save and bring him back to his friary, innocently brought him back to town. Seeing the innocence and purity in Kulas's heart Padre Gil shared his deepest secret to Kulas, a son he borne while being a priest.

Owing his life to Kulas, the priest had one more request - look for the lost son who was believed to live in the nearby town and bring him to Manila.

The quest was never easy going through an unfamiliar terrain and meeting hostile people. But then again, fate was good to Kulas that after he had smoothly took Bindoy from his home, he met a beautiful woman - Diding who immediately caught his heart and changed his life. Diding was an actress whose personal desire is to be known and acknowledged by the whole world as a beautiful and good actress.

For the first couple of days Kulas and Bindoy travelled with the Zarzuela actors, who included Diding. Diding's father Fortunato who happened to have done a misdemeanor prior to their travel, led this said group. Being cold in the eyes of the guardia civil the group was caught then eventually released. They continued to travel without the group, as requested by Diding, and along the way they met a Chinese merchant - Lim whom they asked to accompany them to Manila. On their way to Manila, Kulas and Lim got the chance to take a glimpse of each others stories.

Upon reaching Manila, Lim brough them to his house. Still not knowing anything in Manila, Kulas asked Lim to help him find the place where he would be bringing in the young boy - Bindoy to Padre Gil.

Reaching the residence of Padre Gil, Kulas told the guards that Bindoy is the son of Padre Gil. Immediately Kulas was imprisoned and was brought to the prison cell along with all the rebels. The following day, Kulas was bailed-out by a man named Don Tibor.

Don Tibor started asking Kulas his relationship with Padre Gil but he did not say a thing. Eventually Don Tibor admitted that he is the able lawyer of Padre Gil and he was tasked by Padre Gil to bring him out of the prison.

Before Padre Gil went back to Spain, he left a lifetime fortune to Kulas that made him an instant successor of a big amount of money and a vast property. Padre Gil requested Kulas to take care of Bindoy and give him the love and care he had never done and can never give to Bindoy.

Noble person as he is, Kulas sent Bindoy to school. Apparently Bindoy doesn't want to study and just wanted to be with Kulas and work. Kulas did not allow this to happen and told Bindoy that he has to study so that he will not grow up like Kulas who knows practically nothing.

Kulas was exposed to social gatherings of the rich and famous. In one of those gatherings, Don Tibor asked Kulas what he thinks of a real Filipino. Without hesitation, Kulas said that a Filipino is one who is well bread, educated and trust worthy. Don Tibor disagreed and told him that except for Filipinos like him, everybody is an Indio.

Even with the wealth that Kulas has, he still lacks something that can really make him happy, something that can give him sense of pride and achievement, somebody whom he can share his life with, somebody like - Diding.

Seeing Kulas, Diding was so impressed with all the changes and the possessions he has and was happy for him. He took this opportunity and offered marriage to Diding. Unfortunately, Diding declined his offer and told him that she has other plans and she still has a lot of things she needs to do. She told him that should she accept the assistance that he is offering, she would pay it back with the appropriate interest.

Good hearted as he is, he simply continued spending good moments with her. One day she noticed that Diding and Don Tibor is acting strangely that led to his dismay and out of anger he hit Don Tibor because of his conclusion that there was something between them.

One day, Kulas was interrogated and questioned by the Spaniards regarding the rebels, not believing Kulas, the soldiers sent him to prison cell along with Kidlat, the rebel. One thing led to another and the two was able to escape the prison, and the two proceeded to the house of Lim where they both were treated and taken cared of until the Americans came and freed the Filipinos against the Spaniards. Fighting for what they believed in, Lim was killed.

During the war, Don Tibor helped Kulas. In one of their conversations, Don Tibor admitted to Kulas that he is married to a woman in Ilo-ilo. This discussion was heard by Diding and led her to ask Kulas for marriage.

As the war continued, Don Tibor met an accident and left him paralyzed. The wife of Don Tibor told Kulas that she would bring him back to Ilo-ilo. On the other hand, Diding was not at all happy with the turn of events and admitted that she has spent her life with Don Tibor since the start even during the time when she was married to Kulas. This woke Kulas to his proper senses and left Diding.

He made sure that the son of Padre Gil - Bindoy finished his studies and he went back to his province. During his trip, they saw kids playing and with the better and honed man that he is, he told them who the truth of who Filipinos are.

Analysis of Time:

The movie shows the time of Spanish colonization nearing its' end. There was a faithful portrayal of the situation Filipinos were in - the gwardya sibil, the unexpected exchange of gunshots, the relentless fear in Filipinos where ever they are to stay and the evident abusive superiority of the Spanish race over Filipinos. Since it was the end of the Spanish colonization, it was the time that small feuds came forth, though it wasn't really that evident in the story because the focus was on the story the main character, Kulas. If one was keen enough one would see that there were no children in the streets and women were always inside the house. Though the latter was considered to be normal in their time. This again serves as a proof that the feuds among the barangays