It is overwhelming impressive how the human mind can store substantial information, perform complex recollection, but on the other hand, can also choose to turn against facts laid down by “authentic” history—history that is definitely not a victim of deception, not instigated by the seduction of dictatorship, and not twisted to fit and give glory to a specific family’s narrative. The truth is, a country’s story is not just chronicled in History books which some aim to misinform; more so, it is with more clarity and authenticity that we can see stories narrating the harsh realities of life of the Filipino people, during certain periods of our history, with the help of literature. Eric Gamalinda’s The Empire of Memory is one of the few literary pieces that seeks to fathom and empathize with the suffering of the Filipinos during one of the darkest eras of Philippine history—the Martial Law era. As the title explicitly shows, the novel is centered on the theme of memory— its corruption.
“This is a land both fact and fiction, where generations leave no trace of themselves and …show more content…
These people are showing how selfish and ignorant they are of their own history. Moving on is never a sufficient way to regain every single life that was lost, nor can it recognize the bravery and sacrifices of so many Filipinos who fought and died before. There can never be moving on without justice—that is without accountability and apology. “They really seemed to me like actors walking away from the scene of a crime.” When I got to read this line, Marcos was the one who popped in mind my first. Indeed, his family is like a family of actors who appears to have forgotten their misdeed and
“This is a land both fact and fiction, where generations leave no trace of themselves and …show more content…
These people are showing how selfish and ignorant they are of their own history. Moving on is never a sufficient way to regain every single life that was lost, nor can it recognize the bravery and sacrifices of so many Filipinos who fought and died before. There can never be moving on without justice—that is without accountability and apology. “They really seemed to me like actors walking away from the scene of a crime.” When I got to read this line, Marcos was the one who popped in mind my first. Indeed, his family is like a family of actors who appears to have forgotten their misdeed and