Literary Analysis: Ermita (A Filipino Novel)

PHOTO CREDIT Ermita Book Cover

Introduction

Women perceive that up until now, they remain the victims of both direct and indirect forms of male oppression. When thinking about trades that have been around for years, prostitution is not the first that comes to mind, yet it is claimed to be one of the oldest [profession]. The practice of prostitution in society is believed to boost this [male oppression] style of oppression. But F. Sionil Jose’s great work of fiction, Ermita: A Filipino Novel shows that a prostitute has all the right in the world to be a protagonist and at the same time, turn the tables.

Set on the Philippines in the year 1941, the novel distinctly depicts how the Filipinos suffer the effects of Word War II and of returning to their elite lifestyles before the declaration of Martial Law.

Ermita, a prostitute, not only due to her ill fate but by choice, a choice driven by the disappointment over a mother she never had and an ultimate desire to take revenge on her biological family who abandoned her.

The novel delivers great themes of prostitution, immorality, money, dehumanization, affection and revenge. Jose’s depiction of the setting and his portrayal of Ermita dramatizes the theme. Although losing interest in a serious relationship, Ermi finds that handling men is not a difficult task. She starts to flirt, handles men brilliantly, without letting them take advantage of her.

Analysis

Ermita: A Filipino Novel is believable because of the author’s detailed description of the designs and customs of the time in which Ermita lives. The novel gives a great description of events.

As "beautiful" people, women are examples of how society treats human beings as a property, a property to be displayed and exploited. The novel depicts some of the images of women supporting the status quo. It also displays images of women as housewives, prostitutes and women with no political power. One of a woman’s jobs in this society is to be an alluring sexual object; clothes and make-up are tools of the trade. “’You will drive many men crazy, Ermi. Your body is gorgeous…’”1

If there is unfairness, it is accompanied by its twin sister, immorality. Morality attempts to bring reason and fairness to the world, but it is a struggle. As some men still see women as their property or an object to be manipulated.

The Japanese soldier reduced Conchita into a piece of merchandise. “The crazed eyes blinked with disbelief, perhaps, then animal hunger. He advanced and Conchita cringed, back against the wall. With one swift motion, he tore away her dress…”2

The same thing goes for what Senator Bravo did to Ermi. He drugged and raped her. “’I drugged you, yes,’ he admitted, still smiling. ‘But I did not rape you. You were very conscious through it all. You were even very explicit with your instructions.’”3 Even though prostitutes let men use their body in exchange for money, it doesn’t mean that they are unrapeable. No matter how we look at it, rape is still a rape.

Although the novel focuses on the 1940’s, it deals with the common weakness of man. It is a moral commentary against Ermita: A Filipino Novel as shown in hatred, unfaithfulness and hypocrisy. In the course of the story, the other characters begin to realize their mistakes and question their actions except for Ermi, who is still blinded by her hatred in the middle part of the book. For her, it is not about the money. Yes, she is a prostitute, but is never about the money, it is about revenge. “’Let us see who is weak! You have not heard the last of your daughter…’”4 She is a victim, but in the end, she victimized herself.

In the case of her aunt, Felicitas Roho, a socialite who chooses to use her body, not to earn money, but to have so much more. Which is true, a number of women would turn to prostitution simply as an escape from typical professions.

The book ends with Ermi wanting a second chance in life and love. “I will wait, Mac. If that is what you want. Maybe forever, but I can wait…”5 But is left hanging by her true love, Mac, who although loves her, but can’t seem to accept all the things that happened. He is grateful for her [Ermita] help but he also wants to prove his worth by earning a lot of money. “I have to make my future my way. I must come to you with something more than my gratitude – oh, I cannot repay you more than enough, Ermi, - it may take forever…”6

Conclusion

“For generations if not centuries, the causes and consequences of prostitution have rested on women. However, as there would be no prostitution without market demand, there would be no industrialization of sex without commodity consumption” (Barry 162). In the novel, it can be implied that women are to be blamed for prostitution because it is not the men’s fault they were being seduced, which is still the case to some people in this century. Although it is still viewed morally wrong, women who sell sex are allowed to continue their trade. The fact is, sex work sells and prostitution continues to grow. But why has prostitution been allowed to continue? The answer is simple: men.

Female prostitution afflicts women, not because some women who engage themselves in it “suffer in the eyes of society” but because its organized practice testifies to socially prevailing beliefs, which abuse all women in many domains of their lives.

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1 Jose, F. Sionil. Ermita: A Filipino Novel. (Ermita: Solidaridad Publishing House, 1988), p96.
2 Jose, Ermita: A Filipino Novel, p. 19.
3 Jose, Ermita: A Filipino Novel, p. 132.
4 Jose, Ermita: A Filipino Novel, p. 154.
5 Jose, Ermita: A Filipino Novel, p. 323.
6 Jose, Ermita: A Filipino Novel, p. 322.

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Bibliography
1. Barry, Kathleen. The Prostitution of Sexuality. New York: New York University Press, 1995.
2.Guerin, W. L., et al. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature (5th edition). 1992.
3.Jose, F. Sionil. Ermita: A Filipino Novel. Ermita: Solidaridad Publishing House, 1988.
4.Targibay, Carmen M. Sexual Slavery and the Comfort Women of World War II. Berkeley Journal of International Law 21, no. 2 (2003): 375-389.
5.Watanabe, Kazuko. Trafficking in Women's Bodies, Then and Now. Peace & Change 20, no. 4 (October 1995): 501-514.