Sin (novel)
Encyclopedia
Sin: A Novel, also known as Sins, is a 1973 politico-historical
novel
written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José
. This particular work of literature features the History of the Philippines
, for the most part spanning the twentieth century, through the eyes of the “amoral
” Don Carlos Corbello, a wealthy patriarch also known by the moniker “C.C.”.
Being a part of that era, Corbello reaps most of what he sowed when he was already on his “deathbed”. During this time, Corbello recalled the loves of his life, those that he had lost and longed for. A literary account of the “steady degradation” of the Philippines
, Sin was described by Pico Iyer
of The New York Times Book Review
as a book " ... set in the Philippines, this amorality
tale shadows a rake
's impenitent progress ..."
”, the mainstay of the psyche of the majority and “epistemic and spiritual strength” of many Filipinos. From a larger perspective, José’s Sin is a novel that galvanises the call to “mass consciousness” due to its exposé of “vanity and greed” entrenched in the elite configuration of supremacy and control in countries worldwide.
José also presented in Sin the contrasting inequity between the wealthy and the poverty-stricken, making the book an assault on the unending control of wealth, resources, and social capital by Filipino aristocrats. It also assails on the theme of racial discrimination committed by the landed, mestizo
gentry against the Indio
s or the indigenous Malay race
of Filipino society, who were victims of the same prejudice
beginning with the arrival of the Spanishs
in the 1521. The narration in José’s Sin had been compared to the novels written by Milan Kundera
.
or a Filipino with Spanish ancestry who had “little direct contact” with brown-skinned Filipinos, or "Indios". According to José’s narrative and portrayal, Cobello is the embodiment of a “libidinous fornicator”, the egotistic and selfish aristocrat who himself described sinfulness as a social definition instead of being a moral designation, and further described sin
as an “absurd” and “grotesque creations of society”. Cobello is also a believer in the statement that “historical interpretation is reserved for the ‘strong’ ”. Cobello later becomes a paraplegic because of a “freak accident” that occurred in his bathroom
. The handicap stripped Cobello of his pride and physical capabilities but it was an impairment that was not able to rule over his soul. The literary interludes that are composed of Cobello’s obsessive recollection
s are the “sinner’s” form of repentance
, in order to avoid bequeathing a legacy of hubris
, decadence, greed, and iniquities. José, however, leaves the reader of the novel unsure whether or not Cobello was sincere or just pandering during the character’s outburst of “penitent language”.
Cobello has two children, named Angela and Delfin. According to Gaborro, both are representations of two divisions in Philippine society: Angela being the heiress of Cobello’s wealth, with Delfin being Cobello’s antithesis
. Although presented to the public as Cobello’s decorous and culturally sophisticated niece, Angela is in truth Cobello’s daughter, the product of a union with his sister Corito. Although the incestuous relationship is kept secret from Angela herself, she remains a constant reminder to both Cobello and Corito of their acts and guilt. On the other hand, Delfin, who was born from the womb of Cobello’s “old teenage sweetheart” of an impecunious background becomes a lawyer and defender of the rights of the poor, who avoids following in Cobello’s footsteps. Delfin rejected his father’s offer of a "privileged and luxurious" lifestyle, becoming a person who disapproves of the oligarchy
, their excesses, and the abuses committed by them. Delfin did not want to belong to the elite
world into which his father Cobello has long stubbornly ensconced himself.
Historical novel
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a historical novel is-Development:An early example of historical prose fiction is Luó Guànzhōng's 14th century Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which covers one of the most important periods of Chinese history and left a lasting impact on Chinese culture.The...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José
F. Sionil José
F. Sionil José or in full Francisco Sionil José is one of the most widely-read Filipino writers in the English language. His novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino society...
. This particular work of literature features the History of the Philippines
History of the Philippines
The history of the Philippines is believed to have begun with the arrival of the first humans via land bridges at least 30,000 years ago. The first recorded visit from the West is the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan, who sighted Samar on March 16, 1521 and landed on Homonhon Island southeast of Samar...
, for the most part spanning the twentieth century, through the eyes of the “amoral
Amoral
Amoral may refer to:*Amorality, the absence of morality; for example, a stone, a chair, or the sky may be considered amoral**Specific amorality, the absence of some particular moral standard, principle, code, or knowledge...
” Don Carlos Corbello, a wealthy patriarch also known by the moniker “C.C.”.
Being a part of that era, Corbello reaps most of what he sowed when he was already on his “deathbed”. During this time, Corbello recalled the loves of his life, those that he had lost and longed for. A literary account of the “steady degradation” of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Sin was described by Pico Iyer
Pico Iyer
Pico Iyer is a British-born essayist and novelist. He is the author of numerous books on travel including Video Night in Kathmandu. His shorter pieces regularly appear in Time, Harper's, NYRB and many other publications.-Life and career:...
of The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
as a book " ... set in the Philippines, this amorality
Amorality
Amorality is an absence of, indifference towards, or disregard for moral beliefs. Any entity that is not sentient may be considered amoral. In addition, it can be argued that sentient but non-human creatures, like dogs, have no concept of morality and are therefore amoral...
tale shadows a rake
Rake (character)
A rake, short for rakehell, is a historic term applied to a man who is habituated to immoral conduct, frequently a heartless womanizer. Often a rake was a man who wasted his fortune on gambling, wine, women and song, incurring lavish debts in the process...
's impenitent progress ..."
Description
Allen Gaborro described Sin as the “most controversial” and the “most bohemian” or unconventional among José’s novels because it portrayed the indecencies of Don Carlos Cobello in spite of the characterisation and reputation of Philippine Society as a "highly-conservative" and "predominantly Roman Catholic". The novel is a narrative that challenges the well-established moral codes in the Philippines through the literary use of story lines equipped with “adulterous and incestuous” affairs, a genre that created an “artifice of sexual tension” within the pages of the book. Sin is a work of literature that serves as an “upsetting threat” to the foundations of “traditional Filipino mores” and the “infallibility of fundamental ChristianityChristianity in the Philippines
The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic nations in Asia, the other being East Timor. About 93% of the population is Christian, about 5% are Muslim and about 2% are other or none.-History:...
”, the mainstay of the psyche of the majority and “epistemic and spiritual strength” of many Filipinos. From a larger perspective, José’s Sin is a novel that galvanises the call to “mass consciousness” due to its exposé of “vanity and greed” entrenched in the elite configuration of supremacy and control in countries worldwide.
José also presented in Sin the contrasting inequity between the wealthy and the poverty-stricken, making the book an assault on the unending control of wealth, resources, and social capital by Filipino aristocrats. It also assails on the theme of racial discrimination committed by the landed, mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
gentry against the Indio
Indio
Indio may refer to:* Indio, California* Indio, person of indigenous peoples of the Americas* The Spanish Colonial racial term for the native Austronesian peoples of the Philippines between the 16th and 19th centuriesSpecific people:...
s or the indigenous Malay race
Malay race
The concept of a Malay race was proposed by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach , and classified as the brown race. Since Blumenbach, many anthropologists have rejected his theory of five races, citing the enormous complexity of classifying races...
of Filipino society, who were victims of the same prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
beginning with the arrival of the Spanishs
History of the Philippines (1521–1898)
This article covers the history of the Philippines from the arrival of European explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, up to the end of Spanish rule in 1898.-Spanish expeditions and conquest:...
in the 1521. The narration in José’s Sin had been compared to the novels written by Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera , born 1 April 1929, is a writer of Czech origin who has lived in exile in France since 1975, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1981. He is best known as the author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, and The Joke. Kundera has written in...
.
Principal characters
The main protagonist of the novel is Don Carlos Cobello, a Spanish mestizoMestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
or a Filipino with Spanish ancestry who had “little direct contact” with brown-skinned Filipinos, or "Indios". According to José’s narrative and portrayal, Cobello is the embodiment of a “libidinous fornicator”, the egotistic and selfish aristocrat who himself described sinfulness as a social definition instead of being a moral designation, and further described sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
as an “absurd” and “grotesque creations of society”. Cobello is also a believer in the statement that “historical interpretation is reserved for the ‘strong’ ”. Cobello later becomes a paraplegic because of a “freak accident” that occurred in his bathroom
Bathroom
A bathroom is a room for bathing in containing a bathtub and/or a shower and optionally a toilet, a sink/hand basin/wash basin and possibly also a bidet....
. The handicap stripped Cobello of his pride and physical capabilities but it was an impairment that was not able to rule over his soul. The literary interludes that are composed of Cobello’s obsessive recollection
Recollection
Recall in memory refers to the retrieval of events or information from the past. Along with encoding and storage, it is one of the three core processes of memory. There are three main types of recall: free recall, cued recall and serial recall...
s are the “sinner’s” form of repentance
Repentance
Repentance is a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
, in order to avoid bequeathing a legacy of hubris
Hubris
Hubris , also hybris, means extreme haughtiness, pride or arrogance. Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power....
, decadence, greed, and iniquities. José, however, leaves the reader of the novel unsure whether or not Cobello was sincere or just pandering during the character’s outburst of “penitent language”.
Cobello has two children, named Angela and Delfin. According to Gaborro, both are representations of two divisions in Philippine society: Angela being the heiress of Cobello’s wealth, with Delfin being Cobello’s antithesis
Antithesis
Antithesis is a counter-proposition and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition...
. Although presented to the public as Cobello’s decorous and culturally sophisticated niece, Angela is in truth Cobello’s daughter, the product of a union with his sister Corito. Although the incestuous relationship is kept secret from Angela herself, she remains a constant reminder to both Cobello and Corito of their acts and guilt. On the other hand, Delfin, who was born from the womb of Cobello’s “old teenage sweetheart” of an impecunious background becomes a lawyer and defender of the rights of the poor, who avoids following in Cobello’s footsteps. Delfin rejected his father’s offer of a "privileged and luxurious" lifestyle, becoming a person who disapproves of the oligarchy
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
, their excesses, and the abuses committed by them. Delfin did not want to belong to the elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
world into which his father Cobello has long stubbornly ensconced himself.