The God Stealer
Encyclopedia
"The God Stealer" is a short story
by Filipino National Artist F. Sionil José
. It is José's most anthologized work of fiction. It is not just a tale about an Ifugao stealing a religious idol
, but also about the friendship that developed between a Filipino
and an American
, a representation of the relationship that developed between the "colonized" and the "colonizer". The story was a first prize winner during the 1959
Palanca awards in the Philippines
. It is included in the book by José with a similar title, The God Stealer and Other Stories.
. During a feast honoring Philip for his return, Philip and Sam were because of the unwillingness of the Ifugao people to sell any Ifugao statue. Philip plans to steal his grandfather's god in return for the salary raise given to him by Sam. After finding out that his god was missing, Philip's grandfather dies. Because of his grandfather's passing, Philip decides not to return to Manila with Sam as a form of repentance. Philip transforms himself back into an Ifugao attired in traditional clothing who was in the process of replacing the old Ifugao idol
by chisel
ing a new one.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
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...
. It is José's most anthologized work of fiction. It is not just a tale about an Ifugao stealing a religious idol
Cult image
In the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents...
, but also about the friendship that developed between a Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
and an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a representation of the relationship that developed between the "colonized" and the "colonizer". The story was a first prize winner during the 1959
1959 Palanca Awards
The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature winners in the year 1959 .-English Division:Short Story*First Prize: "The God Stealer" by Francisco SioJose...
Palanca awards in 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...
. It is included in the book by José with a similar title, The God Stealer and Other Stories.
Character description
The main characters in "The God Stealer" are Philip Latak and Sam Cristie. Philip, also known as Ip-pig, is an Ifugao who became a Christian and lived in Manila. By becoming a city dweller, Philip became less sentimental with his cultural identity, beliefs, and customs. His name was derived from the word Philippines. On the other hand, Sam Christie was an Americanwho wanted to view the rice terraces of the Mountain Province (also known as the Cordilleras). He was also interested in purchasing an original figurine of an Ifugao god. His name was derived from Uncle Sam, a representation of the United States. Philip and Sam were co-workers.[4].Summary
Philip and Sam go to Baguio CityBaguio City
The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway...
. During a feast honoring Philip for his return, Philip and Sam were because of the unwillingness of the Ifugao people to sell any Ifugao statue. Philip plans to steal his grandfather's god in return for the salary raise given to him by Sam. After finding out that his god was missing, Philip's grandfather dies. Because of his grandfather's passing, Philip decides not to return to Manila with Sam as a form of repentance. Philip transforms himself back into an Ifugao attired in traditional clothing who was in the process of replacing the old Ifugao idol
Idolatry
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god, or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God. In all the Abrahamic religions idolatry is strongly forbidden, although...
by chisel
Chisel
A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or wood with a sharp edge in it.In use, the chisel is forced into the material...
ing a new one.
Interpretation
Philip's act of thievery represented the Filipinos' giving up of their past tribal origins and traditions, only to be replaced by an "unnatural" culture brought by colonialism. At one time in history, colonialism brought to the Filipinos a state of confusion, troubled emotions, helplessness, torment, embarrassment and the inability to embrace the past.External links
- Roces, Mina. "The God Stealer" at Filipino Identity in Fiction, 1945–1972, Modern Asian Studies 28, 2 (1994), pp. 279–315, jstor.org