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Trials, Dreams, Illusions: Ang Paglilitis Kay Mang Serapio

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Trials, Dreams, Illusions:
Ang Paglilitis Kay Mang Serapio Throughout the scene of the “trial” of Mang Serapio, we can already see a lot of deviations from what a normal play should be like. In order to start the discussion of the play itself, I would like to state some elements that remained a mystery to me, even as I reached the end of the story and read it again all together. For some reason, it is very hard to truly understand what the play is alluding to, but nonetheless, what I would state here is my reading and understanding of the text. The idea that a “trial” is juxtaposed with the idea of a “federacion” of these people of a lower status in society is very illogical. This federation of sorts is actually a group of beggars where …show more content…

I find it rather comical the way Mang Serapio asked what his crime is and that the ones questioning him answered that he will find out as the trial progresses. The questioners actually addressed the audience and said the answer to the question right away. As the trial progressed, Mang Serapio again questioned what he is being accused of, probably denying what he has heard earlier, but again, the questioners just answered with the same statement again: “pagaaruga ng bata”. As the story reached its climax, when Sol, said to be dead, having been killed by a passing jeepney, is depicted in the “manika”, Mang Serapio should have been absolved of his crime of taking care of a child. The crime being that he is wasting the money of the said federation by providing for another person, where it should have been given to the federation in the first place. However, he is still punished despite being innocent of what he is being accused of. His new crime being that he is being delusional, dreaming and pretending that something gone is still within one’s reach: an illusory life. This illusory life, his wasting money on such a thing that he considers his daughter is still attached to him. Thus, he is still blinded, with that it can actually gain more sympathy from other people, him being an old man and now blind, gaining more profits to give to the federation. Another feature of the play is the language found in it. There

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