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Mass

By: F.Sionil Jose

Mass, is a novel which is written by F. Sionil Jose. It is a story of the illegitimate

son of Antonio Samson named Jose Samson who escapes from the barrio where his

life became miserable and went to Manila and finds his luck in a place called Tondo. He

encountered many struggles in life but it made him strong and fought for he know what

is right and to open up his mind about the answers to his questions merely about his

father and for what he wanted to be someday.

The first chapter of Jose Samsons life- Pepe, Pepito or Joe Samson, started

when he was still in the barrio called Cabugawan. He usually sees this place as a

monotonous prison where people grow old yet remain the same. He was blessed for he

was not been hungry like some of their neighbors during planting season when they ate

only twice a day. He was thankful for he had his Mother a good customer who paid herfor sewing and his Auntie Bettina who is a school teacher. Her mother loves him very

much for she can do anything just for him, but there is one thing in his mind- that she is

ill and he had made her worse by making her angry and every time his mother suffer

and hard to breathe, he is worry that it was his doing. By that time, he decided to leave

and find his luck in Manila. His mother always wanted him to go to college and finished

it foe her to compensate never having finished her degree. His mother always told him

that he will be somebody someday even if he failed three times in grade school; his

mother did not lose her faith on him. His mother always told him to behave, to be

obedient to his Uncle Bert and Auntie Betty, to help in their house and to do his own

washing and ironing. One particular morning, Pepe has a conversation with his AuntieBettina about their lives in Cabugawan, thats why his mother worked hard just to send

him in college because they he is talented, but until that time that he is going to college,

he not even know what he want to be. He just want to go to see movie, have a good

meal, looking at shops, the new shoes and clothes and denims for men.

The day when he need to board the bus going to Manila, his Auntie Bettina and

his mother gave him five hundred pesos for tuition for the semester. Before he boarded

the bus, his mother reminded him that whatever course he will take, he must not forget

Cabugawan and he can only leave it if he studies hard. He was thirsty and famished

when the bus rolled into its terminal at noon. He had quick lunch of siopao and noodles

in the restaurant within the terminal and he had his money as instructed by his mother

which is pinned inside his shirt. As his Auntie Bettina instructed him, he boarded a bus

for Quiapo, walked through the clogged streets, crossed the burning asphalt and took in

the acid breath of the city. The whole neighborhood smelled urine and the canals that

lined the tracks were strangled with weeds, black with washing, and garbage or years.

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As he reached the house where his Uncle Bert and Auntie Betty lived, he knocks at the

door but nobody answers. He knocked again, but this time louder that anyone could

hear. By that time, the window opened and the woman who is about fifty at age let him

in. They had a long conversation about their lives then suddenly his Uncle Bert

accidentally told something about his father that his mother never told him nor his

Auntie Bettina. That day, he knew that his mother and his father were cousins that he

was born out of wedlock. His father got married to a rich woman who died afterwards-

insane. They also told Pepe that his father died because of an accident, even though

they knew the true story. After that conversation, Pepe still do not know what he think

about on how he could fit himself in that old house. Downstairs, he met Lucy, the

Bisayan atsay from Dumaguete singing softly. As he woke up, he walked around the

neighborhood; he saw the old wooden houses and the roof tin were rusty. He

remembered what his Auntie Betty said that their immediate neighbors were nice, and

there was an Ilokano clerk and the new tenant who became the mistress of a

businessman or police agent. During his silence he always remember his mother andmany things about his father.

He went to Diliman but he could not enroll because of his low grades. But the

real reason was he already spent his money that was allotted for his tuition. He went to

Recto with his enough money for quarterly payment, he entered a diploma mill for he

cannot enrolled in U.P. at his first day in school, he met Augusto Salcedo whom he

called as Toto and became Pepes best friend. After that day, he went home to eat the

vegetable stew that Lucy cooked. They are alone in the house and for the first time,

Pepe lost his virginity for what had happened between him and Lucy.

During his schooling, where he thought Toto was a serious student suddenly

asked him to join a student organization in the university called the Botherhood. Toto

was a scholar and also had a job as an acolyte for a priest in Tondo. He was told Pepe

that he was an orphan. Toto always show his kindness to Pepe were he usually invited

him for a coke and siopao and sometimes for coffee. He even gave Pepe a pocketbook

which his priest boss gave him. Pepe was grateful to have Toto for he had someone to

tell everything but not the things about his father or Lucy. They walked from Recto to a

cranped wooden apartment in Dapitan where the meeting will be held. At first Pepe had

expected that it was a big group, but his expectation was merely different because they

are only nine in the room. The meeting did not start yet until two in the afternoon then

finally a man who was about at his thirties came. Pepe listened to Professor Hortenso

attentively while he is talking about the Brotherhood. Pepe asked the Professor of what

things can he get from the Brotherhood and he answered nothing, nothing but strength

and unity. Pepe was surprised when Professor Hortenso knew something about his

father and he was thankful that the nephew- Pepe, of a great man who wrote the most

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perceptive book of their history was now a member of the Brotherhood. After that

wonderful conversation, h went home but found their house padlocked when he arrived.

While waiting, he met their neighbor named Nick but Pepe preferred calling him Kuya

Nick. He told Pepe what his wife- Mia, saw the other day, that she is comparing Pepe to

hm. After their conversation he went home and found Lucy had just arrived home. He

ignored Lucys explanation and kissed her. That night, he could not sleep thinking of

what Kuya Nick have said to him- that he would earn enough to pay him back in a

month fo selling, but Pepe did not even know what was the thing to be sell.

Pepe was late that morning in his first subject but he did not mind it. Toto

suddenly rushed to him when he arrived saying that he can be somebody in the

Brotherhood but before that he must be a Student Council in the University. Pepe

always put in his mind that he is not a politician and he does not like be one of them,

saying promises that need a return. Toto was serious if what he had said, Pepe needs

to be elected as the President of the class then probably by next week he must run forthe Student Council. For the second time, Pepe asked of what he can get from it- Toto

did not know what to say, but he proudly say that he will be invited in many parties, met

many girls and he will get a scholarship if he will be elected as the President of the

Council. Pepe won the election for being the class President, nest were the election for

the Student Council but not for Presidency because it was always reserved for the

seniors. When he got home, he found Lucy at home for she cannot visit her sister, Pepe

knew that he was not the first then she became honest to him that it was his Uncle.

The next morning, he had another conversation with Kuya Nick about the job he

offered to him. Pepe was surprised when Kuya Nick said he needs to deliver drugs totheir prospects customers from Ateneo or La Salle. He could get two hundred pesos a

week and for about a thousand a month. Kuya Nick also told him to study the

description of each customer and he would just try it for one week and if he does not

like it then he can leave. He tries the job because Kuya Nick thought that he is the one

who fits for the job and he can replace Joe. He delivered the drugs to each customer

that is in the list. He had five deliveries just in one day, all in Makati area; he also had a

hundred and twenty pesos for all of that.

Pepe still continue delivering drugs to their prospects. The last was Doris; she

was not the one using it but her friend. She just wants to help her friend to stop using it.

Pepe did not told Toto that he was a pusher where he earned to buy his fancy jewelries

and clothes. After that conversation with Doris, he talked to Kuya Nick that he cannot

continue the job anymore.

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The following day, Pepe enrolled at the International Karate School not to

practice his fighting skill but to learn to defend himself and to practice discipline. Pepe

told Toto where he was when he was not in school in the early morning and after class.

Because Pepe knew that Toto wants to be a Karatista thats why he told and through

their conversation, the name of Father Jess did not obtrude into their conversation and

also Tia Nena who did the cooking and the laundry for Father Jess. As the election for

the Student Council had to come, Toto helped Pepe for its candidacy. Toto asked

helped to Father Jess and to the Brotherhood. Pepe and Father Jess first met when

they are in San Beda. They had a good relationship to each other like he and Toto had.

Pepe then met Roger who was one of the tayo-tayo gang in the barrio.

Pepe tried to set the Brotherhood in the barrio and it was not difficult for him. At

first, it was a simple organization not until the cooperation of Roger assured. It is where

he also met Lily, the secretary of the Brotherhood in Tondo, whom he fall in love with.

Pepe really do not like to be a politician but he like it in a different way. He did notcampaign too hard for the National Directorate at the convention in Diliman and by then

he became a member of the said Directorate.

After the election, they prepared for the revolution, unfortunately, his friend Toto

was shot. Pepe was shocked for what happened; he did not know who shot his friend,

neither the Metrocol nor the Army. When the March was over, Pepe hate himself

because of his cowardice. He always thought that it was his fault for losing his brother

and best friend Toto. He tried to forget everything happened that day, it was when he

met Juan Puneta, the man behind the success of the Brotherhood because help them in

everything they need. Juan Puneta became a good friend to Pepe but it was just an act,he want Pepe to help him in his candidacy. It was that day when Pepe found out that it

was Juan Punetas command to shot the activist in the march, Pepe was shocked when

knew it then he grab the gun and shot it in the chest of Juan Puneta. Pepe did not just

kill Juan Puneta, he also steal guns and money that Puneta own. Another struggles

came to him when his mother died. He did not know what to do for there are still many

questions in his mind that are not answered yet.

Reading this novel makes me inspired of Pepe that in spite of many problems, he

faces it by his own. He proved to himself and to others that he can make his life

meaningful doing things that he cannot even think he will do someday. It makes me feel

that I am also one of the characters in the novel, fighting for what is I know is right it also

thought me of a thing that entering a political world needs to sacrifice many things even

if it is your own happiness.