When I look for innocence I look at the children. Where are the children?

Innocence once lost is lost forever. This could be the reason why in both stories the parents were concerned about keeping the innocence of their children. In the same manner, both stories somewhat allude to Pilate’s ‘washing of the hands’ to purge him from sin as the once innocent children in both stories washed their bodies in hopes of regaining their purity.

Magnificence

Estrella D. Alfon

The children in Magnificence were naïve and innocent – they were easily amazed after having been given pencils of different colors by Vicente, their tutor. Vicente was described as a queer yet gentle men, characteristics that gravitated the children towards him.

Without implicitly stating the obvious, the girl was taken advantage by Vicente. He took her to his lap and afterwards must have conjured obscene thoughts in his head causing him to be aroused. The mother saw this incident and forced him with slaps out of their house.

The last few scenes struck me the most as the mother hurriedly searched her daughter’s body for signs of abuse and later bathe her. It seemed like a cleansing ritual. Though a so-called cleansing ritual was done and the tutor was taken care of, the child’s innocence was already blemished. The next scene wherein the mother burned her clothes immediately yet mentioned that the pencils can be discarded the next day seemed like the mother’s acceptance of the incident, that her daughter was in fact violated – she already accepted the existence of the pencils (a reminder of Vicente’s presence).

Generations

Ninotchka Rosca

Three generations were portrayed in the story. The first generation was Old Selo and his wife, the second was the drunkard husband and his wife, and the third generation consisted of the children. All three generations were greatly affected by the unjust society. Old Selo had to experience giving a share of his harvest to the landowner. The second generation on the other hand, had to experience poverty to the extent that they are unable to have enough rice for the family. The third generation on the other hand seemed to have been bled dry by the unjust society so much so that the only thing they had left, which was their innocence, was still taken from them.

Because of poverty, people have only their rights, dignity, and self-worth left to their name. They are hungry and oppressed, but they have this. Unfortunately, as seen in the experiences of the young girl who bailed out her drunk father from jail who violated the curfew, she had to give up even this; she gave up her innocence.

She realized eventually that she was entitled to this right and to have dignity and self-worth. It was too late, yet this did not stop her from taking revenge. She gave her father a fatal blow in the head. Thereafter, she met her siblings and told them to have a bath in the canal before heading home. Once again, an image of cleansing was portrayed. In spite of this ritual cleansing, the girl was still unable to regain her innocence.