Social Issues in F. Sionil Jose’s Selected Short Stories

Abstract

The study aimed to find out how Francisco Sionil Jose depicted the prevailing socio-economic and political issues in the selected short stories using the descriptive content analysis. This critical study ascertained the following: (1) the social issues revealed in the selected stories of F. Sionil Jose; (2) the author’s depiction of class struggle, social relevance and commitment; and (3) the implications of the portrayal of these social issues in the development of Philippine literature and society. The most common social issues portrayed in the selected short stories are graft and corruption, poverty, prostitution, dishonesty, rebellion, oppression of the poor, racial discrimination, concubinage, and suppression of the freedom of the press. Moreover, the author’s depiction of the social issues demonstrated relevance by vividly citing the ills of the society that were rampant at the time the stories were written. In this sense the author did not just write a story for the sake of writing, but at the same time inform the readers about the effect of these social ills to the people and the society as a whole. Social commitment is also evident in the stories by making the characters realized the gravity and impact of their actions at the end of each story. Given these portrayals of the prevailing social issues, one can say that indeed, there is a clear interrelationship between literature and society. The times and events at a given time in history and the author’s experiences also shaped the materials of his stories. Based on the outcomes of this literary study, literature, especially the short stories of F. Sionil Jose, can be a vehicle for social transformation. F. Sionil Jose can then be referred to as the Jose Rizal of the present time. Keywords - social issue, short stories, literature, social transformation