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Transnational Existentialism: The Woman Who Had Two Navels

Explore the complexities of identity and the impact of colonialism through the lens of Nick Joaquin's novel, set in post-WWII Manila and British-occupied Hong Kong. Dive into the existentialist themes of good/evil, right/wrong, and the search for meaning in a world free from overarching systems of belief.

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Transnational Existentialism: The Woman Who Had Two Navels

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  1. Presentation: W 2/27 • Patricia Arriaga • Cindy Bui • Kathy Situ • Edgar Gastelum • Sam Song Announcements

  2. Transnational Existentialism Joaquin’s The Woman Who Had Two Navels

  3. 1902 – 1934: first major wave of Filipino immigration into US • 1934: passage of Philippine Independence Act • Revokes noncitizen national status of Filipinos and subjects them to racist national quota of 50 per year • 1935: passage of Filipino repatriation act • Bulosan – critique of hypocrisy & contradiction of benevolent assimilation, exposure of racist marginalization in US, radical re-imagining of America • Santos – doubled impossibility of belonging to US or Philippines, condition of manong’s exile Filipino/American Literature

  4. trans·na·tion·al(adj)- extending or operating across national boundaries Trans – national • Spanish colony  unincorporated territory  commonwealth  Japanese occupied land  independent Republic of the Philippines • Spanish colonial noncitizen national  foreign alien  Japanese subject  Philippine citizen How does one define one’s identity when one is not only in transit between nations but one’s country is also constantly having its political status transformed by colonialism and war? Trans-national

  5. 1942 – 1945 – Japanese occupation of Manila • Augst 6-9, 1945 – Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki • July 4, 1946 – Philippine independence recognized • 1946 – 1952 – Chinese Revolution From WWII to Cold War

  6. Born May 4. 1917 in Manila • Historian, journalist, short story writer and novelist in English • Recognized by Jose Garcia Villa • Named national artist by Ferdinand Marcos • Deep admirer of Rizal – translated “Mi Ultimo Adios” • The Woman Who Had Two Navels – published 1961 • Symbolism of two navels? Nick Joaquin

  7. Two major locations: • Post-WWII Manila • Hong Kong – British possession & location of Aguinaldo’s exiled government • Timeframe: • Early years of independence • Contemporary with Communist-Nationalist struggle Setting

  8. Esteban Borromeo Concha Vidal Manolo Vidal Dr. Monson Connie Escobar PacoTexeira Mary Texeira Pepe Fr. Tony Rita Macho Escobar Characters

  9. (post)colonial vs postcolonial  is there ever an end to colonizing power? • Dr. Monson’s visit to Manila • Is it futile to search for the definitions of good/evil & right/wrong? • Context of WWII  Holocaust vs atomic bomb • Existentialism  “existence precedes essence” • What defines one’s life when there are no abstract and overarching systems to believe in? • “Side by side on the sofa they discussed his father and her daughter” (19) • What is the relationship between Dr. Monson and Connie Escobar? (post)colonial existentialism

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