Love, real love, requires no justifications at all.

It is there, mixed with your blood which you may have to shed.

Vibora!
F. Sionil Jose
an analysis

About the Author

Francisco Sionil Jos (Dec. 3, 1924) is one of the most widely-read Filipino writers in the English language. His novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino society.

Reference: Wikipedia

Awards
Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts (1980) National Artist Award for Literature (2001) Pablo Neruda Centennial Award (2004) Palanca Awards

Authors Novels
The Rosales Saga - Poon - The Pretenders - My Brother, My Executioner - Mass - Tree Ermita Gagamba Viajero Sin Ben Singkol Vibora!

Vibora!
F. Sionil Jose

Characters
Benjamin Ben Singkol Josefina Josie his daughter Haruko a Japanese friend of Josie and Bens informant Pepe Leynes a good friend of Ben Fred Lang a Filipino-American historian in search of the Yamashita Treasure Artemio Ricarte

Summary
Ben Singkol, a Filipino collaborator ofthe Americans during the Second World War, sought to find out about Artemio Ricartes motives of collaborating with the Japanese during the war by seeking memoirs and opinions of people who knew him very well. While doing so, he realizes his own mistake of being a traitor to his own nation.

Artemio Vibora Ricarte y Garcia

Oct. 20, 1866 - July 31, 1945

Batac City, Ilocos Sur was a schoolteacher and a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War. "Father of the Philippine Army".

 refused to take an oath of allegiance to the government of the United States (1903) was transported to Hong Kong but returned to the Philippines to revolt jailed at Bilibid Prison for six years (19041910) due to illegal possesion of firearms and conspiracy

 married Agueda Esteban, widow of Col. Mariano Barroga, after his imprisonment moved to Yokohama, Japan with his wife (1923) collaborated with Japan during the World War II died of dysentery at the age of 78 somewhere in Cordillera during the war against Americans

 his relatives were executed by the Japanese and had a grandson (Besulmino Romero) whose life was spared His remains lie at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

Setting
Time: sometime during Pres. Corazon Aquinos presidency Place: - beginning not specified - ended - Ricartes monument

Plot
Medias Res (started in the middle) Ricartes history recorded by Ben is not chronologically arranged Point of view of people who knew Ricarte in some chapters through memoirs gathered (letters, journal entries, etc.)
Apolinario Mabini, Agueda, some historians, journalists, a guerilla officer, a Bilibid prison guard, Besulmino

Themes
Patriotism to the Country - Ricartes intention in allegiance to Japan Loyalty - Col. Ohta towards Ricarte, Ricarte towards the Philippines Unity as a Nations Independence - Japan as a unified nation

Themes
Greed as Ones Downfall - Fred Langs supposed demise in pursuit of Yamashita Treasure Westerners Lust for Empire - Spaniards and Americans as Philippines Colonizers

Thank you for listening.

Reported by: Zeus David Arjona