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Each Chapter:

- What are the roles of each character to the ending? (Nagpakamatay si Tony Samson)

- Illustrate the chapter and what each character stands for.

- Narration of each chapter

- Study of each character

- What they present?

Chapter 2

1. Antonio Samson- an Ilocano whose ancestor migrated from Ilocos to Rosales, Pangasinan but later moved to

Antipolo, Rizal after his fathers indictment. He is a scholar and an intellectual to teach in the

University after obtaining his doctorate degree from the United States.

- There are no significant events in this chapter that would hint Tony Samsons suicide at theend of the novel.

2. Carmen Villa- Tonys fiance who very much misses him during his stay in Antipolo.- Carmen is presented as a lovable fiance. Rich and beautiful, having her as a wife would

make any man the luckiest in the world. Although she may be spoiled by the upbringing of

the Villas, the chapter presents her to be in love with Tony Samson that would not

intentionally hurt him.

3. Emy- mentioned only in chapter 2 as a person who is important to Tony (later stated as a former

love interest). He tries not to think about much since his engagement to Carmen but cannot

do so because she remains an important part of his past.

- It is revealed at the end of the chapter that she is a former lover. This character would mostlikely be the cause of deep regret for Tony Samson. Having known that she had seemingly

lived a wayward life while he was away does show to bother Tony emotionally. The pain of

lost love and lost chances adds to reasons for Tonys suicide at the end of the chapter.

4. Dean Lopez- a highly respectable member of the academe in Tonys University. He is also an Ilocano. He

represents a form of politics and corruption in the academe. He hand picks his subordinates

in his department with which he thinks would always back him up. He establishes ties with

Tony and makes him unsolicited favors in an effort to get claim Tony to the deans side if

ever the dean finds use for him someday. This character exposes Tony to the things that he

despises about the politics and corruption in the academe.

- Seemingly on Tonys side at the start of the chapter, this character is shown to primarilyserve only his purpose and not that of others. While not yet shown how his relationship with

Dean Lopez develops, if ever Tony gets on his bad side, it will spell consequences for his

academic career. Teaching is Tonys passion, his true calling. If ever this comes into jeopardy

will cause great pain for Tony and the Dean is the key to Tonys success or failure in the

academe.

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5. Godo and Charlie- newspapermen and Tonys old college friends. They are implied to have struggling financially

but are ever spirited in political and societal matters. They have strong beliefs about

corruption and societal equality in the Philippines sometimes conflicting with Tonys own

beliefs. They are able to provide certain opinions that Tony is incapable of acknowledging

given their different standings, nonetheless, Tony respects their opinions. Somehow theseare the people that provide Tony with opinions about moral righteousness that Tony cannot

seem to accept at the time.

- These two are Tonys two best friends, his support system. Somehow these people know andunderstand Tony, or at least they used to. They all have clashing ideas but there friendship

still remains to be strong. Any further development within the succeeding chapters will test

their friendship and values and only then will the reader realize if these two would have

aided in the result of Tonys suicide.

Chapter summary:

He had just returned to his home in Antipolo (with his sister, Manang Betty), but he missed

Rosales (Pangasinan) more. In his room were his luggage, a bookcase with its paint peeled off, a single

light bulb hanging from the ceiling and a bent, rusty nail that stuck out from a post at one end of the

room. This particular nail brought back memories when it once held an Igorot blanket long ago. It

reminded him of Emy.

Tony would call Carmen Villa (his fiance) before he leaves Antipolo. They have a brief

conversation where she recounts their stay in Washington and she expresses her longing for Tony.

In this chapter, Tony goes to visit the University (most likely to be UST, where F. Sionil also went)

where he is supposed to teach after obtaining his doctorate degree in the United States. He observes

how the dry season has changed the surroundings. He remembers August in Washington (which is very

hot/humid) how he met Carmen. He did not, at first, think that he would ever get to meet Carmen again

but was somehow surprised to have had another chance to take her to the Library of Congress. He did

not believe that love could sprout from such a prosaic beginning . He wished that it would not have

been that easy for them to end up together.

At the University, Tony meets Dean Lopez. He notices that their conversation is different from

before when he was just an academic assistant. They have finally established rapport as Tony is going to

teach in the University. He talks with other senior faculty members in the department but realizes that

their intellectual conversations is just a way for the faculty to impress their own importance upon each

other whilst not having to directly state the displeasures of their current state. He appreciates the

deans kind gestures at first but sooner realizes that thisis just the deans way of imparting him with an

utang na loob whenever the dean would require payment (in the form of loyalty to the dean). He

recognizes the importance of the dean in the University and in the national academe and literature but

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realizes that he is no less than a plagiarizer. It is stated by Tony that it was the dean who help send him

to America through his scholarship.

Tony again recounts his time in America when he was alone. It is there that he pondered his true

beginnings or the roots from which he came from. He states the importance of knowing the past to help

an individual realize that his worth not only comes from himself but was also shaped by numerous

ancestors who preceded him. He confides in Carmen his desire to trace his grandfather (who describes

as brave/courageous and intellectual) who brought the Samsons from Ilocos to Pangasinan. This is when

Carmen tells him that he will think that he can do no wrong. There are no supermen in this world but

she mentions that her father might as well be a superman for he is able to influence almost anybody,

politicians, daughters (herself) and even errant teachers (Tony).

After leaving campus, Tony sets off to meet his old college friends in Quiapo. These two were

newspapermen. It was 6 years since they last met and he was wondering how the two might have fared

in life. This was the first time that Tony asked himself if success could be measure in material terms.

Back then, during their college years, they contributed to the University paper along with other

student-writers, Angel (engineering student from Iloilo) and Jacinto (a peasant from Nueva Ecija). The

latter would eventually invite the writers to join the Huks (Hukbalahap) in revolt. Tony was ever

reserved the idea for he always had in his mind the experience of his fathers failure and incarceration.

There would be times thought that he would regret being so cowardly.

What was supposed to be a reunion of old friends would soon turn into an argument of beliefs

and ideals. Godo and Charlie, as newspapermen, would have strong opinions against political and

societal issues. Charlie would be the type to seldom speak but when he did, would always have strong

opinions and sharp words. Godo would be more outspoken and opposing to Tonys ideas, especially

about the status quo of the rich and the poor, even going so far as to accusing Tony of forgetting his

roots of coming from poverty. Even though they are friends, Tony would have a feeling of superiority

over them after obtaining his doctorate knowing that he had more insight than his friends who merely

knew the same beliefs and ideals they experienced in everyday life.

Trying to change the topic away from their argument, Tony states that he is to be married soon.

Godo remarks that he should marry for love and not for money to which Charlie asks if he is to marry his

cousin, Emy. The chapter ends with Tony contemplating the thought of Emy. It is revealed that she was

Tonys first and that he cannot forget his past which is as important to him now as ever.