The Pretenders
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Introduction
The Pretenders tells the story of Antonio Samson, a Harvard Ph.D., who returns to the Philippines and marries into a wealthy industrial family. His growing sense that he has not only been betrayed by his new family but has also betrayed his own people and beliefs lead to suicide. His life and death leave an indelible mark on his wifes family, and she publishes his thesis, which influences the next generation of revolutionaries.
Setting
In the Philippines,
Characters:
Mrs. Antonio Samson
A widow who is a pessimist and does not believe easily. She doesnt want to believe in her husbands death. She tried to understand it but it all led to her deafening, her doctors say that shes deaf because she doesnt want to face reality, she doesnt want to believe in her husbands death.
Mr. Tony Samson
The late husband of Mrs. Antonio Samson. He was known for his honesty, he couldnt keep anything from his wife. He would always say everything to his wife. He wasnt really mentioned in the story due to his death.
Dean Lopez
Carmen Villa
The mestiza whos bound to marry Tony. Shes rich like all of the other Villas
Summary
The Pretenders tells of the life of Tony Samson, grandson of Istak. The story begins by narrating his death by suicide and then proceeds to recount why this occurred. Tony has risen from his peasant beginnings and from the squalor of his room in Manila and traveled on scholarship to the United States, obtaining his doctorate from Harvard. Tonys father is in Bilibid prison for having killed his landlord (the father of the narrator in Tree) during the Colorum uprising. Tony Samson has written a dissertation criticizing the role of the ilustrados in the Philippine Revolution.
Tony marries a rich mestiza, daughter of the industrialist