The Influences of Socio-Political Forces to the Discursive Formation of Historical Novel Characters

Abstract

The study was conducted to reveal the influences of the socio-political violations to fictional communicative discourse of the characters in five Filipino novels in English: A Passing Seasonby Azucena Grajo Uranza, American Period; To Be Freeby Edilberto K. Tiempo, Post-American War Period; The Survivorsby Antonio Enriquez, Japanese Period; At War’s Endby Rony V. Diaz, Post-Colonial Period; and Empire of Memory, by Eric Gamalinda, Martial Law Period.The descriptive-qualitative, contentanalysis, and historical research designs were used to interpret and analyze the novels which involved three approaches in literary criticism: Marxism by Karl Marx; Speech Act Theory by John Langshaw Austin; and Illocutionary Acts by John R. Searle. The study concluded that the forms of socio-political violations in the history were reflected by the novels. In relation to fictional communicative discourse, characters were assertive before committing a socio-political violation which entails the following positive traits: accommodating, outspoken, candid, principled, truth, open, frank, sincere, and straight; and negative traits: domineering, bossy, authoritarian, and forceful. The characters became directive while they were doing and accomplishing a violation. The directive illocutionary act entails the following positive traits: supportive, caring, sympathetic, compassionate, and accommodating; and negative traits: tyrannical, rebellious, oppressive, and autocratic.