Written Report on Faith, Love, Time and Dr.

Lazaro
By Gregorio C. Brillantes
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
in Philippine Literatue (Litt. 21)

Submitted by
Mark Lindsy Borongan
Pearl Marie Darong
Sheree Ann Labe
Simonne Gamil
Sharrey Lyn Grio
Kyle Samson

Submitted to
Ms. Partosa

August 2016

Introduction:
Gregorio C. Brillantes is one of the most popular multi-awarded Philipino fiction
writers. Born from Camiling, Tarlac last December 18,1932, Brillantes spent his college
in Ateneo de Manila University where he got his Degree in Literature. As a writer,
Brillantes stories mostly centered on alienation of man from family, society and man
themselves. His sophisticated and elegant style in writing earned him awards such as
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Essay, Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Short
Story, Catholic Mass Media Award of Merit for Best Book for The Apollo Centennial in
1981, the Southeast Asian Writers (SEAWRITE) Award in 1982, and the Patnubay ng
Sining at Kalinangan Award from the city government of Manila and the Tawid Award for
Achievement in Literature from the Ilocano Heritage Awards Foundation, both in 1983.
Some of his works include short stories such as The Distance to Andromeda and
Other Stories,The Apollo Centennial, Help,and On a Clear Day in November Shortly
Before the Millennium, Stories for a Quarter Century and essays; Looking for Rizal in
Madrid, Chronicles of Interesting Times, and The Cardinal's Sins, the General's Cross, the
Martyr's Testimony and other Affirmations. His feature article, Nik Joaquin/Quijano de
Manila and Other Anomalies, was a second prize winner in the CMMA. He won three
first prizes in the Philippine Free Press literary contest for The Living and the Dead, A
Wind Over the Earth, and The Distance to Andromeda, and two second prizes in the
same contest for The Light and Shadow of Leaves, and Faith, Love, Time and Dr.
Lazaro.
This paper focuses on his Literary piece entitled Faith, Love, Time and Dr. Lazaro.

Faith, Love, Time and Dr. Lazaro

Summary:
The story was about a country Doctor, named Dr. Lazaro who has a weak faith. He
had two sons, Ben, who is religious and the other one(not named) committed suicide. One
late evening, the Doctor was called by Esteban, to help his baby who was dying from
tetanus in the outskirt of the city. Though he know it was hopeless, he said he would go.
His driver was sent of early so his wife told him to ask his son, Ben, instead. Ben drove
for him to the house of the patient. On their way, Dr. Lazaro tried to have a normal
conversation with his son and asked him about his career plans. Ben answered that he
was still uncertain though he was reading a book about a guy who became a monk, he
knew what he wanted but he also knew that his father wanted him to become a doctor just
like him.
Because it was a suburban place, they had to use a flash light to guide their way
through a dark field and cross a river. When they reached the house, Dr. Lazaro tried his
best to recover the suffering child but he was not successful. He was surprised when his
son got a water and baptised the dying child. Seeing his sons gesture made him realise
the values of his son and it made him understand his son better. On their way home, Dr.
Lazaro realisd so many things are missing in his life and it includes Faith in God, Love
for his family and his work, and time to exist in his familys lives. He questioned his lack
of faith, and promised himself to spend more time with his loved ones. He even supported
his sons religious vocation by calling him Reverend Father, which means he no longer
object to whatever his son wants in life. Somehow right there, he found the light.

Elements of the Story

Characters:

Dr. Lazaro
-country doctor
-empty,faithless
-doubtful
-Emotionally detached

Ben
-Son of Dr. Lazaro
-Faithful, Religious
-Loving, caring

Setting:
In a small city, San Miguel
Rising action:
When Dr. Lazaro asked his son on his career plans.
Climax:
When Dr. Lazaro did everything to save the childs life.
Falling action:
When Ben baptised the child with a water using coconut shell.
Resolution:
When Dr. Lazaro and Ben were on their way home and Dr. Lazaro realises
everything aroud him, the town, the people, his family and his son.
Theme:
In life, terrible things happen to test our faiths and strengths as human beings,
what matters is how we use these trials to grow as a person to accept the things we
cant change and to learn to believe, have faith and spread love for the rest of our
borrowed time.
Tone:
Sad, Empty, and Hopeless
Style:
His writing was a bit backwards. The character is trapped in its previous life and
he carries his miseries with him in the present.
Point of View:
Third person
Symbolism:
Light symbolises guidance.

Psychoanalytical Interpretation

The story is about Faith, Love and Time all messed up in the life story of Dr. Lazaro
and how his son, Ben allowed him to find these lights again.
Faith is a strong belief that God exists. In the story, it was shown that Dr. Lazaro
once had faith in his life back when he was still young but he somehow lost it. Several
incidents in his life shook his faith little by little. As a doctor, he has witnessed so much
failure and pain by losing patients and his other son. He began to doubt the existence of
God, and unkowingly, he began to doubt his abilities to save lives.
Faith in Bens perspective was bright. He was religious, and believes strongly on
baptism, he believes that everyone deserved to be baptised and enter into the Fathers
Kingdom. And even though the childs gone, he still valued the childs life and saved the
child from the original sin, because his faith taught him that living is not only in the
flesh but also in spirit.
Love is a powerful force that drives someone to do something good for the other. In
the story, Love was shown by Ben. His love reflected when he drove for his father, and
most especially on what he did for the child. Him baptising the child, shows his
unconditional love to serve the child, to serve his father, and to serve for God. In the case
of Dr. Lazaro, love was lacking. It was not gone, but it was hidden, beneath uncertainty
and pain. Going to the patient knowing it was a waste of time does not show love but
duty, a duty he was commited to do. A duty he grown tired to.
Another element in the story was time. Time is a part of existence. Time for Dr.
Lazaro was dedicated much more to his work. He existed mainly for his work. He lacked
the time to spend with his family, to know their whatabouts. He was on beck and call for
his job, which somehow created a gap between him, his family and God.
The story was about a journey to save life, not just the childs life, but his. In their
journey, he realized a lot of things he had been missing; Faith, love and time.
...They had gone on a trip; they had come home safely together. He felt closer to the
boy than he had ever been in years.