QUIZ 7

Essay (Caricatures) p.123 Students will analyze the political caricatures of Alfred McCoy and
describe the artist‘s main argument in a 300-word paragraph. Students will identify the different
methods — like symbols, allusions, or exaggeration — that the two cartoons used to persuade their
audience. The essay should be 500-words as shall be uploaded in the Google Classroom as Quiz 7: Essay
(Caricatures).

The caricature drawn by Alfred MCcoy in the year 1918 was given the title “Why the
aparcero rebels” since it shows the form of tenant farmers being strip by their landlords their
rightful share to the harvest of the land they plowed.

Displayed in the caricature is a thin and skinny Carabao with a worried facial expression
pulling a very exhausted farmer who’s carrying heavy loads of crops at his back and the same
time plowing the field. Overall, this illustration lets you feel the burden it emphasizes; for you
can see the physical agony the man is feeling with his face, his tongue hanging, the sweat he
perspires and the totally bent posture which could lead him to collapse.

In addition, carried in his back were heavy bundles with words being encrypted: the
word “talindua” means that the landowner made his land on lease and the tenants can use the
land provided the crops yielded from the land is made payment for the said lease. “Usury” is
the unethical loaning of currency to the loanee by means benefitting the lender much more.
Takipan and Pasunod meant that they are covering and following anything their superior
commands them to do. The words above were labeled on the weight that the farmer had on his
back adding to the normal workload that he has to do depicted why he is much more exhausted
from the work he is doing.

The cartoon intended to make a point about the harsh conditions that the Spanish
regime affected the local farmers. With the policies and abuse of the given privileges by those
in authority, their situation becomes much worse than it seems. This is a manifestation of the
‘Encomienda system’ is instituted by Spanish colonizers and was utilized further when the
Americans colonized our country. With this system, native laborers were expected to pay
tributes to the landlords in exchange of his protection. The system intends to be a peaceful and
mutually beneficial relationship to both parties involved. However, it is prone to transform into
the system of slavery where natives are treated cruelly and forcibly into hard labor. This system
still persisted since it allows accumulation of wealth to the colonizers. They are benefitting from
the gold, harvest and resources of their laborers. It resulted into widespread abuse of native
people as well as stealing their own land. With this, it resulted also as the first racially-based
system of slavery in the world. The American government during those times gave the Filipinos
somehow rewards for their good deeds. However, the Filipino farmers were not given any
importance by them. The American government continued to propagate their campaign of
giving rewards to blind other Filipinos to what is the current situation of the Filipino farmers.

Alfred McCoy conveys in this illustration the harsh situation the Native Filipino were
experiencing during their era. That even though we are on the ground of our very own lands,
we are still deprived of our rights to benefit from it and the freedom that we deserve.