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Women: The Subliminal Powerful Beings

By Ludwig T. Gamad, PhD-LE
As opposed to the idea that women are weak beings, At Akoy Inanod by Marcel
Navarra subconsciously depicted the power of women. In the story, Navarra uses Loloy
and Kid to paint how their patriarchal mindset dictated how they scornfully treated women.
However, on a closer look, unintentionally and ironically, it was through their actions and
words that the undeniable supremacy of women over men is revealed.
Using Dialogism theory of Bakhtin (1895–1975), we can approach Navarra’s
narrative from a different angle. According to Bakthin, living is engaging in
communication, which is a shared experience that defines life. Dialogue, at whatever level
it occurs, produces the meaning. Moreover, Bakhtin is also recognized for Heteroglossia
which according to him dialogues in languages carry two meanings. There is another's
speech in another's language i.e. there are two voices, two meanings, and two
expressions. These two voices are dialogically related, as if they are actually conversing
with one another. Heteroglossia implies the different levels at which we can analyze the
same language.
In At Akoy Inanod, it may seem that the story depicted men as the strong
characters as the story revolved around them. The story even put the only active woman
character Pepita at the middle part, suggesting that she is a minor character. But upon
close analysis, it was the same woman who was the reason for the downfall of Loloy. It
was a woman who caused the rift between the friends. This is not a novel thing as Eve
became the downfall of Adam. Delilah, a woman, was the cause why Samson fell into
the hands of the enemies; Joseph was lured by Potiphar’s wife, Mark Anthony had his
share with Cleopatra while King Solomon was enslaved by the beauty of his many
wives.
Rather than subscribing to the popular notion that women are the inferior sex, in
her groundbreaking work, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, written in 1792,
Wollstonecraft argues that women are not subordinate to men. And this is thoughtlessly
advanced in the short story At Akoy Inanod by Navarra.
Although the manner at which the story was told is suggestive of the male gender-
biased-approach, it did not totally ruin the influence of women. Subdued it may be, a
women’s enigmatic control cannot be denied as could be extracted from these lines of
Kid.
“Upang di ka tuluyang mabaliw sa mga babae, ang tanging lunas, Kid, ay umiwas
ka sa kanila.
These statements, no matter how derogatory the characters depicted women, they
still carry the connotation that women possess the power i.e. to cause men to go crazy.
Given that the argument operates as anchored on the facts, in the Philippines,
culture dictates that men court women. This is a clear evidence of the power that women
wield in their hands. They have the power to say no; to refuse a man or men into her life.
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In the story, Kid cemented the idea that indeed women can consciously or subconsciously
manipulate men into behaving against their will. Here, women are demonized. The
demonization of women all the more heightened the potential of women to rule over the
men. Women have the power to ruin the life of men.
Ang demonyong nagngangalang babae ang siyang simula ng kabiguan sa buhay
ng tao. Layuan mo sila kung nais mo pang magtagumpay.”

Navarra, through the words of Loloy, presented women to hold the power to
captivate men. Their beauty and charm are enough to weaken any strong men and hold
them captives.
Di ko sila maiwasan at hanggang ngayon, isa pa rin akong bilanggo sa sarili kong
kahinaan.
Although the story focused on Loloy, even in his attempt to absolved himself from
the blame, his made-up thoughts revealed how influential a woman was in his decisions.
A woman’s stare was compelling, her eyes can speak of her desire. So powerful, they
enticed him to commit a sin. In the narrative, Loloy was believed to have sexually forced
Pepita. The popular impression the society holds when a woman falls victim of rape is
that she is a weakling, an inferior sex. Absurd and repulsive it may seem but becoming
a rape victim doesn’t mean a woman is weak. It was because of her “womanhood” that
men succumbed to their animal instinct. Men lost grip of their moral obligations to treat
women with respect. Instead, they gave in and surrendered to their carnal desire. A man
would not dare rape another man. Otherwise he will be ridiculed and dethroned from
the pedestal their own kind installed for themselves. And that makes the women all the
more powerful. Only a woman has the power to make a man get off his sensibilities and
forget civility. How many men resort to whistling or catcalling because he was allured
by a woman’s pretty face or sexy body?
Di ko mapigilang muling tumitig sa kanya. At mula ng sandaling ‘yon, nabatid ko...
Ang kanyang malamlam na mga mata na nakatitig sa akin ay nagpamalas ng
malaking pagnanasa.
In the letter that Loloy wrote for his friend Kid, he recognized the concealed but
formidable strength of a woman. Loloy was affected by a woman’s action or behavior.
And this supports the notion that women are powerful beings.
Ngunit totoong nakaramdam na ako ng kaunting pagbabago sa kanyang
pagtingin sa akin mula nang maitanong niya kung ako’y nakadama na ng tunay
na pag-ibig.

A woman’s muscle was flexed when Loloy seemingly submitted to a woman’s

game. He allowed her to go out of her way, he patronized and followed Pepita. In the
politics of power, it the leader who leads, while the subordinate follows. Pepita’s pathetic
image was transformed. Her capability to subdue the Alpha Male in Loloy was restored;
even for a fleeting moment a woman triumphed.
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“Pepita, galit ka ba sa akin?” Tiningnan niya ako at pagkuwa’y tumakbong paakyat

ng bahay. Sinundan ko siya.
“Sagutin mo ako, Pepita, galit ka ba sa akin?” Hinawakan ko siya sa balikat at pilit
na iniharap sa akin.

And the world turned upside down. Suddenly, a woman was on top; a woman was
in control.

Ngunit nagmatigas siya. “Pepita, tumingin ka sa akin. Sabihin mo kung ano ang
ikinagagalit mo.”

Navarra through Pepita’s words also depicted women as one who is empowered,
vocal, brave, knows her worth and knows what she wants.

Minamahal kita, ngunit di mo ako iniibig. Bakit, di ba ako nararapat sa iyo? Di ba

ako kapantay nina Sonia, Ester, Fe, Prospera at Risa sa ganda at talino? Sino ka
ba na ayaw umibig sa akin? May araw din, Loloy, na ikaw ang magagalit sa akin.
Magsissii ka rin, magsisisi!”

The culmination of the story solidified the supremacy of women power as Loloy
acceded to the intoxicating scent of womanhood.

Isang dumadagundong na baha ang palapit sa akin. Nais ko sanang tumakbo at

umiwas, ngunit huli na. Nahagip ako ng rumaragasang tubig, natabunan ako at
ako’y suminghap-singhap. Di ako makatakas sa nakakapangilabot na agos na
tumangay sa akin. At ako’y inanod... Nais ko sanang may humarang sa akin na
isang timbulang aking mahahawakan nang di ako matangay sa malayo, ngunit
wala akong magawa... Waring ipinagpalo ang aking katawan ng naglalakihang
agod. At ang aking kahinaan ang tumulong sa paghila sa akin sa ilalim kung saan
wala akong makita kundi kadiliman.