Lualhati Bautista’s Dekada '70 (Decade of the 70s) is often hailed as the definitive novel of the Martial Law era. While many narratives of the period focus on the oppressed masses or the radical youth, Bautista shifts the lens to the Filipino middle class. This paper explores how the novel utilizes the dissolution of the Bartolome family to mirror the disintegration of the Philippine social order under the Marcos dictatorship. Specifically, it analyzes the character of Amanda Bartolome as a symbol of the "political awakening" of the apathetic middle class, transforming from a passive observer into an active agent of change.
Who enlists in the US Navy, representing the "brain drain" and the desire for escape. dekada 70 ni lualhati bautista
Dekada '70 chronicles the life of the middle-class family of Julian and Amanda Bartolome, focusing on the political awakening of the mother, Amanda. The story spans ten years (1970–1980), a decade marked by the First Quarter Storm, the Plaza Miranda bombing, the declaration of Martial Law in 1972, and the subsequent oppression, disappearances, and economic turmoil. Lualhati Bautista’s Dekada '70 (Decade of the 70s)
The central thesis of the novel revolves around Amanda Bartolome. At the beginning of the narrative, Amanda embodies the traditional Filipino mother: subservient to her husband, defined solely by her domestic duties, and largely apolitical. Her initial concerns are limited to household budgeting and the daily routines of her sons. Specifically, it analyzes the character of Amanda Bartolome
The eldest, who joins the communist underground movement (NPA).
Her famous line, "Hindi na ako ang dating Amanda Bartolome... ang dating nanay na parang dekorasyon lamang sa bahay" ("I am no longer the Amanda Bartolome of the past... the mother who was merely a decoration in the house"), signifies the political mobilization of the Filipino woman. Bautista argues that the oppression of women and the oppression of a nation are intertwined; to liberate her sons, she must liberate herself.