A Child of Sorrow by Zoilo Galang (Biographical-Historical Analysis)

 Zoilo Galang,a Filipino author,was born in Bacolor on 27th of June,1895. He learned typing and English accurately and then became the first author of the Philippine novel written in the English language Literature. He took special courses at the University of the Philippines in 1925, then went to Columbia University for further studies in Literature. He also became a Filipino encyclopedist and the 1st Filipino novelist in English-language with his work," A Child of Sorrow."

 " A Child of Sorrow" was first published in 1921. It is a counterpart of Zoilo Galang's personal life and his time. It depicts the social and intellectual mood of his endeavor.The novel is indeed called as "Pandora's Box"... A representation of wonder, simplicity, beauty, urbanity, language, and history.

The story is brought about by two people who met under the colonization of Americans and along the naivity of the country to traditions. Lucio,a man who loves to read,knew Rosa having no legitimate father which discouraged him to fight for her. As part of such government, high positioned people are the most powerful and it became more tragic for Rosa's father was the governor but only little people know of that truth. This made them separated. The lady was arranged to marry Oscar,a rich guy who was in love with her. The relationship among the three people ; Lucio, Rosa, and Oscar, lead to a desperate one. The three circled from emotional downfall and mental abuse. Rosa died of sadness; Oscar suicided after Rosa; and it ended with Lucio growing full of regrets and the realization of himself as being a child of sorrow.

Galang,inflicted by the way his life lives,chose love as the novel's main theme which is within the social context, economic and political living of people. Thus,with respect to his American educator to follow provincial and universal themes combination.

It was during the middle of 18 to 19th century,there was a sentimentalist movement in Europe and it greatly affected the literary traditions of all writers in the world and one of them was Galang. Sentimentalism during those times, is "a European idea that emphasized feelings and emotions, a physical appreciation of God, nature, and other people, rather than logic and reason". The impact on the people was that love became as important in marriage as financial considerations. This pertains to the influence from the view of Galang about love, life, and time. The whole story ignites the feeling of simplicity as of tradition and culture,and love as the magnifying state of every emotion pulled through an individual.