Metaphor for the Condition of the Philippines
All the characters in the novel are microcosmic representations of a social sector of the Philippines and by extension, the Philippines itself as a nation and as a society. In using various, unrelated, and conflicting characters to represent the Philippines the author is also saying that they are an appropriate metaphorical representation of the country. The author asserts that these characters are precisely like the Philippines: fragmented, insular, and genuinely clueless of how to build themselves into a nation.
Metaphor for Empty Religious Practices
Some characters in the novel are used by the author to criticize organized religion in the Philippines, specifically Roman Catholicism. In doing this these characters effectively become a metaphor for the empty religious practices that many Filipinos adhere to and, to a large extent, are trapped in. Case in point, the character Leonor Ledesma, fanatically fasts and devotes long hours in rote, mindless prayer, desiring to achieve sainthood for no real, clear reason for wanting to achieve that goal. The Gonzaga family, despite some members like their grandfather, who openly declares being an atheist, lays dying from illness, they still insist on having a priest administer the final rites.
Metaphor for the “American Dream”
The “American Dream” is a constant fixture in the novel. It exists both in the positive aspect, where a person is able to achieve upward social mobility despite poverty, and the negative aspect where it is characterized by shallowness and a brash, consumer-driven behavior that ridicules time-honored traditions. In the novel the two characters, Rio Gonzaga and Pucha Gonzaga, are the primary metaphorical representations of the two opposing halves of the same concept.
Metaphor for Power
There are many narratives that describe the more traditional notions of power such as political clout and military connections. In the novel however there are characters like Joey Sands, Orlando Rosales, and Daisy Avila, that are able to leverage their physical beauty and/or sexual prowess to their benefit. Physical beauty and sexual prowess therefore become a metaphor for power as it is an advantage that can be as beneficial and powerful as money or influence given the right treatment.
Metaphor for Predation
The entertainment industry, marriage, and the Philippine government are systems that prey on people instead of enriching or aiding them. The entertainment industry is little more than a whorehouse that takes young starlets to peddle to rich patrons, many of whom are prominent politicians. Marriage becomes a trap, particularly for the women who find themselves in loveless relationships with men who married them for convenience or worse. The author however is most critical of the Philippine government whose excesses are widely denounced.
