Essay Questions

What is the significance of the novel’s title?

The title is actually an ironic allusion to the main character’s slow mental deterioration during the story’s progression. The titular Bongbong is a man of diverse and conflicting interests: he desires, above all else, the twin manifestations of the American Dream--the excitement and the attention that a movie star receives from fans yet he also wishes for the quiet dignity of suburban living. In the process of chasing these his contradictory aspirations he is faced with an ugly realization: he doesn’t actually have the skill, intelligence, or even the drive necessary to achieve his dreams. Rather than face this truth however, he retreats into himself, eventually succumbing to madness.

What does Bongbong symbolize?

Bongbong is symbolic of the cultural identity crisis of many Filipino migrant youths. He pines for his country of origin but backhandedly derides it by concealing his actual ethnicity. This shuttling of loyalties and identities echoes the neither-here-nor-there sentiment that many migrant Filipinos in the US reported feeling especially at the turn of the century.

Is Bongbong a reliable narrator? Why or why not? Support your answer.

Bongbong is your textbook unreliable narrator because of his questionable sanity. In effect, anything that Bongbong says about himself or concerning other characters in the novel is highly suspect as it may be the result of his growing disconnection with reality or his overinflated assessment of his own abilities and importance. His sanity is already highly suspect from the early potions of the story as he already displays markedly paranoid-neurotic behavior, accusing his sister of lying and spreading ill-talk about him.