Bata, Bata… Pa'no Ka Ginawa?
| Author | Lualhati Torres Bautista |
|---|---|
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Tagalog |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Carmelo & Bauermann |
|
Publication date
|
1988 |
Ang Bata, Bata… Pa'no Ka Ginawa? (also known as Lea's Story) is a novel written in Tagalog by the Filipino female writer, Lualhati Bautista. Bautista uses "Taglish" – a mixture of Tagalog and English, instead of pure Tagalog – as a stylistic device for her works. The novel is about the role of a woman, like its author, with Filipino society wherein the males were, in the past, assuming more dominant roles in society. The translation of the title is literally, "Child, Child… How were you made?" although figuratively it actually surpasses its allusion – or reference – to the process of reproduction through the revelation of its true, symbolic question-message: "Child, Child… How were you molded to become a mature, grown-up person?"
In a period in the past, Philippine women normally and simply follow the wills and whims of their husbands and other male members of society. The role of women were just to act upon their role as mothers who perform household chores, take care of the children, and take care of the needs of their husbands. They don’t and should not – based on previous customs – get involved with subject matters and discussions about livelihood and political issues. But the face and ambience of the perceived role of women in society changed, as society itself was transformed. The doors of offices were opened to give way to women workers. They were given a place where their complaints regarding women rights could be heard, as well as their concept about life and livelihood, earning them a voice within and outside the boundaries of home.
This is the subject discussed and revealed by Lualhati Bautista's novel which has 32 chapters. The work narrates the life of Lea, a working mother, who has two children – a young girl and a young boy. And for this reason, the novel depicts the society's view of women, how it is to be a mother, and how a mother executes this role through modern-day concepts of parenthood.
The novel began with an introductory chapter about the graduation day from kindergarten of Maya, Lea's daughter. A program and a celebration were held. In the beginning, everything in Lea's life was going smoothly – her life in connection with her children, with friends of the opposite gender, and with her volunteer work for a human rights organization. But Lea's children were both growing-up – and Lea could see their gradual transformation. There were the changes in their ways and personalities: Maya's curiosity was becoming more obvious every day, while Ojie was crossing the boundaries from boyhood to teenage to adulthood.
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