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A GEN Z IN THE 19TH CENTURY
A GEN Z IN THE 19TH CENTURY
By: Denise Vienne Casabal
Who wouldn’t panic when you wake up in a stranger’s bedroom just right after you pulled an all-nighter? That bedroom was owned by Gat Jose Rizal’s fictional character from the 1880s, Maria Clara.
That point of view on occurrence is from a Gen Z student in college named Klay. She time-traveled to the world of Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and met different characters with different personalities, and purposes. She was sent by her professor to be taught about our country’s history by witnessing the whole story; that way, she could get back to the present year. That show is called Maria Clarra at Ibarra.
Before she was teleported, she was tasked by Mr. Torres to make a book review of Noli Me Tangere, followed by the scene where Stacy (Klay’s friend) searched the internet for the book review encouraging Klay to just print it without making her own.
“Gusto mo kong mag-cheat?!” (“You want me to cheat?!”)
“Dzai, dalawa lang ang choice mo; bumagsak o grumaduate?!” ([Dzai - an address to a close friend] “Girl, you only have 2 choices, to fail (the subject) or to graduate?”
That act was a real eye-opener for everyone's integrity and sacrifice. Based on Klay's confident face and statement that she pulled an all-nighter for writing that; when she only discovered it minutes before coming to Mr. Torres' table; it's difficult to decide whether that act would also make me guilty or not. If I were in her shoes, I'd make a draft of what I already knew, look up at least a 5-page summary of Noli Me Tangere, and then write my report on it, but what's done is done, and I'm not the show's director to tell Klay .
It teaches me not to be perverse, as well as the purpose of school and the patriotism being taught, or else there’d be time wasted when we get to the point of its significance; worse, you may be transported to the 19th century by your professor.
Adjusting must be hard; realistically speaking, especially for a person who’s being rigid, but when Klay started to meet Crisostomo Ibarra and his friends, she stated strong equity about women being underestimated in her knowledge; now she adjusted to what men were in those times with stereotypes.
Love your haters, they’re your biggest fans." —Unknown. It relates to episode 57: When Fidel confessed by mentioning all of Klay's unpleasing characteristics, he told her those did not discourage him from falling for her, but rather made him fall even deeper. It justifies a man looking up to a woman who fights for herself and what is right; more importantly, she makes everyone respect her as well.
Until the very last episode, Klay told him she’s willing to wait 7 years more just for everything to become better and it happened. Rather than saying true love is really against destiny, it’s better to hear that there’s always a better person to love you in times of uncomfort.
The importance of different generations is what makes a good role model for the present generation to learn from; perhaps the standard of "Maria Clara" of being gentle, virtuous, and moral is more complex and audacious in our modern world like what Klay stood for.
Moments where I was scolded "Parang 'di ka naman babae" (trans: You're acting like you're not a girl) when I remember talking back to a male classmate when I was younger. It made me realize why all women were objectified, as if we didn't have plausible expressions towards the public, as well as having less power than men when that scenario happened. But as each generation evolves with what I've just stated of the "Maria Clara standard... in our modern world is now audacious," women empowerment movements, talks about equity and equality, and more women in workforces, this act of "Amor Propio," or self-care and love, makes us all Filipino.
The importance of loving our history, particularly the influence of Dr. Jose Rizal on the novels, is about awareness of independence on our land from the lead of the Philippine revolution. Doubling up on why we should read or re-read is the reason for Rizal’s risk and hardship of writing this in Spanish, and at that time, reading Rizal's novel was illegal, because of Spain's colony to us. They didn't allow Filipinos to write about their mistreatments.
"Every episode in MCAI screams a Gen Z vibe, especially when it comes to having a hard time with the communication and transportation efficiency way back then. I loved how Klay fought for feminism, social equality, freedom, transparency, truth, and human rights. It was a very similar situation to our generation right now (gen z) because no matter how we exercise our rights or even express our own opinion on something, we're still being oppressed and criticized by the government and also by the older generation that has a very conservative mindset." – Lloyd Jedrick Luna
“I understood fully what he was trying to tell the people back then through his writings. He was clearly thinking ahead of his time, and was the perfect example or role model every Filipino should emulate.” - Dennis Trillio (Role of Crisostomo Ibarra & Simoun)
What Klay and the series taught me throughout the series, even if I hadn't finished all of the episodes, and just watched highlights of them just to write this article, was about how Rizal really led Filipinos' awareness about the Spanish's injustice in our own land; we need to take what's right in our hands and be brave too. And that love can shine a light anytime in our lives that leads us to nothing in life is easy to achieve, but at least you'll have people to be with. The faith in ourselves for loving our own country or race; hardships in the past and what we'll fight for in the future as one.
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