Rereading Nick Joaquin as a Devil’s Advocate “La Naval de Manila” (1943) in Context

Authors

Luisa L. Gomez, Ateneo de Manila UniversityFollow

Abstract

Nick Joaquin characterized himself as a “devil’s advocate” for taking contrarian positions in Philippine cultural history. His early essay “ La Naval de Manila” is taken as an example of such. A re-examination of the essay within its original context of the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, however, reveals that Joaquin’s early historical imagination must be understood less as an act of rebellion and more as a product of negotiation. It navigates multiple audiences and overlapping empires—the Spanish past it venerates, the American period whose language it uses, and the Japanese present that enabled its publication. Its power lies not in open resistance but in its capacity to operate within propaganda frameworks while maintaining aesthetic integrity.

Recommended Citation

Gomez, Luisa L. (2025) "Rereading Nick Joaquin as a Devil’s Advocate “La Naval de Manila” (1943) in Context," Perspectives in the Arts and Humanities Asia: Vol. 5: No. 2, Article 27.
Available at: https://archium.ateneo.edu/paha/vol5/iss2/27