Bienvenido Santos’ Scent of Apples is a poignant exploration of the Filipino
immigrant experience, identity, and alienation in a foreign land, specifically
America.
To analyze this story biographically, we must consider Santos’ own life and
experiences, which are intricately reflected in his writing.
1. Bienvenido Santos’ Background
Santos was born in 1911 in Tondo, Manila, and lived through significant
political and historical events that shaped his identity as a Filipino. During
the Commonwealth period, he moved to the United States to study, initially
planning to return to the Philippines. However, World War II altered his
course, and he remained in America, experiencing firsthand the challenges
and isolation faced by Filipino immigrants.
2. The Story’s Themes and Santos’ Life
Scent of Apples revolves around the encounter between the unnamed
Filipino narrator, who is also a writer and academic, and an immigrant named
Celestino Fabia. The story reveals themes of nostalgia, loss, and the longing
for one’s homeland. These themes mirror Santos’ own feelings of
displacement and alienation as a Filipino in America,
Where he struggled with identity and belonging.
Displacement and Alienation: Much like Santos, who lived in America for
extended periods of time, the Protagonist and Fabia represent the struggles
of Filipinos away from home. Fabia’s life in rural America is marked by
isolation and a sense of longing for the Philippines. Santos often wrote about
the Filipino diaspora and the emotional toll of being away from one’s roots,
which was a direct reflection of his own experience.
Nostalgia for the Homeland: Fabia’s longing for his homeland and the
narrator’s reflections on the Philippines can be linked to Santos’ deep
attachment to his country. The scent of apples, a motif in the story,
symbolizes the foreignness of America and the reminder of what is lost-the
familiar scents, sights, and people of the Philippines. Santos’ frequent
depiction of homesickness shows his personal struggle With cultural
separation.
3. Immigrant Experience
Santos’ writing often explored the Filipino immigrant experience, particularly
the sense of being “othered” in American society. In Scent of Apples, Fabia’s
life exemplifies the marginalization of Filipino immigrants, often taking on
low-status jobs and living in obscurity. His marriage to a white American
woman and the disconnection he feels from his own culture emphasize the
theme of assimilation and loss of identity. Santos’ personal experiences as a
Filipino navigating American society during a time when Asians faced racial
prejudice are mirrored in the experiences of his characters.
4. Literary Success and Struggles
In the story, the narrator, a Filipino writer, reflects on his own position in the
American literary world. Santos also grappled with this, as he often felt that
his work was not fully recognized by the American literary establishment. His
writing gave voice to the Filipino immigrant experience, but it was not until
later in his life that his contributions gained more appreciation.
5. Emotional and Cultural Distance
There is a distinct emotional distance between Fabia and his homeland, and
the narrator feels it too, despite being a visitor rather than a permanent
immigrant. This reflects Santos’ emotional struggle with the separation from
his Filipino identity while in America. His work often captures the tension
between being part of two cultures yet belonging fully to neither.
Conclusion…
Scent of Apples can be seen as an autobiographical reflection of Bienvenido
Santos’ own struggles with identity, displacement, and longing for his
homeland. Through the character of Fabia and the narrator, Santos
addresses the emotional complexity of the Filipino diaspora, themes he knew
intimately due to his own experiences as an immigrant in the United States.
The story, like much of Santos’ work, is a deeply personal exploration of what
it means to live between cultures and the sense of loss that accompanies it.
