Doubled nations: Narrativization of a forgotten war in Gina Apostol's Insurrecto

Abstract

In this thesis, I provide a reading of Gina Apostol's Insurrecto focusing on its narrative structure. The novel explores the dichotomy present in historical perspectives relating to the Philippine-American War, specifically through the Balangiga Massacre, and the complexity of crafting an accurate reflection of historical events. This paper looks at three specific narrative techniques exhibited in the text -- doubling, weaving, and cyclicity -- and discusses the role that each plays in representing the relationship between the Philippines and the United States. In crafting a novel on a foundation of doubled, woven, and cyclical storylines, Apostol creates a formal structure that effectively parallels the nuanced role that narrative plays in understanding history, ultimately illustrating the Philippine-American War as a war that has largely been forgotten.