The Divergent Effects of Justice System Among the Poor

An Analysis of a 21st Century Philippine Literature entitled

Justice

by Ralph Semino Galàn

INTRODUCTION

What comes first in your mind when you hear the word Justice? Is it Fair? Always resides with the truth? Well maybe on some countries. But not ours.

BACKGROUND

Authorial Information:

• Ralph Semino Galàn
• Lives in San Juan Delmonte, Iligan City
• He is an Associate Professor of Literature, the Humanities, and Creative Writing at the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters and the UST Graduate School. He has an A.B. in English (Major in Literature) magna cum laude from the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, and an M.A. in English Studies (Major in Creative Writing) from UP Diliman, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in comparative Literature.

• Discernments : literary essays, cultural critiques, and book reviews (2013)
• Sa mga Pagitan ng Buhay at Iba Pang Pagtutulay (2018)
• The southern cross, and other poems (2005)
• Bongga ka 'day! : Pinoy gay quotes to live by (2003)

• He believes that the Justice system here in our country is unfair because it mostly favored to the rich people

• Textual Information:
• It is published year 2011

COPY OF THE LITERARY TEXT

JUSTICE

by: Ralph Semino Galàn

1   These are the Accountrements of her office:

2   the blindfold symbolizing impartially;

3   a golden pair of scale measuring the validity

4   of evidence given, both pro and con;

5   the double-edged sword that pierces through

6   the thick fabrics of lies; Thot's feather 

7   of truth which ultimately determines whether

8   the defendant's life is worth saving.

9   In J. Elizade Navarro's oil painting titled

10 Is this Philippine Justice? The figure

11 of the Roman goddess Justiltia slowly fades

12 into thin air swallowed by pigments

13 cloudy as doubts. In my uncertain country

14 where right and wrong are cards

15 that can be shuffled like a pile money bills,

16 even the land's Chief Magistrate

17 is not immune from culpability; found guily

18 he has to face the music of derision

ANALYSIS

A. Literary Genre

Justice is a creative nonfiction because the characters Justitia represents the justice here in the Philippines, slowly disappearing, and soon, will be gone. Also Chief Magistrate is mention In the poem, and we think that it represents Chief Justice Renato Corona who was impeached.

And also there is a technique used the flashback happened in December 2011, where former Chief Justice Renato was impeached by the Philippine Senate, with 16 senators voting to impeach him and three senators voting for acquittal. There were many symbolism that have been used in the poem. First is the blindfold that shows that justice us objective. You will not look unto his position whether he is rich or poor. The people are in equal estate. 

Second is the golden pair of scales. The pair of scales is gold because the color gold symbolizes something valuable or positive while scales measures balance and fairness. It also measures validity which means fair or reasonable whether it's againts or in favor.

Third is the double-edged sword that symbolizes that it's not always reason and it's not only justice. Justice and reason should be balance 

Fourth is the Thot's feather of truth. Thot is an Egyptian deity that served as a mediating power especially between good and evil. This also tackles the justice between good and bad.

Next is the painting. It was mentioned there the Roman goddess Justitia that slowly fades into thin air and that means that the justice is already gone.

B. Analysis Guides

Justice is for all but is it observable in our country or is it for the rich only?

Reader Response

In our opinion we agree to the author because it is true that the law in the Philippines is really unfair. The law is always on the side of the person who are in the pedestal. That's why other people who are less privilage didn't to fight for their own justice they just keep their mouth shut because they know that the law will not favor on their side.

Tone

He shows that in the Philippines, justice can only be achieved if you have money and power. He is also a reflective person describing the true meaning of justice.

Point of View

This poem is a first person point of view. Its because instead using first person pronouns such as I and me, the author use third person pronouns such as she and her

Diction of Style

The author uses informal words in the poem. He use the symbol of "golden pair of scale" that served as the emblem of evaluating and weighing the testimony with equality for both parties, and also can be read in the third line of the poem that was consider as informal words.

 Images and Symbols

There are many symbols that been used in the poem. First is the blindfold that shows that justice us objective. You will not look unto his position whether he is rich or poor. The people are in equal estate.

Second is the golden pair of scale it serves as the emblem of evaluating and weighing the testimony with equality for both parties. 

Third is the double- edged sword that serve as the warrior who strike or breaks the wall of lies to show the truth.

Fourth is the thot's feather of truth in order to find out wheather the defendant is guilty or not guilty and one must find out the truth and give the right verdict.

Fifth is the justitia looks like she is fading in the painting because as we can see in the  justice system today, fairness and equality disappear, the lies become the truth and the treatment towards everyone are different in short Justice is just merely a word.

Sixth is a right and wrong are card that can be shuffle life a pile money bill means that justice is so uncertain, it depends on the way one might think about right and wrong at that particular instance.

And the last is face the music of derision, it is a judgement given by the judge which means that it is simply facing or accepting the cruel and contemptuous reality of the world of imprisonment.

 Theme 

Justice is considered fair and evidence is measured regardless of whether it is for or against. This evidence eliminates all lies and judges whether the accused is guilty or guilty. But in the Philippines, the opposite is true. It is similar to card games including money, and even the highest magistrates are not immune to system failures.

 Sound Effects

It is an free- verse poetry.

C. Contextual Analysis

Using the Linguistic Context, in the poem “Justice” there are words like “Golden pair of scale” that serves as the emblem of evaluating and weighing the testimony with equality for both parties. Another one is the “Double-edged sword” that serve as the warrior who strike or breaks the wall of lies to show the truth. Also the blindfold symbolize that in serving justice, you must not judge the person by it's looks. These symbols are only the branches or part of the whole which is the symbol of justice or The Lady Justitia. These symbols add to the meaning of the poem by capturing and enhancing the implied message that the author wants to convey to the readers. And using the Sociocultural Context there is an event that happened where the former Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached and found guilty.

 

SUMMARY

Justice means having equality and fairness to others. The principles of justice are procedural, retributive and restorative justice. Such principles are supposed to be ensured - unbiased, consistent and unreliable discussions. It focuses on carrying out rules in a fair manner sothed just outcome might be reached. Justice here in the Philippines is not fair. Because in line 9-13, it stated that Philippine's Justice is like the figure of the Roman goddess Justitia that slowly fades into the air, like the Justice in our country it can be manipulate by the power and money. If you have power and money then you could easily put the law in your hand. But if you’re an Impecunious, then you don’t have the right to withstand the Law.

REFERENCES

 

	AUTHOR/S	TITLE OF THE BOOK/WEBSITE	TITLE OF THE ARTICLE/TEXT	PUBLISHER & PLACE OF PUBLICATION	WEBSITE LINK
1	Marikit Tara A. Uychoco	21st CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD	Poetry	REX Book Store
2	Kat Sts	Prezi	Justice by Ralph Semino Galan	Reusable License	https://prezi.com/p/vyzfs0_kq59r/justice-by-ralph-semino-galan/