1

UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTER OF THE SELECTED WOMEN

OF THE CENTURY UTILIZING BIBLICAL ALLUSIONS

A Thesis Presented To The

Faculty of the Graduate School
University of Batangas
Batangas City

In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts in Education
Major in English

by:
ROWENA P. SALAZAR

October 2012

2
APPROVAL SHEET
This thesis entitled Understanding the Character of the Selected Women
of the Century Utilizing Biblical Allusions, prepared and submitted by Rowena P.
Salazar, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in
Education, Major in English, has been examined and is recommended for
approval and acceptance for Oral Examination.

PRIMITIVA C. COMETA, Ph. D.

Adviser

THESIS COMMITTEE

CORAZON B. CABRERA, Ph. D.

Chairman

ROEL A. ASI, Ph. D.

Member

EDITHA M. MISSION, Ed. D.

Member

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of Passed.

ROEL A. ASI, Ph. D.

Chairman

CORAZON B. CABRERA, Ph. D.

Member

EDITHA M. MISSION, Ed. D.

Member

Approved and accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

degree Master of Arts in Education, Major in English.

Comprehensive Examination: PASSED

EDITHA M. MISSION, Ed. D.

Dean, Graduate School
October 2012
Date
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

4
Innumerable hours were spent to finish this thesis. Most of these hours
were excruciating as I would always had to accomplish two other coinciding
inescapable job-related tasks during the entire period when I was working on this
paper. Nonetheless, there are other significant people involved in the completion
of this work to whom I am immensely grateful. For that reason, I wish to record
their names here.
Dr. Primitiva C. Cometa, my adviser, for the valuable suggestions,
comments and follow-ups, and most importantly for the sincere and untiring help
extended to me.
Dr. Corazon B. Cabrera, Dr. Roel A. Asi, Dr. Sofia S. Arce and Dr. Editha
M. Mission, thesis committee, for the intellectual challenge and expertise.
Dr. Renie M. De Castro and Dr. Jose R. De Castro, my bosses and role
models, for the flexibility of my work schedule which gave me valuable hours to
work for this thesis.
Melanie P. Salazar, our familys bulantoei and princess, for the several
times of generosity in printing my thesis and even delivering it to my office
coupled with ice cream.
Librarians of the National Library, De La Salle Lipa, University of
Batangas, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Batangas State University,
Batangas College of Arts and Sciences, Inc., and agents of resources for the
friendly assistance during the researching stage.
With gratitude beyond words, time, space and distance, I thank you all
very much.

DEDICATION

To the important men in my life: my father, Vicente M. Salazar and

brothers, Hajji P. Salazar and Cyril P. Salazar

To the important women in my life: my mother, Corazon P. Salazar and

sisters, Marivic S. Porcioncula, Agnes P. Salazar and Melanie P. Salazar

To the mistaken paradise which made me exhaust all of the positive

energies from the hub of my individuality during the times that you endlessly
offered so much of the heartbreaking distress ironically simultaneous with the
moral and financial support, you gave me enough reasons to push hard enough
to get this done

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Title Page

7
Approval Sheet
Panel of Examiners
Acknowledgment
Dedication
Table of Contents

ii
iii
iv
v
vi

CHAPTER
1. THE PROBLEM
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Conceptual Framework
Scope, Delimitation and Limitation
Significance of the Study
Definition of Terms

1
6
7
11
12
13

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature
Related Studies

16
59

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
Materials Used
Treatment of Material
4. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

66
68
69
71

5. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations

115
119
120

BIBLIOGRAPHY

121

APPENDIX
Curriculum Vitae

127
CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM

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Introduction
What best defines or characterizes a woman is one question with
boundless answers. Comparison, differentiation, description, and narration of the
women attributes around that of the men and perhaps simply among the women
themselves are a few processes involved to get the answers. Whoever and
whatever gives the definition or characterization, and whether focus is on the
past, the present or the future, it remains hypothetical until everything is analyzed
and understood.
There are many women who have significantly changed and influenced
the world through their extraordinary achievements. Some others do their share
through their simple yet sincere and unselfish deeds. This however is not a
surprise because a lot of women are committed and confident to make a
difference whether planned or unplanned, destined or self-made. Understanding
what women are and what they can do which made them worthy of recognition
and imitation is an interesting venture to discover considering the varied
backgrounds and factors involved.
Years, decades and centuries have passed and women have already
proven that they are out of the bondage of patriarchy. Women, regardless of age,
ethnicity, class, culture and many other dimensions can understand each other
because they share same characteristics bound by their gender. Their voices can
now be heard and they even get ally from the government.
In the Philippine setting for instance, Article XIII Social Justice and
Human Rights, Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the

9
Philippines declares that the State shall protect working women by providing safe
and healthful working conditions, taking into account their maternal functions,
and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable
them to realize their full potential in the service of the nation (Costale, 2010).
Furthermore, a number of Philippine laws were enacted to protect and
support women. Republic Act No. 6949 declares March 8 of every year as a
working special holiday to be known as National Womens Day. Republic Act
7192 promotes the integration of women as full and equal partners of men in
development and nation building. In Republic Act 9710 known as The Magna
Carta of Women, the State recognizing that the economic, political, and sociocultural realities affect women's current condition, affirms the role of women in
nation building and ensures the substantive equality of women and men. It shall
promote empowerment of women and pursue equal opportunities for women and
men and ensure equal access to resources and to development results and
outcome. Republic Act 9262 declares that the State values the dignity of women
and children and guarantees full respect for human rights thereby protecting
them from violence (Robles, 2012)
Parallel to the womens significance in the world is the issue of patriarchy,
womens insubordination to men, which is apparent in many instances of how
people live in the society. Examining closely, this is deeply rooted in the family
where the father takes charge and the mother and children just obey. While the
mother is confined in housekeeping and child-rearing, the father explores the
vast opportunities for self-improvement as the provider of living.

This

10
arrangement repeats from one generation to the next and thus becomes the
accepted trend that whoever deviates from it is despised. Perhaps this is the
reason why up to now there are still women struggling to go out of the bondage
of patriarchy.
Related to patriarchy is Matthew 14:13-21(Holy Bible King James
Version,1611) which tells the story on how Jesus miraculously fed about five
thousand men with two fishes and five loaves of bread. The text of the story has
the line, not counting women and children; besides women and children. The
line connotes negative ideas. This implies that women are put in the same
category as children. The society considers children powerless because they are
dependent on adults in the society. Likewise the lines imply that women are
excluded. Being excluded suggests womens subordination to men.
Now, even if the biblical times attest the basis of womens subordination
which extends up to the present, then it will be very difficult to identify the exact
period when women became empowered. This period supposes the time when
finally women are released from patriarchy, paid due attention, endowed equal
rights and with character highlighted. It gives a mirror of how women could have
exerted effort to make themselves matter and be understood.
Thus, contrary to the subordinate status of women in the patriarchal
context, a woman is an unprecedented creation of God that completed all of His
creations and from whom evolved the rest of humanity. It was not by accident
that a woman in the persona of Eve was created. Eve, the mother of all the living
(Genesis 3:20, Holy Bible King James Version,1611) answered the great calling

11
for a woman to be a life-bearer and life-giver. From this blessing and reality,
every woman should take pride being one with the belief that she has a
significant role to play to make a difference in the world.
Despite womens strive for their place in this world, they are not spared of
criticism and negative attributions.

Women in their mistakes are oftentimes

accused of being fickle-minded, weak, emotional and immoral. Fortunately, there

are many of these women who would go out of their safe zone to defend what
they believe is just and proper for the good of other people and make themselves
understood. They are the timely representation of the women, some famous and
glorified, some neglected and forgotten, whose characters the researcher wants
to understand and explore in this study.
On November 18, 2010, the Time Magazine published the list of 25 Most
Powerful Women of the Past Century. The list included the names of leading
women of the twentieth century. Time, being the worlds largest weekly news
magazine made a survey of the women who have most influenced the world to
publish the list of 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century. Included in the
list are Jane Addams, Corazon Aquino, Rachel Carson, Coco Chanel, Julia Child,
Hillary Clinton, Marie Curie, Aretha Franklin, Indira Gandhi, Este Lauder,
Madonna, Margaret Mead, Golda Meir, Angela Merkel, Sandra Day O'Connor,
Rosa Parks, Jiang Qing, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Sanger, Gloria Steinem,
Martha Stewart, Mother Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, Oprah Winfrey, and Virginia
Woolf (Hiren_risky, 2010).

12
The researcher has always been fascinated by women with extraordinary
achievements. Likewise, women in the Bible interest her even before she got
knowledge of patriarchy. The researcher also wonders why the Bible, a book in
itself and as literature, is seemingly intended only for the clergy and the piety and
biblical scholars and is very seldom used in academic teaching.

Consequently,

the book remains unused and unread because it is dreaded to be given

misinterpretations. In the midst of technological advancements, it is so sad that
people especially the young generation through the school which has the
authority to influence will not be able to discover that the Bible has references to
everything that has ever been created in the world.
Reading the Bible as literature simply makes sense for it contains a variety
of literary forms as a book and a collection of books which can be approached
critically, as can any other literature. Moreover, the Bible is an expression of truth
through figurative language, especially symbols, and the unity of theme which
connects the sixty-six books into one. Lastly, reading the Bible enables one to
discover a thorough explanation of the ways in which the infinite grasps the finite
which is unparalleled in any other work (Bible as Literature, 2011).
Believing that the Bible has references to everything, the researcher
attempts to establish understanding of the character of selected women of the
past century utilizing biblical allusions.

This study aims to explore the women of

the past century in reference to the women in the Bible to expound the various
ways in which womens character, roles, actions, and presences are associated

13
as well as challenge readers to reflect upon the ways in which the Bible as
literature has impacted modern understanding of women.
Having mentioned about biblical allusions in this study, it is important to
first understand allusion explained by Probst, et. al. (1997) as a reference to a
statement, a person, a place, or an event from literature, history, religion,
mythology, politics, sports, or science. Allusions enrich the reading experience.
When a speaker or writer makes an allusion, he or she expects the audience to
recognize the reference and understand its meaning.

The role of biblical

allusions comes in to link the chosen women of the past century to the biblical
characters.
Finally, this piece of work is personally essential to the researcher as she
shares a few same experiences of the women. This is an affirmation of the
researchers worth as a woman. Likewise, this is a representation of victory as it
gives the researcher a feeling of belongingness with the women thus achieving
the freeing and healing power of forgiveness.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to understand the character of selected women of the
past century utilizing biblical allusions.
Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:
1. What are the prominent features of the following women of the past
century:
1.1. Corazon Aquino,

14
1.2. Hillary Clinton,
1.3. Madonna,
1.4. Mother Teresa,
1.5. Oprah Winfrey?
2. What significant contribution/s does each woman of the past century
manifest?
3. Who among the biblical figures may be alluded to for better understanding
of selected women of the past century and their contributions to society?
4. What are the implications of the analysis on the teaching of literature and
appreciation of Bible reading?

Conceptual Framework
The study revolved around the concepts of biblical allusions and literary
theories.
An allusion is a reference that evokes a certain set of aspects or features
of a person or thing. A kind and selfless person, for example, may be referred to
as a Good Samaritan; harsh or severe action may be described as draconian; a
place that offers happiness and security may be thought of as a promised land or
a place that is notorious for its depravity and vice likened to Sodom and
Gomorrah; ones conscience may be regarded as a still small voice; a fatal
weakness may be referred to as a persons Achilles heel; something complex
may be described as labyrinthine; and something that rises anew in the face of
defeat may be compared to a phoenix rising from the ashes (Manser, 2003).

15
Furthermore, allusion is defined as a reference to a famous people, places
and works of literature (Applebee, et. al., 1990). The same meaning of definition
is presented by Miller, et.al., (1973) in the book England in Literature. Such
referencing is a form of comparison of similarities and differences to be able to
strengthen explanation of something.
Relative to the field of music, allusion is defined as an intentional
reference to another work made by means of a resemblance that affects the
meaning conveyed to those who recognize it (Reynolds, 2003). Here, allusion is
discussed in the context of vocal musicincluding genres such as mass and
strophic song, which have no strong tradition for localized expressive meaning
down to the individual motive and measure.
In literature, allusion is a device that stimulates ideas, associations and
information in a readers mind with the help of a few words that refer to a
common phrase. Understanding the meaning behind the words thus lies on the
readers knowledge of the related phrase he or she is familiar with (Jadhav,
2010). Therefore, allusions are used to link concepts that the reader already has
knowledge of, with concepts discussed in the text. For instance, Robert Frosts
poem entitled Out, Out tilizes allusion to highlight his theme of uncertainty and
unpredictability of life, which may be ended accidentally at any moment, and the
tragic waste of human potentiality that takes place when such premature deaths
occur. This is a good illustration of how a writer may use allusion not only to
emphasize emotion but also to help define a theme.

16
Lester (2009) states that in any act of reading, meaning can be said to
unfold between the text and the reader. When an author alludes, she crafts her
words so as to intentionally evoke another text with which her reader will be
acquainted. In this way, the connotations of the evoked text interact with the
alluding text in the meanings unfolding for the reader. The author will have some
desired set of allusive patternings that she seeks to produce in the reader, but
the range of these allusive patternings is ultimately unpredictable.
As a literary device, allusions are a means of reinforcing the emotion or
the ideas of one's own work with the emotion or ideas of another work or
occasion (Value of allusions, 2011). This way, connection is established between
the reader and the writer and extends to a broader picture of reality as the
reference or association is identified thereby giving more relevance to the original
passage.
The bible as a piece of literature is said to have references to everything
that has ever been created in the world. Therefore, utilizing allusions, the bible
as literature can be used when the meaning is to be made clear in a few words
as references commonly used by a number of writers when they want their
readers to understand the grave meanings behind their indirect words, for an
example, Adam, Prodigal Son, Alpha and Omega, etc.
Having presented the concepts of allusion, it is in this context that the
researcher attempts to establish understanding of the character of selected
women of the past century utilizing biblical allusions. Through this, readers can
be provided an understanding and appreciation of the women of the past century

17
and women of the Bible and be able to delineate whom they represent at present
time thus mobilizing them to think of what they can do individually, collectively or
in small groups and finally as an institution.
Understanding and applying the literary theories contribute to the clarity of
the study. Biographical criticism begins with the simple but central insight that
literature is written by actual people and that understanding an authors life can
help readers more thoroughly comprehend the work. Anyone who reads the
biography of a writer quickly sees how much an authors experience shapes both
directly and indirectly what he or she creates.

It focuses on explicating the

literary work by using the insight provided by knowledge of the authors life.
Sociological criticism examines literature in the cultural, economic and
political context in which it is written or received, exploring the relationships
between the artist and society. Sometimes it examines the artist's society to
better understand the author's literary works; other times, it may examine the
representation of such societal elements within the literature itself.
Psychological criticism reflects the effect that modern psychology has had
upon both literature and literary criticism. Psychological criticism has a number of
approaches, but in general, it usually employs one (or more) of three
approaches: an investigation of the creative process of the artist: what is the
nature of literary genius and how does it relate to normal mental functions, the
psychological study of a particular artist, usually noting how an author's
biographical circumstances affect or influence their motivations and/or behavior,

18
and the analysis of fictional characters using the language and methods and of
psychology (Kennedy & Gioia, 1995).
Feminist criticism is concerned with the impact of gender on writing and
reading. It usually begins with a critique of patriarchal culture. It is concerned with
the place of female writers in the cannon. Finally, it includes a search for a
feminine theory or approach to texts. To speak of feminism as a theory is already
a reduction. However, in terms of its theory feminism might be categorized into
three general groups: theories having an essentialist focus; theories aimed at
defining or establishing a feminist literary canon or theories seeking to reinterpret and re-vision literature from a less patriarchal slant; and theories
focusing on sexual difference and sexual politics (Siegel, 2006).

Scope, Delimitation and Limitation

The study focused on the exploration of the character of selected women
of the past century utilizing biblical allusions.

This study aimed to identify the

prominent features of the women of the past century and the significant
contributions that they manifest. It also alluded the women of the past century to
the women in the Bible. Finally, it delved into the implications of biblical allusions
in the teaching of literature.
The study included five of the twenty-five most powerful women of the
past century included in the Time Magazines list of twenty-five most powerful
women of the past century published on November 18, 2010.
Significance of the Study

19
Literature is a site of intelligible feeling so that both social and personal
experience is validated. Hence, it is true that as the reader begins to read he is
immediately confronted with the events and the characters thus providing an
understanding of the society as well as ones existence.
This intellectual venture hopes to expose readers to the rich literary
features of the Bible as effective means by which the word of the Lord is
conveyed to humankind. Utilizing the Bible as academic reading material will
increase urge of reading and appreciating it more.
The study intends to deepen creative writers understanding of the literary
genres available in the Bible thereby providing them avenues to further improve
their creative writing style.
Likewise, the study aims to give both the school administrators and
teachers ideas on how to enhance curriculum to include literary genres from the
Bible thus bridging the teachings of Jesus to the learners. They are also given
another strategy of linking the past to the present on the account of womens role
in and contribution to the society to be able to foster social consciousness among
students.
The study is equally significant to textbook writers, publishers and
curriculum developers as they are provided with alternative sources of content
that can be included in their future projects and tasks.
Furthermore, women sharing the same experiences, both pleasant and
unpleasant, of the women characters in the Bible will be given sense of
belongingness and self-worth enabling them to appreciate more their being.

20
Finally, the study hopes to be valuable for the future researchers who
have the same interest in exploring this subject.

Definition of Terms
The following terms used in the study are given lexical and operational
definitions to facilitate understanding:
Allusion.

This indicates reference in a story to history, the Bible,

literature, painting, music and so on, that suggests the meaning or generalized
relevance of details in the story (Bain, et. al., 1991).
Bible.

It refers to the collected sacred writings of Christianity, consisting

of the Old and New Testaments and in certain versions the Apocrypha (Manser,
2003).
Biblical. In the study, it refers to the specific type of allusion used in
associating women of the past century to the women in the Bible.
Biblical allusion.

In the study, it pertains to the technique by which

character of the selected women of the past century is directly or indirectly

associated with the women in the Bible.
Biblical figures. In the study, this refers to the women characters in the
Bible to whom the characteristics of selected women of the past century are
alluded to.
Character. This refers to someone who acts, appears, or is referred to in
a work identified by category sex, age, nationality and so on (Bain, et. al.,

21
1991). In the study, it pertains to the individuality of selected women of the past
century.
Christianity. This refers to the largest single faith in the world which
includes a belief in prophets, an afterlife, and a judgment day, and that which
imposes a moral code on believers that varies from fairly rigid prescriptions for
fundamentalists to relatively relaxed guidelines for liberals (Schaefer, 2009).
Class. This refers to the social structural hierarchical position groups hold
relative to the economic, social, political and cultural resources of society
(Andersen & Taylor, 2003).
Contribution.

In the study, it refers to the significant achievement/s of

the women of the past century which made them unique, famous and admirable.
Criticism. It refers to the analysis and judgment of works of art. It tries to
interpret and to evaluate such works and to examine the principles by which they
may be understood (The World Book Encyclopedia, 1991).
Culture.

This pertains to the set of learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes,

values and ideals that are characteristics of a particular society (Zulueta, 2006).
Ethnicity. It refers to a shared cultural heritage (Macionis, 1994).
Feminism.

This refers to a political movement that works to gain

economic, political and social equality with men (The World Book Encyclopedia,
1991).
Literary criticism. This refers to a natural human response to literature.
It is nothing more than discourse spoken or written about literature. It is not

22
primarily evaluative; instead, it is analytical; it tries to help readers better
understand a literary work (Kennedy & Gioia, 1995).
Patriarchy.

This refers to male dominance over women (Giddens &

Duneier, 2000).
Prominent features. In the study, these refer to the personal, educational
and professional background of the women under study.

It also covers the

womens advocacies that reflect their character traits as manifestations of who

they are.
Religiosity.

In the study, it refers to the aspects of religious activity,

dedication, and beliefs. It also means religiousness.

Sociology.

It is the scientific study of human social life, groups and

societies. It is a dazzling and compelling enterprise, as its subject matter is our

own behavior as human beings (Giddens & Duneier, 2000)
Status. It denotes a recognized social position that an individual occupies
(Macionis, 1994). In the study, it refers to the condition of the rank or position of
women which determines their rights and roles.
Trope. It refers to the intentional use of a word or expression figuratively,
i.e., used in a different sense from its original significance in order to give
vividness or emphasis to an idea (Richardson, 2004). In the study, it refers to the
way with which the women of the century will be alluded to the Biblical women.

CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

23

This chapter presents the literature and studies reviewed by the

researcher to gain better understanding of the current study.

Any scholarly

undertaking demands a review of available resources from which concepts and

insights shall be lifted to seek answers to the specific problems which the current
study ought to resolve. Such review was carried out and served its purpose for
the study.

Related Literature
Review of literature in the following topics provides relevant information in
the course of conducting the current study. These include Allusions in Literature,
The Bible as Literature and Biblical Allusions, Patriarchy, Times Most Influential
People in the World, Biographies of the Selected Women of the Past Century,
and Biblical Figures.
As a literary term, allusion encompasses indirect references to any
source, including films or visual arts. It is considered homage when film-maker
unintentionally makes visual reference to another film. It may even be sensed
that real events have allusive overtones, when a previous event is inescapably
recalled by a current one. Allusion is an economical device, a figure of speech
that draws upon the ready stock of ideas, cultural memes or emotion already
associated with a topic in a relatively short space. Thus, an allusion is
understandable only to those with prior knowledge of the covert reference in
question, a mark of their cultural literacy.

24
Allusions in Literature. According to Coombs(2002), alluding is a twostep process of implication. First is the allusive reference and the second the
allusive implication. Allusive reference happens when a speaker implicates that
he is referring to some entity then allusive implication takes place when the
speaker implicates something further.
It is important to note that understanding and experiencing the culture of
certain people is a requisite to be able to identify and appreciate the meaning of
allusion that is applied in a form of communication.

There must be mutual

knowledge between the sender and receiver of the message for allusion to take
effect. For instance, when allusion is used to give reference to biblical concepts
to better explain a certain phenomenon, the one who uses allusion should
consider the background knowledge of the target audience on such concepts.
The literary trope of allusion according to G. Brooke Lester (2009) has
become a rhetorical literary strategy that requires special attention in biblical
studies. To different extents, biblical scholars will have to differentiate allusion
from influence, that is, the effects that older texts may have on later texts, even
without the authors intention to evoke older texts and from intertextuality which
refers to any creative cross-readings of texts undertaken by a reader, without any
claim that one text intends to evoke another.
Considering allusion as a device in the field of literature, it is relevant to
consider the allusions common to writers. One is the allusion to a Gordian knot
which suggests an extremely difficult problem as according to the Greek legend
about King Gordius tied in an intricate knot untied by Alexander the Great.

25
Another is an allusion to the play Waiting for Godot which suggests an endless
wait. The play is about two characters waiting for a man called Godot but as the
play ends, the two characters are still waiting.

An allusion to Hades which

suggests death, danger and darkness is also a consideration as this Greek word
refers to the ruler of the underworld.
Exposure to trivia, topics of general human interest and current
developments in different fields gives license to better understanding and
appreciation of allusions used in varied forms of communication. It lifts the level
of critical thinking between and among elements involved in the exchange of
information.
The following are essays on book reviews that tackle on biblical allusions
which the researcher considered significant in the current study as they exhibit
how biblical allusions can be employed to establish connection between selected
women of the past century and women biblical characters with the end view of
understanding the character of the women of the century.
In John Knowless book A Separate Peace biblical allusions were utilized
with the authors focus on the tree, mans sinful nature, and Phineas as a Christ
like figure to add a rich meaning to the novel. Likewise, the fall of Adam and Eve
is strikingly similar to Genes fall in the book.
Aldous Huxleys Brave New World used biblical allusions to emphasize the
need for spiritual belief in the society regardless of its culture. For instance, the
terms Ford, and Our Ford Above, refers to a higher being. In addition, some
rituals depicted are very similar to what would take place in a church.

26
Furthermore, the author uses religious allusion, to show that the innate belief in
book is responsible for characters inadvertently playing biblical roles. Bernard, for
example, plays a very Judas like role. The role he portrayed is very similar to
how Judas betrayed Jesus Christ, though Judas never repented. Another
character, Helmholtz, plays a role like that of John the Beloved. In the story,
Helmholtz pushes through the crowd of enraged Deltas to stand at Johns side,
and fend off the furious creatures, ultimately saving John from death. John the
Beloved played a similar role in the story of Jesus Christ, always standing at
Christs side to defend him. Lastly, the character Mustapha Monde played a role
like that of Pontius Pilate by persecuting and sentencing John.
The way Margaret Laurence utilized biblical allusions in her book, Stone
Angel, helps readers comprehensively understand several of the events and
characters.

The novel resembles the book of Genesis with the character of

Hagar Shipley who is a modernized version of the Biblical Hagar considering

their social positions, their pride, and how they are treated and their reactions to
their treatment.
Herman Melvilles novel, Billy Budd, employed many obvious allusions as
well as subtle ones that require a closer analysis. These biblical allusions in the
book provide the reader with a better understanding of many of the main
characters and events including Billy Budds comparison with Jesus Christ.
Billys character is alluded to Jesus Christ when he forgives Captain Vere
by blessing him; Jesus forgives those who put Him to death. Likewise, Billys
character is alluded to that of Adam with his masculine beauty, a brute strength,

27
and a superior code of morals above his shipmates. Captain Vere, on the other
hand, symbolizes God in that it is he who orders Billy to die just as God told
Jesus he must die in the garden before his cruel and barbaric passion.
Zora Neale Hurstons Sweat shows a number of allusions to the Bible that
underscore her authorial intentions. One is the Garden of Eden, with the serpent
taking on its role of temptation and giving Delia the opportunity to allow for her
husband's death. Delia's character may not seem much like Eve's, but Delia does
obtain from the serpent the forbidden knowledge of how to disregard convention
and subvert Christian morality. Another is Delias song about crossing the Jordan,
which refers to Joshua leading the nation of Israel across the river, and her
crawling over the earth in Gethsemane and up the rocks of Calvary, which were
journeys of Jesus (http://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1683045.html
, 2011).
The Bible as Literature and Biblical Allusions. To approach the Bible
as literature, Crain (1997) explains that all of the common subjects of literature
are found in the Bible. These include individuals in nature, society, and relation
to God and other humans, growth and initiation, time, death, and alienation.
While only bible scholars can give correct interpretations of the content of the
Bible, it is certainly possible to apply fairly simple approach to interpretation.
Furthermore, Crain states that in literature, a theme must make a direct or
implied statement about a subject. The Bible, tightly unified in its own controlling
themes, explores all the common questions of human existence. Perhaps the
most unifying theme of the Bible is that of relationship: human beings created by

28
God in God's image for relationship and activity. This thread runs through all
sixty-six books of the Bible, uniting them and providing an unparalleled
explanation of what ultimately it means to be human and how humans should
behave.
Common themes of the Bible are: Society and a person's inner nature are
always at war; Social influences determine a person's final destiny; A person's
identity is determined by place in society; Aspects of childhood are retained in
every person, sometimes hindering growth, sometimes providing the only joy in
later life.
The Bible is a form of literature brought down through the years and
passed down from generations. This prose of literature has many common
allusions which are used in the English language to make a reference for certain
sentences. These biblical allusions are used as references to explain certain
sentences. They can be used while talking as well as writing since many people
can relate to this text when put in situations. Therefore it becomes easy to
understand when someone uses these biblical allusions to elaborate on a
particular issue. For example, Garden of Eden refers to paradise prepared by
God, Adam refers to first man, Eve refers to first woman and serpent refers to
devil (Jadhav, 2010).
The Bible being a form of literature that encompasses all human
experiences can affect the reader in thoughts, actions, emotions, and even
decisions in life just like any other form of literature. Reading the Bible will enable
one to make associations of an idea, event, or person read and create meanings

29
outside of the original concept by making connections between old and new
knowledge.

This means that the reader himself is making allusions to have

better understanding of the text. Now, in the standpoint of a writer who will
employ biblical allusions, there is an assumption that the target readers are
already capable of making the necessary connections. Through this, a reader or
listener will be capable of the intelligent communication called for in polite,
professional, academic, or social circles relative to biblical allusions.
Patriarchy. Radical feminists define patriarchy as a social system in
which men appropriate all social roles and keep women in subordinate positions.
They further state that this social system has managed to survive for so long
because its chief psychological weapon is its universality as well as its longevity
(Charvet, 1982).
Relatively in this patriarchal context, interpretations of Bible passages can
really rationalize the subordination of women as for example the interpretation of
the creation story where woman is taken from the rib of man. This has actually
caused women to feel inferior because they are made to feel that they are only
derived beings. And worse, women are made to feel guilty of the sin of man.
They are supposed to be the seductive temptresses that bring about the mans
downfall (Mananzan, 1999).
Patriarchy literally means rule of the father in a male-dominated family. It
is a social and ideological construct which considers men (who are the
patriarchs) as superior to women. Patriarchy is based on a system of power
relations which are hierarchical and unequal where men control womens

30
production, reproduction and sexuality. It imposes masculinity and femininity
character stereotypes in society which strengthen the iniquitous power relations
between men and women.
Patriarchy is not a constant and gender relations which are dynamic and
complex have changed over the periods of history. The nature of control and
subjugation of women varies from one society to the other as it differs due to the
differences in class, caste, religion, region, ethnicity and the socio-cultural
practices. Patriarchy within a particular caste or class also differs in terms of their
religious and regional variations. Similarly subordination of women in developed
countries is different from what it is in developing countries.
While subordination of women may differ in terms of its nature, certain
characteristics such as control over womens sexuality and her reproductive
power cuts across class, caste, ethnicity, religions and regions and is common to
all patriarchies. This control has developed historically and is institutionalized and
legitimized by several ideologies, social practices and institutions such as family,
religion, caste, education, media, law, state and society.
Patriarchal societies propagate the ideology of motherhood which restrict
womens mobility and burdens them with the responsibilities to nurture and rear
children. The biological factor to bear children is linked to the social position of
womens responsibilities of motherhood: nurturing, educating and raising children
by devoting themselves to family. Patriarchal ideas blur the distinction between
sex and gender and assume that all socio-economic and political distinctions
between men and women are rooted in biology or anatomy.

31
Gender like social class, caste, race or religion is a significant social
cleavage and it is important to analyze it to understand social inequalities,
oppressions and unequal relationship between men and women. It has been
explained by feminist scholars / thinkers/ writers who believe that the theory of
sexual politics and sexism are conscious parallels with theory of class politics
and racism to understand oppression of women.
The traditionalist view accepts patriarchy as biologically determined and
as the biological functions of men and women are different, the social roles and
tasks assigned for women are also different. Sigmund Freud stated that for
women anatomy is destiny and it is womens biology which primarily determine
their psychology and hence their abilities and roles. Similarly the traditional
notion of public-private divide which located politics in the public sphere and
family and personal relationships in private sphere as non-political, believed that
sexual inequality is natural and not political. While the political sphere was
preserved for men the private sphere was reserved for women as housewives
and mothers who were excluded from politics.
These theories of male supremacy have been challenged and opposed by
feminists as they lack historical or scientific evidence. Feminists argue that the
biological difference might lead to some difference in their roles, but the former
should not become the basis of a sexual hierarchy in which men are dominant.
The dismantling of these theories enables us to acknowledge that patriarchy is
man-made and has developed historically by the socio-economic and political
processes in society (Ray, 2009).

32
Knowledge of patriarchy should not invite tolerance of the situation but
should rather tap womens consciousness to establish ties and determine what
else could be done to cease the seemingly endless influence of this women
subordination to those who unconsciously remain in its shadow.
Times Most Influential People in the World. Time 100 is an annual list
of the 100 most influential people in the world, as assembled by Time. The list
was started with a debate at a symposium at Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy
Center on February 1, 1998 with panel participants CBS news anchor Dan
Rather, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, former New York governor Mario
Cuomo, then-political science professor Condoleezza Rice, neoconservative
publisher Irving Kristol and Time managing editor Walter Isaacson. In 1999, Time
published the list naming the 100 most influential people of the 20 th century.
In 2004, Time decided to make it an annual issue considering three rather
distinct qualities to be included. These qualities are first, possession of power;
second, real influence on the great events of our time; and third, effect in the
lives of people through moral example. Time makes it very clear that people are
recognized for changing the world, for better or for worse. Those recognized fall
in one of five categories: Leaders & Revolutionaries, Builders & Titans, Artists &
Entertainers, Scientists & Thinkers, and Heroes & Icons. Within each category,
the 20 most influential people (sometimes pairs or small groups) are selected, for
a grand total of 100 each year. Although each category is given equal weight
during any given year, people from some categories are more likely to make

33
repeat appearances on the list from year to year (25 Most powerful women of the
past century, 2011).
November 18, 2010 Time Magazine published the list of 25 Most Powerful
Women of the Past Century. The list includes the name of leading women of the
twentieth century. Time, being the worlds largest weekly news magazine made a
survey for the women who have most influenced the world to publish the list of 25
Most Powerful Women of the Past Century.
An outspoken advocate for women's suffrage, Jane Addams, has been
ranked as top of the 25 Most Powerful Women of the Century by Time
Magazine. Addams was also the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace
Prize.
The list also includes United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and designer Coco Chanel, Pop
queen Madonna and popular talk show host Oprah Winfrey, and singer Aretha
Franklin.
The former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Mother Teresa are
also chosen as most influential women of the past century. Apart from Indira
Gandhi, who is ranked ninth and Mother Teresa, who is ranked twenty-second,
no other woman from the sub-continent are included in a list released by the
magazine. Time Magazine reported that Mother Teresa sometimes criticized for
lacking adequate medical training, not addressing poverty on a grander scale,
actively opposing birth control and abortion and even cozying up to dictators, the

34
winner of the Nobel Peace Prize nonetheless inspired countless volunteers to
serve, and will wear her white habit all the way to Catholic sainthood.
Also, according to the Time Magazine, Indian powerful woman, Indira
Gandhi, went on to steer India, not without controversy, for much of the next two
decades through recession, famine, the detonation of the nations first atomic
bomb, a corruption scandal and a civil war in neighboring Pakistan that, under
her guidance, led to the creation of a new state, Bangladesh. Gandhi was the
worlds longest-serving female prime minister, a distinction she holds to this day.
In the list of 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century, Marie Curie is
on seventh rank, Golda Meir thirteenth, Angela Merkel fourteenth, Eleanor
Roosevelt eighteenth and Virginia Woolf got the last and final twenty-fifth.
Along with Madonna, the eleventh most powerful woman in the world, the
list also included another entertainer such as the American singer Aretha Franklin
on seventh and Oprah Winfrey on twenty-fourth (Hiren_Risky, 2010).
Biographies of the Selected Women of the Past Century. Biographies
have long been one of the most popular forms of prose. Biographies help make
the past more real and easier to understand because they tell about actual
people and events.

Readers can satisfy their curiosity about well-known

individuals and can experience historical events as though they were actually
present.

A good biography presents the facts about a persons life.

This

information includes what the subject did and how the individual influenced the
period in which he or she lived.

Likewise, it should describe the subjects

personality and provide and explanation for why he or she acted in certain ways.

35
Most biographies are interpretative, that is, they not only present facts but
also tell what they mean. A good biographical work should be objective and
balanced, but these goals cannot always be achieved.

For example, a

biographer might not be able to write about all aspects of the subjects life
because of a lack of research material. Many individuals do not leave diaries or
letters, or such materials may have been lost or destroyed.
There are five chief types of biography, namely, popular biographies which
tell about the lives of such currently famous people as movie stars and sports
figures; historical biographies which deal with a wide variety of individuals and
describe how they influenced past events; literary biographies which tell of the
life and personality of an author, composer, painter or other kind of artist, and
describe the talent and inspiration that enabled the subject to create great works;
reference biographies are short accounts that that mention only the major events
of a persons life; and fictional biographies which combine features of a
biography and of a novel (The World Book, 1991).
Corazon C. Aquino. This woman became the guiding force behind one of
the most extraordinary political events of the 20 th century. She was born Maria
Corazon Cojuangco to her parents Jose Cojuangco and Demetria Sumulong in
the province of Tarlac, Philippines on January 25, 1933.

Being born into a

wealthy, politically prominent family, she enjoyed a privileged childhood (ChuaEoan & Schlesinger, Jr., 1988).
She graduated valedictorian at St. Scholasticas College, Manila and for
the secondary level studied at Asumption Convent, Manila and at Catholic

36
schools in the United Sates including Ravenhill Academy and Notre Dame
Convent School. She finished Bachelor of Arts at College of Mount St. Vincent
College in New York City in 1954 but abandoned further studies in 1955 to marry
Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr., who was then a promising young politician with
whom she had five children (Corazon Aquino, 2011).
She began her political career in 1983 after her husbands assassination
and then finally became the first Philippine woman president in the national
election held in February 1986. During her term as president, 1986-1992, she
restored democratic rule after the long dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. The
six-year administration of President Aquino provided the enactment of a new
Philippine Constitution and several significant legal reforms, including a new
agrarian reform law. Her government also dealt with several major natural
disasters that struck the Philippines, as well as a severe power crisis that
hampered the Philippine economy.
After her presidential term, Aquino retired to private life but remained
active on political issues.

On March 24, 2008 she was diagnosed of colon

cancer and then passed away on August 1, 2009 (Corazon Aquino, 2011).
Below is a list of Aquinos significant achievements and contributions.
On restoration of democracy, she received international acclaim for her
peaceful overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship.

Her campaign became a

crusade. She presented herself in the most startling of transfigurations, alluded

to the great wonder of the 12th chapter of the book of Revelation: a selfconfessed housewife dressed in yellow transformed by fate and circumstance

37
into the apocalyptic woman clothed with the sun who would bring salvation to the
world. Aquino stood for freedom from Marcos oppression and injustice. The then
elected president, however, steadfastly maintained that the victory of the
revolution belonged not to her personally, but to the Filipino people, whose
strength and faith underlay her own actions

(Chua-Eoan & Schlesinger, Jr.,

1988).
The Philippines first woman president, one of only three women in the
world to be chosen Time Magazines Woman of the Year (the others were Queen
Elizabeth II of England in 1952 and Wallis Simpson in 1936), and the Joan of Arc
of the People Power phenomenon that has inspired defenders of democracy,
from Tiananmen Square to South Africa, Corazon Cory Cojuangco Aquino has a
place in history.

In naming her Woman of the Year for Time cheered her

determination and courage in leading a democratic revolution that has captured

the worlds imagination (Buensalido & Florendo, 1999).
As President, the Cory Aquino who never wanted to be President did
nothing to perpetuate herself in office. Hers was a presidency fiercely determined
to defend country, but not one which made itself a mechanism for its continuation
in office. Cory Aquino achieved power with the determination that one of her
finest hours would be the time she would gladly hand over that power to a dulyelected successor.
She became the focus of national pride and admiration internationally. Her
voice became a voice listened to by millions beyond her shores. Filipinos, the
Philippines, Cory: all were of the same substance. Democracy was Cory and

38
democracy was the Philippines and democracy were the Filipinos. Cory Aquino
not only made Filipinos to think for themselves but also made them something
even better: a people determined to reclaim their freedom regardless of what
others thought and she furthermore allowed her countrymen to achieve a most
cherished dreams: a Philippines secure enough in its own abilities and confident
in its own future to break the umbilical cord tying it to America.
As

world-renowned

advocate

of

democracy, peace,

women's

empowerment, and religious piety and being the first woman president of the
Philippines, Aquino has impacted the lives of Filipinos for breaking Marcos
dictatorial government leading into democracy which gave her the title, Mother of
Democracy.

Two women, Miriam Defensor Santiago and Gloria Macapagal-

Arroyo, ran after her for president. Although only Arroyo won as president and
Defensor did not win, the fact that they even ran, illustrates that in some regards
Corazon Aquino is partially responsible for breaking the glass ceiling in the
Philippines. Aquino challenged and started the turning point of women taking
significant positions in the government.
As a political leader, Aquinos government was however pressured by
huge popular expectations, as the people prior to her had been living under
martial law for fourteen years. Corazon Aquino may not have done the complete
accomplishments that Filipinos desire during her six-year term but just bringing
back democracy by being hailed as the first woman president of the country after
a peaceful People Power Revolution which got worlds attention is great enough

39
for the country that has been jailed into tyranny for two decades (Corazon
Aquino, 2011).
Hers was not a perfect presidency, just as she is not a perfect woman. But
if one considers the history of the Philippines and its people during the 20th
century, and sees the leaders that represented the best and worst of their
countrymen, and who represented common desires in their countrymen, if one
looks at the past hundred years, one can only conclude that in Cory Aquino was
finally achieved that rare thing - a leader who led, and was followed, by a people
with whom she had a perfect understanding. In a sense, it was a simple
understanding, but therein lies its perfection. She saw a people with no pride,
who were full of fear, and yet who yearned to regain what they had lost. She was
both pushed by them and pushed them to regain what they had lost and keep it.
On December 30, 1999, Corazon Aquino was chosen Philippines Free
Presss Person of the Century among Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmea,
Ramon Magsaysay, Claro M. Recto and Ninoy Aquino. The Philippines Free
Press has bestowed the distinction of Man or Woman of the Year on the Filipino
who has had the most influence on the country for the year in question. Over the
past 91 years of its existence, this magazine has seen leaders come and go; it
has seen them rise and fall; and it knows, as no other institution can, which
leaders have made a positive difference in the destiny of the Philippines and its
people.
And thus the Philippines Free Press considered Corazon C. Aquino, wife,
mother, former president, icon of democracy, the Filipino best qualified to be

40
named Person of the Century. For if true, positive, leadership is what makes a
person great and makes one person the greatest of all as far as reckoning the
20th Century is concerned, then Corazon Aquino can be said to have had the
greatest measure of all three necessary supports for true leadership. She not
only was a leader, but the kind the country had never seen, at least in politics: a
leadership grounded not in, but in a moral purpose. A leadership both practical
and idealistic and which proved that the two, so often seen as incompatible in
human affairs, could effectively coexist. She made a wholehearted belief in
democracy and liberty something not nave, and definitely something to be taken
seriously; indeed she made it something that could make a profound difference in
the destiny of a nation and its people (Quezon III, 1999).
Hillary Clinton. In 2000, Hillary Clinton made history as the First Lady
elected to the United States Senate, and the first woman elected statewide in
New York. She was born on October 26, 1947 in Park Ridge, Chicago, Illinois to
Hugh Rodham and Dorothy Rodham who set high standards by emphasizing
hard work and academic excellence. With strong, determined personality, full of
confidence and certitude and tenacity, Hillary is much like her father who
dominated the family though her mother was an influential force in the household
(Kengor, 2007).
Hillary studied in Wellesley College, an all-women school and then after
her graduation she entered Yale Law School, where she finished the Juris Doctor
Degree and met Marian Wright Edelman, a lawyer and childrens rights advocate
who influenced her to develop a strong interest in family law and issues affecting

41
children. She taught at the University of Arkansas School of Law and then joined
the prominent Rose Law Firm in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she later became a
partner. On October 11, 1975, she married Bill Clinton, who was governor in
Arkansas for two term periods and then became 42 nd President of the United
States of America, with whom she had an only child in 1980 (Caroli, 2011).
Added to the list of achievements, Hillary Clinton has gained political
popularity and significance for being the wife of the 42 nd President of the United
States of America, Bill Clinton.
As First Lady, Hillary Clinton became an advocate of health care reform
and worked on many issues relating to children and families. She led successful
bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen
pregnancy, and provide health care to millions of children through the Children's
Health Insurance Program. She also traveled to more than eighty countries as a
representative of our country, winning respect as a champion of human rights,
democracy and civil society. Her famous speech in Beijing in 1995 -- when she
declared that human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human
rights inspired women worldwide and helped galvanize a global movement for
womens rights.
As a Senator, Clinton worked across party lines to build support for causes
important to her constituents and the country, including the expansion of
economic opportunity and access to quality, affordable health care. She served
on the Armed Services Committee, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Budget

42
Committee and the Select Committee on Aging. She was also a Commissioner
on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she was a strong
advocate for funding the rebuilding of New York and the health concerns of the
first responders who risked their lives working at Ground Zero. She also
championed the cause of our nation's military and fought for better health care
and benefits for wounded service members, veterans and members of the
National Guard and Reserves. She was also the only Senate member of the
Transformation Advisory Group to the Department of Defense's Joint Forces
Command.
With Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, Secretary Clinton worked to
launch the governments Vital Voices Democracy Initiative. Today, Vital Voices is
a non-governmental organization that continues to train and organize women
leaders across the globe (U.S. Department of State Diplomacy in Action, 2011).
Madonna. Singer, performer, actress, from motherless child to wife and
mother, from boy toy to fiercely independent diva, Madonna is one of the most
remarkable women of the music and entertainment industry. This woman was
born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone on August 16, 1958 to Silvio Patrick
Ciccone and Madonna Louise Fortin at Bay City, Michigan. The third of six
children, Madonna learned early on how to handle her role as the middle child,
admitting that she was the sissy of the family who often used her feminine wiles
to get her way.

43
Her parents' strict observation of the Catholic faith played a large role in
Madonna's childhood. Many elements of Catholic iconographyincluding her
mother's statues of the Sacred Heart, the habits of the nuns at her Catholic
elementary school, and the Catholic altar at which she and her family prayed
dailylater became the subject of Madonna's most controversial works.
Another heavy influence on Madonna's early life was her mother, who was
diagnosed with breast cancer during her pregnancy with Madonna's youngest
sister. Treatment had to be delayed until the baby reached full term, but by then
the disease had grown too strong.
On December 1, 1963, at the age of 30, Madonna's mother passed away.
Madonna was only five years old at the time of her mother's death. She fought
especially hard against the rules imposed by her stepmother, Joan Gustafson,
who met Madonna's father while working as the family housekeeper. Madonna
says Gustafson often made her take care of the younger children in the
household, a task she greatly resented. She rebelled against her traditional
upbringing by turning her conservative clothing into revealing outfits, frequenting
underground gay nightclubs, and rejecting her religious background.
But Madonna balanced this insubordinate side of her personality with a
drive for perfectionism and high-achievement. She was a straight-A student,
cheerleader, and disciplined dancer who graduated from high school a semester
earlier than her peers. In 1976, her hard work earned her the attentions of the
University of Michigan, which offered her full scholarship to their dance program.

44
In 1977, during her undergraduate studies at Michigan, Madonna was
awarded a six-week scholarship to study with the Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theater in New York City, followed by a rare opportunity to perform with
choreographer Pearl Lang in 1978. At the urging of her dance instructor, the
budding star dropped out of college after only two years of study in order to move
to New York and further her dance career (Morton, 2001).
Madonna was the first female artist to indulge in music video. In 1991,
she produced 1.2 billion dollars from the international sales of some 70 million
albums and likewise scored 21 top ten hits in the United States. She then
became the head of Maverick, a subsidiary of Time-Warner created by the
entertainment giant as part of a 60-million dollar deal with the performer. Her
success signaled a clear message of financial control to other women in the
industry.
Madonna retained her independence despite her marriage to Hollywood
actor Sean Penn in 1980s and another in 2000 to Guy Ritchie, an English
director, with whom she had a son and whom she divorced in 2008 (OBrien,
2011).
Record of achievements in the entertainment industry, both film and
music, shows how Madonna significantly conquered fame in its finest despite the
absurdity of her personality in ways of her fashion. For instance, publishing Sex,
a soft-core pornographic coffee-table book in 1992 featuring Madonna in a
variety of erotic poses despite its controversial nature, sold 150,000 copies on
the day of its release in the USA alone. Three days later, all 1.5 million copies of

45
the first edition were sold out worldwide, making it the most successful coffee
table book ever released (OBrien, 2011).
Likewise, Madonna has a great influence to every pop star of the last two
to three decades setting the trend in the music videos of the music industry which
almost always include extravagant dance numbers, over-the-top outfits and
eyebrow-raising concepts, and made her one of MTV's most popular artists. After
causing no shortage of controversy with her unabashed sexuality and
outspokenness, Madonna has since turned some of her efforts toward being a
mother and humanitarian but not before cementing her place in pop culture as
the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century (Castillo, 2010).
Madonna was named as the world's wealthiest female musician by Forbes
magazine in 1992, with estimated earnings of more than 72 million dollars. As an
entrepreneur, Madonna earned much of this income from her H&M clothing line;
a deal with NBC to air concert footage; and her Confessions tourthe highestgrossing tour for a female artist to date.
Furthermore, Madonna also earns from singing, acting and managing a
number of business interests, in United Kingdom and in United States. She used
her wealth and celebrity status to help Malawi's AIDS orphans. That time, African
nation of Malawi was suffering from disease, poverty and famine especially on
young people about one million of them orphaned children (Madonna Biography,
2011).

46
Madonna studied the crisis in Malawi and then helped finance the
construction of a home for orphans. She founded a relief organization called the
Raising Malawi Orphan Care Initiative. With her husband, she adopted a boy
from Malawi, David Banda Mwale, whose mother died of AIDS. She wrote and
produced I Am Because We Are, a documentary about the lives of Malawi's AIDS
orphans that attempts to demonstrate the need for action by profiling eight
children growing up without parents. These children long for a better life and
strive to remain optimistic about the future despite the long odds fate has set
against them.

The documentary also features interviews with a number of

people working to alleviate the ongoing tragedy in Malawi, including Bill Clinton,
Bishop Desmond Tutu, Prof. Jeffery D. Sachs, and leaders of a number of
leading relief and charitable organizations (Dehnart, 2008).
Despite the wealth and fame, Madonna did not forget about her social
responsibility to other people. Her attempt to write and produce I Am Because
We Are is the proof where she was able to influence and move significant people
to work towards her own goal of helping others.
Mother Teresa. Mother Teresas real name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.
She was born in Skopje, Macedonia in 1910. When she was a girl, she attended
regular prayer meetings. Here she learned about India from the letters of a
missionary. She discovered that the country was very poor and many of the
people had never heard of God. She decided that one day she would go to India
to help the poor and to teach them about God.

47
In 1928, when Agnes was 18, she found out that the Missionary Sisters of
Loreto, an Irish community of nuns, were looking for girls to become nuns in
India. She immediately volunteered. After spending six weeks in Ireland training,
Agnes travelled by ship to Bombay in India. She journeyed by train from Bombay
to the convent, high in the mountains near Darjeeling. Agnes training at the
convent involved much Bible study, as well as learning to speak Hindi and
Bengali. As a novice, Agnes was required to wear a special dress called a habit
and to choose a new name that she would be called when she became a nun.
This was an important decision and Agnes thought about it carefully.

She

eventually decided upon the name Teresa, after Saint Therese of Lisieux.
In 1931 at the age of 21, Agnes took her initial vows as a nun. Now called
Sister Teresa, she travelled to St. Marys School in Calcutta. Here she was to
teach history, geography and Bible studies. She took her final vows in 1937,
becoming Mother Teresa. Life in the school was good and she stayed there for
17 years, becoming the principal in 1944.
On September 10, 1946, as Mother Teresa was returning to the convent
by train, God spoke to her. The message was clear: God wanted Mother Teresa
to help the poor. She returned to Calcutta and immediately began taking food
and medicine to the destitute people of the nearby slum of Moti Jheel. Before
Mother Teresa could begin her work she needed permission from the Archbishop
of Calcutta. She visited him and told him of her plan to live among the poor and
serve them. The Archbishop liked the idea, but wanted to know how she would
survive with no money.

Teresa simply said that God would provide.

The

48
Archbishop agreed the plan in three conditions: she would wait one year, she
would get permission from Pope Pius XII, and she would convince ten nuns to
join her.
In 1948, Teresa replaced her black habit with a simple white sari with blue
edging. She lived the simplest of lives, owning nothing and sleeping on the bare
floor. Mother Teresa began her work with a school, but no ordinary school. This
was simply a space outside under a tree. Here she taught local children the
Bengali alphabet by drawing symbols in the dust. Classes grew but the school
faced a major problem whenever it rained, torrents of mud made teaching
impossible. Teresa prayed to God and the solution soon appeared in the form of
Michael Gomez. He was a rich Indian Christian, who donated the whole second
floor of his large house to Mother Teresa.
At first, Teresa used just one room, teaching in the day and sleeping on
the floor at night. However, in 1949, a former pupil asked if she could join her.
Mother Teresa was overjoyed and the pupil became known as Sister Agnes.
Within a few months, nine other nuns had joined her. In 1950, Teresa discovered
that the Pope Pius XII had agreed to let her continue with her work and she was
allowed to establish her own order, the Missionaries of Charity.
Mother Teresa and her nuns indulged into a lot of charity work. These
included providing a home and caring for the dying from the slums of Calcutta,
building a hospital for the lepers through the help of the Indian Prime Minister,
Jawaharlal Nehru and Pope Paul VI, and caring for and providing an orphanage
for the abandoned babies. Her fame began to spread. In the following years,

49
Mother Teresa and her nuns would establish houses and hospitals to help the
poor in many countries such as Australia, Ethiopia, Yemen and in New York in
USA.
In 1970, Pope Paul VI decided to give Mother Teresa the Pope John XXIII
Peace Prize. This brought Teresa further fame. With the fame came awards. In
1979, Teresa won one of most famous awards in the world the Nobel Peace
Prize. Along with the award came a cheque for one hundred ninety thousand
dollars. She used the money to build a leper hospital. By her 70 th birthday in
1980, Teresa was one of the most famous women in the world.
On September 5, 1989, Mother Teresa suffered a heart attack while at
home in Calcutta. She was in hospital for months and slowly regained strength.
Over the next few years, she continued her work, but in 1995 she started to
become ill again. On September 5, 1997 Mother Teresa died at 9:30 pm. Her
body was placed in a nearby church. Her funeral took place on September 13,
1997 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium to seat 14,000 people (Smailes, 2009).
Less than two years after her death, in view of Mother Teresas
widespread reputation of holiness and the favors being reported, Pope John Paul
II permitted the opening of her Cause of Canonization. On December 20, 2002
he approved the decrees confirming her heroic virtue and a miracle attributed to
her intercession. On October 19, 2003, the Holy Father beatified Mother Teresa
before a joyful and prayerful crowd of at least 300,000 assembled in St. Peters
Square in a spirit of thanksgiving to God for the gift of her life and holiness
(Mother Teresa of Calcutta Center, 2011)

50
Oprah Winfrey. Known as an entrepreneur, actress, educator, producer,
philanthropist, and talk show host, Oprah Winfrey has had a wide-ranging effect
on American culture. She is the first black woman to own a production company
and named the first black woman billionaire. Through her personal giving and
support and her work through both Oprah's Angel Network and the Oprah
Winfrey Foundation, Winfrey has been perhaps the most significant female
African-American philanthropist in the late twentieth and early twenty-first
centuries.
She was born Oprah Gail Winfrey on January 29, 1954 at Kosciusko,
Mississippi to Vernita Lee, a housemaid and Vernon Winfrey, who had been a
coal miner, barber, city councilman and member of the Armed Forces. Decades
later, Mississippi farmer and World War II veteran Noah Robinson Sr. claimed to
be her biological father.
After her birth, Winfrey's mother traveled north and Winfrey spent her first
six years living in rural poverty with her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee who was so
poor that Winfrey often wore dresses made of potato sacks, for which the local
children made fun of her. Her grandmother taught her to read before the age of
three and took her to the local church, where she was nicknamed The Preacher
for her ability to recite Bible verses.
At age six, Winfrey moved to an inner-city neighborhood in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin with her mother, who was less supportive and encouraging than her
grandmother had been, due in large part to the long hours Vernita Lee worked as

51
a maid. By 1962, Lee was having difficulty raising her daughters so Winfrey was
temporarily sent to live with Vernon in Nashville, Tennessee.
Vernon was strict but encouraging, and made her education a priority.
Winfrey became an honors student, was voted Most Popular Girl, and joined her
high school speech team at East Nashville High School, placing second in the
nation in dramatic interpretation. She won an oratory contest, which secured her
a full scholarship to Tennessee State University, a historically black institution,
where she studied communication. Her first job as a teenager was working at a
local grocery store.
At the age of seventeen she landed on a job at a local radio station in
Nashville,

Tennessee.

She

continued

working

while

taking

speech

communication and performing arts at Tennessee State University during her

college education. Working in local media, she was both the youngest news
anchor and the first black female news anchor at Nashville's WLAC-TV. She
moved to Baltimore's WJZ-TV in 1976 to co-anchor the six o'clock news. She
was then recruited to join Richard Sher as co-host of WJZ's local talk show
People Are Talking, which premiered on August 14, 1978.
In 1984, Oprah moved to Chicago to work as the host of AM Chicago
which came to be known as The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1985. In the same year,
she started her acting career in the movie The Color Purple which earned her
Oscar and Golden Globe award nominations. In 1988, Oprah became the first
black woman to have her own television and film production company, Harpo

52
Productions. In 2003, she was hailed the first black woman billionaire (Kelley,
2010).
On a 1986 episode of her TV show when sexual abuse was being
discussed, Winfrey claimed that she experienced a considerable hardship during
her childhood. She stated that she was molested by her cousin, her uncle and a
family relative when she was nine years old. She got pregnant when she was
fourteen. Unfortunately, her son died in infancy (Garson, 2004).
Significant awards received include Humanitarian Award by the Elie
Wiesel Foundation for Humanity in 2007, Hall of Fame by the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 2005,

Global

Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Association of the United

States of America in 2004, Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy
of Television Arts & Sciences in 1988, and Most Important Person in Books and
Media by Newsweek and Television Performer of the Year by TV Guide in 1997
(Oprah Winfreys Official Biography, 2011).
A long list of awards and achievements above simply proves Oprah
Winfreys worldwide significance. In the world of broadcast media, a person is
endowed with power to influence people but not everyone endowed with such
power is able to influence. This is what made Oprah Winfrey got the edge over
others and deserving to be one of the 100 Most Influential People of the
Twentieth Century (Time 100, 2011). Further proof of her influence is her 2008
endorsement of Barack Obama which earned one million votes to the then

53
candidate in his primary battle with Hillary Clinton.

Obamas victory was even

attributed to Winfreys endorsement (Sun, 2010).

Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman to own her own television
and film production company, Harpo Productions, which bought the rights to The
Oprah Winfrey Show which is considered the most successful daytime TV
program in history. Winfrey's unparalleled influence on culture called the Oprah
effect (The Oprah Effect How Oprahs Endorsement Helps Companies, 2009)
has made unknown people known and respected, and unknown products known
to the public and earned patronage. She possesses that influence such that
anything that she approves gains approval of others and anything that she
disapproves gains disapproval of others.
Oprah Winfrey made use of her influence to give significant contributions
to many people. One is the Oprah Winfrey Foundation which serves as a way to
support the inspiration, empowerment and education of women, children, and
families around the world. Given her own history of abuse, Oprah initiated a
campaign for a national database of child abusers in 1991. In December 1993,
President Bill Clinton signed Oprah's Bill, which became the National Child
Protection Act, an act establishing a national registry of convicted child abusers
(Johnson, 2011).
Next is the creation of the Oprah Book Club which made dramatic
differences in the lives of many individuals in an attempt to increase reading
among her viewers. The club invited viewers to read a selected book and discuss
it on the show.

Widespread participation is evidenced by a significant increase

54
in sales for each featured book. Even old classics, such as Steinbeck's East of
Eden, have resurfaced as New York Times Book List bestsellers after being
selected by Oprah (Pasternak, 2011).
Another is Oprah's Angel Network which is a campaign focusing on three
philanthropic programs: collecting spare change in the Worlds Largest Piggy
Bank in order to fund scholarships through The Boys and Girls Club of America;
volunteering time and funds to build homes for those in need with Habitat for
Humanity; and encouraging individuals to create their own miracles by making a
difference in the lives of others. Since its founding, the network has expanded its
programs to include the Use Your Life Award, which provides a monetary award
to individuals who are making a difference in others' lives through charitable
organizations (Johnson, 2011).
Finally, Winfrey has made significant contributions toward institutions that
further education, including large gifts to several historical black colleges and
universities. Recipients include the United Negro College Fund, the Harold
Washington Library, Chicago Academy of Arts, Chicago Public Schools, and her
alma mater, Tennessee State University.
Through the development of her own private philanthropic organizations,
Oprah Winfrey contributes her time and wealth to groups and issues that are
personally relevant, including children, women, education, and the AfricanAmerican community. Her partnerships with many nonprofit organizations and
educational institutions, her desire to educate and challenge her television

55
viewers, and her anonymous gifts to individuals demonstrate the many ways in
which her philanthropy is practiced. Winfrey's altruistic efforts are motivated by
her upbringing and made possible by her bountiful career accomplishments.
Oprah has said she values her financial success because it enables her to make
an important difference in people's lives (Pasternak, 2011).
Vanity

Fair,

magazine

of

pop

culture,

fashion,

and current

affairs published by Cond Nast and whose current editor is Graydon Carter
(Mackensie, 2006) wrote, Oprah Winfrey arguably has more influence on the
culture than any university president, politician, or religious leader, except
perhaps the Pope.

Furthermore, Bill OReilly, an American television host,

author, syndicated columnist and political commentator said, this is a woman that
came from nothing to rise up to be the most powerful woman, I think, in the
world. I think Oprah Winfrey is the most powerful woman in the world, not just in
America. That's anybody who goes on her program immediately benefits
through the roof. I mean, she has a loyal following; she has credibility; she has
talent; and she's done it on her own to become fabulously wealthy and fabulously
powerful.
Biblical Figures. Jochebed. Her story can be read at Exodus 2:1-10 and
Hebrews 11:23. She is Moses and Miriams mother, wife of a Levite, a Hebrew
who disobeys and uses all her resources, including her daughter, to save a child
her son. She shelters a prisoner, harbors a fugitive, and hides a convicted felon

56
from the authorities. She is willing and able to push Moses beyond her protective
circle into another culture so that he might live.
Jochebed symbolizes mother, wife, illegal actions though justified, risktaking threatening to self, family, and state, force to be reckoned with, long-term
subversive action, works together and uses all resources including daughter and
position of slave, immediacy, connection to incarnation and possibility of future
people, recognition of goodness and hope and liberation, sanctuary, sees child
as separate entity rather than just her child (McKenna, 1994).
Miriam. Her story can be read at Exodus 2:1-10; 15:20-21 and Numbers
12:1-15. She is a daughter and sister, protector, guardian, shrewd and at least
as crafty as anyone in power, watchful and servant of life; even, perhaps willing
to serve Pharaohs daughter so that her brother can live. Though Scripture does
not reveal Miriams thoughts nor the attitude of her heart after she was chastened
for complaining about Moses, it is not unreasonable to think she would have
repented during the seven days of her banishment. After all, it is not easy for a
person of faith, however flawed, to hear God speaking as though he were spitting
on her and still hold fast to her error.
The last story told about Miriam is that she died and was buried in
Kadesh-Barnea, not all that far from where Hagar, another slave woman, had
encountered an angel in the wilderness so many year earlier. Like her brothers
Moses and Aaron, Miriam died shortly before the Israelites ended their forty-year
sojourn in the desert.

57
Deborah. Her story can be read at Judges 4:1-10. Deborah was the only
female to hold the position of judge in Israel. Scripture describes Deborah as a
prophetess. Interestingly, when Deborah described herself, she did not use the
terms prophet, wife, judge, general, leader or any other term of influence and
power. She described herself as a mother in Israel. Her position was one of
mother not only to her own biological children, but mother of all the children of
Israel. Her vision of the world was shaped not by the political of her day but by
her relationship with God. Though women in the ancient world did not usually
become political leaders, Deborah was just the leader the Israel needed a
prophetess who heard God and believed him, whose courage aroused the
people, enabling them to throw off foreign oppression.
Godly Deborah has been an encouragement to women throughout the
years. When women feel confined or mistreated, when they are unsure of what
is right or which way to proceed, when they are entering unknown territory, when
they feel overlooked or ignored, they gain stability and help from remembering
Deborah.

Whatever Deborah had is available to today.

Her wisdom is

discovered in the Scriptures. Her confidence in God is found in a relationship

with Him.

Her inner strength and warm leadership are characteristic of

confidence not in herself but in her God.

Sarah. Her story can be read at Genesis 12:1-20; 16:1-8; 17:1-22; 18:115; 21:1-13 and Galatians 4:22-31. Sarah was the wife of Abraham, as well as
being his half-sister, the daughter of his father Terah. She was identified

58
with Iscah, daughter of Abraham's deceased brother Haran, so that Sarah turns
out to be the niece of Abraham and the sister of Lot and Milcah. She was also the
mother-in-law of Rebecca, her successor. She was considered beautiful to the
point that Abraham feared that when they were near more powerful rulers she
would be taken away and given to another man. Twice he purposefully identified
her as being only his sister so that he would be treated well for her sake. She
was originally called Sarai which is translated my princess. Later she was called
Sarah. In Biblical times, the changing of one's name was significant and used to
symbolize the binding of a covenant. In this case, God promised to put an end to
her barrenness and give her a child, Isaac.
Sarah died at the age of 127 and was buried in Hebron. Between Isaacs
birth and her own death lay thirty-seven years, ample time to reflect on her lifes
adventure with God. The Scripture does not say whether she was ashamed of
her treatment of the ill-fated Hagar nor did she have any idea she would one day
be revered as the Mother of Israel.

Still, despite her jealousy, anxiety and

skepticism about Gods ability to keep his promises, there is no denying that
Sarah was a risk-taker, a woman who said goodbye to everything familiar to
travel to a land she knew nothing about (Spangler & Syswerda, 1999).
Abigail. Her story can be read at 1 Samuel 25:2-42. Abigail lived in a time
of confrontation, war, violence, and upheaval. Israel was in the early stages of
the kingdom and Saul was king. She is mentioned only twice more in the books
of Samuel. She is taken captive by the Amelekites raiding near Ziklag but then

59
rescued with another of Davids wives, Ahinoam, who was married to David at
the same time. And then, lastly, she bears David a son, Chileab, at Hebron and
lives with David at Gath. This is not much specific information, but enough to
know that her life was not easy. The times she lived in were harsh, and the
people she was a part of were violent. After all, even God describes them often
stubborn, hardhearted, and fickle. She knew war intimately and she strove for
peace.

She knew insecurity, instability, violence, personal suffering, and a

communal marriage. She was a wife and mother but she is a peacemaker in a
world of war, one who practices active nonviolence and resistance to evil.
Furthermore, Abigail is foremost a woman of justice and peace, an image
of the kingdom to come with the presence of the Messiah. What she has learned
in faithfulness, prayer and reflection, she acts upon. She knows, even in the
midst of oppression and wars for liberation and struggles for power that God is
not served by war and death and the shedding of innocent blood or by avenging
ones own petty experiences. She knows, in the gift of wisdom given to her, that
it is better to reconcile, to heed the truth of another, to go out and meet the other,
and to humble oneself to attempt to forge a solution that blesses God in all the
parties involved.
Tamar. Her story can be read at Genesis 38 and Matthew 1:3. Tamar is
the daughter-in-law of Judah.

She is a woman caught in the law and the

disobedience of others to that law, which should make her secure but instead is
used to exclude her. She knows that her life and the lives of her future children

60
are more important than the law, that the law must be used to serve life. She is a
widow with no rights but one; to be given in a marriage to her brother-in-law. She
intends to rely on that right; it is her life-line.. She breaks the law engages in
prostitution to make Judah acknowledge that he is breaking the law with her.
She is being treated unjustly this is oppression on a small scale. She takes a
risk and takes what she needs in order to survive Judahs seal, cord, and staff,
that is his name, his pledges, and this his protection and acknowledgment of
relationship and responsibility for his actions.

She says that the law may be

broken to reveal the truth, to correct injustice, and to protect the life of the weak.
Tamar is a teacher or justice, fairness, righteousness, and human dignity
all those things that the law is supposed to serve and uphold. She reveals
Judahs hypocrisy and he admits to it and in turn learns to obey the law. Even
wrongdoing is redeemable in Jesus history. Like Mary, Tamar is a woman alone,
pregnant, unmarried, and in jeopardy with the law. She can be stoned to death
along with her unborn child if no one accepts responsibility for the child and the
woman in a relationship. Obeying the word of God, the spirit of the law, and
breaking the law can reveal truth, expose oppression, redeem the situation and
bring forth justice just exactly as what Tamar did (McKenna, 1994).
Shunammite woman. Her story can be read at 2 Kings 4:8-37 and 2 Kings
8:1 6. The woman is described as notable, a Hebrew word that can connote
wealth, piety, renowned or elements of each. Her piety predominates, as she
sets aside a room for Elisha and cares for him whenever he comes to Shunem.

61
She was also a wealthy woman and did have a lot to be happy about. The
Shunammite woman's thankful and gratitude of heart opened the door to more
blessings in her life. By being thankful of what God had given her instead of
worrying about what she did not have the Shunammite woman was able to enjoy
her present blessings to the full and receive even more.
Furthermore, the Shunammite woman used her kindness and wealth to
entertain a prophet. She got blessed with a child because of her kindness. This
was in line with God's promise. Her greatness in the eyes of God and the prophet
Elisha was not dependent on her economic status. Her wealth gave her the
means to support Elishas ministry.

It was her kindness and generosity that

made her great as well as her continual worship of God. Jesus promised a
prophets reward to those who helped a prophet of the Lord. The Shunammite
woman was not looking for a reward other than the satisfaction of refreshing a
traveler. But she got more than that, both in her lifetime and for eternity (Keathley
III, 2012),
Mary of Bethany. Her story can be read at Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:39, Luke 10:38-42 and John 11:1-12:11. Mary of Bethany was born in a little
village called Bethany and so she was given that villages name to declare her
identity or rather where she was born. Bethany was a tiny village on the slopes
of the Mount of Olives, north east of Jerusalem. Mary was known as a woman of
faith and a gentle loving countenance. Her demeanor was sweet and very
loving. Mary had such a positive and knowledgeable attitude about where her

62
true focus should be that she had an anointing of love about her life. It just
permeated the room like perfume.
As she worshiped the Lord, the depth of her love and adoration exposed
her heart. Once she anointed His feet with her costly gift, which was not common
though it was a tradition, she then did something that was unheard ofshe
began to wipe His feet with her hair. A woman's hair is her glory. It was true then
and it is true today. There is something at the very core of every female on earth
that tells them their hairstyle determines who they are. In Mary's day, this would
have been an extremely bizarre act. In her heart though, she knew that no flesh
could glory in His presence. It shocked everyone in the room. She had blatantly
defied cultural and religious tradition in one swoop (Gray, 2012).
Priscilla.

Her story can be read at Acts 18-19, Romans 16:3-4; 1,

Corinthians 16:19 and 2 Timothy 4:19. Though the book of Acts describes the
riot in Ephesus, it does not tell whether Priscilla and her husband Aquila were
actually present, only that some disciples prevented Paul from entering in fray,
possibly saving his life in the process. Since Priscilla and her husband were
leaders of the church in Ephesus, it is quite possible they were among those who
intervened on Pauls behalf.
Priscilla must have been a spiritually mature woman, whose gifts equipped
her for leadership. Her name actually precedes Aquilas four out of six times in
the New Testament, probably signifying her greater abilities as a leader of the

63
fact that her family may have hailed from a higher social strata than his. She was
a valued disciple, one who made a difference in Pauls life and in her world.
Above all, Priscilla was trusted by Paul to manage the infant church group
he left behind, and she taught the gospel as fully as Paul did. Neither of them
had met Jesus of Nazareth, but their faith was strong. Without them to teach and
organize, the infant church would not have blossomed as it did. If the Church had
not blossomed without Paul, Paul would not have persevered with Priscilla and
Aquila. They support, restore and reinvigorate him (Fuchs, 1996).
Dinah.

Her story can be read at Genesis 30:21; 34:2-4.

She was a

daughter of Jacob and Leah, and as a member of a family under covenant

blessing should have been more careful regarding her personal obligation in
maintaining the honor of her home and nation.
In brief, Jacob and his family are encamped in Canaan near the city of
Shechem. By now having reached puberty, teen-aged Dinah understandably
wants to see something of the world. While visiting the city, she is defiled or
outraged by the prince of the land, also called Shechem, who is the son of
Hamor the Hivite. Although scripture says Prince Shechem is eager to marry
Dinah, her brothers Simeon and Levi are enraged at the way their sister has
been treated. They convince their father, Jacob, to exact a high bride price, or
dowry. They tell Hamor and Shechem that it is against their religion to allow their
women to marry men who are not circumcised.

64
Because Shechem is in love with Dinah, he, his father, and eventually all
the men of the city agree to this extreme measure. However, circumcision turns
out to be a trap devised by Simeon and Levi to incapacitate the Shechemites.
Genesis 34 says they, and possibly more of Dinah's brothers, attack the city, kill
all the men, rescue their sister and despoil the town. Jacob is horrified and
frightened, fearing that other Canaanites sympathetic with the people of
Shechem will rise against his tribe in retaliation (Vann, 2003).
Tamar, Daughter of King David. Her story can be read at 2 Samuel 13:122. Tamar was the beautiful daughter of David and Maacah, and the sister of
Absalom, and half-sister of Amnon, Davids son by another of his wives,
Ahinoam. Amnon, inflamed with passion as he gazed upon the beauty of Tamar,
listened to the abominable suggestion of his bad friend, Jonadab, that he should
seduce Tamar. Amnon raped Tamar. He used his physical strength to force her.
Tamar grieves, wearing ashes and tearing her robes. Her brother Absalom
sees her distress. Throughout the story, Amnon has distanced himself from
Tamar, calling her Absalom's sister, yet Absalom stresses that Tamar is Amnon's
sister. Unfortunately, he does what too many family members have done when
confronted with incest--urges Tamar to be quiet. He tells her to be quiet, for
Amnon is her brother. He does take her in to his house, but does nothing to really
address her pain. Instead she becomes a desolate woman living in her brother's
house, with a dirty secret.

65
The Bible does not gloss over the fact that Gods people participated in
these dreadful acts; it describes many instances of rape, incest, homosexuality
and adultery.

Perhaps God allow inclusion of such sordid stories in the

Scriptures to remind His people that he never forsakes his own, whether victim or
criminal. Just as he offers help and comfort to the victims, never forsaking them
in their trouble, he also offers healing and forgiveness to the evildoer.
Bathsheba.

Her story can be read at 2 Samuel 11:1-12:25. Bathsheba

was the beloved wife of King David and the most powerful woman during the
period of the monarchy. After his death she occupied the most prestigious
position a woman could hold, Queen Mother. She took part in court intrigues and
influenced political events that gave the succession to her son Solomon. The
story of Bathsheba has special significance for Christians. In the gospel of
Matthew, four women are included in the genealogy of Jesus. Bathsheba is the
fourth of these women.
Bathsheba was seen by King David as she bathed, and subsequently
became pregnant to him. Her husband Uriah was murdered by David, and she
then married the King. Her baby died. She had a second son, who was called
Solomon. David lost his sexual potency and political clout in old age, and a
regency was arranged. In a palace coup, Bathsheba and her adviser Nathan
secured the throne for Solomon, even though there was an older, more popular
brother who was expected to succeed David. Solomon took the throne, honored
his mother, and was advised by her.

66
Bathsheba was capable, subtle, and gifted. She produced a son,
Solomon, whose wisdom and intellectual brilliance would be known throughout
history. Her son presided over a court famous for its literature, culture, wealth,
architectural achievements, and consolidation of Israel as a nation-state.
Bathsheba should receive a good share of the credit for the fact that Solomon
reigned at al. (Spangler & Syswerda, 1999).
Tabitha. Her story can be read at Acts 9:36-42. Tabitha was an early
Christian who was characterized by two qualities: a deep and abiding faith and
an outgoing charity. She spent all her time doing good and helping the poor.
She was an excellent example of the types of people the Holy Spirit produced.
As Paul said, some were given the gift of preaching, some of teaching, some this
gift, some that. Tabithas gift was that of kindness and service to the poor.
When Tabitha died, the widows stood around her holding the cloaks and
other items that she had made for them. No doubt she did not just give them
serviceable garments, but went the extra mile and made clothing that was
beautiful.

Perhaps she did some small embroidery on them. Tabitha is the

example of a woman who served others, but did it with love and enthusiasm.
Tabitha, then, was a believing and holy woman. She was noted for her
charity to others, especially widows. There were no women like her in the life of
Christ.

There were many women devoted to Jesus himself, like those who

followed him around the country. There were others who come to him, burdened
with sin asking for forgiveness. Tabitha, unlike these women, understood what

67
Jesus meant when he said that what was done for others was done for him.
Tabitha served Christ in serving others (Fuchs, 1996).

Related Studies
These studies reviewed provide the researcher significant insights to
provide analysis for understanding the character of the selected women of the
past century utilizing biblical allusions.
Like the current study, Leonard (2008) utilized biblical allusions. However,
unlike the current study which attempted to understand the character of the
selected women of the past century by alluding them to biblical women
characters, Leonard used Psalm 78 to establish textual connections between
books in the Bible particularly the Pentateuch for testing the sort of
methodological principles that can guide the search for allusions in other biblical
texts.
In the research work of Pascua (2007), an in-depth analysis of the feminist
theme is covered through exploration on how the literary elements namely,
setting, characters, theme and literary devices were utilized in bringing about the
feminist themes of the novel. In the current study, the prominent features of the
selected women of the past century were identified through their biographies.
Along with the prominent features significant contribution/s of these women were
also identified and then through biblical allusions, these women were associated
with the women in the Bible to establish understanding of their character in
general.

68
Furthermore, while the current study identified the implications of biblical
allusions in teaching literature, Pascuas study dealt with the implications of the
concepts derived from the novel in upholding womens rights.
Ingalls (2007) covered the women in the Bible particularly in the
Pentateuch using historical and theological approach while the current study
though it also covered women in the Bible to allude with women of the past
century dwelt on the literary criticism through sociological, psychological and
feminist approaches.

While Ingalls study focused on the different roles of

women in the Pentateuch during patriarchal times in the biblical period, the
current study focused on the different roles of the women of the past century at
the contemporary times.
Kambarami (2006) focused on one aspect of culture, namely, patriarchy. It
attempted to highlight how patriarchy is bred through the socialization process,
which begins in the family, and how it infiltrates into other sectors of society like
religion, education, the economy and politics. It also highlighted how patriarchal
practices led to the control of female sexuality by males. The main argument in
this paper is that patriarchy leads to gender inequality and subordination of
women to the extent that females do not have control over their sexuality.
Though the current study is not focused on patriarchy, it also dwelt on the topic to
explicate the gap between men and women to be able to highlight the strong
characteristics of women.
Ngo (2006) based his study on the idea of literature as allusion
processing. His study showed that literature is an interaction process between

69
the author and the reader through a text in certain contexts, which creates some
aesthetic effects by building or activating certain common memory between the
author and the reader. Furthermore, Ngo showed how allusion processing
functions in writing and reading poetry and fiction.

The current study is related

to Ngos study as it also dwelt on allusion. While Ngos study focused on poetry
and fiction, the current study focused on biblical characters as they are alluded to
the selected women of the century.
The study of Pfeil (2006) identified the influence of Bible teaching and
church participation on marital commitment and adjustment of Evangelical
intercultural couples of Filipinas with North American husbands. It also covered
the implication of the results of the study for evangelical churches and for
premarital and marital counseling.

Furthermore, it investigated the impact of

Biblical teaching on the success of marriage.

Though both studies made

reference to the Bible, the current study on the contrary identified the implications
of the analysis on the teaching of literature and appreciation of Bible reading.
The results of both studies posed positive implication, Pfeils on marital
relationships, and the current study on the teaching of literature and Bible
reading appreciation.
Mananzan (1999) described the role of religion in womens lives,
identifying the oppressive as well as the liberative elements that co-existed. It
focused on Christianity and on the status of women in a patriarchal society. The
current study also dwelt on the concepts of patriarchy as underlying principle of
the status and roles of women. While Mananzan discussed the role of religion in

70
womens lives, the current study focused on understanding the character of the
selected women of the past century as they are alluded to the women in the Bible
outside the boundaries of religion but rather focusing on the biographies of the
women.
Andal(1989) focused on gender consciousness among selected women in
Jose Rizals Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The findings of the study
gave the characteristics of the women as portrayed by prominent characters of
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in the process of analyzing, interpreting
and explaining the expressions of the author about the Filipino women of his
time. The current study attempted to provide understanding of the character of
the selected women of the past century alluded to the women in the Bible
through their prominent features and significant contributions they manifested as
presented in their biographies.
While the study of Ferrer (2009) determined the relationship of personal
characteristics, leadership styles, and job satisfaction to the adversity quotient of
the academic heads of selected state colleges and universities in the National
Capital Region, the current study focused on understanding the character of the
women of the past century in connection to the biblical women employing biblical
allusions.
The study of Ferrer revealed that more than half of the respondents are
females and this implies that in the academe women dominate in matters
concerning academic positions, and that they are generally satisfied and
contented with their overall job as academic heads, and find in their jobs those

71
intrinsically rewarding factors like their attitude towards work, respect of fellow
workers and personal commitment to job leading to a higher level of satisfaction.
The current study aimed to identify the outstanding characteristics of the women
that manifest who really they are and their significant contributions to others.
Alunen-Juanillo (1977) identified the womens perception of their
participation in church activities in three areas, namely, church, community, and
family and the church. The study also identified the implications of its findings for
the attainment of the churchs objectives. The researcher in the study intended
to identify the significant contributions of the selected women of the past century
and understand their characters through biblical allusions and then later use the
analysis on its implications to the teaching of literature and appreciation of Bible
reading.

Both studies focused on women as the subjects of the study and

tackled the significant roles they portray in the society.

Orozco (2001) presented the disparate positions on liberated nurturance
of women coming from the different sectors comparing and contrasting them with
each other and analyzed the integrated roles on the personal level, within the
family. The different sectors used are corporate, non-corporate and urban while
the integrated roles presented are motherhood, wifehood and sisterhood. The
current study focused on the women of the past century coming from different
nations representing the different fields where women are receiving recognition.
In the analysis of the personal, professional and educational backgrounds of the
women alluded to the biblical characters, the different roles that they portrayed

72
were likewise discussed to reveal and finally led to the understanding of their
characters.

Synthesis
The review of related literature and studies provided the researcher with
significant information necessary to the current study. Similar to the researchers
work, most of the related studies focused on women as subjects to come up with
concepts and insights that need to be identified and clarified.

While all the

studies used novels as materials of literary criticism, the researcher used

biographies of the selected women of the past century alluded to the women in
the Bible.

Similar to the related studies, the researcher employed literary

criticism approaches such as biographical, sociological, psychological and

feminist criticism.
All the studies relate to the current study in different aspects.

For

instance, studies of Leonard and Ngo just like the current study both tackled
allusions. As Pascua dwelt on an in-depth analysis of the feminist theme through
the exploration on how the literary elements namely, setting, characters, theme
and literary devices were utilized in bringing about the feminist themes of the
novel, the current study employed biblical allusions as the literary device to gain
understanding of the character of the women of the past century. In the current
study, the prominent features of the selected women of the past century were
identified through their biographies.

Along with the prominent features,

significant contribution/s of these women were also identified and then through

73
biblical allusions, these women were associated with the women in the Bible to
establish understanding of their character in general.
Studies that covered the roles portrayed by women in the society are
apparent in the studies of Orozco, Alunen-Juanillo, Kambarami and Ferrer. The
impact of religion and Bible teaching are revealed in womens lives in the studies
of Mananzan and Pfeil respectively. Ingalls study made reference to the women
in the Bible just like the current study. While Andal gave womens characteristics
after it tackled gender consciousness, the current study utilized the outstanding
features and contributions of the women to be able to understand their
characters.

CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research method, materials used, and treatment
of the materials employed by the researcher to be able to answer the questions
set relative to the objectives of the study.

Research Design
The study used descriptive method of research in which content analysis
was given emphasis. The descriptive method in literature deals on the
examination of human consciousness, values, ideas, and concepts (Bascarra,
1999).

74
Literary approaches were utilized in the course of the research procedure
to understand the character of the selected women of the past century utilizing
biblical allusions. Biographical, sociological, psychological and feminist criticisms
were the approaches considered by the researcher.
In the context of and through biblical allusions, the researcher made
references of the selected women of the past century to the women of Bible to
explain and establish understanding of the character of the women.
Through the biographical approach, the researcher analyzed the
outstanding characteristics of the women of the past century leading to the
understanding of their character.
Through the sociological approach, the researcher showed how the
societal backgrounds of the women of the past century are reflected in their
achievements and status or in their character in general. This approach
examines literature in the cultural, economic and political context in which it is
written or received, exploring the relationships between the artist and society.
Sometimes it examines the artist's society to better understand the author's
literary works; other times, it may examine the representation of such societal
elements within the literature itself (Kennedy & Gioia, 1995).
Sociological criticism focuses on society as a whole and assesses the
social factors at work in the literary material which may be everything from
attitudes an individual inherits from his social background. Sociological criticism
likewise studies the dialectical tension between the artist and the society. (Ang,
2012).

75
Psychological approach was also considered by the researcher to be able
to analyze and explain the biographical details of the selected women of the past
century in relation to their behavior as they motivate and influence others in the
society. This approach reflects the effect that modern psychology has had upon
both literature and literary criticism.

Psychological criticism usually employs

study of a particular artist, usually noting how an author's biographical

circumstances affect or influence their motivations and/or behavior (Kennedy &
Gioia, 1995).
It is through this approach that the researcher was able to present the
extent of the unusual enduring influences of the women of the past century to the
world by the events associated to them. This enabled the researcher to highlight
the significant contributions of the women of the past century that supported the
understanding of their character.
Lastly, the researcher employed feminist criticism to analyze the relation of
the significant roles played by the women of the past century posed or influenced
by their gender and how these roles are depicted or alluded to the women in the
Bible.
Feminist criticism is concerned with the impact of gender on writing and
reading. It usually begins with a critique of patriarchal culture. It is concerned with
the place of female writers in the cannon. Finally, it includes a search for a
feminine theory or approach to texts. Feminist criticism is political and often
revisionist. Feminists often argue that male fears are portrayed through female
characters. They may argue that gender determines everything, or just the

76
opposite: that all gender differences are imposed by society, and gender
determines nothing (Burris, 2011).
Finally, feminist criticism carefully examines how the images of men and
women in imaginative literature reflect or reject the social forces that have
historically kept the sexes from achieving total equality (Kennedy & Gioia, 1995).

Materials Used
The researcher used biographies of the selected women of the past
century as primary source of data.

Modern Heroes: Mother Teresa by Gary

Smailes, World Leaders: Aquino by Howard G. Chua-Eoan and Arthur M.

Schlesinger, Jr., God and Hillary Clinton by Paul Kengor, Madonna by Andrew
Morton, Oprah by Kitty Kelley, and King James Version of the Holy Bible and
commentaries from Christian Community Bible were also used as sources of
data as the researcher applied allusions to accomplish the objectives set for the
study. Complementary books with life stories of women of the Bible were also
used.
Five out of the twenty-five women published by Time Magazine as the
Twenty-five Most Powerful Women of the Past Century on November 18, 2010
were considered by the researcher. This is based on preliminary readings made
on the background information of all the women. Aquino was chosen to exemplify
for the Filipino women, Clinton for political leadership, Madonna for fearless
expression of oneself, Mother Teresa for faith and unconditional service and
Winfrey for philanthropy. All the womens strong attributions are deemed worth

77
further study and their characters regarded vital for exploration and
understanding with the intention to connect these women with the biblical
characters so that Bible reading is advocated and women of all races more
empowered.

Treatment of the Material

The researcher applied the techniques of content analysis in consolidating
all the information relevant to the study. Biographies, Bible passages highlighting
the women characters alluded with the women of the past century and
complementary books were read extensively. Sociological, psychological and
feminist criticisms are literary criticism approaches employed in order to provide
understanding of the character of the selected women of the past century.

78

CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter presents the analysis of the biographies of the selected
women of the past century utilizing biblical allusions for the purpose of answering
the questions raised in Chapter 1.
1. Prominent Features of the Women of the Past Century:
After intensive reading of the biographies, prominent features of the
selected women of the past century were highlighted. Prominent features refer
to the personal, educational and professional background. It also refers to the
womens advocacies that reflect their character traits as manifestations of who
they are.
1.1 Corazon C. Aquino.

Privileged to have a wealthy and politically

prominent family was Aquinos ticket in getting good education. She obviously

79
did not take for granted this privilege. Instead, she performed very well in school
as she graduated valedictorian.

Being able to study in the different schools

abroad suggests two things. One is that the parents are well-off to finance her
studies and another is that she has the intellectual ability to cope with the
schooling requirements.
Her continuing education showed that Corazon Aquino valued education
very much. Though moving forward to higher educational attainment, like any
other ordinary women, she fell in love and had to stop further education to settle
down. Influenced by the Filipino tradition that a housewife has to rear children
and take charge of the household, Aquino set aside her career for a while to
perform the duties and responsibilities of a good mother and wife. She played the
role of a wife and mother very well as she had always been supportive of her
husband in his political career and her children became very popular and
successful in their own chosen careers. The youngest known as Kris Aquino is a
prominent actress and TV host in the Philippines. The only son, Benigno Aquino
III is currently the Philippine president. Only a very good mother could raise her
children to become likewise famous and reputable in the society.
Keeping track of the schools where she studied, she had spent a
considerable number of years in catholic schools. It can be concluded that this
had become the fountain of her strong faith in God. This faith radiated from her
during the trying times in her family life starting from the death of her beloved
husband which likewise paved the way to her political career.

80
No one would ever think that a simple housewife would turn out to be one
of the influential women in the world. So, to think or perhaps question about
whether she was meant to become president is not surprising. If her husband
did not die, perhaps she would not have plunged herself into politics though she
grew up in a politically prominent family. If she did not marry Ninoy Aquino, she
would not have become president.

If her husband was destined to die at such

young age for a promising politician, then she must be really destined to become
the first woman president of the Philippines.
Aquinos reign in political power was like an ironic coincidence, a gain out
of a loss, a fortune out of a tragedy. The disheartening death of a beloved
pushed her to the pit of political supremacy, accolade, fame and overwhelming
influences to the different faces and sorts of women in world. If she did not turn
out to be the next Philippine president after the Marcos regime then perhaps, the
Filipino women will still remain to be underestimated, ignored, unappreciated,
unheard, neglected and treated second class citizen in the field of politics and
leadership and all other areas in the society where men dominate.
The influence and charm Aquino had on Filipino women and other people
in the world was remarkable as proven during the Peoples Power Revolution
and as Time Magazine featured her as Woman of the Year. From a modest
Filipino housewife and mother, she became the most powerful person in the
country. As President she could have used all the power endowed by the Filipino
people through the peaceful People Power Revolution but, she never fully
exercised that power even when she had it. Instead, she hastened the abolition

81
of that power through the adoption of a proper Constitution which stipulated the
dimensions of power of political leaders.
The thought of the peaceful people power relives the legacy of Aquino on
people empowerment as one of her advocacies. The essence of this people
empowerment is feeling empowered by thinking and doing something which an
ordinary person can do to his or her fellowmen that can bring good results. This
goes with the activation of the inherent power within oneself to do good deeds as
a way of sharing for nation building. Suddenly, other women who can relate to
her find themselves significant, empowered and valued.
As a wife, Corazon Aquino did beyond what was expected as she stood
with her husband amidst the dirt of politics and even boldly continued what
Benigno Aquino started after his tragic death through the people, by the people
and for the Filipino people. As a mother, she is unquestionably successful in
rearing all her children as seen on what they, too have become. Her motherhood
was not only confined in the four corners of her own household but extended to
every Filipino when she became the Mother of the Filipino nation as the first
woman president.
Corazon Aquino is a concrete embodiment of the Filipino peoples power
as one people. Her life and works inspired many others to look into themselves
and discover what they can accomplish as individuals not solely for one but for
the majority.
Corazon Aquino is the exemplar of every Filipino woman who
courageously and continuously proves her worth outside the walls of patriarchy.

82
Her loyalty as a wife reminds every Filipino to value the sanctity of marriage and
family. Her sacrifices as a mother encourage all others to remain steadfast in
their duties and obligations as role models of their children. All her achievements
are mirrors of every womans capacity to shine even at the darkest moments of
ones life. Her totality is the pride of every Filipino.
1.2 Hillary Clinton. Famous for being the wife of the 42 nd president of the
United States, Clinton made her own story worthy of recognition in the history of
politics. Hillary Clinton has been a fierce advocate for victims of child abuse
since her law-school days, and throughout her tenure as First Lady, she became
a leading voice on the global stage on behalf of women in the developing world.
Hillary Clintons family background will explain what she had become. The
kind of training and discipline she got from her father who dominated
management of their household is a prediction of the career that she currently
holds. Being the first lady in the senate is a great accomplishment being a
citizen of a very powerful country composed of numerous states. This shows her
innate values of certitude, confidence and clear vision in life.
Looking back on her days as a student, there is no doubt of her becoming
a famous political leader in her own right as she involved herself in active youth
programs that were also political in nature. From her educational background
heading towards the world of laws and justice, it is interesting to note though if
she is really moving towards the world of politics or it was just because she
married Bill Clinton who was then the Arkansas governor who served two terms
in the position. It is somehow justified to think that after having been married to a

83
politician set the path for Hillary Clinton to become a world-renowned woman
political leader.
Clintons faithfulness to her husband despite his controversial infidelity
with a White House intern places her in the space of doubt.

This may be

attributed to the common and expected response and attitude of some

contemporary women on the issue of a husbands disloyalty which is to get out of
marriage. Hillary Clinton on the contrary, remained steadfast in her marriage
perhaps because of her strong religious background in Protestantism and family
orientation. However, this gesture cannot escape the scrutinizing mind of other
people who think that she did it to save the political career of her husband and
then likewise earn the benefits as she builds her political plan to greater heights.
Clintons advocacy on womens rights is deeply rooted on her educational
background. Having spent years of schooling in all women school obviously
developed her passion to defend womens rights. After her days in school she
immediately practiced her profession, being a lawyer and became an advocate
for childrens rights.
As a wife, Hillary Clinton was transparent about the affairs that her
husband had but she remained loyal with him and even supported him in his
candidacy. Being the First Lady gave her the ticket to do her advocacies on
womens and childrens rights. Her being a lawyer made her able to defend the
children and the women.

84
Performing the roles of a political leader, a lawyer and a wife, Hillary
Clinton simply did as she should. All the things that she did earned for her the
fame that she deserves.
Hilary Clinton resembles every womans strength and independence. She
could have been contented being the wife of the most powerful man but she
chose to create her own history of great deeds. Despite all her achievements
she remained a loyal wife and did not forget to look down on others, specifically
women and children, to be their warden.
1.3 Madonna. Being the best-selling rock female artist of the 20 th century,
Madonna proved that talent can lead one to the top.

Before the list of her

numerous achievements were hardships she successfully overcome. With the

great wealth amassed from the entertainment industry, Madonna did not forget
about her social responsibility of sharing her blessings to those who need them
as evident in the support she gave to the AIDS victims.
Focusing on the significant details of hardship which Madonna
successfully surpassed can serve as inspiration for the youth. Growing up in a
family which is hard up financially was difficult. Being a middle child is an add-on
difficulty. The researcher, also a middle child, can relate to the experiences. It
gives a feeling of having no specific space in the family. It automatically tasks
one to do errands as those older are busy with more important personal matters
to attend to while those younger are still young to do the tasks.
Having had to deal with a stepmother who implements hard rules was
another dilemma experienced by Madonna. She apparently dealt alone with all

85
the issues and events in her life as a woman during the times when she needed
a real mother to guide her. This may have started and triggered her rebellious
personality which can be observed in the themes of her music videos and songs.
The symbolisms on religion and Catholic practices used as themes though are
influences which Madonna got from her biological mother who surrounded her
with such in their house when she was young.
Despite all the problems, Madonna found redemption by her drive for high
achievement. This is made evident by her academic performance being a
straight-A student which enabled her to graduate ahead of her batch mates and
earned her scholarship in a dance studio. Was she not driven by her desire to
succeed, Madonna may have ended with none much to be proud of as a woman
and a singer, and she would not have been included in the list of the Top Ten of
Everything 2013 released by Russell Ash in which she ranks first both in the list
of female singers with the most United Kingdom No. 1 Singles and in the list of
female singers with the most platinum albums in the United Kingdom.
Though already in the music industry, Madonna was not spared of
criticisms but she outwitted the criticisms by excelling more and more with her
giftedness of talent in singing, dancing and acting. She set the trend on whats in
and out. She became the model of those who also want to be in successful in
the same field. She has the inexplicable influence on the youth in terms of
fashion and music.
As a singer and actress, no doubt, Madonna has accomplished a lot which
is incomparable, maybe unreachable for others and is highly commendable.

86
Madonna is the celebration of triumph over all adversaries of life. She proves
that good things and blessings await the person who perseveres. Through the
accounts of her life showing proofs that poverty can be surpassed, the lowly are
given promise of a good life. All the charity works that she has done and her
influence on others to do the same ought to be a reminder that wealth must be
used to bless others as it remains to be everyones obligation to one another.
1.4 Mother Teresa.

Entrusted with the mission of proclaiming Gods

thirsting love for humanity especially for the poorest of the poor, this Catholic nun
was a luminous messenger of Gods love.

In fighting for the dignity of the

destitute in a foreign land, she gave the world a moral example that bridged
divides of culture, class and religion.
Becoming a saint is something only a few people in the world would think
about. Only those who have calling may be given chance. This exactly is what
happened to Mother Teresa. Her religiosity started at a very young age having
the opportunity to attend regular prayer meetings, holy masses and other churchrelated activities.
All her life, Gods providence is obvious. From the simple wish of moving
and transferring from one place to another to serve others up to the institution of
the charity missionaries which were at first next to impossible, there had always
been instruments which God used to make them all realized. This proves that
there is an assurance of Gods blessings for those who trust and believe Him.
There are a lot of nuns around the world. Seeing them in the church and
sometimes at the malls, and walking on the street catches attention and would

87
make peoples head turn for a second look because they are considered special,
religious, clean, saintly and only few in a community. They have enigmatic effect
on people just as the researcher even feels very safe in a travel when a nun is on
board in the same vehicle.

No wonder Mother Teresa deserves worldwide

recognition in all that she has done and she had become.
Most often than not, teachers find it hard to make students obey and
follow instructions correctly. Though teachers have undeniably more influence to
students than their parents there are still times when teachers have to do things
themselves to make students do the same. This may be the same logic of
influence that Mother Teresa had to those who followed her footsteps in doing
charity works. Indeed, a person cannot give what he or she does not have.
Accounts of Mother Teresas life reveal all good works and religiosity, only
expected from an angel or a saint. This simply suggests that since then, she is
for God, to God and with God. Destined to become a modern saint, Mother
Teresa did the undoable for many and influenced a lot of people to do the same.
Her determination to accomplish Gods mission gave her worldwide accolade
that is due to her.

She has done charity works that were unthinkable and

impossible but for her were just simple acts of a true Christian.
She represented the poor, the dying, the sick, the children, the homeless
and the hopeless and comforted them and gave them family and home. All her
good plans were coursed through prayers and were granted by the divine
providence through people that served as instruments for the realization.

88
Mother Teresa is unquestionably the embodiment of sainthood, a symbol
of compassion to the world and the representation of a real mother of humanity.
She transcends the definition of charity, service, faith and divinity through her
works.
1.5 Oprah Winfrey. She is a celebrity of nearly unparalleled influence.
The scope of Winfreys influence spreads from product to political endorsements.
She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the
greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was once the world's only
black billionaire.
Winfrey had a difficult childhood. She had to be taken care of by her
grandmother while her mother works as a maid. She seemed not to have a
permanent residence as she would have to live with her mother and then with her
father and also with her grandmother who had the greatest influence on her.
Winfreys grandmother would bring her to the church and ask her to read Bible
verses which is a proof on how she harnessed her speaking skills, her
investment to being a credible and respected talk show host. Being smart and
naturally gifted with talent and oral communication skills, Winfrey slowly moved
towards her achievements and successes.
Working at a local grocery store was Winfreys first job before she worked
at a radio station. While working, Winfrey still managed to continue her studies in
speech communication and performing arts all related to her current work.
Having this account in her life shows that any other student can achieve what

89
she has achieved. What will draw the line as the difference is the amount of
persistence and hard work the person can do exactly like or more than what
Winfrey has set as an example.
Winfrey gives the best of what she does as a television host, actress,
producer, and philanthropist. Before her tremendous accomplishments, life was
not easy for her but she proved that there is still life after all the bad experiences.
Her experience of sexual molestation did not devastate her will to succeed. She
proved that resilience is within oneself and is achievable.
Her philanthropy shows that blessings must be shared and these
blessings multiply as others are influenced to do the same. Oprah gives hope to
other people beyond material needs. She is able to uplift spirits and empower
people by making them realize their significance to others by discovering who
they are and what they are here for. Perhaps, this is exactly what she did for
herself which put her in the spotlight at present time.
Oprah Winfrey has the inexplicable magnetic influence on people who
acknowledge her. She defined the beauty of life by overcoming the dusk of her
own. All her philanthropic acts resemble all of who and what she really is.
The prominent features of the abovementioned women of the past century
reveal significant insights.

Family background and orientation have a great

relativity to a persons disposition, principles, failures and successes.

Both

Aquino and Hillary are intellectual women because they were blessed with good

90
education afforded by their parents. This attests that education then and now
ensures good future and success.
Success is not only self-made. It is realized through Gods providence.
Corazon Aquino was raised to political power with the great support from the
religious groups where she was also an active member.

Hillary Clinton

developed high regard on marriage also because of her religious background

and counseling with a priest during the trying times of her marriage with Bill
Clinton. Madonna grew up with all the icons of Catholic practices and religion
influenced by her mother which earned her attention as she utilized these as
themes of her music videos and songs. Winfrey had her first speech training
through reading of Bible verses. Mother Teresa is obviously abundant with Gods
providence all her life.
Poverty does not necessarily lead to failure or hinders success as proven
by the stories of Madonna and Oprah Winfrey.
2. Significant Contribution/s of Each Woman of the Past Century:
The biography of each woman revealed remarkable contributions.
Contribution refers to the significant achievement/s of the women of the past
century which made them unique, famous and admirable.
Corazon C. Aquino. She marked the record of world history because of the
accounts of her commendable contributions in the concept of democracy and
peace as a political leader. What can be added to this are her numerous

91
programs that empowered women and defended childrens interests.

In an

interview, Corazon Aquino (personal communication, January 5, 1987) stated

when asked as to why she had become such a worldwide phenomenon:
Well, I don't know. Maybe it's because, first of all, I'm
a woman, a widow, and maybe also because I have
had some unique experiences. Before, I thought my
life was nothing unusual. But I guess that starting with
my husband's incarceration; I did experience some
unusual situations and events. Also, my husband's
assassination received such worldwide attention. If
my husband had not been Ninoy Aquino, people
would not have bothered with me.
Aquino attributes her achievements for being a woman.

This simply

signifies that being a woman can lead one to a great achievement worthy of
worlds recognition.
When further asked about her most important achievements so far, she
replied:
Well, first and foremost is the fact that people believe
in their government, and they have confidence and
hope that things will change for the better. My
husband used to say that the sad part of the
imposition of martial law was that the Filipino people
no longer believed in traditional institutions. How can
you do anything if the people do not believe in each
other or their officials? I don't want to say that this is
my achievement. It is the Filipino people together who
were able to believe in themselves because of what
they were able to do in the election and then in the
revolution. Because of this belief in each other, they
were now also able to look up to their leaders and
follow their leaders. While we have not achieved total
unity, I am confident we are working toward that end
with the coming plebiscite on the constitution.
As

world-renowned

advocate

of

democracy, peace,

women's

empowerment, and religious piety and being the first woman president of the

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Philippines, Aquino has impacted the lives of Filipinos for breaking Marcos
dictatorial government leading into democracy which gave her the title, Mother of
Democracy.

Two women, Miriam Defensor Santiago and Gloria Macapagal-

Arroyo, ran after her for president. Although only Arroyo won as president and
Defensor did not win, the fact that they even ran, illustrates that in some regards
Corazon Aquino is partially responsible for breaking the glass ceiling in the
Philippines. Aquino challenged and started the turning point of women taking
significant positions in the government.
As a political leader, Aquinos government was however pressured by
huge popular expectations, as the people prior to her had been living under
martial law for fourteen years. Corazon Aquino may not have done the complete
accomplishments that Filipinos desire during her six-year term but just bringing
back democracy by being hailed as the first woman president of the country after
a peaceful People Power Revolution which got worlds attention is great enough
for the country that has been jailed into tyranny for two decades.
After her death, Aquinos advocacies continued through the initiatives of
the movements established as a tribute to her.

These include the

PinoyMe (Filipino Micro-Enterprise), a private sector, multi-stakeholder social

consortium that aims to contribute to reducing poverty in the country by providing
five million poor people with financial and non-financial services and mobilizing
five billion pesos in new capital for microfinance in five years. It will achieve these
goals through capacity building, resource mobilization, business development
services, and knowledge management. ASA Philippines Foundation is a non-

93
stock, non-profit corporation registered under the Securities and Exchange
Commission on July 9, 2004. It was founded by Ambassador Howard Dee and
Mr. Kamrul Tarafder, with the financial assistance of Assisi Development
Foundation and the Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Foundation, in order to assist the
enterprising poor through microfinance. And People Power People which is a
movement that seeks to honor Filipinos who have served their countrymen and
women well - working quietly, willingly, neither seeking nor getting publicity, but
making a real difference in their communities.
Corazon Aquino having set the path for all other Filipinos who may want to
follow her footsteps will echo now and then.

She awakened the sleeping

consciousness of peoples hunger for freedom and democracy around the world.
There can be many others who can do better than what she did but there can be
no one as sincerest as she was in all her advocacies. She has earned the
worldwide recognition credited to the divine coincidences that brought her to
power and influence.
Corazon Aquinos presidency is a remarkable and admirable achievement
not only because she became the first female president of the Philippines but
also because of the unimaginable events that happened on how she was raised
into her political power that caught worldwide attention. Her regime became the
transforming period from dictatorship to democratic which the Filipinos longed for
a long time.
Aquinos fame went beyond the attention of the Filipinos as the Time
Magazine chose her Woman of the Year. Furthermore, what made her unique as

94
a political leader was her improbable qualification of becoming the most powerful
person in the Philippines having not held any position in the government but
being only a widow and a plain housewife. Being the wife of the assassinated
senator was her only passport and starting point of great achievements.
Hillary Clinton. Being wife of the United States president started her fame.
Ironically, the controversial issue of her husband having affairs with an intern
seemingly brought her more fame and worldwide attention. Her loyalty to her
husband is laudable. Likewise, the list of her advocacies on how she impacted
the lives of women and children during her power as First Lady and her
profession as a lawyer is more than enough for her to deserve to be in the world
record of commendable women.
Like Corazon Aquino, Hillary Clinton is one of the twenty-five most
powerful women of the past century by the Time Magazine. She is also listed six
times in Time100, list of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20 th Century in the
World by Time Magazine in the years 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 & 2004.
Clinton could have just chosen to savor the extravagance of being the
First Lady of the 42nd United States president but she chose to continue being the
defender of the women and children being most often the victims of injustice and
maltreatment applying her expertise and brilliance as a lawyer.
As First Lady, Hillary Clinton became an advocate of health care reform
and worked on many issues relating to children and families. She led successful
bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen
pregnancy, and provide health care to millions of children through the Children's

95
Health Insurance Program. She also traveled to more than eighty countries as a
representative of our country, winning respect as a champion of human rights,
democracy and civil society. Her famous speech in Beijing in 1995 -- when she
declared that human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human
rights inspired women worldwide and helped galvanize a global movement for
womens rights.
As a Senator, Clinton worked across party lines to build support for causes
important to her constituents and the country, including the expansion of
economic opportunity and access to quality, affordable health care. She served
on the Armed Services Committee, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Budget
Committee and the Select Committee on Aging. She was also a Commissioner
on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she was a strong
advocate for funding the rebuilding of New York and the health concerns of the
first responders who risked their lives working at Ground Zero. She also
championed the cause of our nation's military and fought for better health care
and benefits for wounded service members, veterans and members of the
National Guard and Reserves. She was also the only Senate member of the
Transformation Advisory Group to the Department of Defense's Joint Forces
Command.
Madonna. From being a typical teenager to being a famous artist around
the world, Madonna can attribute this in the natural giftedness of her talent and

96
the intelligent use of the same.

Having the advantage of being in the

entertainment industry where people have access to and knowledge of and have
interest on, Madonna extended her fame and took the opportunity to be noticed
in the way she shared her blessings to others as an act of social responsibility.
Madonna has a great influence to every pop star of the last two to three
decades setting the trend in the music videos of the music industry which almost
always includes extravagant dance numbers, over-the-top outfits and eyebrowraising concepts, and made her one of MTV's most popular artists. After causing
no shortage of controversy with her unabashed sexuality and outspokenness,
Madonna has since turned some of her efforts toward being a mother and
humanitarian but not before cementing her place in pop culture as the bestselling female rock artist of the 20th century.
Madonna was named as the world's wealthiest female musician by Forbes
magazine in 1992, with estimated earnings of more than 72 million dollars. As an
entrepreneur, Madonna earned much of this income from her H&M clothing line;
a deal with NBC to air concert footage; and her Confessions tourthe highestgrossing tour for a female artist to date.
Furthermore, Madonna also earns from singing, acting and managing a
number of business interests in United Kingdom and in United States. She used
her wealth and celebrity status to help Malawi's AIDS orphans. That time, African
nation of Malawi was suffering from disease, poverty and famine especially on
young people, about one million of whom are orphaned children.

97
Madonna studied the crisis in Malawi and then helped finance the
construction of a home for orphans. She founded a relief organization called the
Raising Malawi Orphan Care Initiative. With her husband, she adopted a boy
from Malawi, David Banda Mwale, whose mother died of AIDS.
In addition, she wrote and produced I Am Because We Are, a
documentary about the lives of Malawi's AIDS orphans that attempts to
demonstrate the need for action by profiling eight children growing up without
parents. These children long for a better life and strive to remain optimistic about
the future despite the long odds fate has set against them. The documentary
also features interviews with a number of people working to alleviate the ongoing
tragedy in Malawi, including Bill Clinton, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Prof. Jeffery D.
Sachs, and leaders of a number of leading relief and charitable organizations.
Being in the entertainment industry, fame is just around the corner for
Madonna. Her uniqueness lies on the tremendous influence she has on people
through her music and fashion despite the apparent negativity of the themes
used. Her capacity to influence the premier leaders of the different charitable
organizations is indeed admirable as it is hard to simply convince others to offer
service and share blessings.
Mother Teresa. She is considered one of the great servants of humanity, a
testament of unshakable faith, invincible hope, and extraordinary charity. She is
also known as mother to the poor, a symbol of compassion to the world, a living
witness to the thirsting love of God. In 1962 she received the Indian Padmashri

98
Award, Nobel Peace Prize, Pope John XXIII Peace Prize, Order of Merit in 1979
and in 1985 Medal of Freedom Award (highest US Civilian Award).
Before given all these titles which earned her worldwide accolade, Mother
Teresa started as simple woman who became a nun following her calling. She
worked as a teacher at St. Marys High School from 1931 to 1948 where she
later became principal. Not fully satisfied with the service she renders to the
school seeing the condition of poor people outside the convent made such a
deep impact on her that she decided to serve the destitute which became the
starting point of her service to humanity.
Mother Teresa travelled from one place to another reaching out to the poor
and influencing others to donate funds until she was able to establish
missionaries that later spread to the different parts of the world. Mother Teresa
made use of the donations and thousands of missionaries who had joined her, for
the establishment of several centers for poor and needy people across the world.
Later on, she was able to provide homes for people with no one to look
after them, people suffering from various incurable diseases, prostitutes, drug
addicts and orphans. One of her most significant works was the establishment of
center for AIDS patients, wherein thousands of patients were provided shelter.
The entire life of Mother Teresa devoted to service and compassion is a
complete manifestation of a womans capability to change the world by achieving

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such influence on others to share and do what they can as proven by the works
of the different missionaries all inspired by the modern saint.
Oprah Winfrey. With the remarkable influence to people of low and high
profile status, and philanthropic acts, Oprah made a way to get worldwide
attention.

In the world of broadcast media, a person is endowed with power to

influence people but not everyone endowed with such power is able to influence.
This is what made Oprah Winfrey got the edge over others and deserving to be
one of the 100 Most Influential People of the Twentieth Century. Further proof of
her influence is her 2008 endorsement of Barack Obama which earned one
million votes to the then candidate in his primary battle with Hillary Clinton.
Obamas victory was even attributed to Winfreys endorsement.
Oprah Winfrey became the first black woman to own her own television
and film production company, Harpo Productions, which bought the rights to The
Oprah Winfrey Show which is considered the most successful daytime TV
program in history. Winfrey's unparalleled influence on culture called the Oprah
effect (The Oprah Effect How Oprahs Endorsement Helps Companies, 2009)
has made unknown people known and respected, and unknown products known
to the public and earned patronage. She possesses that influence such that
anything that she approves gains approval of others and anything that she
disapproves gains disapproval of others.
Oprah Winfrey made use of her influence to give significant contributions
to many people. One is the Oprah Winfrey Foundation which serves as a way to
support the inspiration, empowerment and education of women, children, and

100
families around the world. Given her own history of abuse, Oprah initiated a
campaign for a national database of child abusers in 1991. In December 1993,
President Bill Clinton signed Oprah's Bill, which became the National Child
Protection Act, an act establishing a national registry of convicted child abusers.
Through the development of her own private philanthropic organizations,
Oprah Winfrey contributes her time and wealth to groups and issues that are
personally relevant, including children, women, education, and the AfricanAmerican community. Her partnerships with many nonprofit organizations and
educational institutions, her desire to educate and challenge her television
viewers, and her anonymous gifts to individuals demonstrate the many ways in
which her philanthropy is practiced. Winfrey's altruistic efforts are motivated by
her upbringing and made possible by her bountiful career accomplishments.
Oprah has said she values her financial success because it enables her to make
an important difference in people's lives.
Recalling the accounts of hardships in Winfreys life vis--vis her current
celebrity status will lead ones thought to a great admiration. Had all her
experiences happened to someone else, there is doubt whether he or she can
surpass or at least equate what Winfrey has survived. Her giftedness of speech
skills with persuading power leaves people an effect of being hypnotized and this
seems to be her unique characteristic.
Each of the five women of the past century has her own qualities and
characteristics through their contributions to the society which significantly

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influence a great number of people. Aquino and Hillary, both having political
powers, are able to uplift womens and childrens rights. Winfrey and Madonna,
having the advantage of being already famous, do not stay complacent when
they already could but rather work more than just being famous by sharing their
blessings to the poor and consider it their social and moral responsibility. Mother
Teresa for just being a saint which requires a long process to qualify is already a
significant contribution to humanity.
3. Biblical Figures Alluded to in the Characterization of Selected Women of the
Past century:
The biographies of the selected women of the past century proved that
every life has a story. The way with which the significant details in the timeline of
the life stories influences and reflects the times in which the women lived is
revealed. This provides better understanding of their characters as the biblical
characters, metaphorically connected to the women of the past century, are
alluded to them.
Motherliness of Corazon Aquino alluded to that of Jochebed. Jochebed is
Moses and Miriams mother, wife of a Levite, a Hebrew who disobeys and uses
all her resources, including her daughter to save a child, her son.
Now a certain man of the house of Levi married a
Levite woman, who conceived and bore a son.
Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for
three months. When she could hide him no longer,
she took a papyrus basket, daubed it with bitumen
and pitch, and putting the child in it, placed it among
the reeds on the river bank. His sister station herself
at a distance to find out what would happen to him
(Exodus 2:1-4).

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The liberation of the Hebrew people begins with a simple, solitary act
that of a mother (Jochebed) risking her life to save her son. Her action is the
manifestation of a mothers love. It is the rebellion of a conscience that refuses
to obey an inhuman law.

It is the act of faith of a mother who anticipates

wonderful future that God opens to a newly-born infant, knowing also that
children are the future of her people. (Christian Community Bible, 1997).
In her interview dated January 5, 1987, Corazon Aquinos reply to the
question Do you believe God has a plan for you? was:
God has a plan for all of us, and it is for each of us to
find out what that plan is. I can tell you that I never
thought the plan was for me to be President. But it
seems it is. During these past ten months, I really
believe it has been necessary to have a woman in this
position. Women are less liable to resort to violence
than men, and at this time in my country's history,
what is really needed is a man or woman of peace.
(Chua-Eoan & Schlesinger, Jr., 1988).
Just like Corazon Aquino, Jochebed, Moses mother, in her attempt to
save her son from the hands of the Egyptians, had no idea of Gods plan.
Jochebed had only one thing in mind which was to preserve his sons life for one
more day, one more hour or one more moment. She could not have known how
God planned to work in her life or in the life of her son nor did she realize He was
putting into place a divine plan to rescue his people from the very oppression she
was resisting. Corazon Aquino ended up a president and brought back peace
and democracy to the Philippines.

Moses became the deliverance of the

Israelites from the Egyptians as he led them across the Red Sea.

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Leadership of Corazon Aquino alluded to that of Miriam. Miriam is a leader
on the journey, along with Moses and Aaron, just as she was in the community
while it was in Egypt. She is a leader of song, response and dance. She is
described as a prophetess one who watches, sees, knows, and reveals to the
people what is happening to them. She has been doing so since she was young
and now her gift is recognized and accepted and joined by the other women.
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a
tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out
after her with tambourines and with dances. And
Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he
hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath
he thrown into the sea (Exodus 15:20-21).
In biblical times, people danced to celebrate happy events and to praise
God. Dancing in Scripture is always linked to joy and happiness. The very first
mention of dancing in Scripture is when Miriam led the Israelite women in a
dance that celebrated Gods miraculous defeat of the Egyptians at the Red Sea.
Fearful for their lives, they breathlessly reached the eastern shore, turning
around to see the waters come crashing in to drown the Egyptians and their
horses. When Miriam went by with a tambourine, singing a song of praise to
God, the womens feet moved to her rhythm, their voices joined her song, and
they danced.
Miriam, even as a young girl, showed fortitude and wisdom. A leader of
Gods people at a crucial moment in history, she led the celebration after crossing
the Red Sea and spoke Gods word to his people, sharing their forty-year journey
through the wilderness. The role which Miriam played during her time may be

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alluded to that of Corazon Aquino as she led the people at the very crucial time of
bringing back democracy and peace to the Filipino people.
Furthermore, Miriams role as one of the great heroes of faith as she
helped saved the infant Moses, Israels future deliverer and, as a prophetess who
exhorted and encouraged Gods people and led the singing of the first psalm
ever recorded in Scripture may be alluded to Corazon Aquino who became the
first woman president of the Philippines and the leader of unifying the Filipinos for
one common goal of gaining back freedom after the Marcos regime. As Miriam
led the Israelites to sing and dance in victory, Corazon Aquino led the Filipinos to
pray in unity to restore democracy and freedom.
Persistence of Corazon Aquino alluded to that of Deborah. A woman,
Deborah is judge of Israel. She administers justice in the name of Yahweh. This
is an exceptional case among a people where men hold all the positions of social
and religious responsibility.

The Bible held Deborah in higher regard who

inspired the uprising. (Christian Community Bible, 1997).

At that time, Deborah, a prophetess and wife of
Lappidoth, became judge. She used to sit under what
was called the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and
Bethel, in the land of Ephraim. There she resolved
the complaints that the Israelites presented to her
(Judges 4:4-5).
Like Corazon Aquino, Deborah lived during the time when women leaders
were very uncommon. Despite this status of women in the Israelite society, they
were not unheard of.

In this time of the judges, when Israel was spiritually

malnourished, in civic disorder, and oppressed by its enemies, Deborah stepped

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up to the challenge.

Her leadership role probably evolved gradually, as her

wisdom in making judgments became known. When God spoke to Deborah, she
immediately responded by calling to Barak, leader of ten thousand men, to lead
the people in a battle against their oppressor of twenty years. Deborah was able
to convince Barak and won over their enemies.
Alluded to Corazon Aquino who restored the peace and freedom for the
Filipino people, Deborah is indeed a mother in Israel whose strong faith gave
birth to hope and freedom and a peace that lasted forty years. Deborah arose
and called the people to battle, leading them out of idolatry and restoring their
dignity as Gods chosen ones. She reminded them and led them in a victory
possession to peace.
In another question in an interview dated January 5, 1987, Corazon
Aquinos reply to the question Have you had special troubles because you are a
woman? was:
At one point last year, when my opposition colleagues
told me not to go to the UNIDO convention, I made it
clear to them, "Look, you people are probably all
smarter than I am. You may even be right 95% of the
time. But I think that maybe 5% of the time I may have
some of the right answers. And I am not going to
allow myself to be coerced into not doing something I
believe I should do. You always say I am very
important to you. If I'm so important, why can't I do
what I want to do?" So I made it very clear to them
that either I do what I believe I should do, or else let's
call it quits. That was a turning point for me.
Again, just like Corazon Aquino, Deborah has inner strength and calm
leadership to serve as encouragement to other women throughout the years
when they feel confined and mistreated, when they are unsure of what is right or

106
which way to proceed, and when they feel overlooked or ignored.

Just as

Deborah successfully made judgments for the people of Israel, Corazon Aquino
made her own judgments for the Filipino people following their instincts as
women guided by their faith in God.
Fidelity of Hillary Clinton alluded to that of Sarah. Sarah (Sarai),
Abrahams wife and Isaacs mother, became the mother of faith. The story of
Abraham (Abram) and Sarah starts with a call to leave the land of their ancestors
and Abrams fathers house and to set out in mystery to a land that God will show
them.
God also said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife,
you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be
Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son
by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother
of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.
(Genesis 17:15-16).
Say that you are my sister, so that they treat me well on account of you.
Some people are shocked at the low level of morality in those times, and
in Abraham himself. Abraham surrenders his wife, Sarai (Sarah), to Pharaoh in
order to save his life. Giving his wife is like making an alliance with Pharaoh,
with Egypt. (Christian Community Bible, 1997).
Just as he was about to enter Egypt he said to Sarai,
his wife, Now I know you are a beautiful woman.
When the Egyptians see you they will say: That is his
wife! They will then kill me, but they will let you live.
Say that you are my sister, so that they treat me well
on account of you and my life be spared because of
you (Genesis 12:11-13).
Sarah could have felt so afraid to have been told by her husband to
pretend that she was his sister. She would have felt denied and betrayed. She

107
could have chosen not to obey. Yet, Sarah was considered a loyal wife who did
what was right and who did not give in to fear. This loyalty of Sarah may be
alluded to that Hillary Clinton, on the revelations about President Clintons affair
with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Like Sarah, Hillary stood faithfully by
her husband during the scandal which her husband first denied and then
admitted to having had a sexual relationship with Lewinsky ensuing his
impeachment and trial in the Senate.
Yahweh was kind to Sarah as he had said, and
fulfilled his promise to her. Sarah became pregnant
and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very
time Yahweh had promised. (Genesis 21:1-2)
At first, Sarah did not believe that she will have a son. But, God kept his
promise and Sarah, Abrahams true wife, the free woman gave birth to Abrahams
heir as Gods plan. This may be alluded to Hillary when she said, "I never
thought I would end up being the Senator from New York. I never thought that
the long haired, bearded guy I married in law school would end up being
President."

Both women never thought of the significant roles they will play --

Sarah for the descendants of Abraham, and Hillary for being the First Lady of the
42nd president of the United States and significant leader in the history of women
political leaders not only in the United States but also in the world.
Diplomacy of Hillary Clinton alluded to that of Abigail. Abigail was the wife
of Nabal. She is intelligent and attractive. Abigails name means my fathers joy
or joy of my father a daughter of faith, peace and humility, a delight to her
fathers heart, much as Jesus will be a delight and joy to the Father.

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This man was named Nabal; his wife, Abigail. The
woman was intelligent and beautiful; but the man
himself, a Calebite, was rough and ill-mannered. (1
Samuel 25:3)
Abigail is organized, efficient, and cool-headed. She knows exactly what
she has to do to stop the ensuing battle and slaughter of her household. She
must undo the insult and go bearing gifts to placate David. Further, she is wise
enough to act without consulting with her husband. She is a good judge of
human nature, of character and circumstances.

She is nonviolent, a

peacemaker.
One of Nabals servants told Abigail, his wife, David
sent messengers from the desert to greet our master
but he shouted at them (1 Samuel 25:14).
Abigail hurriedly prepared two hundred loaves, two
skins of wine, five dressed sheep.Then she said to
her servants, Go on ahead and I shall follow you.
But she told her husband nothing of this (1 Samuel
25:18-19).
The role of the woman, Abigail, is highlighted. Her wisdom is able to ward
off a disaster provoked by men.

David is humble enough to see that his

impulsive temperament leads him to violence and injustice.

Community Bible, 1997).
David said to Abigail, Praise be to the Lord, the God
of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May
you be blessed for your good judgment and for
keeping me from bloodshed this day and from
avenging myself with my own hands. (1 Samuel
25:32-33).

(Christian

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Abigail, alluded to Hillary, was a courageous woman who made the best
out of a very difficult situation. She knew the cultural principles at work here:
Nabal out of just plain good hospitality and out of gratitude for the protection
Davids men had provided should have given Davids men what they asked for.
Yet when David sought vengeance, Abigail interceded, realizing that vengeance
wasnt something that was up to David or her to give. Years of living with
Nabal hadnt made Abigail bitter nor had the years caused her to look for ways to
get back at him and seek revenge.
In Bill Clintons 1992 presidential campaign, Hillary played a crucial role by
greeting voters, giving speeches, and serving as one of her husbands chief
advisers. Her appearance with him on the television news program 60 Minutes in
January 1992 made her name a household word. Responding to questions about
Bills alleged 12-year sexual relationship with an Arkansas woman, Gennifer
Flowers, Bill and Hillary discussed their marital problems, and Hillary told voters
to judge her husband by his recordadding that, if they did not like what they
saw, then, heck, dont vote for him.

Hillary could have ran away from his

husbands infidelity but she still supported him while at the same time let the
people decide on whether to vote for her husband or not. This is a proof that
Hillary, just like Abigail took the side of her husband while at the same time
practice justice, nonviolence, fidelity and peace.
Just as the Lord honored Abigail for her consistency, her generosity, and
her willingness to continue on the right path, no matter how difficult, Hillary

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reaped her own blessings for being faithful even when faithfulness brings
difficulty and hardship and pain in all her successes and achievements.
Morality and Optimism of Madonna alluded to that of Tamar. Tamar was
the daughter-in-law of Judah, son of Jacob. She later on became the wife of
Judah bearing two sons, Perez and Zerah (Matthew 1:3).
Tamar lived during the age of primitive customs and morality when the
Bible does not insist on certain aspects of sexual morality. What is important is
the transmission of promises made to Jacob which are to benefit the
descendants of Judah. Tamars nobility lies in her determination, by all means, to
have a son who would bear the name of her first husband, Er, and who would
therefore be Judahs heir. It is rare for women to figure in the Bible, but when
they do appear, it is often to give men a lesson in being human. Here, after the
event by which Tamar enters into his life, Judah begins to reflect something new
for him. (Christian Community Bible, 1997).
It happened that Tamar was told, Your father-in-law is
going up to Timnah to shear his sheep. She at once
took off her widows clothes, wrapped herself in a veil
and sat down at the entrance to Enaim which is on
the road to Timnah, for she knew that Shelah was a
grown man and had not been given to her in
marriange(Genesis 38:6-26)
Tamar took desperate and dramatic action to deceive Judah, her father-inlaw, by disguising herself in a veil, impersonating a prostitute so that she will be
able to successfully propagate the family name in her own way may be alluded to
Madonna who mixed her drive for success with her penchant for scandalous
behavior. It started with her controversial 1985 performance of her hit single Like

111
a Virgin on the MTV music awards, which involved writhing around suggestively
onstage in a wedding dress. This was followed by the debut of Madonna's 1989
Like a Prayer video, which was to be aired on MTV as part of a lucrative Pepsi
endorsement. The video featured interracial relationship themes, burning
crosses, and a blending of sexual innuendo and religious ideologies. As a result
of the video, Pope John Paul II urged fans not to attend her concerts in Italy, and
Pepsi pulled out their endorsement of the star.
Despite all the adversaries, both Tamar and Madonna brought good out of
the tragedy and blessing out of less than honorable events. Gods power to bring
positive things from the negative, even sinful, events of our lives is just as much
at work now as in Tamars day. We may not see it today or tomorrow or
perhaps ever but we can trust the God we love to do what he loves: bring
blessing to us in spite of ourselves.
Generosity of Madonna alluded to that of The Shunammite Woman. She
is introduced in the Bible as a wealthy and capable woman who showed great
kindness to one of Gods prophet, Elisha.
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a rich woman
invited him to eat. Afterwards, whenever he went to
that town, he would go to her house to eat (2 Kings
4:8).
All the elements of human tragedy are joined here: hope, happy life,
death, the anguish heart of a mother (the Shunammite woman) who does not
resign herself to death of the son of her womb, her call of despair to the man of
God. (Christian Community Bible, 1997).

112
Elisha then called Gehazi and said, Call the woman.
And when she came, Elisha told her, Take your son.
She bowed at his feet, then she took her son and
went on (2 Kings 36-37).
The Shunammite woman may be alluded to Madonna who also practiced
generosity and hospitality using her wealth and celebrity status to help AIDS
orphans.

Madonna was able to bring home her newly adopted son, David

Banda, defying existing laws in Malawi which do not allow for international
adoptions.
Just like the Shunammite woman who persisted and sought resurrection
of his son, Madonna's adoption of David Banda is also a resurrection because he
could have been dead from the disease, poverty and famine experienced by the
Malawis AIDS orphans when finally the court granted Madonna full adoption
rights of the boy.
Love for God of Mother Teresa alluded to that of Mary of Bethany. Mary of
Bethany appears to have been a single woman, totally devoted to Jesus. She
anointed his head with a pint of expensive perfume which others considered a
waste.
While Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon
the leper, a woman came up to him carrying a
precious jar of expensive perfume. She poured it on
Jesus head as he was at table (Matthew 26:6-7)
Instead of scolding Mary for her extravagance, Jesus praised her, saying:
Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
From her first encounter with Christ, Mary seems to have pursued one thing

113
above all the deepest possible relationship with him.

She was a woman

unafraid of expressing her love, determined to seek the heart of God.

But Jesus was aware of this, so he said to them,
Why are you troubling this woman? What she has
just done for me is indeed a good work (Matthew
26:10)
Mary of Bethany may be alluded to Mother Teresa who also loved God
extravagantly. Famous for her work with the poorest of the poor in India and
throughout the world, she was always looking for a chance to do something
beautiful for God. This act of doing something beautiful for God was carried out
by Mother Teresa not merely by words but with deeds to make the poorest of the
poor believe and feel Gods presence as can be attested in all her contributions
and achievements. Mother Teresa once quoted: You and I, we are the Church,
no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are
hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear. Whatever you do to
the least of my brethren, you do it to me.
What the world needs above all is not bread and water and clothing, but
the truth and the hope that God entrusted to his chosen people. Christians would
be unfaithful to their mission if they confined themselves to merely talking about
assistance, housing and the like and forgot what is really life for humankind
first, the knowledge and love of their Lord. He will always be first and we need
him to be so for us. He takes as done to himself all that we do for our sisters and
brothers. (Christian Community Bible, 1997).

114
Unconditional Service of Mother Teresa alluded to that of Priscilla.
Priscilla was a woman whose spiritual maturity and understanding of the faith
helped build us the early church to spread the gospel and nurture the church.
And Paul [after this] tarried [there] yet a good while,
and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed
thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila;
having shorn [his] head in Cenchrea: for he had a
vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there:
but he himself entered into the synagogue, and
reasoned with the Jews. (Acts 18:19)
Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto
whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches
of the Gentiles. (Romans 6:3-4)
Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, had just arrived in Corinth, a city famous for
its luxury and corruption. They simply place themselves at Pauls service to help
him. Priscilla, one of the first missionaries and a leader of the early church, along
with her husband, Aquila, risked her life for the apostle Paul.
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla
salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in
their house. (1 Corinthians 16:19)
Priscilla, in her attempt to spread the gospel and nurture the church may
be alluded to Mother Teresa. Just like Priscilla, Mother Teresa achieved the
same by founding the missionaries which united different people from different
parts of the world. Mother Teresa quoted, There is only one God and He is God
to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. Ive
always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a
better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic. We believe our work should

115
be our example to people. We have among us 475 souls - 30 families are
Catholics and the rest are all Hindus, Muslims, Sikhsall different religions. But
they all come to our prayers.
Resilience of Oprah Winfrey alluded to that of Dinah, and Tamar, Daughter
of King David. Dinah was the only daughter together with the six sons (Reuben,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun) Leah bore to Jacob.
And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto
Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And
when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of
the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her,
and defiled her. And his soul clave unto Dinah the
daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and
spoke kindly unto the damsel. (Genesis 34:1-3)
Dinah who was raped by a local prince may be alluded to Oprah who
stated she was molested by her cousin, her uncle, and a family friend, starting
when she was nine years old on a 1986 episode of her TV show, when sexual
abuse was being discussed. Both women were raped. Dinah however was
sought revenge by her brothers Levi and Simeon. Oprah at the period of sexual
molestation was living with her mother who was most often outside the house to
work.
Tamar, daughter of King David, shared her father Davids good looks.
Young and innocent, she was nave to the danger that threatened from her own
family.
Now Davids son Absalom had a beautiful sister
named Tamar. It happened that Amnon, another of
Davids sons, loved her (2 Samuel 13:1).

116
Tamar who was seen by her half-brother as an object for his lust may be
alluded to Oprah Winfrey who had the same experience from her own family.
Just as Tamars father did nothing to protect her, there was also no mention
about what Oprahs father did on her account of sexual molestation.
Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the
bedroom and let me eat from your hand...but when
she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and
said, Come, lie with me, my sister..but he refused
to listen to her and, being stronger than she, forced
her and lay with her (2 Samuel 13:1).
Experience of Abuse of Oprah Winfrey alluded to that of Bathsheba.
Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, was a woman who was very beautiful (2 Sam 11:2).
David saw her and desired her despite having been told that she was someone
elses wife; he desired her so much that he sent messengers who took her to the
palace (2 Sam 11:4) where

he had sexual relations with her. When David had

finished with her, he allowed her to return home. Bathsheba got pregnant.
Bathsheba who had been molested by a supposedly godly man (King
David), who then murdered her husband and then suffered the loss on one of her
sons, may be alluded to Oprah Winfrey who also experienced sexual molestation
and death of a son during infancy when she was fourteen years old.
Philanthropy of Oprah Winfrey alluded to that of Tabitha(Dorcas). Tabitha
was an early Christian who was characterized by two qualities: a deep and
abiding faith and an outgoing charity. She spent all her time, doing good and
helping the poor.
There was a disciple in Joppa named Tabitha, which
means Dorcas or Gazelle. She was always doing
good works and helping the poor (Acts 9: 36)

117

Dorcas implies the female of a roebuck, a gazelle - an emblem of beauty.

Dorcas is the first Greek name of a female in the New Testament, its Hebrew
equivalent being Tabitha which is the Syro-Chaldaic form of the Hebrew Zibiah,
or Tsibiah, the name of a princess of Judah, the mother of King Joash.
She is called, a certain disciple, and is thus included among the numerous
disciples mentioned in the New Testament. Possibly Dorcas came to know Christ
as her Saviour in this church, and there caught the vision of how she could serve
Christ with her money and her needle. Dorcas knew what it was to have a
regenerated heart and this was the source of her unselfish life and charitable
acts. Behind her sewing of garments was a saved soul. Giving of alms, and the
making of garments in themselves gain no merit with God who, first of all, claims
our hearts before our talents.
Dorcas, a public-spirited woman who, with humanitarian ideals, was
engaged in various relief activities, alluded to on the philanthropy of Oprah
Winfrey is apparent in many aspects.
Dorcas being good meant doing good and whose sole object was to do
good. Her manifold good works flowed from a heart grateful to God for His saving
grace. This may be alluded to what Oprah Winfrey quoted, I don't think of
myself as a poor, deprived ghetto girl who made good. I think of myself as
somebody who from an early age knew I was responsible for myself, and I had to
make good.

118
Dorcas, as a philanthropist, was a woman was full of good works and alms
deeds. She did not only think up ways of relieving the needy, but she also carried
out her plans. She knew what she could do, and did it.

Alluded to Oprah

Winfrey's impact on the philanthropic sector and philanthropic lives of Americans

(in particular) has been profound. As a generous wealthy donor, Winfrey takes a
hands-on approach in making a difference in the world, often becoming involved
in the causes and in promoting the organizations or causes to which she
donates. The Oprah Winfrey Foundation has been an avenue for her substantial
philanthropy. Additionally, she provides information on many venues through
which her viewers and followers can become involved in the many issues or
organizations she has highlighted throughout her career, ranging from Habitat for
Humanity to Heifer International to women's education to child abuse and
neglect.
The focus of a majority of her working life, The Oprah Winfrey Show has
become Winfrey's main vehicle for highlighting philanthropy. In September 1997,
Winfrey introduced Oprah's Angel Network, to inspire people to use their lives
and to reap the truest rewards that come from giving to others. Asking the
viewers to send in spare change to assist the needy and provide college
scholarships, the audience responded in tremendous numbers.
It is important to note that Dorcas did not aspire to be a leader, but was
content to stay in her own home and try to do all she could in all the ways she
could. Thus, in spite of herself, she became a great leader in an almost universal

119
philanthropic cause just as Oprah Winfreys influence as a public figure is far
reaching. Connected to her audience and her peers, she interacts with people in
all walks of life. Winfrey is broadly recognized as a brilliant business woman; an
articulate and compassionate television host; an accomplished actress, producer,
publisher, and educator; and a passionate spokes-woman for social causes. Her
name and reputation warrant a great deal of respect and her worldwide exposure
is overwhelming.

4. Implications of the Analysis on the Teaching of Literature and Appreciation of

Bible Reading
Literature appeals to mans higher nature and its needs emotional,
spiritual, intellectual and creative. Like all other forms of art, literature entertains
and gives pleasure; it fires the imagination and arouses noble emotions and it
enriches man by enabling him to reflect on life and by filling him with new ideas.
Therefore, the study of literature gives one the ability to cope with life
because of the understanding of human nature which it imparts.

This new

perspective of life and people adds new dimensions to ones life in the form of
greater sensitivity and awareness, refinement of feelings, lofty ideals, nobility of
purpose and added culture.
Literature is a reflection of different life stories. Just as it is essential to
learn how to live, literature must be learned and so it must be taught. Teaching
literature enables students to learn about different cultures and societies, thus
increasing understanding and acceptance of diversity in the world. Though there

120
are countless ways of teaching literature, there is no one easy and perfect way to
teach literature.

Method, technique or strategy to effectively teach literature

varies depending on the current need.

Biblical allusions which pertain to the technique by which character of the
selected women of the past century is directly or indirectly associated with the
women in the Bible now calls the significance of Bible literature. Students are
denied full access to their own linguistic, literary and artistic heritage without
Bible literacy.

The goal is not simply to study the Bible as literature but to

understand the Bibles unparalleled influence to the world.

The Hebrew

Scriptures and the New Testament were not crafted for artistic purposes; they
have been regarded as sacred texts by millions of people of faith. As such, they
have exercised great influence on novelists, poets, artists, and composers as
well as ordinary speakers. (Mattews, 2007).
Relative to the foregoing insights, the analysis of the study shed light to
the significance of the Bible as a valuable material in teaching literature. Bible in
Literature will demonstrate the influence the Bible has had in the form and
content of great literature through the centuries and right up to the contemporary
times. Bible as Literature will examine the literary elements in the Bible itself.
Bible in History will demonstrate specific historical events, trends, developments
and movements that affected the use of the Bible or were affected by the Bible.
Cultural Connections will explore how the Bible has influenced different elements
of culture namely music, art, theater, architecture, history, public policy,
ceremonies and rituals, and the like. Everyday Language will highlight the effect

121
that translations of the Bible have had on the formation of the language and upon
common speech. Research will engage the students to do assignments that
entail looking up and studying several related passages. Use of maps, charts
and graphs will effectively communicate the content and organize learning, and
provide an optimum learning opportunity as they provide richness that will
engage the students, challenge them and leave a lasting impression.
On the appreciation of Bible reading, it is revealed that reading the Bible
should not be dreaded for misinterpretations but rather for the purpose of cultural
and language enrichment, and personal involvement that can be achieved by the
students. Finally, Bible reading should be promoted. In doing so, the teacher
should take into account needs, motivation, interests, cultural background and
language level of the students. The teacher should guide the students to finally
foster in them the appreciation of Bible reading.
The themes contained in the Bible can be understood and can be applied
to daily life since they encompass the past and present of human existence and
interest and can make anyone better equipped to deal with the future.

The

connection of the selected women of the past century with the women in the
Bible proved that the Bible has the explanation to everything beyond time period
and place.
Indeed, the Bible is a significant material to use in teaching literature. It is
about time to set aside apprehensions on its misinterpretations to focus on the
vast opportunities for learning that await all its readers.

122

CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

As the culmination of the study, this chapter presents the summary of

findings, the conclusions drawn from them and recommendations based on the
results.
The study aimed to understand the character of selected women of the
past century utilizing biblical allusions.

Specifically, it sought to answer the

following questions:
1. What are the prominent features of the following women of the past century:
1.1. Corazon Aquino,
1.2. Hillary Clinton,
1.3. Madonna,
1.4. Mother Teresa,
1.5. Oprah Winfrey?
2. What significant contribution/s does each woman of the past century manifest?
3. Who among the biblical figures may be alluded to for better understanding of
selected women of the past century and their contributions to society?
4. What are the implications of the analysis on the teaching of literature and
appreciation of Bible reading?
The study used descriptive method of research in which content analysis
was given emphasis.

Literary approaches were utilized in the course of the

123
research procedure to understand the character of the selected women of the
past century utilizing biblical allusions. Biographical, sociological, psychological
and feminist criticisms were the approaches considered by the researcher.
The researcher used biographies of the selected women of the past
century as primary source of data.

Modern Heroes: Mother Teresa by Gary

Smailes, World Leaders: Aquino by Howard G. Chua-Eoan and Arthur M.

Schlesinger, Jr., God and Hillary Clinton by Paul Kengor, Madonna by Andrew
Morton, Oprah by Kitty Kelley, and King James Version of the Holy Bible and
commentaries from Christian Community Bible were also used as sources of
data as the researcher applied allusions to accomplish the objectives set for the
study. Complementary books with life stories of women of the Bible were also
used.

Summary of Findings
Based on the analysis and interpretation of the biographies, Bible
commentaries and life stories of the women biblical characters utilizing biblical
allusions, the researcher came out with the following findings:
1. Prominent features of the selected women of the past century revealed a few
similarities and differences.
Aquino and Clinton both became influential political leaders who
advocated on womens and childrens rights. While Aquino was hailed in the
peaceful restoration of democracy through people power, Hillary is known for
unparalleled accomplishment in the history of politics of the United States
being the first woman to be in the senate.

124
Madonna and Oprah Winfrey are both in the entertainment industry.
While Madonna marked in the history being the first to indulge on music video
and made her the wealthiest female artist, Winfrey represents the pride of the
black race being the first black woman to own a production company and
being the first black billionaire. Both Madonna and Winfrey indulged
themselves in philanthropic acts.
Mother Teresa symbolizes the modern faith and religion in their truest
sense. Considered as a modern saint, she is an exemplar of compassion and
service and love for God reflected in the ways she lived her life.
2. All the select women of the century earned worldwide recognition out of their
significant contributions to humanity.
Corazon Aquino became known in her advocacies for restoration of
democracy and programs on people empowerment, peace and human rights.
Hillary Clinton was commendable in her advocacies on health care
reform and childrens and womens rights.
Madonna set most of the trends in the music industry, amassed wealth
and then utilized her wealth and celebrity status to help the orphaned children
suffering from AIDS and influenced a lot others to do the same.
Mother Teresa reached out to the poorest of the poor, travelling from
one place to another, through the missionaries that she established and also
influenced many people to donate funds for all her missionary works.
Oprah Winfrey became famous in all her philanthropic programs,
helping many people, young and old, to be empowered and educated through
her inexplicable influence on them known as the Oprah Effect.
Undeniably, all these women are remarkable in all their achievements.
3. Understanding the character of the selected women of the past century and
their contributions to the society can be achieved by identifying the biblical
figures to whom they are alluded to. It will be important to note that the

125
selected women of the past century share a lot of similar experiences with the
biblical figures, both pleasant and unpleasant, despite the big gap of the
periods when these women lived.
The allusions made were in terms of the human values innate in the
women.

Corazon Aquinos motherliness alluded to that of Jochebeds,

leadership to that of Miriams and persistence to that of Deborahs; Hillary

Clintons fidelity alluded to that of Sarahs and diplomacy to that of Abigails;
Madonnas morality and optimism alluded to that of Tamars and generosity to
that of the Shunammite womans; Mother Teresas love for God alluded to that
of Mary of Bethanys, and unconditional service to that of Priscillas; and
Oprah Winfreys resilience alluded to that of Dinahs and Tamars, Daughter
of King David, experience of abuse to that of Bathshebas, and philanthropy
to that of Tabithas.
4. The analysis of the study shed light to the significance of the Bible as a
valuable material in teaching literature. Bible in Literature will demonstrate
the influence the Bible has had in the form and content of great literature
down through the centuries and right up to the contemporary times. Bible as
Literature will examine the literary elements in the Bible itself.

Bible in

History will demonstrate specific historical events, trends, developments and

movements that affected the use of the Bible or were affected by the Bible.
Cultural Connections will explore how the Bible has influenced different
elements of culture namely music, art, theater, architecture, history, public
policy, ceremonies and rituals, and the like.

Everyday Language will

126
highlight the effect that translations of the Bible have had on the formation of
the language and upon common speech. Research will engage the students
to do research and reading assignments that entail looking up and studying
several related passages. Use of Maps, Charts and Graphs will effectively
communicate the content and organize learning, and provide an optimum
learning opportunity as they provide richness that will engage the students,
challenge them and leave a lasting impression.
On the appreciation of Bible reading, it is revealed that reading the
Bible should not be dreaded for misinterpretations but rather for the purpose
of cultural and language enrichment, and personal involvement that can be
achieved by the students when finally they are made to develop the habit of
Bible reading should be promoted. In doing so, the teacher should take into
account needs, motivation, interests, cultural background and language level
of the students. The teacher should guide the students to finally foster in
them the appreciation of Bible reading.
The themes contained in the Bible can be understood and can be
applied to daily life since it encompasses the past and present of human
existence and interest and can make us better equipped to deal with the
future. The connection of the selected women of the past century with the
women in the Bible proved that the Bible has the explanation to everything
beyond time period and place.
Indeed, the Bible is a significant material to use in teaching
literature and to promote appreciation of Bible reading.

127

Conclusions
The following conclusions were made based on the findings of the study:
1.

All the women of the past century became influential in the respective
fields that they chose.

Aquino and Clinton in politics, Madonna and

Winfrey in entertainment industry, and Mother Teresa in Christian faith.

The different life stories that manifest the varied prominent features
2.

highlighted one commonality, that is, service to others.

Advocacy on the protection of women and childrens rights is the most
significant contribution manifested by the selected women of the past

3.

century.
Among the biblical figures, Dinah, Tamar - Daughter of King David,
Bathsheba, and Tabitha appear to be the most alluded to in the

4.

understanding of womens contributions to the society.

Knowledge of biblical allusions facilitates not only the teaching of literature
but also the understanding and appreciation of literature.

Bible is an

effective material in the teaching of literature.

Recommendations
For this study to be useful, the following are strongly recommended by the
researcher.
1. Integration of biblical stories in the teaching of literature in the secondary
level needs to be encouraged.
2. Other studies on allusions to Greek and Roman mythology, and classical
literature may be conducted by future researchers.
3. Similar studies focusing on male characters may likewise be undertaken.

128

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(2011).
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CURRICULUM VITAE

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135

Rowena Padigos Salazar

#29 Boundary, Mataasnakahoy, Batangas
0917-3992219 / 0918-9591910
rpsalazar_stc@yahoo.com

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
OIC
for
Academics
(Basic
Education)
Coordinator/Instructor
Batangas College of Arts and Sciences, Inc.
Banaybanay Concepcion, Lipa City, Batangas
School Year 2009 - present

College

Grade School Teacher & Subject Coordinator

Sta. Teresa College
Bauan, Batangas
School Years 2002 2009
Computer Teacher
MSET Icon, Inc.
Quezon City
2000-2002
Programmer Analyst
SPI Technologies, Inc. Andersen Consulting
Paraaque, Metro Manila Makati City
1998-2000
Material Control Clerk
SPI Technologies, Inc.
Paraaque, Metro Manila
1995-1998
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Graduate Studies:

Tertiary:
Management

Master of Arts in Education Major in English

University of Batangas
2012
Finished 18 Professional Units in Education
University of Batangas
2002
Bachelor in Computer Data Processing

136
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Sta. Mesa, Manila
1991 1995
Secondary:

La Purisima Concepcion Academy

Mataasnakahoy, Batangas
1987 1991
Second Honorable Mention

Elementary:

Mataasnakahoy Central School

Mataasnakahoy, Batangas
1981 1987

ELIGIBILITY
Civil Service Sub-Professional Examination
Date:
October 17, 1993
Rating:
87.38%
Licensure Examination for Teachers
Date:
August 25, 2002
Rating:
82.20%
SEMINARS / PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES ATTENDED FOR THE
LAST THREE YEARS:
16th San Pablo City Water District Oratorical Contest (invited as
judge)
San Pablo City Water District Regional Training Center, San Pablo City
November 9, 2012
10th Philippine Youth Congress on Information Technology
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
September 14, 2012
Thesis Advising and Paneling Capstone Project for CS/IT/IS
Programs, Outcomes Based Education and Professional Ethics
(Gearing with IT Standards and Best Practices)
Colegio San Agustin, Bian, Laguna
September 7, 2012
Android and Ios (Gearing with IT Standards and Best Practices)
Colegio San Agustin, Bian, Laguna

137
September 6, 2012
PAFTE Mid Year Zonal Convention (Revisiting the Teacher
Education Curriculum in the Light of the K to 12 Curriculum)
Development Academy of the Philippines, Tagaytay City
May 11-12, 2012
The Freedom of the Youth Through Faith and Religion
St. Francis De Sales Major Seminary Auditorium, Marawoy, Lipa City
February 10, 2012
PSITE IV-A @ 10: Moving Towards Organizational Development
University of Perpetual Help System Laguna, Bian City, Laguna
February 2-3, 2012
2nd AHEIR IV-A (Batangas Cluster) Conference and General
Assembly (Preparing HEIs for the Challenges of the Future
First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities, Tanauan City,
Batangas
October 7, 2011
Marketing Power Conference 2011 (Marketing Excellence: A
Superior Perspective to Achieve Corporate Success)
De La Salle Lipa Sentrum, Lipa City
September 12, 2011
Differentiated Classroom Instruction and Therapeutic Teaching
National Workshop
Francis Senden Hall, Asian Social Institute, Malate, Manila
September 1-3, 2011
Seminar Workshop on UbD, Classroom Management, Student
and Faculty Manual, Administrative Matters, Personality
Enhancement, Code of Professional Ethics and Classroom
Management
Batangas College of Arts and Sciences, Inc., Lipa City
May 23-27, 2011
12th
Convention/Educations
Fair/Book
Educational Communities Through Synergy)
Green Leaf Resort, Lipa City
November 5, 2010

Fair

(Building

Presentation of Framework for CS/IT/IS Undergraduate

Thesis/Project Advising
St. Theodore Hall, Saint Michaels College of Laguna, Bian, Laguna

138
June 24, 2010
The Art of Questioning
Batangas College of Arts and Sciences, Inc.
July 4, 2010
8th PSITE IV Regional Conference (Instructional Materials
Development: The IT Educators in Progress
Malayan Colleges Laguna, Cabuyao, Laguna
January 21, 2010
PERSONAL PROFILE
Birth date:
Gender:
Nationality:
Status:
Religion:
Health:

20 January 1974
female
Filipino
single
Roman Catholic
excellent