The Filipino and the Drunkard

Andrea Zaragoza
170696

The Filipino and the Drunkard
In the story “The Filipino and the Drunkard” by William Saroyean, a young Filipino and a war veteran begin to have conflict. In the beginning, the young Filipino wanted no trouble, but the war veteran was drunk and kept harassing the boy. Soon, it escalated to the young Filipino hiding. When he hid, the drunkard began banging on the door, telling him to get out or he’ll come in. The Filipino, of course, got mad. He wasn’t mad because the drunkard was chasing him, but because he was scared of him. Pulling out his knife, he told him to back off and there won’t be any trouble. Unfortunately, the drunkard didn’t back off and in the end, he had gotten stabbed. However, he didn’t go out without a fight. Trying to choke the young boy for hurting him, he died. Now, people knew what was going on. They knew the Filipino boy was getting harassed and threatened by a war veteran who was drunk. Yet, they didn’t do anything. And that’s what began the downfall.
Those people who witnessed everything, they knew they could’ve stopped it. However, they didn’t. They were either too scared, nervous, or they thought it wasn’t their problem. In all honesty though, they could’ve prevented from a man dying and a young boy from becoming a murderer. So whose fault is it really?
Personally, I think it’s all of their faults. The Filipino for not controlling his anger, the drunkard for drinking too much, and the people who witnessed everything but still didn’t do anything about it. Everyone in the story contributed whether they thought so or not. Mostly, I think it’s the people who didn’t do anything about it. They could’ve done something. Called the police or pulled the drunkard away, but they didn’t.
It was too late in the end. The war veteran died of a stab wound while the Filipino boy got away, leaving to attend his sick brother even after what happened. Leaving, saying what he did was self­defense. At the same time, no one should treat someone so unfairly just because of what religion, orientation, or color they are. Once again, everyone was apart of the situation. One thing could have changed everything. In this instance, pulling both of them away from each other and letting them go home safely.