Patron Saints of Nothing

What is a saint in a modern world? Jun describes himself with some irony as the patron saint of nothing. Research the logic and purpose served by patron saints in the Catholic Church. Does Jun qualify, or is his remark intended to be ironic?

As Jay does, research the Rodrigo Duterte presidency and its program to crack down on drug abuse in the Philippines. Consider how Ribay depicts both sides of the issue. Assess the good and bad of the government program. How does Duterte figure into Jay’s awareness that no one is simply one thing or another?

The character of Reyna introduces the issue of human trafficking and a society’s responsibility to take compassionate care of its poorest citizens. How does Reyna’s story parallel Jun’s own spiral into drug addiction?

Ribay explores a number of dysfunctional families across generations and from different cultures. Using comparison and contrast, what characteristics does Ribay suggest are critical to a healthy family?

Jay’s education takes shape amid a plethora of cultural references that frame his evolution into adulthood, among them Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe,” Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” the poetry of Audre Lorde, the political writings of José Rizal, Juan Luna’s painting Spoilarium, Harry Potter, the jailhouse essays of Antonio Gramsci, the PlayStation4 game Horizon Zero Dawn, and Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” Choose any of these references and investigate how it helps illuminate Jay’s maturation.

Research agitprop. Mia and Grace both believe that literature should provoke dramatic social, political, and cultural change. Ribay uses his narrative to open his readers’ eyes to the human rights violations ongoing in the Philippines. Should literature get involved with contemporary political issues? What is the difference between art and polemics?

Discuss the role of the Catholic Church in the novel. Consider Jay’s visit to the gaudy church service and Father Danilo’s defense of the church’s passivity regarding the Duterte regime by saying the church is not concerned with secular affairs. Is faith itself irrelevant today as Jun argues in one of his letters?

When Patron Saints of Nothing was published, it was hailed by the LGBTQ community for its sensitive portrayal of gay and lesbian relationships (in addition to Grace and Jay’s aunt, Jay’s older brother is in a committed gay relationship). Using Grace’s relationship with Jessa and the relationship between Jay’s aunt and her life partner, discuss how the novel handles lesbian relationships. What do these relationships teach Jay? Does it matter that Grace keeps her relationship a secret while her aunts live together openly?