[1] F. Sionil José's The Pretenders portrayed the master-and-servant and lord-and-slave relationship in the “industrial world” of Manila, Philippines.

[2] The timeline is set during the years after the Second World War,[3] during the 1950s (because of a reference to Ramon Magsaysay found at the final pages of the novel).

Samson was a rural area resident of Cabugawan village[1] in Rosales, Pangasinan, who gained a doctorate degree from Harvard University in New England of the United States.

Antonio neglected his own father, the son of Istak Samson, who was punished by being imprisoned for life after his involvement in the burning of a municipio and killing Luis Asperri, the haciendero character in José's My Brother, My Executioner.

[3] After one unfortunate and shameful event to another, including finding out that his “socialite wife” had had “affairs with other men”, Antonio Samson rebelled[3] and committed suicide by hurling himself underneath a moving train.