SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts

Department of Political and Social Sciences

A.Y. 2017-2018

Score:

Noli Me Tangere: A Novel of

the Catalyst of Change

Submitted by:

2195648 Narcida, Jemielle Patriece V.

BA Political Science II

09491591191

roadrainer29@gmail.com

11:30 – 12:30 MWF

Submitted to:

SIR EMMANUEL J. BACUD, CSE, BA-MA Pol Sci

ejb.louisiano@gmail.com
Summary of Noli Me Tangere: A Paraphrased version of the synopsis in the book of Gregorio
Zaide and Sonia Zaide “Rizal: Life, works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist, and
National Hero”

The novel Noli Me Tangere starts wih a party organized by Kapitan Tiago at his house
in Calle Anloague on the last day of October. The party was organized to honor the arrival of
Crisostomo Ibarra, a young and rich Filipino who returned after seven years of studying in
Europe. Ibarra was the only son od Don Rafael Ibarra, friend of Kapitan Tiago, and the fiancé
of his beautiful daughter Maria Clara.

Amongst the guest during the reception were Padre Damaso, a Franciscan friar with
a large physique, who had been the parish priest for 20 years of San Diego, Ibarra’s
hometown. Padre Sybila was also present, he is a young Dominicanparish priest of Binondo.
Another guest was Senor Guevarra, an elderly and kind lieutenant of the Guardia Civil; Don
Tiburcio de Espadana was also present, a bogus Spanish doctor who is the husband of Donya
Victorina, an indio Spanish wannabe.

During the dinner the conversation centered on Crisostomo’s studies and travels
abroad. Padre Damaso was in a sour mood for he got a bony chicken wing and neck in the
Tinola that was served to the guests, with this the priest tried to discredit Ibarra’s remarks.

After dinner was served, Crisostomo left the house of Kapitan Tiago to return to his
hotel. On the way to his hotel, lieutenant Guevarra toldhim the story of Ibarra’s tragic death
in San Diego. Don Rafael was a Rich and brave man, with his high sense of justice he
defended a helpless boy from the brutality of a ruthless Spanish Tax Collector, pushing the
latter and accidentally killing him. With this Don Rafael Ibarra was imprisoned, where he
perished unhappily. Even after death he was still condemned of being heinous criminal for
his remains were banished from the “consecrated grounds” or the catholic cemetery.

Hearing the tragedy of his father’s death, Ibarra expressed his gratitude to the kind
lieutenant. After he learned about the story of his father’s death Ibarra was greatly saddened
and he vowed that he will find out the truth behind his father’s ugly end.

The following morning, he visited Maria Clara, his childhood friend and his lover.
Maria teasingly said that he had forgotten her because he was fascinated by the beautiful
girls in Germany. Ibarra lovingly replied that he had not forgotten her and she had been in
his mind while he was abroad.

After Ibarra’s reunion with Maria Clara he went to the cemetery to visit his father’s
grave, upon arriving in the Cemetery, Ibarra found out that Don Rafael was removed from
the cemetery upon the orders of the Parish Priest, but the day that the grave-digger was
about to transport the corpse of Don Rafael it was dark and raining so what he did was to
throw the corpse in the lake. Upon hearing the disrespect that happened to the remains of
his father. He left the cemetery but on the way Ibarra met Padre Salvi and he pounced on
him. He demanded redress for desecrating the grave of his father. But Padre Salvi washed
his hands clean of the deed and pointed his fingers to his predecessor for the one who ordered
the corpse to be removed was Padre Damaso.

In Ibarra’s stay in San Diego he met several interesting people. One of them was an
old man who the town folks considered as a lunatic, for he was a wise old man and his ideas
were too advanced for his time, he was “Pilosopo Tasio” or as the ignorant minds that could
not understand calls him “Tasio ang Baliw” for he was a progressive minded teacher he
complained to Ibarra that the lost of interest of the children in their studies was due to a lack
of proper school facilities and the discouraging attitude of a parish friar towards teaching of
Spanish and the obsolete method of teaching that should have been extinct.

There is also the tragic story of Sisa, a formerly rich who became poor because she
married a gambler and drunkard. She was drove to craziness because she lost her two sons,
Crispin and Basilio. Her boys were serving the church as sakristans, working for small wages
in order to support their mother. Crispin the younger of the two brothers was accused of
stealing money from the priest’s money so he was brutally tortured in the convent, where his
cries routed throughout the walls of convent, the witness to the brutal death of a child in his
tender age. Basilio heard the cries of his brother and he escaped. When the young boys did
not return home Sisa searched for them everywhere and her failure to find them brought her
great sorrow, a despair so great that she became insane.

One day the family of Kapitan Tiago, Ibarra and few friends went on a picnic at the
lake. One of the boatmen was a young man called Elias. An incident at the picnic was Ibarra
saving Elias’ life. Elias being the brave man that he is, bravely grappled a crocodile which
was stuck in the fish corral. The Crocodile struggled furiously that Elias’ life was placed in
grave danger, to save him Ibarra jumped in the water and killed the creature.

After the meal was over, Ibarra and Capitan Basilioplayed chess, while Maria Clara
and her friends payed the the “wheel of chance” a game based on a fortune telling book, as
the girls were having fun with their little games, Padre Salvi came and tore the pages of the
book saying that it was a sin to play such game. Shortly after a sergeant and four guardia
civils arrived, and were looking for Elias, for he was being wanted for assaulting Padre
Damaso and throwing Alferez into a mudhole. But before the authorities caught Elias he
already escaped. It was also during the picnic where Ibarra received a letter from the Spanish
authorities that his request to donate for the schoolhouse of San Diego was approved.

The next day Ibarra visited “Pilosopo Tasio” to consult him about his project on the
schoolhouse. He also saw the writings of the old man in hieroglyphics. Tasio explained that
he wrote in hieroglyphics for the future generation who would understand them and say that
not all of their ancestors were asleep during the night.

Meanwhile in San Diego was merrily preparing for its annual fiesta, in honor of its
patron saint San Diego de Alcala, whose feast day in the 11th of November. On the eve of the
fiesta, hundreds of visitors came from nearby towns , and there were laughter, music,
exploding bombs, feasting and moro-moro. The music was furnished be brass bands
(including the famous Pagsanjan Band owned by the escribano Miguel Guevarra) and three
other orchestras.

In the morning of the feast there was a high Mass in the church, officiated by Padre
Salvi. Padre Damaso spoke and gave a long tedious sermon. After the speech of Padre
Damaso Elias moved to warn Ibarra of a plot to kill him. Elias was suspecting the yellowish
man who built the derrick as conspirator of plot to kill him. True to his suspicions the derrick
collapsed nearly killing Ibarra if Elias had not pushed him out of harm’s way. The yellowish
man in turn was caught in his own trap.

At a sumptuous dinner that night an incident occurred. The arrogant Padre Damaso,
speaking in the presence of many guests, insulted the memory of Ibarra’s father. Ibarra then
jumped from his seat, and knocked the friar down and he almost killed him with a knife if
not for Maria Clara’s intervention.

The attack of Ibarra against Friar Damaso, resulted into his engagement to Maria
Clara being called off and him being excommunicated. Thankfully the Governor general
visited the town and befriended Ibarra. He told the young man that he should not worry. He
persuaded Kapitan Tiago to accept Ibarra as his son-in-law and promised to talk to the
archbishop of Manila to lift Ibarra’s excommunication.

With the festival being over, Mari Clara became ill. She was treated by the quack
Spanish Physician Tiburcio de Espadana, whose wife was the Spanish wannabe Donya
Victorino, whom alongside Padre Damaso encouraged and introduce the wooing of a penniless
spaniad Don Alfonso Linares de Espadana who was the cousin of Don Tiburcio, but Maria
Clara staying faithful to her heart’s desire did not entertain her suitor for she truly loves
Crisostomo.
The Story of Elias was much like the tragedy of Sisa, a tale of injustice and tragedy. He
narrated his story to Ibarra. 60 years ago, his grandfather who was then a bookkeeper in a
Spanish commercial firm in Manila, was wrongly accused of burnig down the firm’s
warehouse . he was condemned in public and was left in the streets crippled and his wife who
was pregnant begged alms and became a prostitute in order to support their son and her sick
husband. After giving birth to her second child and the death of her husband she fled to the
mountains.

Years after, the older of the two children became a tulisan named Balat. He terrorized
theprovinces. One day he was caught and turned in to authorities in which he received a
punishment of being hung on a tree and having his head cut off. Upon seeing the gory state
her son was in the poor mother died.

The younger brother, who was kind natured fled and became a laborer in the house of
a rich man. In which he fell in love with the master’s daughter.the girl’s father angered by
their romance, the father dug deep with the past of Elias’ grandfather and he found out about
his dark past and in turn he sent him to jail. While the daughter was impregnated by twins
which was Elias and his sister their rich Grandfather raised the keeping secrets about their
origins. Until a day came where a distant relative exposed their shameful birth where an old
servant testified and admitted that he was their father.

Elias and his sister left Tayabas to escape the shme brought upon them by their birth.
But a day came when the sister of Elias disappeared. And he just heard that a girl that
resembled his sister’s description was found dead on the beach. Since then Elias lived a life
of a lonely vagabond transferring from one place to another, till he met Crisotomo Ibarra.

Ibarra’s enemies engineered an attack against the barracks of the Guardia Civil at
the same time warning the alferez’s men. They deceived the attackers by telling them that
the mastermind of the attack was Ibarra. Therefore when the attack failed Ibarra was
blamed.

Elias upon learning about Ibarra’s arrest, he burned all the papers that might
incriminate his dear friend and he set Ibarra’s house on fire. Then he went to prison and
helped Ibarra escape. He and Ibarra rodea banca filled woth sacate. Ibarra stopped at the
house of Kapitan Tiago to bid his love farewell. IN the last scene of the two lovers Ibarra
forgave Maria for giving up his letters to her to the Spanish authorities in which they used
it against him. Maria Clara later revealed that she exchanged those letters from the letters
of her late mother, Pia Alba, in which she learned that her real father was Padre Damaso.

After bidding Maria Clara farewell Ibarra and Elias rode the Banca again and
continued their pursuit of escape. He and Elias paddled up the Pasig River towards Laguna
De Bay. A police saw the boat and pursued them. To let Ibarra escape Elias dove in the River
in which the Guardia Civil shot the water and the water turned red when Elias was hit.
Thinking that they have successfully killed the fleeing Ibarra, they went back to Manila.

Elias being seriously wounded, reached the shore and came to the forrest where he et
Basilio weeping over his mother’s demise. He told basilio to make a pyre on which their bodies
were to be burned in ashes.

As life slowly escaped through, and as his breath became fleeting, elias looked toward
the east and murmured in his last ounce of strength, “I die without seeing the dawn brighten
over my native land! You who have to see it to see, welcome it- and forget not those who have
fallen during the night.

The epilogue of the novel consist of the following events. Which recounts what
happened to the other characters. Maria Clara, out of her loyalty to Ibarra entered the
nunnery. Padre Salvi left to become the chaplain of the nunnery. Padre Damaso was sent to
remote province but was found dead next morning in his bedroom. Kapitan Tiago the former
generous host became an opium addict. Dona Victorina who was still henpecking her husband
the quack Dr. Tiburcio is already wearing glasses due to her weakening eye sight.

The alferez, who successfully repulsed the abortive attack on the barracks, was
promoted to major. He returned to Spain and left his mistress, Donya Consolacion. The novel
ends with Maria Clara being an unhappy nun at Santa Clara nunnery.

Just one look at the cover, it already tells us every bit of what's in the novel. Rizal also
purposely designed the title to be placed diagonally so that it can divide an upper and lower
triangle that will be discussed further through this page. With the Upper Triangle
as a representation of Rizal's past life. Lower Triangle as a representation of Rizal's current
situations.

According to Ramos (1998) the Silhouette of a Filipina is believed to be Maria Clara

or as the "motherland" to whom Rizal dedicates the novel. The Cross or the Crucifix
represents the Catholic faith that rises above his motherland, and the crucifix also symbolize
the sufferings and death of the Filipinos, it was Rizal’s way of giving respect to those who
have fallen under the hands of the colonizers.

It was also according to Ramos(1998) that the Pomelo Blossoms and Laurel Leaves
were also placed in the original cover for they represent faith, honor and loyalty, which are
the values Rizal aspires to be embodied by Filipinos. For pomelos are used to scent their air
commonly during prayers and cleansing rituals and laurel leaves are used as crowns during
the Greek Olympics to award to the best participants of the completion the laurel represent
excellence that Rizal wanted to portray.

According to Ramos (1998) the Burning Torch refers to the Olympic Torch, it
symbolizes the rising of the Filipino Consciousness. And Rizal also asks for guidance with
him publishing the manuscript. In this sense he placed the torch as a guiding light for the
manuscript so that his path may never lead astray. The sunflower symbolizes a new
beginning; it can be compared to the happiness of the flower in which it appears to be bowing.
The symbol of the feet symbolizes the power of the friars. In which Rizal placed it on the base
of the triangle for the idea that without the friars, Filipinos won’t be able to stand on their
own.

According to Canlas (2014) The shoes represent wealth and it also represents the
footprints of Catholicism left by the friars. Hairy legs represent the legend of the wolf and
just like how friars hide their true nature and their character. Just like the tale of the wolf
in a sheep’s clothing this was the role of the friar. That was why Rizal placed the Hairy legs
as their true, and ballistic form.

According to Cruz (2003) The Helmet represents the arrogance of those in authority.
This represents the egoistic attitude of those who hold positions in the government. Those
officials who use their powers to serve their own selfish interest. He condemns these kinds of
officials who do not hear the opinions of those under them thinking that they know everything
so therefore they think that they are superior and those who they rule are inferior to Spanish
the0 whip represents the abuses and the cruelties of the Spaniards. As we know that during
the Spanish Era abuses were rampant and cruelties were done to the natives. This can be
Characterized by Crispin and Basilio young boys who were victims of these cruel deeds done
by the Spaniards.

Also according to Cruz (2003) The chain represents the Slavery and imprisonment
that the native Filipinos were experiencing during the time of Spanish colonization. The
chain represents the oppression of the Filipinos as long as they are within the grasp and the
chains of the colonizers hold them back. Slave which the Indios are nothing but properties.
Unjust imprisonment of those who did not do anything wrong. The freedom from abuses was
non existent for these people
 According to Lalu (2007) Rizal signature was placed in the front page of the Novel
because he wanted his signature to signify that he was a witness and his novels are his
testimony and his way of spilling out his testimony to open the eyes of those who have the
power to influence change upon these abuses.

And lastly the bamboo according to Anicas (2009) is a symbol of Filipino Resiliency
where in despite all the odds, the abuses the tragedies that occur to the Filipinos during the
time of Spanish Colonization, the Filipinos can adapt and bend like the bamboo in the wind.
They can survive despite the odds and com out victorious. This symbolizes the Filipino
humility and their ability to adapt and survive even in the strongest winds and typhoons for
they know how to bend and change what they are going to do for the sake of surving and
making their lives better for them.

I can compare a friend of mine to Crisostomo Ibarra, he is a young and intelligent man
that strives to do good in all that he does. He may not be as rich as Ibarra in the novel, but
he is full of compassion and care for those he holds dear. this guy is actually my best friend
since I was in my senior high school. He always thinks what is the best for other and what
can he do to help in his own ways. He is ambitious and wants to achieve something in life. In
a way he is searching for the truth behind the death of his father, for his father was shot to
death and until now the injustice was still not resolved.

I can also relate Pilosopo Tasio to my teacher in Disciplines in Social Science teacher.
I see her as the best teacher I ever had for I first took interest in reading history book special
Philippine history books because of the way she presented the lessons. She gave me my
inspiration in delving deeper in the life of our national hero Rizal. She debunked the things
that I thought to be the truth about Philippine history. I hope that everyone meets a teacher
like her because I think that she is one of those who shed a light to guide me through the
right decisions and these decisions backed by logic and rationality.

The other character is Sisa, whom I can compare a person in real life is my late Tita
Sandra who just recently died because of a parasitic pregnancy. What made me compare her
to Sisa is her love for her children and her husband. The thing is even though she is hungry
she will still come back to her children and feed them. Back then I remember my dad inviting
her over to the house to eat and rest and get away from the fiasco of her husband’s family,
just to give her a break for she was a bit of an odd woman. Some even characterized her as a
lunatic, but the thing is she would always find a way to go back back to her life of hunger as
long as she is with her sons. I really admire my tita Sandra for this.

I can also see my father as Elias, for my father defends and protects those who he
holds dear he is loyal and willing to sacrifice everything for those he hold dear. I remember
when I was a child he always showered me with love and was ready to sacrifice everything
in order to protect us. Another instance was when my father was home he always had his
friends come over and visit us he was always their confidant listening to things they say.
Whenever they are in need my father comes to their aid.

Another character in which I can relate a real life person I know is Padre Damaso, yes
he is one of the worst characters in the novel. I have seen such character in my life those who
pretend to be kind and religious but the truth is that they are selfish, egoistic and arrogant
they do not listen to those who surround them and are pretending to be kindhearted but the
true color of their soul is hidden inside. I remember an instance with a teacher of mine that
I compare Padre Damaso to. That teacher does not hear the opinions of others, when she has
a criticism she just shakes it of for as she said “she is too perfect for mistakes” this teacher
whenever she was Alone with us, her students she calls us names and makes fun of us in a
condescending way. Since I was brought up in Christian school each teacher was required to
teach us the Christian way of life. This teacher envelopes her self and her lessons with
flowery words such us “love”, “patience”, “understanding”. But she does not practice what she
preach for as soon as the lesson was over she would call students nasty and vulgar names
that sometimes have an impact on the child’s wellbeing and his or he holistic development
given that her students were mostly in elementary school. Whenever someone looks she
treats us kindly but as soon as all the witnesses are gone and the high officials of the school
were gone she goes ahead goes ballistic on us nick picking every bad behaviour that she said
is unacceptable. Well there goes my Padre Damaso.

Truth is I was never able to properly appreciate Noli when I was in High school, there
were three main reasons why I thought of Noli as just another Ibong Adarna or Florante at
Laura. The first reason was my teacher that resembled Padre Damaso in her demeanor as I
have mentioned before. The second reason was I never really had an interest in Rizal and I
take the current state of freedom of our state and its citizens for granted after all I have never
been in the state of desperate oppression because of those who colonized us so I thought what
was the relevance of this to me, a free citizen who can do what I wanted for I have my own
will backed the idea of freedom brought by democracy.

The question of the Novel’s relevance to my life came to realization when I began
studying Rizal. I Realized that although I cannot fathom what our forefathers went through
during the colonization Era, I realized that everyday we meet our own persecutors, our fair
share of Padre Damaso. Like the characters in Noli we have our share of love, sacrifice and
people for whom we are fighting for.

Like Crisostomo Ibarra we have our fair share of searching for what is true and just. In
a way although Noli has been written a long time ago we can still observe the truths that
were embedded in the novel and can still relate them to what we observe today.

All of us in one way or another are representing characters that Rizal portrayed in his
novels. Thinking of Noli this way and humanizing the characters of the books as not just
mere fictional characters allows us to appreciate the novel more.

One of the realizations that I had when I read the novel is how lucky we are that our fore
fathers fought for our liberty because it was thanks to them that we can stand on our own
soil without being oppressed nor abused. We have a sense of appreciation of what those before
us did in order to obtain the liberty that we all enjoy today as citizens of our beloved country.

One scene that stuck with me is the scene of Elias’ death where in he hoped that in the
future those who will see the liberation of his motherland will remember those who have
fallen for the country’s freedom. For this alone I realized that we owe our fore fathers a great
deed for them sacrificing their lives to obtain what we have now. These men fought not only
for themselves but also for the future generations which is us.

Another scene that stuck with me is the injustice that was done to Elias’ Grandfather
where he was wrongly condemned of a sin he did not make. It was tragic on how we can still
see similar things happening despite the law there are still people who are undeserving
convicted of crimes they have nothing to do with.

The worst case scenario is that scene of Sisa where she already suffered an impoverished
life to top it all of she lost those she holds dear the most, just because of the cruelty of the bad
Church officials. This scene angered me the most for I imagine my family being ruined just
because of the selfish and unjust ways of these selfish men.

All in all we’ve come a long way from the scene of San Diego. We obtained our liberty, we
now experience our rights and most importantly many are now awakened, for what I think
this is what Rizal envisions. Yes, we’ve come a long way but one question is still stuck in my
mind.

This question is if Rizal was alive today would he be proud of the nation that he fought
hard for? Would he be disappointed of what his fellow men became of? I think that he would
be proud at the same time disappointed, because sure we truly came a long way form the
time of Spanish colonization but the abuses that he fought for, some are still there, there is
still bloodshed there is an occurrence of warrantless arrest. If we think about it we really
have been set free from the grasps of the colonizers but are we any different if we persecute
our own brothers? Are we any better than those unjust Spanish officials Rizal fought for our
liberty?

I think reading Noli Me Tangere made me realize that I am not isolated from the novel
of Rizal because, yes, the book was the catalyst of change that helped pave the way for the
liberty we have today. But I think who can be a catalyst? As Rizal said it is the youth, for the
youth can see the happenings today and fight for what is right and improve the society in
their time of reign. Fighting for what is right struggling yet succeeding in everyday battles.
Loving and caring for those you hold dear and specially embracing the Filipino in each and
everyone of us
References:

Zaide, G. F., & Zaide, S. M. (2014). Jose Rizal Life, Works, And Writings Of A Genius, Writer,
Scientist And National Hero. Mandaluyong: Anvil.
Ramos, G. A. (n.d.). Mystery of the Cover. Retrieved from https://unveilingrizal.weebly.com/mystery-of-
the-cover.html.

Canlas, F. L. (2014, March). Symbolisms and Meanings in Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere - Symbolisms and
Meanings in Jose Rizals Noli Me Tangere Noli Me Tangere Introduction o. Retrieved October 2019, from
https://www.coursehero.com/file/18210095/Symbolisms-and-Meanings-in-Jose-Rizals-Noli-Me-
Tangere/.

Cruz, S. (2003, April). Cover Page of Noli Me Tangere Book Symbolism and Meaning. Retrieved October
2019, from http://araling-bahay.blogspot.com/2010/08/cover-page-of-noli-me-tangere-book.html?m=1.

Anicas, H. (2009, April). Noli me Tangere Book of change. Recto: Lampara