CHAPTER 16:

“SISA”

A REFLECTION PAPER

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

In the Subject GE1804

Rizal’s Life and Works

To be Submitted to:

DENNIS ABLITER

Submitted by:

HERNANDEZ, Kim Abjel Adia

4 NOVEMBER 2020
 ABSTRACT

Sisa is a loving mother to her two sons. She loves them with all her heart that she can

do everything just for them. Sisa’s husband always hurts them physically. It seems that her

husband didn’t care for them. One night she waits for her two sons, Crispin and Basilio.

Crispin the eldest and Basilio as the youngest. Crispin and Basilio are always in church to

help the Priars in doing chores. Knowing that they are very hungry, she prepares a delicious

meal for them consisting of duck leg, wild boar’s meat, tomatoes and five pieces of fish that

was given by Old Tasio. Her drunk husband arrives, and eats all the food that should be

reserved for her two sons, leaving only three pieces of fish. She patiently waits for Crispin

and Basilio in the middle of the night and was surprised when only Basilio arrives at home.

She was horribly worried and stressed that is why she went to the city and start searching for

Crispin.

“SISA” to locate his younger brother the day after,

but his search efforts are fruitless.

Crispin is a young boy studying to
Sisa is a long-suffering mother of
be a church caretaker, he and his brother
sextons-in-training Crispin and Basilio, she
Basilio work ceaselessly to send support
goes mad upon the loss of her sons.
money to their beleaguered mother,
Impoverished and married to a violent
Sisa. He is blamed for stealing money
drunkard, she is allied only with her sons.
from the church coffers by the head
She wanders the town, clothes tattered and
sexton and is kept a virtual prisoner until
hair disheveled, calling out for her sons.
the debt is paid. On the night that he and
When she actually does meet Basilio, she
his brother were to visit their mother, the
cannot recognize him.
head sexton keeps them until the curfew,
Old Tasio (Don Anastasio) is an old
effectively barring the brothers from
man who previously studied philosophy and
travelling. The head sexton beats him
is believed to be crazy by most of the
and he is never seen again afterward,
community. He respects Ibarra and gives
presumably dying at the hands of the
him valuable advice, and also helped Ibarra's
cruel head sexton, though another
father before him. (gradesaver, 2016)
church official claims he escaped.

Basilio is Crispín's older brother. Like

his younger brother, he works as a sexton.

He makes a desperate run for their home the

night Crispin is dragged away and attempts

SUMMARY The country will give everything to us,

As poor people in the outskirts of the everything was given. In order for us to have

village sleep or think of their loved ones for a good relationship with our country, we

whom they must sacrifice their money to should do what is right. But there are some

save from purgatory, since “heaven is people who are trying to rebel and make

expensive” and the church won’t “save things complicated. They are the one who

beloved souls for free’. Crispin and Basilio’s has the power. They are controlling other

mother, Sisa, waits in the darkness for her people to lost good relationship with the

boys. She is an impoverished and luckless country. Full of greediness and full of

woman married to a gambling addict who corruptivity. This is what is happening in our

abuses her. nation right now.

Her drunk husband arrives, and But if I reflect on what is the idea on

eats all the food that should be reserved the novel chapter 16 entitled Sisa the story of

for her two sons, leaving only three a mother, it is really obvious that it shows the

pieces of fish. She patiently waits for unconditional loved of a mother to her child.

Crispin and Basilio in the middle of the She will do everything just to make sure that

night and was surprised when only her children are in good hands. Sisa lost her

Basilio arrives at home. She was horribly mind as she lost her son.

worried and stressed that is why she Noli Me Tangere has a greater

went to the city and start searching for impact to our society not just because it was

Crispin. written and published by our National Hero

Dr. Jose P. Rizal but also because it was

REFLECTIONS OF THE ISSUE TO
written with dignity and pride. Every chapters
MODERN SOCIETY
have its own message and lessons in life. It
In the modern society, the literary
is realistic and true to life story. This is what
dilemma that is existing is the same as in the
happening in real life. Its impact is not just
past. Dr. Jose P. Rizal wrote the novel in
only for the students like us but also to every
order to awaken us in the wrong doings of the
person living in the Philippines. It was a
people who has the power in the society. Just
historic writing that beholds of being a
like what is the content of the chapter 16
Filipino. It awakens us in order to reach the
entitled Sisa. It is the story of a mother who
freedom. Problems presented in the novel
lost her mind because of her love for her
also is happening in the society right now, we
sons. For a wider imagination and indirect
can say that the history repeats itself and it is
comparison, our country serves as our
true. Filipino people are also struggling with
mother, and we the people serves as its son.
our countrymen who has the power in the REFERENCES

society. They are abusing the small people

(Lannamann, 2017) "Noli Me Tangere
just to maintain their wealth and positions.
Chapter 16: Sisa." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC.
They don’t have any patriotism and

nationalism with their blood.

Development of a Nation depends to

the people within the nation. The people are

the reflection of each nation. If the people do

well, the nation will also do well. But if the

people in a nation don’t participate for every

mission and vision of a nation then the

country will remain on the bottom.