CHAPTER I

“ON THE DECK”

A REFLECTION PAPER

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements In the Subject
Rizal's Life and Works

To be Submitted to:

Tucson, Catherine

Submitted by:

Hallig, Erwin Francis C.

Ibarra, Gene Charles

Date of Submission: 09 December 2020

 ABSTRACT

This chapter entitled On the Deck, begins with the steamship Tabo sailing on the Pasig River on

its way to Laguna. While the passengers on the upper deck discuss subjects regarding the lake and the

slow pace of ship travel, readers are gradually introduced to some characters of the novel such as the

jeweler Simoun, Doña Victorina, Ben Zayb, Don Custodio, Padre Irene, Sibyla, Camorra, and Salvi. While

sailing, steamship Tabo gets stuck in mud. The skipper tries to steer it out of the mud. Dona Victorina

rants and blames the Indios (even though she is Indio) and the group ignores her. Ben Zayb argues with

Padre Camorra and Padre Salvi joins the argument. They suggest different ways about how to straighten

out the river and develop ports. Simoun says to dig a canal from the entrance of the river (to make a

new channel), and close up old Pasig. Everyone agrees except Don Custodio, who says that it would be

expensive and require tearing down villages. Simoun says they should go ahead and do that. Don

Custodio says there is no money to pay laborers, and Simoun says the villagers can work for 3-5 months

and bring their own food and tools. Simoun argues that even the Pyramids and Coliseum were built by

workers in the same way. Don Custodio says the people would rebel. Simoun says that back then, the

Egyptians and Jewish people did not rebel. But Don Custodio says Indios are different and have rebelled

before. Simoun says they won’t rebel again, since Indios who built the house and hospital of Los Banos

did so without rebelling. Simoun leaves to go below deck. The rest wonder what Simoun’s background

and race are. Don Custodio complains to Ben Zayb that Simoun suggested an expedition to the Caroline

Islands, which means they would have to build a ship (cruiser). Don Custodio suggests his project to

clear the sandbars of Laguna: inhabitants of towns near sandbars should breed ducks to eat snails, so

the gathering of snails will deepen the river. Ben Zayb agrees but Dona Victorina gets angry because

more ducks would mean there would be too many balut eggs.

ON THE DECK

One morning on December a steamboat called Tabo was sailing across the difficult way of the Pasig

River. It delivers many travelers to the province of Laguna. The steamboat was undoubtedly native of

the Fillipino people it can be called the “Daong ng Pamahalaan” because it was made under the control

of Reverendos and Ilustrisimos. The people who stay below the deck was the Indios, Chinese, and Half-

breeds while the people who stay up on the deck is Europeans, Friars, and office wirkers.

Dona Victorina was the only lady in the European group on the upper deck. She is depicted as a

foul-mouthed, extravagant, heavily made-up, disdainful, and insufferable Indio who tries to pass herself
off as a European through her wigs and clothes. She is accompanied by her niece, the beautiful and rich

Paulita Gomez. Dona Victorina is the wife of Don Tiburcio de Espadana who left her many years.

Among the other characters introduced are Don Custodio, an official coounsellor; Ben Zayb an

exceedingly intelligent writer whose pseudonym is an anagram of the surname Ybanez; Father Irene, the

canon; and the jeweler Simoun who sports long, white hair and spares black beard and who wears a pair

of huge blue-tinted sunglasses.

INTERPRETATION DURING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL When we were in high school our teacher introduce

what the Bapor Tabo is and what it looks like in the story we also know the different legend that novel

tells. We also compare the life of student from the novel and the life of students now and what kind of

life they have been through to the friars.

I learn in my high school year that Simoun was Crisostomo Ibarra in disguise who presumed

dead in Noli Me Tangere. Ibarra return as a wealthy jeweller Simoun. In the story of El Filibusterismo he

planned to avenge to the Spanish Officials who have been abuses the Filipino people during that time.

In Noli Me Tangere is not merely an attack on the Spanish colonial regime. It is charter

nationalism. It calls in the Filipino to recover his self-confidence, to appreciate his own worth, to return

heritage of hid ancestors, to assert himself as the equal of the Spaniard. It is also a romantic novel.

While the El Filibusterismo is a political novel, book of thought, hatred, sorrow and violence. El Fili aims

to enlightening the society, and bringing the Filipinos closer to the truth. In this novel, the society is

urged to open its eyes to reality and rebel against the Spanish government for its oppression and abuse.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

How does El Filibusterismo impact our current society?

-The El Filibsterismo impact our current society by defend the Filipino people from foreign

accusation of foolishness and lack of knowledge, to show how the people in this current society

living a peaceful and the cries and woes of our countrymen against abusive officials. So, it may

impact to our society because they learn some of the good things that they have to encounter to
 the whole life in our society and also to have struggled long and hard for their redemption

continue to suffer by the hands of the some abusing people.

Is the novel too radical for the national hero? Why or why not?

-Yes. Because, the national hero cared about basic human rights and freedom for those who

people who are carrying to each other and give such a way of being a good example for the

Filipinos.

Do you believe that radicalism can bring change to the country? Why or why not?

-Yes. Because, it may change the whole things that our country may bring change for the whole

time and the beliefs that our society needs to be changed, and that these changes are only

possible through revolutionary means.

Did Jose Rizal really change his thoughts about his purpose for change in the Philippine society? Why or

why not?

-Yes. Because, Jose Rizal did his thoughts about his purpose for change in the Philippine society

by giving the fact that he will give his accuracy for the society and not getting low for his purpose

to make it better and good.

COMPARISON WITH NOLI ME TANGERE

Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are two marked novels of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal which

are similar and different in some ways. The two novels are similar primarily in their author, Rizal.

Another, in a way that they both talk about Spaniards abused the Filipinos, the abuse of the church of

their power and the discrimination on Filipinos. Both Noli and El Fili shows strong and the anti-Clerical

and even anti-Catholic color. They convey one story because the latter is published in sequel or

continuation.

However, they are different in many cases. Firstly Noli Me Tangere, latin title meaning “touch

me not” that means it tried to touch the newly risen Jesus. Meanwhile, El Filibusterismo is Spanish title

which is known in English as “The Reign of Greed”. Noli is a love story or romantic novel, dedicated to

our motherland while the El Fili is a political novel associated with revenge and anger and is dedicated to

GOMBURZA.
REFERENCES

Rizalville (n.d.). El Filibusterismo chapter 1.

http://rizalville.com/el-filibusterismo-chapter-1

Penguin Random House (n.d.). El Filibusterismo Readers Guide.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/302595/el-filibusterismo-by-jose-

rizal/9780143106395/readers-guide/

Gutenberg (n.d.). The Reign of Greed.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/10676/10676-h/10676-h.htm

Mañebog, J. (2013).

The Noli Me Tangere. Retrieve from

https://ourhappyschool.com/literature/noli-me-tangere

Poblete, P. (2006).

Noli Me Tangere. Retrieve from

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20228/20228-h/20228-h.htm#II