GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. What are the literary features found in El Filibusterismo using historical approach?

One literary style found in the novel is the expository or argumentative style which is
prominent in the discussions between Simoun and Basilio at the early stages of the novel, and
Simoun and Padre Florentino in the ending scenes. Both scenes actually depict the mind of Rizal
debating himself whether, in the case of Basilio, to take revenge against those who persecuted
him and his family. In the latter scene, Padre Florentino debates with Simoun on matters of faith
and trust in God. However, the novel also contains elements of the other three literary styles to
a certain degree, namely: descriptive, persuasive and narrative styles.

2. How do audience view the historical events of El Filibusterismo?

2.1 What are the major historical events of the novel and why do you consider it major
event?

The following are considered as major historical events of the novel:

a) Ibarra’s return, after 13 years, seeking revenge to those who wronged him is the driving
force of the story;
b) Simon’s revelation of his identity to Basilio, which gives the latter a choice on whether
to join the revolution or not;
c) The mock celebration in the panciteria, which was used by the enemies of the
progressive students to arrest them arbitrarily, including the innocent Basilio;
d) The death of Maria Clara, as it delays the plans of Simoun to destroy his enemies when
he retreats and mourns for her death;
e) The rape of Juli which totally convinced Basilio to join the conspiracy of Simoun;
f) Father Salvi’s identification of Ibarra’s handwriting as the same person 13 years ago
who have come to take revenge;
g) Basilio’s warning to his friend Isagani that the place of Paulita’s wedding reception is
wired to blow up anytime. If only he did not warn his friend, the novel would surely inspire
revolution for those who would read it since it implies taking vengeance against the Spaniards.
h) Isagani’s regret of throwing the lamp in the river, since it implies also that a part of Rizal
wants to see all the forces of tyranny in the Philippines wiped out in an instant.
i) Simoun’s apparent surrender to the will of God after realizing that his revolution was
not a national revolution, but purely for personal satisfaction.

2.2 How do these major events affect the characters of the novel?

These major events and the decisions made by the involved characters make them more
human, realistic and believable to begin with. In short, it gives life to their characters in the story.
Also, these major events bind the characters into a single thread of history in which all of them
are affected and all of their lives were changed, even their personalities.
 2.3 How does the geographical, historical and social setting of the novel reflect the
situation of Filipinos under Spanish colonization?

The above settings reflect the real-life situations of Filipinos during Spanish colonization.
Rizal himself described his novel as the final ten years of Spanish occupation in the Philippines. It
means that all his description depicts mostly his personal experiences under the Spanish.

2.4 How does the setting during Spanish colonization affect the novel?

The setting gives context on the social issues and problems that the author wanted the
Spanish to resolve immediately, especially on the colonization of the Philippines, and prevent any
and all possibilities of a revolution that would most likely happen if such issues and problems will
not be resolved sooner than later.

2.5 What are the significance of historical events in the novel?

These historical events serve as important plot points in which the characters revolve in
and gives a backdrop on what context are the characters referring to in their dialogues, reactions
and decisions.

2.6 What are the historical factors that lead the writer in the creation of the novel?

The novel was a sequel to the Noli Me Tangere where the character of Ibarra returns as a
vengeful Simoun, bent on destroying the pillars of Spanish colonization in the Philippines. This
second classic was Rizal’s continuation of revealing into the educated world in his time the ills
and errors of Spanish administration in the Philippines. As historical background of his novel, Rizal
identified the Philippines as its setting, Manila and the neighboring provinces as real setup of the
narrative, with the exception of San Diego which is a fictional town somewhere near Manila. Rizal
also used the historical positions of the society in his time like the Office of the Governor-General,
the friars and the Guardia Civil. Due to the abuses and negligence of the above-mentioned
institutions during his lifetime, Rizal aimed at correcting the problems of his native land by
revealing these problems and exposing possible outcomes by writing his novels.

3. What are the revealing messages of the text that shape the historical and social content of
the novel?

3.1 What part of the novel reflects a particular history with which it was written?

The greed of the friars was well described by the author which reflects a very specific
characteristic of Spanish colonization in the country. Basilio’s deprivation of the inheritance left
to him by Kapitan Tiago is an example of how scrupulous the friars were before. Also, the
struggles of Kabesang Tales’ family was a solid example of how the friars acquired large tracts of
land, and unfortunately culminated in the rape of Juli by Padre Camorra.
 3.2 How does the theme of the novel reveal its historical background?

The theme of the novel is primarily driven by revenge and skillful machinations of Simoun,
an anti-hero who emerged due to the persecution that he suffered as Ibarra in the Noli Me
Tangere. Simoun’s revolution is but a continuation of the previous revolts of the Filipinos against
the Spanish colonizers, thus revealing much its historical background of pain and suffering at the
hands of foreign masters.

3.3 What are the traits of the characters that distinguish them as a figure of a particular
social reality in the history?

The social reality being depicted in the novel is the situation of the Philippines during the
final days of Spanish colonization in the islands. Simoun’s craftiness and deadly deceptions is but
an illustration on how a person could climb at the top of the political hierarchy without serving
in the government, only in the shadows, and commit heinous crimes in order to sow anarchy all
for purposes of revenge and plain destruction. There was nothing moral with Simoun’s means in
achieving his plans; only the results matters. The Philippines during that time was rampant of
corruption from all levels of society, even the church. All of the novel’s character traits were
exposed, even their dark sides, only for the author to counterbalance it with the setting which
also allows corruption to thrive in all places.

3.4 How does the conflict of the story contribute to the historical background of the novel?

The main conflict was Simoun’s desire to destroy the pillars of Spanish colonization by
blowing them all up with nitroglycerine, that is, dynamite. Since it did not happen, it can be
interpreted that the author does not wish that these people will die, including the innocent. This
means that Rizal favored more the righteous and moral way of removing the ills of the society,
and that is through peaceful and righteous means.

3.5 How does the setting of the story reflect the time to which the novel was written?

The author created the setting of the story according to the time in which the author
lived. This was to make the story more realistic and emphasized on the urgency of the matter he
brought into the novel.

3.6 What are your realizations after reading the novel?

The author is a brilliant story-teller, a true man of peace, yet a hesitant revolutionary.