NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILI BUSTERISMO CHARACTERS: IDEALISTS AND DREAMERS

1. Chrisostomo Ibarra- very idealistic person, a 1. Isagani, the young poet trained at Ateneo
dreamer - symbol of the liberated Filipino youth whose
2. Simoun unselfish devotion urges him to save the
- the shrewd, sly schemer with revenge as his only faithless Paulita
goal 2. Fr. Florentino
- referred to as the “brown cardinal” or “his black - Rizal’s ultimate spokesman in el fili
eminence” - he is Rizal’s portrait of the ideal shepherd of
3. Elias God’s flock
- Ibarra’s mysterious friend which appers every time - like pope francis aura
Ibarra is in trouble
EXPRESSIONS OF NATIONALISM among chracters
4. Tasio
- concentrated on his books and other intellectual IBARRA
pursuits that he neglected his estates and was - early part of noli, Ibarra elucidates Rizal’s….
completely ruined
5. Fr. Damaso Verdolagas SIMOUN
- The antihero in Noli - disillusioned Ibarra
- was depicted as an uncouth bigoted, power-mad - looks forward to the separation of the Philippines from
ingrate, the personification of depraved evil among Spain and urges Basillio to
the friars ELIAS
6. Maria Clara - symphathetic to the poor and the oppressed
- Ibarra’s fiancée Maria Clara de los Santos - the people’s spokesman as he outlines to Ibarra the
- Everybody darling abuses committed on the but the friars and___
- the “typical” (not the “ideal”) Filipina
- Rizal exposed her weaknesses her lack of courage ISAGANI
and sound judgement - nurses a sentimental desire to die for his country:
- but he also unfolded her in the delicate soft mist “ He too would like to die, to become nothing, to die for
poetic imagination her, defending her
Maria Clara’s Locket
From capitan tiago maria clara gave it to a leper TASIO
 Fili: leper gave it to basilio basilio gave it to Juli - “cynically advises Ibarra to be resigned to things as
 Juli gave it to Matanglawin (cabesang tales) they are: “to fight alone against the world is not
Matanglawin gave it to Simoun courage but foolhardiness” (Noli, p160)

SOCIAL CANCER CHARACTERS: SOCIO-POLITICAL THOUGHT IN RIZAL’S NOVELS

1. Dona Victorina  Decadence in the social order: RICH VS POOR

- a very rich Filipina  Decadence in the social order: INDOLENCE
- Husband: doctor quak-quak/ kuno - a crime that encourages oppression
- Natives who tries to act more Spanish than the - resignation to the fact that this is the society we
Spaniards have (Violent)
- Magnifies the insincerity and absurdity of  The abuses of the religious authorities
Philippine society - depicts the corruption of the clerics and friars
2. Sisa - despite the vow of chastity. They had immoral
- symptoms of social cancer indicated amon the liasons with native women (maria clara, juli)
victims of poverty and ignorance - guilty of bribery and corruption
- symbolizes the Philippines- abused b the - Enriched themselves not only by exhorting
Spaniards excessive fees for church services (P200 for Fr.___)
3. Paulita Gomez  Other socio- pollical:
1. Corruption in the civil government
- majority of peninsular Spaniards sent to the
Philippines resembled Tiburcio de Espandana
who could not even speak Spanish correctly.
- Corrupt governor general in El fili
- ___
2. The civil guard/ Guardia Civil
- particularly stands out in its cruel treatment of
the natives
3. The defective educational system
- emphasized in his novels the por
administration and ineffective supervision of
the educational system
- Ibarra’s speech during the laying of the
cornerstone of his school:
“ I want my country’s good that is why I am
building the schoolhouse, but I seek it through
education, through progress. We cannot find
our way ____
4. The plight of the Filipinos
- Rizal did not wholly blame the religious and
civil authorities for this The people themselves,
by their timidity, fear and cowardice had
shackled their minds and debased their souls
- taking “prudence” as synonymous to “fear”,
the chose the___
- embarrassed for their own ancestry
- Filipino’s gullible obedience
- apathy- tolerance and apathy are the last
virtues of a dying society
 Importance of Education
- Will give enlightenment
- - “a people’s government made for the people,
 Instilling Racial Pride and Dignity
- Svcesos De Las Islas Filipinas
 Promotion of National Consciousness
- Rizal’s goal  restoration of the people’s
sense of pride
- Inculcate on understanding of history
- National Consciousness= better society
- People must reorient their values and
attitudes in order to contribute to the task
of nation-building
- National building  hardships and
sufferings is inevitable
- Rizal Course of Action
- wanted to piece together the history of
the Philippines before the coming of the
Spaniards
- anonated__
- The Indolence of the Filipinos
- not hereditary but was mainly caused by
foreign domination (with this knowledge,
Filipinos would be inspired to work, study,
…)
- having aroused the people into action,
Rizal feared the possibly of their resorting
to arms as a desperate means to fight
- wrote El Filibusterismo
- he is a reformist—
- Why didn’t Rizal support the revolutionary
movement?
1. Not enough dedicate and highly trained
leaders
2. Soldiers were not trained, disciplined,
and well-armed
3. No collective strength (no unity-
Cavitismo, Regionalism)
4. No effective means of communications
- Rizal’s course of action
- a non-violent movement organization
- La Liga Filipina (alternative to the
Katipunan, organize themselves into a
compact homogenous___)
RIZAL COURSE OF ACTIONS
1. Political reforms
- self- reliant, self-respecting government
- Goal of gov.: protection of life, protection of
property, protection of liberty, pursuit of
happiness
the people, and answerable to the people
2. Educational Reforms
- give priority to education QUALITY
- “lighthouse” that guided men to enjoy
freedom and prosperity
- school of arts and crafts
- Filipino teachers are free to teach without the
interference from the friars
- well-balanced curriculum
- education is not just about academic, it must
be well rounded to have a well round people
and society
3. Socio-Economic Reforms
- emphasis on the development of agriculture
 - “Hymn to Labor”- high regard
- Moral Principles and Teachings (advocate a
non-violent revolution)
- Firm believer in God and dedicated…
 Re-orientation of values and attitudes
-
 Willingness to sacrifice for the country
-