Noli Me Tangere

(Chapter 41 and 42)

Larabelle Adrianne M. Luntayao

Chapter 41
Elías’s story about how he disbanded the riot builds upon the previously
mentioned informal chain of command. The fact that two rather insignificant
characters were able to stop the chaos suggests that lowly townspeople actually
have a certain kind of power that higher officials—like Don Filipo or Father Salví—
don’t possess. Lucas’s assertion that Ibarra is the “grandson of the man who put
[his] father under the earth” is very strange—since Lucas is the “yellow” man’s
brother, readers know that his father is the same person as Ibarra’s grandfather.
This seems to be a discrepancy that Rizal fails to address. Nonetheless, if Lucas
and Ibarra descend from the same family, they each represent two different ways
of existing in Filipino society. Ibarra holds the power and influence of an affluent
socialite, whereas Lucas remains disempowered, isolated, and bitter about the
ways his family has been wronged. Of course, this bitterness calls to mind Tasio’s
advice that Ibarra set aside his notions of revenge if he wants to succeed.
 Chapter 42
Once again, social relations come to the forefront of the novel. It seems
that characters like Doña Victorina (and, for that matter, Captain Tiago) are
desperately afraid of isolation, unlike people like Tasio, who embrace
estrangement because of the intellectual freedom it affords them. Indeed,
the de Espadañas are so obsessed with appearances that Don Tiburcio not
only pretends to be a doctor, but pretends to be a doctor in high demand.
As such, the couple cultivates an image of themselves as greatly sought
after, and this image solidifies their sense of belonging in Filipino high
society. The de Espadañas—including Linares—immediately associate
themselves with the church by asking after Father Dámaso. This is because
they recognize that power in San Diego flows through the friars. In this way,
they affiliate themselves with the town’s most influential figures.