Module 4 Nationalism in the Novels PDF

Module 4 Nationalism in the Novels The Noli Me Tangere was Rizal’s first novel The second novel, El which tackled the Filibustirismo, was full society and of revenge and anger. government in the This novel encourage Philippines during people who the Spanish ex...

Module 4 Nationalism in the Novels The Noli Me Tangere was Rizal’s first novel The second novel, El which tackled the Filibustirismo, was full society and of revenge and anger. government in the This novel encourage Philippines during people who the Spanish experienced abuse to colonization. He revenge and seek used cancer as the justice using violent metaphor of the means. Philippine society since like cancer, the sickness of our society was  By comparison … The Noli is a romantic novel. It has freshness, color, humor, lightness, and wit. The Fili is a political novel. It contains bitterness, hatred, pain, violence, and sorrow. Noli is the “book Fili is the of the heart” “book of the head”  By comparison … Noli was Fili was dedicated dedicated to to GOMBURZA his country El Fili was saved by Noli was Valentin Ventura saved by Maximo Viola Rizal used San Diego in Noli as the epitome of the Philippines In El Fili, the order of the people on board steamer Tabo represented the social stratification in the society where the native Filipinos were in the lowest part of the ship and the peninsulares, government officials and the friars were on top.  Characters in Noli Me Tangere Juan Crisostomo Ibarra was an idealist; a dreamer; a liber thinker. He wanted to effect changes in society Don Rafael Ibarra was a dignified person; had a heart for the poor Elias was an alter ego of Ibarra. He was a rebel but a genuine friend; represent the ordinary Filipinos  Characters in Noli Me Tangere Maria Clara was a simple, naïve, religious Filipino woman; an obedient daughter and a faithful sweetheart. Padre Damaso represents a greedy, envious, and abusive leader of the Church and society Doňa Victorina was a social climber; willing to give up her principles and identities as a Filipino just to be a part of the higher society.  Characters in Noli Me Tangere Pilosopo Tasio was considered insane in the novel because of his intelligence and his assertiveness in speaking his mind; speaking for the truth and for his principles Sisa represents the Philippines and a doting mother; she would do everything for the sake of her children; a victim of domestic violence Don Tiburcio de Espadaňa makes a living as a quack doctor; represents a foolish and ignorant Spaniards.  Characters in Noli Me Tangere Pia Alba represents the women who had been abused by the clergy and had been silenced by their shame. Basilio and Crispin were victims of injustice; child abuse; they have to work in order to support the family needs; wrongly accused of crimes they did not commit.  Characters in Noli Me Tangere Doña Consolación An older Filipina woman who is ashamed of her heritage and pretends to be unable to speak Tagalog, her own native language. Domineering and nagger; very ugly, yet proud and demands respect from others. Padre Sibyla Padre Salvi Symbolizes the liberal friar but Manipulates would rather stay in the people to background rather than incur get what he the wrath of other priests in wants  Characters in El Filibustirismo Simoun is a friend in disguise; secretly planning a revolution against the authorities Basilio as a medical student; he represents the young educated Filipinos who are apathetic to the needs of the society. Isagani is a person full of hope and aspirations for his country but he was disheartened and let go of his ideals in favor of personal gains. He symbolizes the youth who, despite their being very  Characters in El Filibustirismo Señor Pasta is an old Filipino lawyer who refuses to help the Filipino students in their clamor for educational reforms. He represents the part of the society that is only generous and sympathetic to the rich and powerful. His self-centeredness overshadows his patriotism.  Characters in El Filibustirismo Father Florentino is a retired scholarly and patriotic Filipino priest. He believes that the Philippines will have its freedom. Kabesang Tales was a victim of land- grabbing. He symbolizes the natives and farmers whose lands were seized by the authorities.  Characters in El Filibustirismo Juli chose death over the loss of honor and dignity. She represents the Philippines which would rather suffer with pride and honor. Paulita Gomez represents the women who have no sense of nationalism and sympathy towards others. Ben-Zayb was a journalist who believes he is the “only” one thinking in the Philippines. Expressions of Nationalism Ibarra explained to a young Spaniard at the bienvenida party Before visiting any of those countries I would try to study its history, its Exodus, so to speak, and after that I found everything understandable. I saw that in all cases the prosperity or unhappiness of nations is in direct proportion to their liberties and their problems, and by that token, to the sacrifices or selfishness of their ancestors." ( Noli, pp 18-19)  Ibarra laments the presence of bad officials, abetted by inert people “There are officials who are useless, even bad, if you will, but there are also good ones, and, if the latter can do nothing, it is because they are faced with an inert mass, the people, who take scant interest in the matters which concern them. However, I did not come here to argue with you on this point; I came to ask your advice. You say I should bow my head before grotesque idols.” (Noli, page 159)  Simoun “The trouble is not that there are bandits in the mountains and in uninhabited places,” (Fili, p 76)… “The trouble lies with bandits in the towns and cities.”  Father Damaso regarded the indios with He orders the contempt. schoolmaster of San Diego to “You know what the stop teaching to native’s like. Let him his pupils “Don’t learn a few letter and he go around in passes himself off as a borrowed doctor. All these chaps clothes. Use go off to Europe without your own native having learned to wipe tongue. Don’t their noses.” (Noli, page go spoiling 220) Spanish; it’s not for you.” (Noli,  As Tasio succinctly points out “The Government itself sees nothing, and decides nothing EXCEPT what the parish priest or the head of the religious Order makes it see, hear, and decide. It is convinced that it rests on them alone; that it stands because they support it; that it lives because they allow it to live; and that the day they are gone, it will fall like discarded puppet. It is only an arm, the convent is the head. (Noli, p 157) Isagani lament this situation to Senor Pasta “Governments have been made for the good of peoples, and to fulfill their purposes properly, they must follow the wishes of the citizens who best know what they need.” (Fili, p 117) As Simoun, he is irked by the absence of initiative. To Basilio, he remonstrates: “Resignation is not always a virtue; it is a crime when it encourages oppression. There are no tyrants where there are no slaves. Man is by nature so evil that he always abuses his powers when he is not resisted.” (Fili, page 54) Exasperated by Basilio’s non- involvement, Simoun chides “Don’t you realize that a life which is not dedicated to a great idea is useless? It is a pebble lost in the field, when it should form part of some building.” (Fili, page 52) Elias observes "Ask any honest citizen that the guardia if he looks upon the civil lorded over constabulary (guardia the towns for civil) as a good thing, as fifteen years, yet a means of protection outlaws furnished by the abounded, Government and not as robberies an imposition, a continued and the despotism whose perpetuators were excesses are more never caught. harmful than the Crime existed and depredations of the real culprits went outlaws... One cannot about freely, while even protest against the the peaceful imposition of the forces inhabitants of laws and order." (Noli,  Ibarra "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 without the light of knowledge." (Noli, p 320)  Teachers had no prestige "The children lose their respect for their teacher when they see him badly used, and unable to assert his rights. If the teacher is to be listened to, if his authority is to be beyond question, he needs prestige, a good name, moral authority, a certain freedom." (Noli, p 96) One went to school, they argued not to study or learn but to complete the prescribed course, and, if they could memorize the textbook, nothing more could be asked of them and they would be sure to pass on to the next grade. (Fili, p 42)  The college teachers were very often insulting; they even stooped to make fun of the students’ names. And all the students felt at the end of the session that each one of them had lost one more hour of his life and with it a measure of his dignity and self-respect, an hour which... had added to the discouragement, resentment, and aversion to study in his The burning need to unite and clamor for emancipation from the malaise of the country was unheeded by the people. Many had grown callous through suffering and had learned by experience that it was dangerous to go against the establishment. Tasio advised Ibarra, “To fight alone against the world is not courage but foolhardiness.” (Noli, p 161). Taking “prudence” as synonymous to “fear,” they chose to be silent and left things as they were.  Tasio had earlier dampened Ibarra’s idealism with brutal frankness. “The reforms which come from above are annulled below by the vices of all, by, for example, the get-rich-quick madness, and the ignorance of the people who let everything pass. Abuses cannot be corrected by royal decree if zealous authorities do not watch over its execution, and while freedom of speech against the excesses of petty tyrants is not granted.” (Noli, p 158)  Tasio to Ibarra “The people do not complain because they have no voice; they do not move because they are in stupor; and you say that they do not suffer because you have not seen how their hearts bleed. But some day you will see and hear! Then woe unto those who draw their strength from ignorance and fanaticism, who take their pleasure in fraud, and who work under cover of night, confident that all are asleep! When the light of day reveals the monstrous creatures of the night, the reaction will be terrifying. All the forces stifled for centuries, the poison distilled drop by drop, all  The old Dominican superior concurred, admitting urgency for change: “Attacks wake us ups; we discover our weaknesses, and we can improve ourselves. Exaggerated praises only fool us, lull us to sleep, while making us ridiculous, then we shall fall as we fell in Europe.” (Noli, p 50) There was need for qualified teachers, effective methods of instruction, an enriched curriculum, adequate educational facilities, and encouragement of students. As Isagani pointed out to Father Fernandez, “When we have real professors, you shall have real student.” (Fili,  Father Florentino “Where are the youth who will dedicate their innocence, their idealism, their enthusiasm, to the good of the country? Where are they who will give generously of their blood to wash away so much shame, crime and abomination? Pure and immaculate must the victim before the sacrifice to be acceptable. Where are you, young men and women, who are to embody in yourselves the life-force that has been drained from our veins, the pure ideals that have grown stained in our minds, the fiery enthusiasm that has been Thank You!