Laguna State Polytechnic University

Lopez Satellite Campus

Name: Arven Veran Course/Year/Section: Criminology/1st Year/A

LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

FINAL REQUIREMENT A
BOOK REVIEW
I. TITLE: NOLI ME TANGERE

II. AUTHOR: Jose Rizal translated into English by Leon Ma. Guerrero published under Guerrero Publishing,
Philippines (Tagalog na bersyon mula sa Amos Books, Inc., ISBN: 971-649-232-4 printed by ESP
PRINTERS, INC)

III. CHARACTER ANALYSIS:

A. Juan Crisóstomo Eibarramendia y Magsalin, commonly referred to the novel as Ibarra or Crisóstomo, is the
novel's protagonist. The mestizo (mixed-race) son of Filipino businessman Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in
Europe for seven years.
B. María Clara de los Santos y Alba, commonly referred to as María Clara, is Ibarra's fiancée and the most
beautiful and widely celebrated girl in San Diego.
C. Don Santiago de los Santos, known by his nickname Tiago and political title CapitánTiago is a Filipino
businessman and the cabeza de barangay (barangay head) of the town of San Diego. He is also known as the
father of María Clara.
D. Dámaso Verdolagas, or Padre Dámaso is a Franciscan friar and the former parish curate of San Diego. He is
notorious for speaking with harsh words, highhandedness, and his cruelty during his ministry in the town. An
enemy of Crisóstomo's father, Don Rafael Ibarra, Dámaso is revealed to be María Clara's biological father.
E. Elías is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elías made his first appearance as a pilot during a picnic of Ibarra
and María Clara and her friends. He wants to revolutionize the country and to be freed from Spanish
oppression.
F. Filosofo Tacio, known by his Tagalized name Pilosopo Tasyo, is another major character in the story. Seeking
for reforms from the government, he expresses his ideals in paper written in a cryptographic alphabet similar
from hieroglyphs and Coptic figures hoping "that the future generations may be able to decipher it" and
realized the abuse and oppression done by the conquerors.
G. Doña Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña, commonly known as Doña Victorina, is an ambitious Filipina who
classifies herself as a Spanish and mimics Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up The novel narrates
Doña Victorina's younger days: she had lots of admirers, but she spurned them all because none of them
were Spaniards. Later on, she met and married Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, an official of the customs bureau
ten years her junior.
H. Narcisa or Sisa is the deranged mother of Basilio and Crispín. Described as beautiful and young, although she
loves her children very much, she can not protect them from the beatings of her husband, Pedro.
I. Crispín is Sisa's 7-year-old son. An altar boy, he was unjustly accused of stealing money from the church.
After failing to force Crispín to return the money he allegedly stole, Father Salví and the head sacristan killed
him. It is not directly stated that he was killed, but a dream of Basilio's suggests that Crispín died during his
encounter with Padre Salví and his minion.
J. Basilio is Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte tasked with ring the church's bells for the  Angelus, he faced the
dread of losing his younger brother and the descent of his mother into insanity. At the end of the novel, a
dying Elías requested Basilio to cremate him and Sisa in the woods in exchange for a chest of gold located
nearby. He will later play a major role in El Filibusterismo.
K. Salomé is Elías' sweetheart. She lived in a little house by the lake, and though Elías would like to marry her,
he tells her that it would do her or their children no good to be related to a fugitive like himself. In the
original publication of Noli, the chapter that explores the identity of Elías and Salomé was omitted, classifying
her as a total non-existing character. This chapter, entitled Elías y Salomé was probably the 25th chapter of
the novel. However, recent editions and translations of Noli provides the inclusion of this chapter, either on
the appendix or renamed as Chapter X (Ex).
IV. CHAPTERS SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS:

Chapter Chapter Summary & Theme

No. Title Analysis
3 Summary:
“Dinner” The meal is ready and the guests gather at The theme for this chapter is
the dining table.  Friar Damaso and Friar about Jealousy.
Sibyla both rush for the seat at the head of
the table. Everyone is talking and praising
the delicious foods served. The rest of the
seats are occupied, and only Crisostomo
Ibarra notices Captain Tiago is not seated
in any of them.  Ibarra offers the Captain
his seat, but he refused. Friar Damaso is
jealous and mad when Ibarra is served the
meaty part of the chicken at dinner, while
his was the skinny neck.  While eating,
Ibarra talked with some of the guests and
they learned that Ibarra went to different
countries and knows different languages.
Soon after, Ibarra leaves the scene without
waiting for the arrival of his love interest,
Maria Clara. Friar Damaso laughed when
Ibarra left and said Indios don’t have the
right to study abroad since it will be
useless.
Analysis:
This chapter taught us not to be
overwhelmed to ourselves. We should not
look down on people we see not in the
same level of you. We should be very
careful for the word that comes out to our
mouth for it may hurt someone.
15 Summary:
“The Altar Boys” In spite of the storm, the two altar The theme for this chapter is
brothers Basilio and Crispin had to go up about Innocence.
the bell tower of the church to ring the
bells at eight in the evening. They only get
two pesos salary for a month for working
in the church. Both boys talked about the
parish priest's lost silver. All they want is
to go home to take their supper. Crispin,
the younger one, was blamed for having
allegedly stolen the money since their
father is a drunkard and gambler. The
mayor won’t let them go if they didn’t
return the stolen money, he was so angry
then even penalized Basilio for 3 pesos for
not ringing the bell pleasantly. Crispin was
tortured by the priest and the sacristan
mayor.  Basilio luckily escaped.
Analysis:
This chapter shows us how cruel the friars
at that time. Where they blame the poor
people for the things they do not do.
Basilio and Crispin is a representation of
how youth were underestimated by
powerful people.
21 Summary
“A Mother’s Sisa is confused to what the civil guards The theme of this chapter is
told her and runs all the way home. She about a Mother’s Love.
Story”
kept worrying how she can save her two
sons and that she desperately wants to
protect them from the civil guards. When
she was near her home she saw two civil
guards leaving their home, she felt
released because Basilio wasn’t with
them. The civil guards asked Sisa where
they kept the money Crispin stole. They
force her to admit it but then even Sisa
tried to please them, they didn’t hear and
carelessly dragged her to the
headquarters. Sisa nearly dies of shame
from the sharp stares of the people who
just finished the mass. Meanwhile, the
Alferez was troubled and then command
the guards to let Sisa out. She went back
again their house and called her sons
names but there were no signs of them.
She became nervous and her body
uncontrollably shaking when he sees
Basilio’s shirt with blood stained on it. The
next day she wandered along the streets
crying, shouting and all the people sees
her with fright.
Analysis:
This chapter really shows how a mother
loves her children that Sisa will do
everything to save her two sons.
Unfortunately, things did not end up the
way she wanted to be. It was not the
alferez but the sergeant who ordered
Sisa's arrest. The mother who loses her
sanity looking for her lost sons was
created by Rizal from a real-life character.
49 Summary:
“The Voice of the Crisostomo Ibarra goes to the riverside The theme for this chapter is
where he had agreed to meet with Elias. about Justice.
Prosecuted”
Elias tells him of the purpose of the
meeting to address the concerns and
needs of those who are hunted and
persecuted. They demand respect for
human rights, a little more tranquility in
the lives of the locals, and diminished
power of the friars and the civil guards. He
asks Ibarra to find a way to diminish the
power of the friars and the civil guards but
Ibarra refuses and says that the friars and
the civil guards are "necessary evils."
Analysis:
In this chapter Rizal explains what it
means to love one's country.  It is here
that the character of Elias finds more color
and depth. They demand respect for
human rights, a little more tranquility in
the lives of the locals, and diminished
power of the friars and the civil guards.
Also tells how the civil guards and the
 friars are bitter medicine necessary for an
ill nation, and however strong the pain
such a medicine may bring, with it also
comes healing.

63 Summary
“The Christmas It was Christmas Eve and Basilio returned The theme for this chapter is
to San Diego to look for his mother and about courage and
Eve”
reunites with her.  This search ends in the perseverance.
forest of the Ibarra’s where he found Sisa,
but the two of them didn’t even get a
chance to speak with each other. She dies
shortly after identifying her son.  Minutes
later, a weak and wounded Elias arrives
and orders Basilio to cremate his body and
her mother’s body. Basilio said, “I shall die
without seeing the dawn break upon my
motherland.   You, who shall see it, salute
it!  Do not forget those who have fallen
during the night."
Analysis:
In this chapter the readers catch a glimpse
of the characters that will be leading the El
Filibusterismo, sequel to Rizal's Noli. The
town of San Diego now has a new parish
priest and a new alferez. This is one of the
saddest chapters in the entire
novel.  Basilio reunites with his mother but
the two of them do not even get a chance
to speak with each other.  And it was
Christmas Eve. When Elias says he does
not see the dawn, he means that he shall
leave the world without seeing his
motherland change for the better, or
grasp her long-aspired freedom.  However,
for those who do taste that freedom, it
would only be right for them to remember
those who died to make sure that the sun
did rise over the nation.

V. Purpose/ Prevailing Message

Rizal prefaces Noli Me Tangere with a short dedication to the Philippines. He writes that there are certain
kinds of cancer that are incredibly vulnerable and sensitive to touch, growths aggravated by even the slightest
contact. Rizal says he often thinks of his country in these terms, stating that he believes the Philippines suffers from
a “social cancer.” And because he wants “good health” for his nation, he resolves to “reproduce its current condition
faithfully, without prejudice” so that he might “lift the veil hiding its ills, and sacrifice everything to the truth.” This
preface to Noli Me Tangere ensures that readers understand that the novel is intentionally political. Although the
pages that follow this short chapter often preoccupy themselves with melodramatic love scenes and action plots, it’s
clear from the very first pages that Rizal is primarily interested in exploring what was then the taboo topic of political
corruption in the Philippines.
The Noli is, therefore, not merely an attack on the Spanish colonial regime; it is a charter of nationalism. It
calls on the Filipino to recover his self-confidence, to appreciate his own worth, to return to the heritage of his
ancestors, to assert himself as the equal of the Spaniard.
The purpose of Noli Me Tangere is to defend Filipino people from foreign accusations of foolishness and lack
of knowledge; to show how the Filipino people lives during Spanish colonial period and the cries and woes of his
countrymen against abusive officials; to discuss what religion and belief can really do to everyday lives.
VI. Implication to the Philippines in Recent Time
In more than a century since its appearance, José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere has become widely known as the
great novel of the Philippines. A passionate love story set against the ugly political backdrop of repression, torture,
and murder, “The Noli,” as it is called in the Philippines, was the first major artistic manifestation of Asian resistance
to European colonialism, and Rizal became a guiding conscience—and martyr—for the revolution that would
subsequently rise up in the Spanish province.
This novel has been a greatest novel of all time until now. For it does not use for entertainment only but for
us the countrymen to be widely open from the history we have become. It opened our minds and eyes to the true
villains of our country. Its main target as an audience was the Filipino citizens, while also conveying a message to
other nations as well. We were given a chance to really understand and learn a lot from this book. The book did not
only show how the Spaniards slowly took our rights and our stand as Filipinos, but they slowly turned our fellow-
men to their side as well. Some of our Filipino leaders were eaten by the glory, money and power which blinded
them. One concrete example from the book was Doña Victorina; how she disowned her country and chose to be
“one of them”. It simply means that Filipinos before was unaware and not knowledgeable enough on how blessed
they were in different aspects. However, in our time today, the audience or the readers might understand some of
the things written in the book that it’s just about how corrupt and abusive the Spaniards are. For some people,
especially those who really sympathized and appreciated the book, will say that it has a big contribution and
influence in our society, or maybe the historians or people who are a big fan of history, will say that Noli Me Tangere
is a very important historical evidence on how the Filipinos has evolve and preserved some of their traditions and
culture. When the book came out it was considered scandalous, because it alarmed the Spaniards of the content
that the book conveys, while the Filipinos were intrigued and they sympathize with the characters of the book.
As for the youth in the recent time, this novel really means a lot to us for it inspires us to stand for what is
right and fight for what is right. As I throughoutly read this novel it reminds me of the current situation we are facing
between the our country and china regarding about the spratly island. For it reminds me what the Spaniards did to
us. They take away what is ours and what belongs to us most importantly our freedom. As for what is happening in
the recent time the youth uses their voice to fight for the land we won but we lost.