Reaction paper to J. Rizal’s novel NOLI ME TANGERE

            Jose Rizal’s novel NOLI ME TANGERE is definitely a work of brilliant literature. As I look more deeply into the storyline and plotting of the novel, it occurs to me that this piece of work by Dr. Rizal is precisely a social and political satire.  The novel clearly depicts the current socio-political setting and struggle in the Philippines before and during his time. The characters of the novel are greatly associated with those who exist in our incumbent society.

            Both the movie and the novel are indeed fascinating to watch or read. The characters and their personalities were meticulously picked by the author to represent each and every stratum of the Spanish colonial society in the Philippines. The oppression and bigotry of the church and its clergymen were clearly illustrated through the characters of Fr. Damaso and Fr. Salvi. The concept of how wealthy Indios install influence to the society of elites by holding large parties and gatherings is best represented by Kapitan Tiago or Santiago de Los Santos the father of Maria Clara. Who became a puppet of both the church and the government for the protection of his business interests. Modern Kapitan Tiagos are those businessmen who fund the political campaigns of politicians to acquire influence and business contracts from the government.

The cruelty of the head of the constabulary guards, known as the El Alferez, to the natives and the retaliation of the Indios through rebellion and subversion in the personification of Elias was a clear and convincing note of Rizal’s view of the class struggle of his era. Nonetheless, that this depiction of such a society is still in existence even in today’s modern time. There are still those who choose to go to the countryside and wage war thru rebellion and subversion due to the continuing proliferation of violence, corruption, and oppression not anymore from a foreign rule, but from their own people, this is the materiality of one of Rizal’s prophetic words that in the near future the slaves will be the one who will enslave their fellow countrymen.

On the other note, Rizal’s appreciation and adoration to the women of his generation were embodied by his characterization of Maria Clara. Maria Clara was said to be the symbol of true Filipina beauty and character. She is veiled with great politeness and with full of grace in her utterance of words and movement of her delicate, but fragile body. However, just like what happened to Maria Clara, women nowadays were also victims of violence, obscurantism, and carnal lust by people of the church and those in authority. Another woman in the novel was introduced in the first chapter,  is Doña Victorina de Los Reyes de Espadaña or simply known towards the whole of the novel as Doña Victoriña. Unlike the feat of Maria Clara, Doña Victorina is a more mendicant form of a Filipino of that time. She notoriously pretends to be a pure Spanish mestiza and by doing so she puts heavy make-up in her face to miserably mimic Spanish women. She even belittled other Filipinos because of their native ways by telling them to be like her, a woman with true “Spanish sophistication”. I can relate to the character of Doña Victoriña, even today the likeness of her still exist. There are Filipinos who are willing to drop their own identities as Filipinos in exchange for a more comfortable life being offered by other foreign lands.

Lastly, the evaluation and criticism of Dr. Rizal to the most basic irreducible unit of the society or the family is worth to be noticed in the passages of the novel. A basic native Indio family composed of Narcissa or Sisa, her cruel and drunkard husband Pedro, and their two children namely Basilio, ten years of age and Crispin, seven. The struggle of their family really affected me the most because what they experienced is still being experienced today without any hint of doubt. Sisa, as a loving and caring mother to her two sons always considers the condition and the wellbeing of her children. She represents all Filipina mothers and our country the Philippines as our only motherland which always cares and provides for us, the children of this country, we Filipinos. However, unlike Sisa, Pedro is the personification of a cruel and abusive husband and a citizen of this nation who always thinks of himself by satisfying his addiction to all kinds of vices without considering his people's negative and abusive effects and motherland. Basilio and Crispin were the clear and convincing representation of child abuse and slavery which still prospers even of today. There were the victims of cruelty and abuse by the church and the people in authority who are willing to kill just to enrich and provide more to themselves even in inhuman ways.

As my conclusion to this reaction paper for the novel NOLI ME TANGERE, I must admit that Dr. J. Rizal was indeed successful if not triumphant in his aim to influence and educate his readers to realize the current socio-political scenario of their times. In his novel, Rizal was able to tackle and attack society's weakness and cancer, both old and new. Because of this writing, many were moved and raised their consciousness to a level that was not been realized by the colonial masters. Thus redirecting the course of history and even started a revolution for the cause of nationhood identity. I might say, as form of an opinion, that the NOLI ME TANGERE can be considered as a Bible of the true situation of the society. Like the Holy Bible of the Christians, NOLI ME TANGERE depicts stories and passages that exist even today, much less that it lays down the problem and the rotten system of our modern Philippine society.

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