Chapter 36: The Comment
News about what Ibarra did to Padre Damaso quickly spreads. Some people said
that Padre Damaso was already dead. Others gossiped that Padre Damaso
figured in a fistfight with a Spanish mestizo, one of two who were from Manila.
Yet others, like Don Felipo, were praising Ibarra. On the other hand, the town
captain was criticizing Ibarra for his lack of self-control. Some mothers were
crying at the thought that Ibarra's soul was destined to go straight to hell.
Other women, like Capitana Maria, praised Ibarra. And yet others were certain
that Ibarra was going to be excommunicated and also branded as a filibuster
(filibustero).
What does excommunication mean?
Some Notes
Rizal makes skillful use of dialogue to bring out the story in this chapter.
Through dialogue, Rizal also highlights the silliness of some Filipinos due to
the loss of their school, or due to the lack of interest in their studies.
Take note of Capitana Maria who is not like most old ladies.
Questions and Answers
1.What did the gossipers mean when they said (after they thought
Padre Damaso was killed) that he did not do anything except pay for
a debt? It can be said that Padre Damaso, in effect, killed Don Rafael, and
that Ibarra was just exacting revenge.
2.Is it true that the Spanish mestizo whom Padre Damaso had a
fistfight with could not speak Tagalog? No, it's not. The mestizo knows
how to speak Tagalog. However, aside from being ashamed to admit that
he was really a Tagalog (from San Pedro Makati) because indios were
looked down upon by the Spaniards, the Tagalog of Padre Damaso was
terrible. As a result, the "mestizo" got angry because he could distinguish
between good and bad speech.
3.What did Rizal mean when he wrote that the student and the friar
were made by God and the two boxed each other? He meant that the
boastfulness of the student and the excessiveness of Padre Damaso were
meant to clash. Those two were made...for each other. (If you miss the
humor, don't feel too bad. Afterall, this was written more than a hundred
years ago.)
4.How important to Rizal is public opinion? In the chapter, a student
says that silence means consent. Don Felipo says that a country's virtue
or "lowlessness" can be determined by the country's "public opinion." He
added further that they should remember the good things done by Don
Rafael, as well as the things being done by Ibarra. He implied that the
country will take care of Ibarra.
The town captain, on the other hand, said that the frailocracy is always
right. Don Felipo countered that such is the case because no one dares
disagree with the friars. Don Felipo suggested that Filipinos should give
their own opinions more weight sometimes.
When the town captain said that Don Felipo will be alone in his crusade,
Don Felipo explained that such a statement will remain true for as long as
fear and silence mean the same thing; for as long as people think only of
themselves; and for as long as the lack of unity continues to make a
nation weak.
In this case, "public opinion" (kuru-kurong bayan) requires national unity.
5.The town captain said that we must first take care of ourselves,
before we care for others. What did Don Felipo say about this? He
said that true cowardice starts when one takes care of oneself too much,
and ends in humiliation. He cited as an example the tribunal meeting: Since
the town captain wanted to protect himself too much, the town captain
did not dare disagree with the friars and the meeting was turned into a
joke (or a mockery).
Whoever can do something to stop a crime, but did not do anything
because he was afraid that he might be harmed, is still guilty of the "sin of
omission" (not doing what you had to do).
6.Why did one woman envy Ibarra's mom (who already passed
away)? Because she died before she could be humiliated by what her son
did to a friar.
7.Which woman disagreed? Why? Capitana Maria disagreed with the
envious woman saying that she will be proud of a son who defends the
name and honor of his father even though that father has long died.
8.What did Capitana Maria say when Hermana Rufa (elder Rufa) said
that it is a grave sin for Ibarra to lay his hands on the sacred friar?
She said that a parent's memory is even more sacred, and that no
one--not even the Pope himself--has the right to destroy the memory of a
father.
9.How did Rizal view the ability of friars to forgive the sins of the
people? Rizal does not believe in this. Through Capitana Maria Rizal says
that only God--who tells us to give glory to our parents--can forgive
Ibarra.
10.What other thoughts made Capitana Maria more admirable?
She said that if ever Ibarra were excommunicated, she would still
welcome him in her home. She will not give any value to the
excommunication issued by the friars.
If she had a daughter, then she would want Ibarra to be her
son-in-law because a good son will become a good father.
Her view of kids: Children should strive to become better than their
parents.
She said that it is through education (especially outside the
country) that the youth can ever hope to be like Ibarra. In the
Philippines, the only thing parents could teach their children is the
cowardice of childhood--no responsibilities, ignorant, subservient
thoughts.
When Capitana Tinay told Cap. Maria that she apparently did not
really love her twins--because Maria gave birth only to allow the
twins to study in Europe, just like Ibarra, only to end up in jail or in
the gallows (execution by hanging)--Cap. Maria answers that it is
precisely because she suffered while giving birth to the twins that
she took care of them and educated them (in the midst of their
poverty), that proves how much she loves them.
She also adds that each mother has her own way of loving her
children: Some mothers love their kids for their own personal
reasons. Capitana Maria said she loves her kids for the benefit of the
kids. This was taught to Capitana Maria by her deceased husband.
Here we see the influence of "Florante at Laura" (by Balagtas) on
the writing style of Rizal when it comes to his views regarding love
and lazy / selfish parents. Some parents look at their kids as
"property" or assets to serve the parents and their dreams (i.e.,
some parents dictate what course/career their children will
pursue...to benefit the parents and even if the child does not really
like to take that course in college).
Hermana Rufa noted that Capitana Maria's thinking was all wrong,
and began to invoke some saints (Santisima Rosario, S. Francisco
and Sta. Rita). Capitana Maria answered that she would rather be a
good sister to people first before she will try to be a good sister to
saints.
Perhaps Rizal was comparing Capitana Maria not to typical Filipina
moms, but to the mothers of Sparta. She is also the opposite of
another mother, Sisa. Although both mothers undergo a lot of
suffering, Maria's is justified while Sisa's is considered blind sacrifice.