Dave Charles Talaña
Synopsis of his Novels
“Noli me Tangere”
litical aspects of life in the Philippines. This novel depicts the miseries of his people under the lash of
Spanish tyrants and awakens the nationalism of Filipinos during his time. Rizal prepared himself to
defend any of the controversial religious issues his book that may encounter.
After Juan Crisostomo Ibarra Y Magsalin, the love of interest of Maria Clara and son of Don Rafael
Ibarra completed his studies in Europe, he came back to the Philippines after 7 years. Captain Tiago who
was an illegal opium leader also known as Maria Clara’s father planned a party to welcome and honor
Rizal. This gathering was attended by prominent individuals and friars. Father Damaso, a friar belittle
and slandered Ibarra. He was so rude to him. However, Ibarra ignored the insult of the friar and didn’t
mind any of it.
Crisostomo Ibarra also went to check and see Maria Clara, a Filipina who represents the true loyalty and
religiosity of a Filipino woman. As the two lovers met, it was a romantic reunion for them. The love of
interest for each other was manifested in their meeting.
On Rizal’s way home, he met Lieutenant Guevara, who is a Guardia civil, who told him the story behind
his father’s death, Don Rafael Ibarra, a concerned citizen, rich and brave man. According to the
Lieutenant, his father was accused as a heretic and filibuster. Father Damaso, has a strong animosity to
his father and this anger arose when he defended a helpless boy from the brutality of an illiterate
Spanish tax collector, he pushed him and accidentally died. Don Rafael was imprisoned and when the
case is almost settled he got sick and unhappily died in jail. He was buried in consecrated ground. Ibarra
felt sad about the story. Ibarra thanked the Lieutenant and vowed to know the truth of his father’s
death.
Ibarra went to the San Diego cemetery to visit his father’s corpse but a grave digger told him that the
corpse is no longer there. With the accused of being a heretic, Father Damaso was commanded to
transfer his corpse. His father’s body was removed from the catholic cemetery to the Chinese cemetery.
Unfortunately, heavy rain came, and the men in charge of the burial decided to throw the corpse in the
lake since the cadaver’s weight is too heavy.
Hearing those stories, Ibarra felt devastated and anxious. On his way, he met Padre Salvi, Franciscan
parish priest of San Diego. Ibarra remembered the story heard about his father, he pounced on the
priest, for not rectifying for desecrating his father’s mortal remains. But Padre told him that it was Padre
Damaso who was responsible for it.
He was so angered hearing this. However, revenge was not in his plan but he remembered the thought
of his father’s plan of building up a school since they believed that education paves the way for the
country’s progress.
Meanwhile in a fiesta, during a mass, Ibarra was being warned by Elias to be careful during the
ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone of the schoolhouse for the assassination was plotted for him.
Later in the day, Ibarra was nearly killed because of sabotage. Fortunately, the hired killer was the one
who unluckily died when the derrick collapsed. Thus, Elias saves Ibarra’s life by pushing him. Same as
how Ibarra saved him from the crocodile that was supposed to kill him before.
When the inauguration was done, Ibarra hosted a formal meal and Father Damaso was uninvited yet he
intruded on the luncheon and spoke in front of the guest insulting Ibarra. Nonetheless, Ibarra ignored
again his insolence. However, the priest slandered the memory of his father made Ibarra knock him
down with his fist, then seized a knife to kill him. Suddenly, Maria Clara interfered. This happening
caused Maria Clara to become ill fortunately was treated by the quack Spanish physician.
The consequences of Ibarra’s action made him expelled and excommunicated by Father Damaso took
this opportunity to persuade the father of Maria Clara to forbid her from marrying Ibarra. The friar
wants Linares, a penniless and jobless, fortune hunter who came to the Philippines in search of a rich
Filipino heiress. Though Doña Victorina and Padre Damaso sponsored the wooing of Maria Clara, she did
not respond since Maria Clara’s love was Ibarra.
Captain-General helps Ibarra to void the ex-communication bestowed to him and he accepted him again
as a member of the Catholic Church. Woefully, with no involvement, an incident was blamed on him. He
had known nothing about it yet he was arrested and imprisoned. Elias then burned all the papers as well
as Ibarra’s house after he knew the imprisonment so nothing that might incriminate his friend. The
accusation was abrogated when no one testify during the litigation. Sadly, his letters to Maria Clara were
being held by the jury and manipulated to turn into evidence.
Dave Charles Talaña
Poem of Rizal;
Mi Ultimo Adios (English translation) My last farewell
Fighting for our country is like fighting for what we love. Fighting for our country is
fighting for the freedom of ourselves, family, friends, and loved ones. We consider Dr. Jose Rizal
as our national hero because he showed us that it’s not about fighting using a sword or
anything that can hurt others. A pen can also seek freedom. In this poem, he shows that after
the hardships and sacrifices we will meet freedom.
Being a hero is not having a power like being invisible, lightning, etc. A hero is a person
who fights for his/her family, friends, and loved ones. Yes, Dr. Jose Rizal is a hero because using
his intelligence and artistry, he shows others that Filipinos are capable of being free. He fights
for our freedom. He fights for our rights. He fights for our life. He fights for all of us. He
sacrificed everything even his life. That is a Filipino, we will do anything, everything for what it
takes. We are all heroes because like Dr. Jose Rizal we will do everything for our loved ones.
The lesson I get in the poem is that we are all born heroes. Not literally a hero that has
superpowers. But we are heroes in our own way. We should treasure every moment in our life.
We should treasure all the people who love us and the people we love.
Dave Charles Talaña
Letters of Rizal
Rizal’s letter to his mother
From his letter to his mother we can infer that of all his relatives, his mother meant the
most to him. He was so concerned about her well-being that she was one of the first people
that he mailed following his exile to Dapitan. Despite being so far away, he never forgot to
remind his to think of their well-being and to continue learning. He never failed to see the
potential of a person to excel as seen in his remark regarding his niece Angelica. But an
important aspect that we should take note of in this letter is Rizal’s insistence that they should
not bother or worry too much about him. Rizal never wanted to be a source of grief or pain and
this was consistent in most of his letters; from his letter to his friends to his farewell letters to
his family.
Essay of Rizal
