Jose Rizal's novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo presented social realism through their editorial protest. The Propaganda movement protests not for the oppression of the Filipinos, but for their freedom. The Noli Me Tangere and the last chapter of El filibustere are among the most popular novels in the philippines.
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Original Title
Pasicolan.lit 1- Chapter 39-Conclusion (El Filibusterismo)- God, Why Have You Forsaken Me, An Essay
Jose Rizal's novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo presented social realism through their editorial protest. The Propaganda movement protests not for the oppression of the Filipinos, but for their freedom. The Noli Me Tangere and the last chapter of El filibustere are among the most popular novels in the philippines.
Jose Rizal's novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo presented social realism through their editorial protest. The Propaganda movement protests not for the oppression of the Filipinos, but for their freedom. The Noli Me Tangere and the last chapter of El filibustere are among the most popular novels in the philippines.
Frances Tracy C. Pasicolan BS Management II- B Lit 1- (MTh 1:00-2:30 pm)
God, Why Have You Forsaken Us? (An Essay for Jose Rizals The Last Chapter of El Filibusterismo)
It all began from humans desire and greed for power. In 15 th century, Spain and Portugal divided the world among themselves. Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese, was questioned and rejected by his fellow Portuguese so he went to the Spaniards, where his voyage got approved. Magellan, then, led the troops of Spaniards in search of Mollucas, the spice island. But the monsoon winds and tides led them to Philippines. Despite the defeats and deaths of some Spaniards and of Magellan from Lapu-Lapu and from Filipinos, it did not stop the Spaniards from coming back and from colonizing us. The Spaniard used their motive of 3GsGod, gold, gloryon and devices such as divide and rule and domestication of Filipinos to acquire, retain, and expand their power and fortune. For three hundred thirty-three years, to be exact, Filipinos had endured and suffered from grave poverty, oppression, and corruption of the colonial Spaniards and even in the hands of our fellow Filipinos. Jose Rizals novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as Filipinos writers before and after him presented social realism through their editorial protest. With the use of pen and ink, they instigated national conscience and patriotism of the Filipinos. Noli Me Tangere presents Elias and Ibarra opposing views on how to achieve liberty and freedomthe former believes in the power of the sword, it is our duty, if necessary, to die fighting for the country. Eliass views represent the movement of the Katipuneros, headed by Andres Bonifacio. While Ibarra represents the view of ilustrados, the elite or middle class Filipinos who studied in Europe, that independence is best achieved in a peaceful resort. The Propaganda movement protests not for the separation and liberation of the Filipinos from the Spaniards but its assimilation and recognition of our rights. The Propagandas motive is the assimilation of the Philippinesrecognized as a state (representation of Filipinos in Spanish court and higher education for the masses)free but still tied up in the hands of the Spaniards. Crisostomo Ibarra, the main character of Noli Me Tangere, who came back to the Philippines with so much enthusiasm and happinessto start anew and to marry his love, Maria Claralost all the prospects of life and of future after he was framed up and stabbed on his back by those who were jealous and who detested Page 2 of 4
him. Ibarra ended up as a fugitive, on the run to Cuba. Ibarra used his ancestral wealth and befriended the high Spanish authorities and used them for his revenge. The good Crisostomo Ibarra came back in the Philippines, with profound richness and vengeance, as the jeweler Simoun. But his plan to avenge and to kill the authoritarian and tyrannical Spaniards and even some wicked Filipinos, did not succeed at all. So again, Simoun was a fugitive on the run. He sought refuge in the house of the Filipino priest, Father Florentino. And here is where the ending began. The Conclusion of Rizals El Filibusterismo mirrors Rizals doubt in Gods justice through Simouns existentialism and somewhat cynical views. As Simoun says, Why then has He forsaken me? / What is my error compared with the crimes of those who govern us? / Why allow so many who are worthy and just to suffer and, without lifting a finger, find satisfaction in their sufferings? Existentialism, a belief that life is nothing and so is man; however, it is up to a man to find meaning and sense to his life. Existentialism is also a question of faithSimouns question regarding the truthfulness of the existence of God. Cynicism, distrust in human society and of their motives. Cynicism which is present in Simouns distrust of Filipinos ignorance and fearfulness that led him to commit injustices to his fellow Filipinos just to wake them up from their nightmare. The harshness and painfulness of reality, i.e Simouns loss of everything and the failures of his revenge, further aggravate the vanity of vanities, all his vanity, the feeling of emptiness and nothingness. From Spanish colonization period even to this day, Philippines is still predominantly Roman Catholic. People, at home or in Church, pray to Godto ask for guidance, strength, and solution for their problem. People usually pray to God to save them from their sins and from their suffering. Yet, people feel that probably God does not listen to their cries or probably God does not exist. Eventually, people became immune and seemed to accept reality, misery, and despair. All these negativism constitute to their belief that God is nothing and so are they. Human beings, no matter how devout and faithful, will begin to question and perhaps doubt the truthfulness and divineness of God. Why then, will a just God let the good, innocent and just people, whos worthy of salvation, suffer not only from their sins but from the sins of the corrupt and abusive Spaniards and Filipinos? Throughout the course of history, suffering has been part of human nature. During the early conversion of Roman pagans to Catholicism, Roman Catholics, young and old, female and male were fed to lions, dragged by chariots, crucified upside down or burned on the stake. The persecution of Page 3 of 4
the Catholics, the believers of God, was a grandiose spectacle for the Roman pagans. During World War II, the Jews, the chosen people of God, suffered from cruel labor and died from holocaustthe inhumane killing and burning of Jews by Nazis. Millions of lives, soldiers or mere townsmen, died in the war. For example, Emily Rose, a hypersensitive and normal teenage girl suffered, not from the hands of humans but, from the possession of demons. A scene from the movie, The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Emily met the Blessed Virgin Mary in her dream. Emily was given a choiceeither let the Blessed Virgin Mary free her from her suffering or to continue enduring the possession. If she chooses to stay, through her, people will begin to believe that the realm of spirit is real but more importantly, God does exist. Emily chose to stay, and in the end, her grave had been an unofficial holy shrine that draws people around the world. From Emilys grave, her epitaph, quote en quote Philippians 2:12 of the Holy Bible says, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, for instance, is a symbol of suffering, but suffering is an allegory of Gods love for humanity. Before Jesus died on his cross, he even asked God, Father, why have you forsaken me. Through Jesuss suffering, humanity was saved from grave sins. Through Jesuss suffering, humanity began to believe in God. As, Father Florentino says, God is justice and He cannot abandon His own cause, the cause of freedom without which no justice is possible. / The just and worthy must suffer so that their ideas may be known and spread. The vessel must be shaken or broken to release the perfume, the stone must be struck to raise a spark. / A most just God, a God who punishes our lack of faith, our vices, the little regard we have for dignity and the civic virtues./ He is a God of mercy and of justice, who improves us with His punishments and grants happiness only to those who have merited it with their exertions. The school of suffering tempers the spirit, the fighting arena strengthens the soul. Simouns plan for the Filipinos did not bring success, for his belief that evil will trample evil only created more evil, as Father Florentino says. His own corruptionvengeance and greed that has consumed himonly created more corruption and suffering. In representation to Simouns treasure chest, greedhumans desire for materials things and poweris the source of graft and corruption that led to injustices and inequalities. As Father Florentino says, May Nature guard you in the deepest of the deep, among the corals and pearls of the eternal seas. / When men should need you for a purpose holy and Page 4 of 4
sublime, God will know how to raise you from the bottom of the seas. Until then you will do no evil there, you will not thwart justice or incite greed! For an evil, unacceptable, means to achieve freedom and liberty only hasten or worsen the situation. No matter how good the plan is, its success depends on the preparedness of the people. During the Spanish period, Filipinos werent ready yetfor not all Filipinos were woken up from their dreadful dream. As Father Florentino says, Our misfortunes are our own fault, let us blame nobody else for them. If Spain were to see us less tolerant of tyranny, and readier to fight and suffer for our rights, Spain would be the first to give us freedom / With or without Spain, they would be the same, and perhaps, perhaps worse. What is the use of independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow? / Mr. Simoun, as long as our people are not prepared, and enter the struggle deceived or compelled, without a clear idea of what they are to do, the best planned movements will fail and it is better that they should fail And Father Florentino adds that it is love, virtue, and sacrifice that what Filipino needs. Filipinos must endure and work. However, if it wasnt for the pen, there would be no Philippine Revolution of 1896. If it wasnt for the sword, there would be no Philippine Independence of July 12, 1898. But the independence was only short lived. From Spanish to American to Japanese occupation, and worse, Philippines was undermined from his own dirty hands during the declaration of Martial Law by President Ferdinand Marcos on September 21, 1973. Unlike the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the Philippine Revolution of 1986, the so called EDSA People Powers Revolution, was a bloodless revolution. On February 25, 1986, Filipinos from all walks of life and ageespecially the initiatives and ambitions of the youthunited, stood up and voiced out their cries and protests against the corrupt and oppressive government. The bloodless revolution was a success, in trampling and ousting the Marcos dictatorship. Today, we are a republican and democratic third world country, but are we really free and liberated from poverty, injustices, and marginalization? Are we really free and liberated from being someones puppet or pet? But most importantly, are we really free and liberated from our own tyranny?
Sở Giáo Dục Và Đào Tạo Thái Bình Đề Chính Thức Đề Thi Tuyển Sinh Lớp 10 Thpt Chuyên Thái Bình NĂM HỌC 2021-2022 Môn Thi: Tiếng Anh (Dành cho thí sinh thi chuyên Tiếng Anh)