Reaction Paper

Glydel Tablate

El Filibusterismo also shares the theme that 'violence is not the answer' with Noli Me Tangere. Simoun's grand plan thwarted. When he asked Father Florentino about this, the friar's answered with, "Perhaps He [God] saw there was no justice in the way you wanted it done". If you don't remember, the way simoun 'wanted it done' was by blowing up the house of the late Captain Taigo which had many Spaniards with important position in said hous with dynamite. It doesn't seem to have justice after all. Somebody may counter this thought with "But the Spaniard were abusive" but when you think of it, would we really want to stoop down to that level of violence and rage? i think not.

Glady ann Omondang

The story also presented forgiveness. Ibarra was a very forgiving man. He forgave the man who tried to kill him at the placing of the cornerstone of the school he wanted to build. And since the man who attempted to murder him died in the placing of the cornerstone, Ibarra even offered to pay for the burial of the man. Sacrifice also was an important theme in the novel. If Elias did not sacrifice himself, then Ibarra would not have lived and the uprisings in the sequel of Noli Me Tangere would most likely not take place. For me there are 2 overall themes (themes that are carried on in to El Filibusterismo) is that war does not necessarily have to end through means of violence, it could always be ended peacefully, through words and maybe even forgiveness. And the second being that there will always be evil people in this world, but there will always be good people as well. And that when you think all the world is left to is violence and hatred, you are very much wrong because 1) Words are far stronger than any gun and 2) Good will always prevail.