Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1
“ON THE UPPER DECK”
A REFLECTON PAPER
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

In the Subject GE1804
Rizal’s Life and Works
To be Submitted to
Mr. Leslie Jhon N. Nagamos
Submitted by
IGUIN, Jerricho R.
DELA CRUZ, John Vhern Millor T.
Date of Submission: 30, NOVEMBER, 2022

ABSTRACT
Noli Me Tangere's events took place thirteen years ago. We are greeted by familiar faces at the beginning
of El Filibusterismo and introduced to some new ones as well as one who seems to be new. The steamer
Tabo (a dipper) makes its way up the Pasig river one December morning. On its upper deck is Dona
Victorina, traveling in search of her husband Don Tiburcio, who has fled from her abuse. On deck too are
Don Custodio, the writer Ben-Zayb and Padres Salvi, Sibyla, Irene and Camorra, and the steamer’s
captain. Also present is the jeweler Simoun, conspicuous for his long white hair and large blue
sunglasses. He is reputed to have advisory influence over the Captain-General.
The group fall into discussing the winding path of the river. Simoun suggests digging a new canal straight
from the mouth of the river passing Manila, and closing old Pasig. To achieve this, he further suggests the
destruction of towns, using prisoners as laborers to eliminate the cost, and increasing forced labor among
men and boys. Don Custodio and Padre Sibyla bring up the possibility of uprisings, which Simoun
sharply dismisses, as he leaves the group to head below deck.
Chapter 1: On The Upper Deck Ben Zayb, an exceedingly intelligent (in his own
The novel opens with the steamship Tabo mind) writer whose pseudonym is an anagram of
heading up the Pasig river on its way to La Laguna the surname Ybañez; Father Irene, the canon; and
one December morning. Take note of the possible the jeweller Simoun who sports long, white hair and
parallelism between the ship and the government a sparse black beard and who wears a pair of huge
ruling in the Philippines during Rizal’s time: full blue-tinted sunglasses. Simoun’s great influence
of hot air, tyrannical, pretentious. over His Excellency, the Capitan-General was
We meet Doña Victorina, the only lady in known in Manila. Thus, people held him in high
the European group on the upper deck (guess who regard.
have to stay below deck). She is depicted as a foul- Discussing the issue of the lake and the slowness of
mouthed, extravagant, heavily made-up, ship travel were Ben Zayb, Padre Camorra, and
disdainful, and insufferable Indio who tries to pass Padre Salvi, a Franciscan. Simoun cuts in and offers
herself off as a European through her wigs and a rather radical solution: dig a new river channel
clothes. She is accompanied by her niece, the and close the Pasig even if it means destroying
beautiful and rich Paulita Gomez. Doña Victorina villages and committing people to forced and
is the wife of Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, who left unpaid labor.
her after many years of marriage and who was What follows is a debate between Simoun and Don
now hiding (maybe) in Laguna. Among the other Custodio on whether the indios were going to revolt
characters introduced are: Don Custodio, an or not. Padre Sibyla, a Dominican, was concerned
official counsellor; that the people might rise up as before, but Simoun
dismissed the possibility with a what are you friars Interpretation During Junior High School
for if the people can rise in revolt? Iya ka butang men
After Simoun left the fuming group, Don Custodio
offers his own solution: Get people to raise ducks.
Since ducks feed on snails, the people will help
deepen the river as they will remove or dig up the
sandbars which contain the snails. Doña Victorina
wasn’t exactly fond of the idea since she considers
balut (duck) eggs disgusting.
Implied Topic Covered in this Chapter
The message of the novel is clear: the
present system of governing the Philippines through
corrupt and self-seeking officials, dominated by the
friars and being submissive to their interests in one
fashion or another, can only lead to disaster for
Spain.
The manner the ship is divided into two
sections -- the upper and the lower deck -- is similar
to how the government treats the people: rich and
poor, Spaniards and Indios -- without equality and
fair treatment. The slow pace of ship travel is
likened to the country's slow progress despite 300
years of Spanish rule. Whitewashed walls that cover
rust and dirt symbolize the pretense behind ugly
methods and social unrest in the country. The
circular design of the steamer entails that the
government is going in circles, without a sensible
goal or purpose. The use of modern machinery to
power the steamboat is indicative of the union of
the Church and state during that time.

Iya ikaw butang men it reflection kung di mag igo Iya imo comparison
sa ibabaw or dikara ka mag sugpon dayon

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CHAPTER 1

“ON THE UPPER DECK”

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

Mr. Leslie Jhon N. Nagamos

DELA CRUZ, John Vhern Millor T.

Date of Submission: 30, NOVEMBER, 2022

sunglasses. He is reputed to have advisory influence over the Captain-General.

sharply dismisses, as he leaves the group to head below deck.

the European group on the upper deck (guess who regard.

is the wife of Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, who left unpaid labor.

for if the people can rise in revolt? Iya ka butang men

After Simoun left the fuming group, Don Custodio

offers his own solution: Get people to raise ducks.

Since ducks feed on snails, the people will help

deepen the river as they will remove or dig up the

sandbars which contain the snails. Doña Victorina

wasn’t exactly fond of the idea since she considers

balut (duck) eggs disgusting.

Implied Topic Covered in this Chapter

The message of the novel is clear: the

present system of governing the Philippines through

corrupt and self-seeking officials, dominated by the

friars and being submissive to their interests in one

fashion or another, can only lead to disaster for

The manner the ship is divided into two

sections -- the upper and the lower deck -- is similar

to how the government treats the people: rich and

poor, Spaniards and Indios -- without equality and

fair treatment. The slow pace of ship travel is

likened to the country's slow progress despite 300

years of Spanish rule. Whitewashed walls that cover

rust and dirt symbolize the pretense behind ugly

methods and social unrest in the country. The

circular design of the steamer entails that the

government is going in circles, without a sensible

goal or purpose. The use of modern machinery to

power the steamboat is indicative of the union of

the Church and state during that time.

sa ibabaw or dikara ka mag sugpon dayon

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