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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Originally reviewed on my blog June 20, 2013:
https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/the-noli-me/
Having been born in the Philippines but primarily raised in the States, I always felt I had given up my Filipino identity to fit in with the American ways.
I received a second dose of culture shock when my family moved back to the Philippines and I finished my high school years there. I had to relearn the language and make sense of all the unfamiliar customs and traditions. (Oh, and having to remember all the names of my relatives was an incredible feat of memory!) It was there I was first introduced to Jose Rizal and Noli Me Tangere.
Known as the great novel of the Philippines, “the Noli” is said to have sparked a whole revolution when it was published in the late 1800s. It was mandatory reading as a Junior in our Filipino class but we never really got more than a quarter through it. One of my uncles had a copy with both Tagalog and English text. And even then I had trouble fully comprehending it. When asked on a quiz what Noli Me Tangere translated to in Tagalog, I had written down “Huwag mo ko i-touch.” It was a very bad Taglish answer. The phrase is Latin which translated to English is “Touch Me Not” so one can see how I was having difficulty.
For our Senior Class field trip, we went to Rizal Park (or Luneta Park) where you can literally follow Jose Rizal’s footsteps leading to his execution, which was quite fitting considering I played him during one of our Linggo ng Wika (National Language Week) productions and that was the scene. Collapsing in front of a group of people was surprisingly something I found easy to do!
Having moved back to the States after graduating, I always wanted to learn more about my culture but I’ve only succeeded in finding Filipino restaurants in the cities where I lived. But I did also recently just learn to cook Filipino food.
I checked out the Noli from the library wanting to understand why this was considered to be the most important novel in Philippine literature. I definitely remembered some parts from my school days. I would end up borrowing and returning the book incessantly over the next five years. I would enjoy it and be bored out of my mind.
While I found the writing to be dry, there were some scenes that were just beautifully written. I was impressed by Jose Rizal’s ability to write over the top satirical characters and moments one second and then tragic and downright depressing the next to give readers a snapshot of what it was like in those days and why things had to change.
I probably wouldn’t read the sequel El Filibusterismo (“The Filibustering”) but I’m glad I read Noli Me Tangere. I saw how it could have awakened someone’s patriotism and I just love the fact that words can do that.
https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/the-noli-me/
Having been born in the Philippines but primarily raised in the States, I always felt I had given up my Filipino identity to fit in with the American ways.
I received a second dose of culture shock when my family moved back to the Philippines and I finished my high school years there. I had to relearn the language and make sense of all the unfamiliar customs and traditions. (Oh, and having to remember all the names of my relatives was an incredible feat of memory!) It was there I was first introduced to Jose Rizal and Noli Me Tangere.
Known as the great novel of the Philippines, “the Noli” is said to have sparked a whole revolution when it was published in the late 1800s. It was mandatory reading as a Junior in our Filipino class but we never really got more than a quarter through it. One of my uncles had a copy with both Tagalog and English text. And even then I had trouble fully comprehending it. When asked on a quiz what Noli Me Tangere translated to in Tagalog, I had written down “Huwag mo ko i-touch.” It was a very bad Taglish answer. The phrase is Latin which translated to English is “Touch Me Not” so one can see how I was having difficulty.
For our Senior Class field trip, we went to Rizal Park (or Luneta Park) where you can literally follow Jose Rizal’s footsteps leading to his execution, which was quite fitting considering I played him during one of our Linggo ng Wika (National Language Week) productions and that was the scene. Collapsing in front of a group of people was surprisingly something I found easy to do!
Having moved back to the States after graduating, I always wanted to learn more about my culture but I’ve only succeeded in finding Filipino restaurants in the cities where I lived. But I did also recently just learn to cook Filipino food.
I checked out the Noli from the library wanting to understand why this was considered to be the most important novel in Philippine literature. I definitely remembered some parts from my school days. I would end up borrowing and returning the book incessantly over the next five years. I would enjoy it and be bored out of my mind.
While I found the writing to be dry, there were some scenes that were just beautifully written. I was impressed by Jose Rizal’s ability to write over the top satirical characters and moments one second and then tragic and downright depressing the next to give readers a snapshot of what it was like in those days and why things had to change.
I probably wouldn’t read the sequel El Filibusterismo (“The Filibustering”) but I’m glad I read Noli Me Tangere. I saw how it could have awakened someone’s patriotism and I just love the fact that words can do that.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Muy interesante de leer desde un punto histórico. Desafortunadamente en España no tenemos mucho conocimiento de la época colonial Española en Filipinas, y creo que este libro ayuda bastante a abrir las puertas a ese mundo desconocido.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Religious bigotry
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Surprisingly hilarious and enjoyable despite being a dark satirization of the Philippines in the late 1800s under Spain. It doesn't hurt that the version I read (Penguin Classics) was a thoughtful and faithful translation (by Harold Augenbraum) of the original text. And thanks to the efforts of our translator, despite having read this a long time ago as a required reading, it is only now that I am actually appreciating the light and conversational tone of the narrator, which is pretty refreshing and unique.
An interesting and sometimes disjointed story filled with unique characters and their colorful dialogue. Jose Rizal paints a detailed picture of the Filipino culture in his time. It is both amusing and depressing how relatable it can be.
4.5 stars. Is it just me or is Don Anastasio (Pilosopo Tasio) just Jose Rizal's excuse to insert some of his self-indulgent philosophies?
An interesting and sometimes disjointed story filled with unique characters and their colorful dialogue. Jose Rizal paints a detailed picture of the Filipino culture in his time. It is both amusing and depressing how relatable it can be.
4.5 stars. Is it just me or is Don Anastasio (Pilosopo Tasio) just Jose Rizal's excuse to insert some of his self-indulgent philosophies?