Original Text(~250 words)
CHAPTER XXXV Comments News of the incident soon spread throughout the town. At first all were incredulous, but, having to yield to the fact, they broke out into exclamations of surprise. Each one, according to his moral lights, made his comments. "Padre Damaso is dead," said some. "When they picked him up his face was covered with blood and he wasn't breathing." "May he rest in peace! But he hasn't any more than settled his debts!" exclaimed a young man. "Look what he did this morning in the convento--there isn't any name for it." "What did he do? Did he beat up the coadjutor again?" "What did he do? Tell us about it!" "You saw that Spanish mestizo go out through the sacristy in the midst of the sermon?" "Yes, we saw him. Padre Damaso took note of him." "Well, after the sermon he sent for the young man and asked him why he had gone out. 'I don't understand Tagalog, Padre,' was the reply. 'And why did you joke about it, saying that it was Greek?' yelled Padre Damaso, slapping the young man in the face. The latter retorted and the two came to blows until they were separated." "If that had happened to me--" hissed a student between his teeth. "I don't approve of the action of the Franciscan," said another, "since Religion ought not to be imposed on any one as a punishment or a penance. But I am almost glad of it, for I know that...
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Summary
The town erupts in debate after Ibarra's confrontation with Padre Damaso. Everyone has an opinion, and their reactions reveal deep divisions in colonial society. The young students are outraged at religious abuse of power, calling it tyranny. They want to protest, but older officials like the gobernadorcillo counsel caution—the friars are too powerful, the people too divided to resist. Don Filipo, the deputy mayor, argues passionately that their fear and selfishness keep them weak, but he's so frustrated he threatens to resign. The women's circle splits along different lines. Some mothers worry about their sons becoming too educated or rebellious, fearing it leads to the gallows. Others, like Capitana Maria, believe sons should defend their fathers' honor no matter the cost. Sister Rufa warns about excommunication and eternal damnation, while Capitana Maria counters that God commands honoring parents above all. Meanwhile, simple farmers worry most about practical matters—will the school still be built? They don't understand the word 'filibustero' (revolutionary) that the priests used against Ibarra, but they know it's dangerous. Their confused attempts to grasp its meaning provide dark comedy while showing how colonial subjects live in fear of words they don't even understand. This chapter brilliantly captures how a single incident fractures a community, with each group's response revealing their deepest fears, values, and survival strategies under oppressive rule.
That's what happens. To understand what the author is really doing—and to discuss this chapter with confidence—keep reading.
Terms to Know
Mestizo
A person of mixed Spanish and Filipino ancestry in colonial Philippines. They occupied a middle social class between full Spaniards and native Filipinos, often facing discrimination from both groups.
Modern Usage:
We see this dynamic in mixed-race individuals who feel caught between communities, or second-generation immigrants navigating multiple cultural identities.
Filibustero
Spanish colonial term for a revolutionary or subversive person plotting against the government. The friars used this label to destroy anyone who questioned their authority, even if the person wasn't actually revolutionary.
Modern Usage:
Like calling someone 'unpatriotic' or 'radical' to shut down criticism - using scary political labels to silence opposition.
Gobernadorcillo
The native Filipino mayor of a town under Spanish rule. These officials had to balance serving their community while keeping Spanish authorities happy, often leading to impossible situations.
Modern Usage:
Like middle managers caught between corporate demands and their team's needs, or local politicians trying to please both constituents and party bosses.
Convento
The priest's residence and administrative center in Filipino towns. It was often the most powerful building in town, where the friar made decisions affecting everyone's lives.
Modern Usage:
Similar to any institutional headquarters where decisions get made that affect your life but you have no voice - corporate offices, government buildings, school district offices.
Excommunication
Being officially expelled from the Catholic Church, which in colonial Philippines meant social death since the Church controlled everything. It was the ultimate weapon friars used to control people.
Modern Usage:
Like being blacklisted in your industry, getting canceled on social media, or being shunned by your entire community for breaking unwritten rules.
Colonial mentality
The psychological effect of colonization where people internalize that their colonizers are superior and they are inferior. This creates self-doubt and acceptance of oppression.
Modern Usage:
Seen in workplace cultures where employees believe they don't deserve better treatment, or in communities that automatically defer to outside 'experts' over local knowledge.
Characters in This Chapter
Padre Damaso
Primary antagonist
The abusive friar whose violent confrontation with the mestizo reveals his tyrannical nature. His actions become the catalyst for town-wide debate about authority and resistance.
Modern Equivalent:
The abusive boss who finally goes too far and gets everyone talking about workplace toxicity
Don Filipo
Frustrated reformer
The deputy mayor who passionately argues that fear and selfishness keep the community weak. He threatens to resign out of frustration with people's unwillingness to stand up to oppression.
Modern Equivalent:
The activist friend who gets exhausted trying to organize people who complain but won't take action
The Gobernadorcillo
Cautious authority figure
Counsels against resistance, arguing the friars are too powerful and the people too divided. Represents the pragmatic voice that prioritizes survival over justice.
Modern Equivalent:
The middle manager who tells you to keep your head down because 'that's just how things are here'
Capitana Maria
Traditional matriarch
Argues that sons should defend their fathers' honor no matter the cost. Represents traditional values that prioritize family honor over personal safety.
Modern Equivalent:
The family matriarch who expects you to fight anyone who disrespects the family name
Sister Rufa
Religious enforcer
Warns about excommunication and eternal damnation for those who oppose the Church. Uses fear of spiritual consequences to maintain social control.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who uses guilt and fear of consequences to keep everyone in line with group expectations
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to predict who will stand with you when trouble hits by understanding what each person values most.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when workplace drama erupts—watch who speaks up versus who stays quiet, and connect it to what they have to lose or gain.
You have the foundation. Now let's look closer.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Religion ought not to be imposed on any one as a punishment or a penance."
Context: Said while discussing the priest's violent confrontation with the mestizo during mass
This quote challenges the colonial use of religion as a tool of oppression rather than spiritual guidance. It shows some townspeople can distinguish between true faith and institutional abuse of power.
In Today's Words:
You can't force people to be religious or use faith as a weapon to control them.
"The friars are too powerful, the people too divided to resist."
Context: Explaining why the community shouldn't challenge the Church's authority
Reveals the practical reality of colonial oppression - resistance seems impossible when the oppressor controls everything and the oppressed are fragmented. This defeatist attitude perpetuates the system.
In Today's Words:
They have all the power and we can't get our act together, so there's no point in fighting back.
"What does 'filibustero' mean? I don't understand it, but it must be something very bad."
Context: Trying to understand the dangerous label the priests applied to Ibarra
Shows how colonial subjects live in fear of words they don't even understand. The power of language to terrorize people reveals how oppression works through psychological control, not just physical force.
In Today's Words:
I don't know what that word means, but from how scared everyone gets, it must be really terrible.
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Fracture Lines - How Crisis Reveals True Character
Under pressure, communities split along predictable lines based on what each group values most and fears losing.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Each social class responds to the crisis differently—students can afford idealism, officials need stability, farmers just want practical results
Development
Deepened from earlier chapters showing how class determines not just privilege but survival strategies
In Your Life:
Notice how your coworkers' responses to workplace problems reflect their job security and what they can afford to risk.
Power
In This Chapter
The friars' power is so absolute that people fear words they don't even understand, while local officials feel helpless despite their titles
Development
Evolved from showing power's corruption to revealing how it creates paralyzing fear even in its absence
In Your Life:
You might find yourself avoiding certain topics at work not because you disagree, but because you fear consequences you can't even name.
Fear
In This Chapter
Different fears drive each group—fear of damnation, fear of execution, fear of poverty, fear of losing children
Development
Introduced here as the underlying force that shapes all responses to crisis
In Your Life:
Your strongest reactions to conflict often reveal your deepest fears about what you might lose.
Identity
In This Chapter
People's responses reveal who they really are versus who they pretend to be—the gap between public persona and private priorities
Development
Built on earlier themes of social masks by showing how crisis strips them away
In Your Life:
Crisis moments in your life reveal whether you're living according to your stated values or your actual fears.
Community
In This Chapter
What seemed like a unified town fractures instantly, showing that community is often an illusion maintained only during peaceful times
Development
Challenges earlier assumptions about social harmony by revealing underlying divisions
In Your Life:
The groups you think you belong to might scatter when real conflict hits, leaving you to discover who your true allies are.
Modern Adaptation
When the Whistleblower Gets Blacklisted
Following Crisostomo's story...
After Crisostomo exposed safety violations at the plant, the whole town splits into camps. The younger workers want to organize, calling it corporate tyranny—they're ready to strike. But the older guys with mortgages and kids shake their heads: 'The company owns this town. They'll just move operations to Mexico.' The union rep, Don Filipo, is so frustrated with everyone's fear he threatens to quit: 'We stay divided because we're all protecting our own piece of nothing.' The wives split too. Some worry their husbands will get blacklisted if they support Crisostomo—'Look what happened to the Johnsons after Mike spoke up.' Others insist you have to stand up for what's right. Meanwhile, the newer immigrants just want to know if the English classes will still happen. They keep hearing the word 'troublemaker' but don't fully understand why it's so dangerous—they just know it means you disappear from the schedule.
The Road
The road Ibarra walked in 1887, Crisostomo walks today. The pattern is identical: one person's stand against corruption fractures the community along lines of fear, self-interest, and survival.
The Map
This chapter provides a crisis navigation tool—it shows how pressure reveals everyone's true priorities. Crisostomo can predict who will support him by understanding what each person has to lose.
Amplification
Before reading this, Crisostomo might have expected universal support for doing the right thing. Now he can NAME the fracture pattern, PREDICT alliances based on people's stakes, and NAVIGATE by approaching those whose interests align with justice.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
After Ibarra's confrontation with Padre Damaso, how did different groups in the town react, and what did their reactions reveal about their priorities?
analysis • surface - 2
Why do the older officials counsel caution while the young students want to protest? What does each group have to lose or gain?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about a recent controversy in your workplace, school, or community. How did different groups split along predictable lines based on their positions and interests?
application • medium - 4
If you were in Don Filipo's position—seeing the problem clearly but lacking the power to fix it—how would you decide whether to stay and fight or resign in frustration?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter reveal about how fear shapes people's choices, and why understanding this pattern gives you an advantage in predicting human behavior?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Crisis Alliances
Think of a current tension or potential crisis in your life—workplace drama, family conflict, or community issue. Draw a simple map showing the different people involved and predict how each would likely respond if the situation escalated. Next to each name, write what they have to lose and what drives their likely reaction.
Consider:
- •People's responses reveal their priorities and vulnerabilities, not their character
- •Those with the most to lose often counsel caution, while those with less stake push for action
- •Understanding these patterns helps you build strategic alliances before you need them
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to choose sides during a conflict. Looking back, what were you really protecting? How might understanding everyone's motivations have changed your approach?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 36: When Love Meets Power
As the story unfolds, you'll explore institutional pressure can force impossible choices on families, while uncovering love becomes more precious when threatened with loss. These lessons connect the classic to contemporary challenges we all face.