El Filibusterismo: Overview and Symbolism

Includes SAS 15 for P2

Simoun

• reincarnated Crisostomo Ibarra as a jeweler

• represents revolutionaries with bloody revolt

Basilio

• now adopted by Capitan Tiago

• bf of Juli

• symbolizes the youth with a simple dream

Isagani

• poet and Basilio’s bff

• ex of Paulita Gomez after being dumped for Juanito Pelaez

• - symbol of the youth whose love for the country is great to the point of being branded as idealistic

Kabesang Tales

• Telesforo Juan de Dios

• former cabeza de barangay

• Matanglawin

• personified typical Filipinos; content with living a simple life

• native and farmer whose land was seized by abusive friars

Makaraig

• shared the same ideals with Isagani (but richer)

• led fellow students to establish the Spanish Academy for Filipinos

• well-to-do Filipino youth who had good dreams for the country

Fr. Florentino

• Isagani’s godfather

• disapproved of a bloody revolt

Juli

• aka Juliana de Dios

• youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales

• symbolizes purity and innocence of the lower-class women 

Ben Zayb

• Abraham Ibanez

• journalist who thinks he is the only one thinking in the Philippines

• personifies corrupted media

Senor Pasta

• old Filipino lawyer who refuses to help the Filipino students

• symbolizes a society that is only generous and sympathetic to the powerful and rich

Father Irene

• kind friar who is a friend of Filipino students

• supports students’ appeal to the government

• embodies sympathetic friars