El Filibusterismo (El Fili) – Chapter 8
Chapter Title: Merry Christmas
Setting: Christmas Day, Sagpang (San Diego)
Characters:
- Juli
- Tandang Selo
- Cabesang Tales (mentioned)
- Sister Penchang (mentioned)
Plot:
Juli says goodbye to Tandang Selo before leaving for her first day of work.
Chapter Summary:
Juli wakes up before dawn and does her chores. She is surprised to find out that she is calm, and tells herself she can visit every two days to check the house. She kisses the locket and then wipes it because she knows it had come from a leper. Then she kisses Tandang Selo’s hand and tells him to tell Tales that she is finally going to school because her mistress speaks Spanish so she will be able to learn it.
She leaves the house and cries by the road. Tandang Selo watches from the window as people bring their children to mass. It is mentioned hat Christmas in the Philippines is a feast for the children even though the children are forced to dress up and go to mass, and have to visit relatives who pinch their cheeks and make them dance. The children are usually given money but their parents take it away.
There is also a Christmas tradition that adults visit their parents and give gifts. Tandang Selo realizes he has no one to give gifts to, and that Juli didn’t even greet him Merry Christmas. He wonders if she forgot or if she was trying to be thoughtful.
Relatives visit Tandang Selo and he realizes he cannot speak. The women cry and announce that he is mute.
Trivia:
Quotes:
