MRR2 RZL110

The Life and Works of Jose Rizal
Metacognitive Reading Report # 2
Title of Article: WHY COUNTING COUNTS (EL FILIBUSTERISMO)
Name: Barroga, Josh Martin F. Date: 1/25/24
1. Three (3) Things that I significantly learned from the readings

I've discovered, from reading Anderson's work, that Rizal's depiction of Chinese
Mestizos changes significantly between "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo."
Although the latter seems to reflect a more acute awareness—it contains fifteen references to
mestizos—the former appears to lack explicit acknowledgment of this social class. This
change indicates a dynamic portrayal of the mestizo population's growing influence in late
19th-century Philippine society, demonstrating Rizal's astute observation of changing social
dynamics. His literary journey turns into a mirror that reflects not only his own development
but also the shifting social climate in the Philippines throughout the colonial era. As a result,
his writings are not only classic works of literature but also insightful analyses of historical
and sociological changes.
Another thing I've discovered is that Rizal wanted to inspire a resistance movement
among Filipinos against colonial oppression through El Filibusterismo, which went beyond
just telling stories. Despite the novel's sparse mention of colonialists, Anderson's work shows
that Rizal skillfully and creatively delivered his point. He invited viewers to reflect on the
cultural concerns he addressed by favoring subtlety over overt emphasis. This demonstrates
how skillfully Rizal used literature as a vehicle for social change by letting readers form their
own opinions and creating a strong bond with the state of affairs. Rizal effectively captured
the complex problems that Filipinos experienced in El Fili, inviting readers to consider the
larger ramifications for Filipino society during the colonial era in addition to sympathizing
with the characters' personal hardships.
Finally, I noticed a notable language change between Rizal's books, pointing out that
the term "Naturales," which refers to the Indios, is more common in the first half of El
Filibusterismo but becomes less common in the second half. New words like "mulato" have
emerged to characterize ethnic mix, especially in relation to Don Custodio. This suggests that
Rizal's depiction of social dynamics is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Furthermore, the
decreased use of terminology like "criollo" or "criolla" and "sangleys" in El Filibusterismo
implies that Rizal made a conscious decision to either highlight novel ideas or changing
social institutions. These language subtleties highlight Rizal's purposeful narrative choices in
capturing the dynamic and complex character of the society he aimed to portray, as well as
the shifting complexities of colonial life in the Philippines.
2. Three (3) Things that are still unclear to me

First off, I'm not sure how examining a word's frequency in Rizal's works can reveal
important information about his language preferences and writing style. Even while it might
provide insight into Rizal's taste and skill, the value of a word count is still unclear.
Furthermore, it is unclear how identifying thematic patterns will reveal the primary concepts
or messages in his works.
The reason Jose Rizal decided to write his novels in Spanish is another issue I'm still
not sure about. Though Rizal wanted to reach out to Filipinos, I don't see how the common
people could understand the content—they probably didn't have a good education and didn't
speak Spanish well in Rizal's day. When the works are analyzed, as Anderson and others
have done since then, it becomes clear that Rizal chose to employ Spanish strategically in
order to interact with the Spanish-speaking elite and have an impact on people in positions of
authority. However, the general public was faced with a language barrier as a result of this
decision. Even though Rizal's ideas were not instantly understood by the general public, his
works have continued to have an impact because of the translations, comments, and scholarly
analyses that have come about throughout time to close the knowledge gap and make Rizal's
ideas more understandable.
The last thing that is still unclear to me is the general meaning of Benedict Anderson's
work, which involves counting and classifying words. Although the analysis's linguistic and
quantitative techniques are undoubtedly rigorous, I can't help but wonder about the study's
larger ramifications. In what ways does the methodical enumeration of words enhance one's
comprehension of Filipino nationalism? Although Anderson's investigation into word
frequency and categorization appears to be a laborious process, I find it difficult to
understand the bigger picture it weaves and how it relates to the ideas and messages Rizal's
book conveys.
3. I used to think that….

Before, I thought that Jose Rizal's writing in books like "El Filibusterismo" was only
a surface-level narrative device devoid of deep symbolism or significance. But after reading
Anderson's writing, I had a significant change in viewpoint. The great richness of Rizal's
writing was made evident by Anderson's quantitative data presentation, which examined
political and social vocabulary as well as linguistic choices. The thorough examination
demonstrated how, in spite of its briefness, "El Filibusterismo" successfully communicated
Rizal's developing concepts of Filipino nationalism and identity. My understanding of the
book changed from one of a moral manual to one of a sophisticated examination of social
and political issues as a result of Anderson's critical analysis, which brought to light the
significance of linguistic and cultural components in Rizal's writing.
4. Three (3) questions that I want to ask about the readings
 Why did Jose Rizal break from the more prevalent practice of novel writers,
which is to use a single language such as pure Filipino, Spanish, or English, and
instead use a variety of dialects and languages in his works?
 How much does Benedict Anderson explore the current reception that Jose Rizal's
books have received, taking into account both domestic and foreign readers, and
what links does he make between this response and the works' success in
expressing nationalist ideas?
 Does Benedict Anderson address the possible effects of translation on the results
of word counting analyses in "Why the Counting Counts"? Does he go into the
ramifications of translating Jose Rizal's novels, specifically examining how the
act of translation might influence the reception of "El Filibusterismo"?

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The Life and Works of Jose Rizal

Metacognitive Reading Report # 2

Title of Article: WHY COUNTING COUNTS (EL FILIBUSTERISMO)

Name: Barroga, Josh Martin F. Date: 1/25/24

1. Three (3) Things that I significantly learned from the readings

2. Three (3) Things that are still unclear to me

3. I used to think that….

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