GEC 109 (Rizal’s Works)

FINAL EXAM

I. Write the lyrics of the song “The Impossible Dream and interpret it according to Rizal’s biography

ANSWER:

The Impossible Dream

Andy Williams

To dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the un-rightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest,
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.

To fight for the right

Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.

And I know if I'll only be true

To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this

And one man, sore and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe
To reach the unreachable star

INTERPRETATION OF THE LYRICS ACCORDING TO RIZAL’S BIOGRAPHY

 The song talks about following your dreams that seem like they would never be achievable,

“to do what's right and to be willing to go through hell itself in order to reach your ultimate
goal” which is referred to as the unreachable star.
 The song was very relatable to the life of Rizal went through. He was been studying and thriving
so hard to achieve what he is now, a nation’s hero. He was engaged in his beliefs and arguments
that Filipino deserved a freedom from Spaniards which is the impossible dream he was looking
for because we were all born free. His quest was to follow the independence of the country. And
this was the unreachable star in the life of Rizal that he was fighting for. He was hopelessly
fighting with sharp words in his novels that waken up the mind and soul of Filipinos. His only
two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Flibusterismo, became essential manuals for members of
the Philippine independence movement. And though Rizal was against revolution, he was willing
to march into hell for a heavenly cause. Because he knew that he was fighting for right without
questions to beat the unbeatable foe who were the Spaniards. In his quest, he was foreseeing a
better country, so he knew if it became true, he will be peaceful and calm in his grave. He was
still starving and fighting for his country and it’s freedom until his last breath offering his life to
fight Spaniards and achieve an independence he seek with his last words, Consummatum est!
(“It is finished!”).

II. Based on the essay “INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS”

Why do you think indolence among Filipinos should not be considered the cause of their backwardness?

 Indolence among Filipinos should not be considered the cause of their backwardness because
we never wants this, we were diligence natives before but Spaniard forced us to adopt this
low traits of them. Indolence therefore has more deeply rooted causes such as abuse and
discrimination, inaction of the government, rampant corruption and red tape, wrong
doctrines of the church and wrong examples from some Spaniards who lead lives
of indolence which ultimately led to the deterioration of Filipinos values. And to be more
specific, Indolence does actually exist in backwardness, but it was not the cause, because it
was the effect of trouble and backwardness by fostering the development of a lamentable
predisposition.

1. Explain how did the following foster indolence among FILIPINOS?

a. Gambling

 Gambling was unknown in the Philippines before Spaniards came. It ruins the diligence
of natives who went through hardships and difficult but decent works and some instead
relied to luck of gambling because of its promise of sudden wealth and its appeal to the
emotions of people. Who wouldn’t want sudden wealth? But the thing here is that
achieving/reaching goals, dreams, or even wealth should be done with our
determination and diligence and not with playing forbidden doings like gambling which
is the cause of indolence.
b. Depredations of the Muslims from the south

 The coastwise trade had to die out because of piratical attacks of the Malays of the
south which lead trade in the interior of the islands almost entirely disappeared, owing
 to restrictions, passports and other administrative requirements. Then natives were not
allowed to go to their labors without permission of the governor, or of his agents and
officers, and even of the priests. This ridiculous acts made them fear to go to work
instead of enjoying and loving what they have.

c. Teaching of the friars “the rich will not go to heaven”

 Natives were in fear to work because of thoughts that rich man will not go to heaven.
Because being rich has a lot of consequences and temptations. Everyone will have their
eyes on you and your money. It’s either you will get down by them or come with them.
Rich man is liable to all kinds of trouble, and you will only escape with money and might
get addicted with using the power of money that will turn you into an evil man of
society. That’s why natives prefers to live miserable and indolent, rather than play the
part of the wretched beast of burden.

d. Attitude of the Spaniards in despising Manual Labor

 Spaniards despised manual labor because they hate being poor and work with diligence
and own sweat. And because of that Filipino desired to work like them or to be equal
with them which naturally produce aversion to activity and fear or hatred of work.

e. Hot climate

 Filipinos in spite of the climate were not the indolent creatures before. But because they
saw and witness the indolent of Spaniards, they even hated hot climate because natives
just only suffered by being servants of Spaniard. They should be resting at those times,
but instead they suffer more with fanning, taking off shoes, carrying, etc. the Spaniards.
Which is the reason why they always ask their selves how they could work and live with
abuse and suffers from the hands of the white men.

III. Based on the essay “PHILIPPINES A CENTURY HENCE.”

1. What is the main theme of this essay “The Philippines A Century Hence” and what were the
predictions of Rizal on what will happen to the Philippines in one century?

 The main theme of essay “Philippines a Century Hence” is that it forecast the future of the
country within a hundred years by formulating on the present conditions and circumstances
to arrive with the concept of the future of the Philippines. This essay reminds the Spain of
what wrong-doing things they did in the Philippines that affects the ancient traditions,
recollections, forgot their writings and of the other different fields of the Filipino.
Rizal wrote several possibilities and predictions of what will happen in the Philippines after a
century. First, the Philippines will remain to be a colony of Spain but will be in good terms with
 its captors. Second, the Philippines will try to cut the ties of our Motherland from its captors
through violent means. And lastly, the Philippines will be colonized by another country.

2. Why do you think England, France, Holland, and Germany, China, Japan were not interested in
acquiring the Philippines? Why do you think the United States was interested in acquiring the
Philippines as mentioned by Rizal in the essay?

 Because England has enough colonies in the Orient and is not going to risk losing her balance
just for poor Philippine Islands. France has enough to do and sees more of a future in Tongking
and China, and their spirit does not shine in zeal for colonization. Germany didn't care to run any
risk because they avoid any foreign complications. Holland was contented with keeping the
Moluccas and Java. China was keeping themselves intact with the power of European in
colonizing continent of Asia. And lastly, Japan was over population and more attracted to Korea
than the Philippines.
 It was mentioned in Rizal essay that United State was interested in acquiring Philippines because
of American Republic has interests lie in the Pacific, and they know that Philippines was
incapable of self-rule and they fear that if they will not get control to Philippines, then another
might do it with their power.

3. In this essay, can you consider Rizal as a prophet? .Justify your answer.

 Though it seems that Jose Rizal’s some predictions became true, I will not consider him as a
prophet. Because a prophet is a person who speaks for God or a deity, but Rizal speaks only
for the natives of country. I am, together with other Filipinos, thankful to him and his works
because they were used as a weapon to achieve independence, however I prefer to consider
him as a nation’s hero and not as a prophet. In addition to that, Rizal never speaks clearly
about religions because he is more stating facts and useful information to seek freedom of
our country from the hands of Spaniards.