MODULE 4

RIZAL’S FAMILY, CHILDHOOD, AND EARLY EDUCATION

REFLECTION

Answer the following questions below in no less than two (2) sentences:

1. From what kind of family was Rizal born into?

- At the time, the Rizal family was regarded as one of the most respected and well-known
families. The Rizal family was rich, which explains why Jose Rizal could afford to go
and study abroad. His parents were of Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Malay, and Negrito
ancestry. Despite their affluence, his family faced prejudice because neither parent was
born on the peninsula.

2. What are the most striking characteristics of the Mercado Family?

- The Mercado family is one of the most powerful and largest families in Calamba,
Laguna. The family's paternal ancestor was a full-blooded Chinese who immigrated to
the Philippines from Amoy, China in the late 17th century and married a Chinese
half-breed named Ines De La Rosa. The Mercados were a rich family from Calamba,
Laguna. Rizal was born into a distinguished ilustrado and aristocratic family.

3. What are the significant events in his childhood years? Why are these significant?
- Rizal's first memory, from his childhood, was of a lovely day in the family garden when
he was three years old. Because he was a weak, ill, and tiny boy, his parents lavished him
with love. In the garden, his father built a small nipa home for him to play in throughout
the day. To ensure his comfort, a sweet elderly woman was hired as a nurse maid. He was
sometimes left alone to contemplate the wonders of nature or to play by himself. In his
childhood experiences, he described how, at the age of three, he watched the Culiacan,
the Maya, the Maria Capra, the martin, the pipit, and other birds from his garden house
and listened to their evening melodies "with amazement and love." Another early
memory was the Angelus prayer, which was said daily. By nightfall, his mother gathered
all the children in the home to pray to the Angelus, according to Rizal. He also
remembered the wonderful moonlit nights at the Azotea after the rosary with a
sentimental sense. The Aya told Rizal children many stories about fairies, buried riches,
trees with flowering jewels, and other fantastic tales.

4. Describe the Education Rizal received in his early childhood?

- Rizal received his primary and secondary studies at Calamba and Binan. It was normal
schooling for a son of an ilustrado household during his period, including the four
R's-reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. The teaching was rigorous and rigid. The
 laborious memory method, helped by the teacher's whip, was used to force knowledge
into the minds of the students. Despite the shortcomings of the Spanish basic school
system, Rizal was able to obtain the essential preparation for college studies in Manila. It
may be argued that Rizal, who was born a physical weakling, rose to become an
intellectual giant despite, rather than because of, the archaic and primitive educational
system that existed in the Philippines during the latter decades of the Spanish regime.

5. What is the impact of these “childhood memories” on Rizal as a National Hero?

- Returning to our hero's influences, the environment also had an important role in the
formation of Rizal's character. Jose Rizal's inborn creative and literary abilities were
fostered by the picturesque beauty of Calamba and the lovely garden of the Rizal family.
His devout disposition was strengthened by the religious ambience in his household.
Paciano, his brother, instilled in him a passion of liberty and justice. He learnt to be nice
and kind to ladies from his sisters. His aya's fairy tales from his infancy piqued his
interest in folklore and traditions. He used his knowledge to combat injustice. Through
his works, which addressed different societal concerns in the Philippines, he made
Filipinos recognize how much they were misled. I believe Rizal's early school experience
made him recognize how messed up not just the Philippine education system, but also the
obvious social unfairness in our nation is.