Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12 Summary, Characters, Lessons, etc.

This post contains a short summary of Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12 – All Saints. In addition, you will also learn about the characters mentioned in this chapter, the setting, key events, as well as the lessons and important insights you can gain from it.

Related: Noli Me Tangere Summary of the Entire Novel (Short Summary) »

See also: Noli Me Tangere Chapter 11 Summary, Characters, Lessons, etc. »

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Summary of Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12 – All Saints

This chapter describes the dark and eerie atmosphere of the San Diego cemetery at night. It is a historic place surrounded by bamboo and old walls, with a large cross in the center. The path to the cemetery is narrow and overgrown, becoming muddy during the rainy season and dusty during the dry season.

Despite heavy rain, two people were digging in the cemetery. One was an experienced gravedigger, while the other was a nervous newcomer. They were exhuming a body that had been buried only twenty days earlier.

The order to dig up and move the body to the Chinese cemetery came from Padre Garrote, who is also known as Padre Damaso, the parish priest at the time.

See also: Noli Me Tangere Summary of Each Chapter (1-64) »

Important Events in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12

1. The San Diego cemetery is described as an overgrown and narrow place, difficult to access, especially during the rainy season.
2. On this rainy night, two people were digging up a grave. One was an experienced worker, and the other was a hesitant new helper.
3. The body being exhumed had only been buried for twenty days, adding tension to the scene.
4. The order to exhume the body and move it to the Chinese cemetery was given by Padre Damaso, known for his cruelty and lack of compassion.

Characters in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12

These are the characters mentioned in the chapter 12 of Noli Me Tangere:

Gravediggers

Cemetery workers responsible for digging graves and burying the dead. In this chapter, one experienced gravedigger and a nervous newcomer are tasked with exhuming and relocating a body.

Padre Damaso

Also known as Padre Garrote, a key character in the story and a Spanish priest. In this chapter, he ordered the exhumation and relocation of a body, demonstrating his lack of respect and kindness.

Read more: Noli Me Tangere Characters and Their Roles »

Setting in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12

The events took place in the San Diego cemetery, located in the middle of vast rice fields and surrounded by old walls and bamboo. The cemetery became muddy during the rainy season and dusty in the summer.

Lessons in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12

1. This chapter highlights the lack of respect for the dead and the cruelty of those in power, such as Padre Damaso, who use their positions to make inhumane decisions.
2. The act of moving a body from a Christian cemetery to a Chinese cemetery symbolizes discrimination and inequality in society, particularly under colonial rule.
3. Respect for the dead is important regardless of their race or religion. A lack of respect reflects a lack of morality in a society or individual.
4. This chapter also shows how priests like Padre Damaso abuse their power to enforce decisions that go against the true spirit of religion, which should promote love and equality.
5. The fear and uncertainty of the newcomer gravedigger illustrate how the commands of powerful figures can create doubt and anxiety among those who must follow

See also: Noli Me Tangere Historical Background »

And that concludes the summary, characters, setting, and lessons of Noli Me Tangere Chapter 12. If you found this lesson helpful, please share it with others so they can learn as well.

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Read next: Noli Me Tangere Chapter 13 Summary, Characters, Lessons, etc. »