This post contains a short summary of Noli Me Tangere Chapter 63 – Christmas Eve. 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) »
Table of Contents
See also: Noli Me Tangere Chapter 62 Summary, Characters, Lessons, etc. »
Related: Noli Me Tangere Kabanata 63 Buod, Tauhan, Aral, atbp. »
Summary of Noli Me Tangere Chapter 63 – Christmas Eve
In a small hut in the mountains, a Tagalog family lived by hunting and gathering wood. Basilio and a young girl lived there. An old man had taken care of Basilio when he found him wounded. Basilio shared his life story, and the old man allowed him to return home. He even gave Basilio some dried venison to bring to his mother, Sisa.
It was Noche Buena in the town of San Diego, but the people were sad. The mood was also somber at Captain Basilio’s house, where he was talking to Don Filipo. Don Filipo had been cleared of the accusations against him. They saw Sisa, but she didn’t harm anyone.
Sinang received a letter from Maria Clara, but she was afraid to open it. News spread that Linares was the reason Captain Tiago escaped the death penalty.
Basilio finally reached his home, but Sisa wasn’t there. He saw her at the house of the alperes, singing. When Sisa saw the guards, she ran, and Basilio followed her. While running, Basilio was hit on the head by a servant woman, but he kept running until they reached the forest.
Sisa entered the cemetery of an old Spanish man near a balete tree. Basilio hugged Sisa, and she stopped running. Finally, Sisa recognized her son and suddenly collapsed. When Basilio woke up, he found that Sisa had died.
Basilio hugged his mother and cried. As he looked up, he saw a wounded man watching them, and they spoke. The man was Elias. He hadn’t eaten for two days and seemed close to death.
Elias couldn’t help Basilio bury his mother, so he told him to go to the balete tree to gather firewood. Elias instructed Basilio to cremate their bodies.
Elias also mentioned that there was a great treasure buried near the balete tree. If no one else came, Basilio could use the treasure for his education.
Elias prayed and said he would die without seeing the dawn of his beloved country. As he looked at the sky, he slowly fell to the ground.
The whole town of San Diego witnessed the large fire where Sisa and Elias died. Because of this, Manang Rufa blamed the person who started the fire, saying they didn’t respect the birth of Jesus.
See also: Noli Me Tangere Summary of Each Chapter (1-64) »
Important Events in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 63
- Basilio learned about his mother Sisa’s condition and decided to return home to see her.
- Sisa ran into the forest after seeing the guards approaching, and Basilio followed her.
- Basilio found his mother near a grave but discovered she had already died.
- Basilio met Elias, a wounded man who gave him final instructions and told him to use the buried treasure for his education.
- The place where Sisa and Elias died was seen burning, and Manang Rufa blamed it on disrespect for Christmas.
Characters in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 63
These are the characters mentioned in the chapter 63 of Noli Me Tangere:
Basilio
A young boy who was wounded and found by an old man in the mountains. He decided to return home to see his mother, Sisa. In the end, he found his mother dead and spent Elias’s final moments with him.
Old Man
An old man who took care of Basilio when he was wounded. He allowed Basilio to return home and gave him food for his mother.
Sisa
Basilio’s mother, who had gone mad due to the events in her life. In this chapter, Basilio found her in the forest, but she died shortly after recognizing her son.
Captain Basilio
A leader in San Diego who was saddened by the events in their town. He spoke with Don Filipo during Noche Buena.
Don Filipo
He was cleared of the accusations against him and returned to San Diego. He shared Captain Basilio’s grief during their town’s sad Christmas.
Sinang
A friend of Maria Clara who received a letter from her but was afraid to read it due to its possible sad content.
Linares
The reason Captain Tiago escaped the death penalty.
Elias
A wounded man who spoke with Basilio. He told Basilio to use the treasure buried under the balete tree for his education. Elias died beside Basilio after giving his final instructions.
Manang Rufa
She blamed the person who started the fire for not respecting the birth of Jesus.
Read more: Noli Me Tangere Characters and Their Roles »
Setting in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 63
The events in this chapter took place in different locations: a hut in the mountains where the old man who took care of Basilio lived, the town of San Diego, and the forest where the cemetery of an old Spanish man was located near a balete tree.
Lessons in Noli Me Tangere Chapter 63
- Having hope despite tragedies gives strength to move forward, as Elias encouraged Basilio to do.
- Sadness and loss are inevitable, but it’s important to honor the memory of loved ones and continue their dreams.
- Friendship and trust are crucial in times of hardship, as shown by Elias in his final moments with Basilio.
- Caring for others and helping those in need, even in the final moments of life, shows true kindness.
- Sometimes, society’s judgments, like those of Manang Rufa, show a lack of understanding and empathy for what truly happened.
See also: Noli Me Tangere Historical Background »
And that concludes the summary, characters, setting, and lessons of Noli Me Tangere Chapter 63. 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 64 Summary, Characters, Lessons, etc. »
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