Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not)

As Ibarra begins to navigate the politics of his town, he consults Tasio. Ibarra is an idealist and takes his freedom to act on whims for granted. The older Tasio is a realist. When Ibarra asks for advice on building his school, Tasio tells him not to do so anymore. He recognizes how such interactions would compromise Ibarra, as the town considers the philosopher a madman. However, Tasio is clearly not what the people think he is. His reputation liberates him from societal expectations: “[...] the day on which they restore my reason is the day they deprive me of the small bit of freedom I’ve purchased at the price of a reputation as a sane person” (164). Tasio exemplifies freedom of conscience, one that prevents him from getting mixed up in the upper class’s politics. He also advises Ibarra to pretend to fully consider the perspective of the wealthy. The idealistic Ibarra questions if this is necessary, suggesting “Can’t good triumph over everything, and truth not need to dress in the borrowed clothes of error?”—to which Tasio bluntly responds “No one really loves the naked truth” (164). Tasio’s wisdom starkly contrasts with the youthful innocence of Ibarra.

On the eve of the festival in honor of San Diego, the town turns to vice. Instead of standing against illegal activities, Father Dámaso participates in them. The church’s hypocrisy is inherently exploitative: It exacts tithes on gambling, with much of the wealthy maintaining their wealth by preying on the lower class. Tiago is later revealed to have amassed part of his fortune via the opium trade. By contrast, when Ibarra is asked to join a card game, he declines. This brings into question who best represents virtue among friars who gamble and lust and idealists who wish to better the world through action.