diced b Jos e S. Arc a, - non

as he throws away the chest of money brought by Simoun lead us to theconclusion:When men should need you [Simoun's money chest] for a purpose holy andsublime, God will raise you from the bottom of the seas. Until then you will do noevil there, you will not thwart justice or incite greed!'APOTHEGMSA second literary device masterfully employed in the novels is theapothegm, or meaningful sentence. We have already cited one from theopening paragraphs of the Noll: "Men are like turtles: they are classified andvalued according to their shells." Pretense! Sham! External show and emptyfacades! As soon as word spreads that Capitan Trap is hosting a party,everyone sets out to "hunt polish for their boots, collar-buttons and cravats"and rehearse how to "greet their host with the assumed intimacy of longstandingfriendship . ."During the party to welcome Ibarra at Capitan Tiago's house, FrayDamaso's indignant challenge to the military officer reveals more than heintends: "Do you think that under my cassock I am less of a man?" Thenovel will show he is a man who can sire a child. But his behavior makes himless than one. And unfortunately for him, his priestly consecration shouldhave made him more than a man. Later his fiesta panegyric asphyxiateseveryone in the overcrowded church. Only one succeeds in extricatinghimself, the irreverent Manilefio who gets up and walks out not through themain door which has been locked, but through the sacristy doors, in the fullsight of everybody and shocking them with such effrontery. Ibarra, too, ismiserable. He listens to every word of the friar, and. understood the allusions. Under an outward composure, his eyes sought helpfrom God and the authorities, but he found nothing except images of saints andthe nodding Governor.'In other words, there was no redemption, no escaping the abusive friar!God is not to be found, only painted wooden images of the saints. Neither isthere help from the Governor, for instead of being inspired, he falls asleeplulled by the constant droning of the friar's unintelligible mouthings. Ibarrafeels all alone. And this, precisely, is the tragedy of Philippine society. In theface of friar omnipotence, there is no support or hope of salvation.190