Rizal Life in USA to Paris & London

Ronelle Balasta
Rizal TF 11:30-1:00 pm

*What observation he had in hongkong that he written in his diary?


To a Filipino friend in Hong Kong , Jose Basa, Rizal likewise eagerly announced the completion of his second novel. Having moved to Ghent to have the book published at cheaper cost, Rizal once more wrote his friend, Basa, in Hongkong on July 9, 1891: "I am not sailing at once, because I am now printing the second part of the Noli here, as you may see from the enclosed pages. I prefer to publish it in some other way before leaving Europe , for it seemed to me a pity not to do so. For the past three months I have not received a single centavo, so I have pawned all that I have in order to publish this book. I will continue publishing it as long as I can; and when there is nothing to pawn I will stop and return to be at your side."

Inevitably, Rizal’s next letter to Basa contained the tragic news of the suspension of the printing of the sequel to his first novel due to lack of funds, forcing him to stop and leave the book half-way. "It is a pity," he wrote Basa, "because it seems to me that this second part is more important than the first, and if I do not finish it here, it will never be finished."

Fortunately, Rizal was not to remain in despair for long. A compatriot, Valentin Ventura, learned of Rizal’s predicament. He offered him financial assistance. Even then Rizal’s was forced to shorten the novel quite drastically, leaving only thirty-eight chapters compared to the sixty-four chapters of the first novel.


*Why did jose rizal attracted to Gertrude Beckett

While Rizal was in London annotating the Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, he boarded in the house of the Beckett family, within walking distance of the British Museum . Gertrude, a blue-eyed and buxom girl was the oldest of the three Beckett daughters. She fell in love with Rizal. Tottie helped him in his painting and sculpture. But Rizal suddenly left London for Paris to avoid Gertrude, who was seriously in love with him. Before leaving London , he was able to finish the group carving of the Beckett sisters. He gave the group carving to Gertrude as a sign of their brief relationship.



*Why did rizal annotated morga’s sucesos De Las Islas Pilipinas?
What preparation he take for this?

To prove his point and refute the accusations of prejudiced Spanish writers against his race, Rizal annotated the book, Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, written by the Spaniard Antonio Morga. The book was an unbiased presentation of 16th century Filipino culture. Rizal through his annotation showed that Filipinos had developed culture even before the coming of the Spaniards.

While annotating Morga’s book, he began writing the sequel to the Noli, the El Filibusterismo. He completed the Fili in July 1891 while he was in Brussels , Belgium . As in the printing of the Noli, Rizal could not published the sequel for the lack of finances. Fortunately, Valentin Ventura gave him financial assistance and the Fili came out of the printing press on September 1891.


*What were the positive and negative impression Rizal had of the United States ?

-Positive impressions
a. The material progress of the country as shown in the great cities, huge
farms, flourishing industries and busy factories
b. The drive and energy of the American people.
c. The natural beauty of the land
d. The high standard of living.
e. The opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants.
-Negative impressions
a. he lack of racial quality – there existed racial prejudice which was inconsistent with the principles of democracy and freedom of which the Americans speak so much of but do not practice.



*Why did he choose London to be his second home during his second journey to Europe ?

a. To improve his knowledge of the English language.
b. To study and annotate Morgas Sucesos delas Filipinas, a rare copy of which he heard to be available in the British Musuem.
c. London was a safe place for him to carry on his fight against Spanish tyranny.

*What observation did Rizal have as written in his diary?

-First the unpopulated and lonely dessert which bares mountaians. On May 8, as he woke up, he saw animals and plants; horses, oxen, and trees, on the same day, he began to see flowers and at a distance a mountain covered with snow. The day after, they passed through more rocky mountains after which was followed by a tunnel which the train had to travel through. On may 10 they reached Nebraska , described by Rizal as aplain country, and the Missouri River which was twice as wide as the Pasig River . The day after Rizal reached Chicago noticing that every cigar store has an Indian picture on them.

*Why did Rizal leave Philippines , his friends, and his family fro the second time?

-Rizal Left Philippines, his friends, and family for the second time because he was hounded by powerful enemies and the only way he could fight better his enemies and serve his country’s cause with grater efficiency is by writing in foreign countries.