RIZAL - WEEK 3 which implies that the freedom to
create meaning is being
RIZAL AS A SYMBOL monopolized.
● When Jose Rizal was set to face his b. For ROLAND BARTHES, a sign
execution, he left a dying wish to his is a readerly text.
family: 2. SYMBOL - are texts which have no
○ He wanted to be buried in the earth, absolute meaning.
preferably in PAANG BUNDOK a. In the words of UMBERTO ECO,
(now North Cemetery) a symbol is an "open" text which
○ A stone and a cross on top implies that any interpretation 1
○ His name, date of birth, and death may be valid.
○ A fence that would mark his grave b. For ROLAND BARTHES, a
○ No anniversary celebration must be symbol is a writerly text.
conducted
● Nothing has been achieved in his last will.
○ He was buried first in PACO
CEMETERY and later transferred
beneath his monument in
LUNETA on DECEMBER 30,
1912.
○ The nation granted him a grand
stone monument.
○ Fence is not in a grave, but in a big
park.
○ The whole nation commemorates
his death every year with full
military honors.
● This is not the first instance the icon of Rizal
was subjected to manipulation of other
people.
So it was evident then that "TWO RIZALS"
appeared in the course of our history.
1. The first one is the HISTORIC RIZAL
who lived and died in the 19th century
Philippines.
2. The SYMBOLIC RIZAL is the "second"
Rizal. He is the kind of Rizal we have today.
RIZAL AS TEXT AND SIGN SYMBOLS
TEXT - is anything that can be interpreted or read. It
is anything under the sun that can be fathomed by
man.
TWO TYPES OF TEXT:
1. SIGN - are texts which have absolute
meaning.
a. As in the words of UMBERTO
ECO, a sign is a "closed" text
