Who Elias is
Elias knows the lives of the poor and the outcast in the Philippines under Spanish rule. Quiet and serious, he carries a sorrow that he does not explain at first.
During an outing on the lake near San Diego, danger in the water puts him in peril. Ibarra jumps in to save him, beginning a connection that develops through their conversations.
What Elias wants
Elias wants reform, but he doubts that the existing law can offer justice to the weak. He speaks of people who suffer in silence and sometimes turn to violence.
He asks Ibarra to use his wealth and name to press for change from within. His appeal brings the suffering of people without influence directly before a man who has both money and education.
Elias and the others in the story
Elias and Ibarra form a cautious but deep friendship, with each seeing something the other lacks. Ibarra trusts patient reform and the law, while Elias questions whether that trust answers the needs of the poor.
Their conversations make the question of change personal rather than merely a matter of political ideas. Both men want reform, but their different experiences lead them to weigh its possibilities differently.
Vragen
Who is Elias in Noli Me Tangere?
Elias is a boatman and fugitive whose knowledge of poverty gives him a different outlook from Ibarra.
What does Elias want from Ibarra?
He wants Ibarra to use his social position and resources to seek reforms for people without power.
Does Elias believe in the law?
Elias doubts that the law as it stands will protect the poor. His doubts challenge Ibarra's faith in peaceful reform.
