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Father Fernández is a Spanish priest distinguished by his sympathy for his Filipino students and engaged, active teaching style. Fernández unsuccessfully advocates on behalf of the Spanish-language academy. Before Isagani’s arrest, however, Fernández’s confrontation with the student forces him to confront his own entanglement with oppression when the students’ arguments prompt him to defend the very system he criticizes.
Father Fernández Quotes in El Filibusterismo
The El Filibusterismo quotes below are all either spoken by Father Fernández or refer to Father Fernández. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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27. The Friar and the Filipino Quotes
“I agree with you that we have our defects. But whose fault is that? Yours, after three and a half centuries of our education in your hands, or ours, when we bow down in the face of everything? If after three and a half centuries the sculptor has only been able to create a caricature, it will almost definitely come out poorly done.”
“Or perhaps the clay is inadequate…”
“Even less adept then, because if the clay is so inadequate, why waste the time? But he’s not only inept, he’s a fraud and a thief, because even knowing that his work is useless, he continues to do it just to get paid. And he’s not only inept and a thief, he’s corrupt, because he opposes any other sculptor who wants to try out his own talent to see if it’s worth the effort. The fatal jealousy of the incompetent!”
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31. The Chief of Staff Quotes
In the garden, he came upon his coach, which was waiting for him.
“One day when you declare your independence,” he said to the lackey who had opened the coach door, taking heart, “remember that there were some in Spain who didn’t lack the courage to suffer for you and fight for your rights.”
“Where to, señor?” the lackey inquired. He hadn’t understood a word, and just wanted to know the destination.
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Father Fernández Character Timeline in El Filibusterismo
The timeline below shows where the character Father Fernández appears in El Filibusterismo. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
11. Los Baños
...Don Custodio, Simoun, Ben Zayb, the chief of staff, and a quieter priest named Father Fernández are also present. Camorra is enraged by the other priests deliberately throwing the game to...
(full context)
...the indios and hurt the prestige of the religious schools. Simoun joins Sibyla’s side. Father Fernández argues in favor of the academy too, but he upsets Sibyla by favorably referencing the...
(full context)
27. The Friar and the Filipino
Isagani is called into Father Fernández’s cell. Fernández, who respects Isagani for his convictions, confronts him about the broadsides. Though Isagani...
(full context)
Fernández struggles to argue against Isagani’s points and puts the blame on the colonial government, in...
(full context)
32. The Effect of the Broadsides
...to the university. Juanito Peláez joins his father’s business, while Makaraig leaves for Europe. Father Fernández keeps Isagani in his course, allowing him to stay at the university. Basilio remains in...
(full context)
