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Noli Me Tangere: Summary and Analysis of Chapter 11 (The Rulers)

Summary:
This chapter describes the powerful people in the town of San Diego.

Points of Note:
Here are the characters that may be said to be in positions of power:
(1)   Don Rafael Ibarra
(2)   Captain Tiago
(3)   The town captain
(4)   Friar Salvi
(5)   The sacristan mayor
(6)   The alferez
(7)   Dona Consolacion

Frequently Asked Questions:
Question: Is Don Rafael the most influential and the most powerful in San Diego?
Answer: He is the richest man and he owns the widest land in the town.  However, he did not have that many allies. He is not the most powerful in San Diego.

Question: Is it Captain Tiago?
Answer: He loans money to several townspeople, but they laugh at him behind his back.  It's not him who is the most powerful.

Question: Is it the town captain?
Answer: No.  He is just a puppet.

Question: Is it Friar Salvi?
Answer: It is possible.  He can make the people believe what he wants them to believe about their souls.  He can also use his sermons to incriminate or redeem even the highest officials of the town.

Question: Is it the sacristan mayor?
Answer: He only shares the power of the parish priest, Friar Salvi.

Question: Is it the alferez?
Answer: Maybe.  He controls the civil guards.

Question: How about Dona Consolacion?
Answer: In the absence of her husband the alferez, she is the one in control of the civil guards.