Summary:
Ibarra goes to the seaside where he had agreed to meet with Elias. Elias tells him of the purpose of the meeting -- to address the concerns and needs of those who are hunted and persecuted. He asks Ibarra to find a way to diminish the power of the friars and the civil guards. Ibarra refuses. According to him, the friars and the civil guards are "necessary evils."
Points of Note:
In this chapter Rizal explains what it means to love one's country. It is here that the character of Elias finds more color and depth.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Question: What do the hunted demand?
Answer: They demand (1) respect for human rights, (2) a little more tranquility in the lives of the locals, and (3) diminished power of the friars and the civil guards.
Question: What does Ibarra say regarding the matter?
Answer: He says that if the nation is currently in a poor state, then the situation will get worse if they remove the civil guards and the friars. According to him, they are necessary evils.
Question: Why is Elias shocked at Ibarra's response?
Answer: He does not expect that a well-educated, intelligent man like Ibarra would believe in "necessary evils." He wonders to himself if the man actually believes that anything good can spring from something bad.
Question: What is Ibarra's explanation for this?
Answer: The civil guards and the friars are bitter medicine necessary for an ill nation, and however strong the pain such a medicine may bring, with it also comes healing.
Question: Did Elias share Ibarra's opinion on the subject?
Answer: No. Elias says that only an unskilled and incompetent physician would place medicine on the painful areas without first examining the source of the illness.