Captain Tiago's House in San Diego

Captain Tiago's house serves as a primary gathering place for the colonial elite, where Spanish clergy and wealthy Filipinos intermingle in formal social settings. The house is the site of the novel's opening dinner party, where casual racism against indigenous Filipinos is expressed openly and where Crisóstomo first encounters hostility upon his return from Europe. Later, the house becomes the location of the violent confrontation where Crisóstomo attacks Father Dámaso with a knife after enduring repeated insults about his family. The house represents the performative nature of colonial society, where elaborate social rituals mask deep tensions and violence always lurks beneath the surface of respectability.

The Cemetery/Graveyard

The cemetery represents both sacred tradition and its violation under colonial rule, serving as one of the novel's most symbolically powerful locations. It is here that Crisóstomo discovers the devastating truth...