3/26/14

1. 3/26/14 • Bellwork: Answer the following question in at least 3-5 sentences on left side page 80 of your INB • What is the relationship of the past to the present? How do historical events inform us now? Can past events “haunt” us? Give an example. • Agenda: • Bellwork • Notes Pedro Paramo (right side page 81) • Discussion of text/Let’s talk/This book is confusing • Character chart (page83)

2. The Ghosts of Comala: Threads of History in Pedro Paramo Socio-cultural, socio-political, socio-historical contextual background

3. Background – Pedro Paramo • Published in 1955 • One of the most analyzed and commented works in Mexican literature. • The novel is often seen as representative of Mexican modernity • While traditional Mexico fades, its presence still lingers, like the ghosts in the novel • Takes place in Comala, a ghost town created from the effects of events in 19th and 20th century Mexican social history • revolutions, feudal systems, deruralization) • Rulfo was inspired by his own town, which had become uninhabited, when he visited it 30 years later

4. Narrative voices • The novel weaves the stories of three principal characters together: Juan Preciado, Susana San Juan and Pedro Paramo • The novel begins from Juan’s point of view • Juan is Pedro’s only legitimate son who searches for identity and revenge. • Woven into Juan’s narrative are flashbacks of Pedro’s biography • Pedro is the son of landowners who had been falling into debt • He marries Delores Preciado for her money, although he loves Susana San Juan, who had moved away. • Pedro is able to build up his ranch and expand, despite the events of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920)

5. Fragmented voices • The textual structure weaves the story lines through a series of fragments • In some parts, Juan narrates (and this is where the novel begins) (1st person) • In other parts, Pedro’s thoughts are present (1st person) • Often, these internal monologues are related to Susana • There is also a traditional 3rd person omniscient narrator • Lastly, there are various lines of dialogue, unidentified voices of ghosts who haunt the town

6. Representations of society • Pedro: his accumulation of land as a rancher relates back to the events during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz • His attempts to modernize Mexico allowed for the creation of places like Media Luna and strong local elite leaders, like Pedro • Susana: she relates back to the repressed role of women in a patriarchal order • Hints of incest with her father • She is kept almost like a possession • In Comala, women are used to populate the countryside with illegitimate children (think of Miguel) • Do not forget about the peasants, either. (we can talk about them more later)

7. Narrative framework • Time is unclear in this novel • The presence of multiple narratives and voices at the same time has led some scholars to discuss “parallel memories” • Despite the fragmented nature of the text, we do have a sequence of events • 1) Pedro’s adolescence and love for Susana • 2) Pedro’s build up of Media Luna (the birth of his tyranny) • 3)Miguel’s life and death • 4) The return of Susana and the Mexican Revolution • 5) The demise of Comala and Pedro’s death • 6) Juan’s search for his father • 7) The reawakening of the dead • The novel begins and ends with Pedro’s sons (Abundio and Juan) • What can we make of this cyclical sort of structure? What might it say about the father-son relationship and what happens in between?

8. Names – Should we read into them? • Comal – a flat pan for cooking corn cakes • Pedro – Stone • Paramo – a wasteland • Preciado – valuable/prized • Abundio – Abundance • Dolores – Pain • Fulgor – Shine/Brilliance • Renteria – productive land or property