Sobre el autor y la obra
-
Fernández
de Lizardi
o
Vida: 1776-1827, born in México – journalist and
novelist
o
Modest Creole family background (Franco)
o
Rebel sympathies for Mexican independence
movement
-
This is Lizardi’s first major work
-
It was considered as the first American novel
Political/social context
-
Lizardi was writing during the Mexican
independence movement
-
He had to write in a way so as to avoid
political/religious censorship for rebellious/anti-Catholic material
-
He was writing during a period of severe
censorship that coincided with the absolutist rule of Fernando VII of Spain
(1816-1820)
Comps
-
Suggested Edition: Suggested edition: El periquillo sarniento
(versión abreviada).Ed. Erwin K. Mapes y Frances M. López-Morillas (NY:
Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1952).
-
Example Question: From chronicle to novel
in Spanish-America. The development of the narrative (novelistic elements such
as dialogue, character development, interpolated narratives) as portrayed in
the works of some of the Cronistas of the XVIth and XVIIth centuries and
continuing on through the XIXth century (Sigüenza y Góngora, Fernández de
Lizardi, Echeverría, Isaacs, Palma).
Summary
Narrator Pedro frames
autobiographical story as an example of mistakes for his children not to make
(children symbolize youth of new republic). Says he had a bad upbringing,
parents spoiled him. Early education wasn’t great, neither was colegio; didn’t
learn anything. Studied for religious position because it was easy (criticism
of church). Left church when father died, and wasted all of his inheritance;
started cheating at cards to earn a living. Later gets sent to prison for robbery,
even though it was his friend, not him. Leaves prison and works as a scribe,
then as a pharmacist, then as a doctor. Becomes a doctor himself, but doesn’t
know any medicine and eventually gets caught and bails. Then pretends to be a
blind beggar to get alms. Later, becomes a cheating clerk, then a thief. Realizes
he has to change his life, and becomes the administrator of a bar, and then
gets married. Before his death, he narrated his life story to Lizardi (author)
who wrote this book.
Notes from Wikipedia
-
published during Mexican revolution for independence
from Spain
-
Lizardi was something of middle class
-
the 4th volume was censored because it critiqued slavery
-
during virreinato in the Spanish colonies, it
was prohibited to read fiction. (Enlightenment
thoughts...) no sólo porque se consideraba que fomentaban un uso
"ocioso" de la imaginación y el pensamiento, sino por su
repercusión en la crítica social.
-
considered
precursor to Mexican romanticism.
-
La
novela es una obra satírica sobre un personaje pintoresco de origen
popular, Pedro Sarmiento, alias "el Periquillo Sarniento", sus
venturas y desventuras, su vida y su muerte, todo lo cual transcurre a finales
de la dominación española en México. La novela tiene un elevado valor
testimonial, y según el escritor y filósofo español Fernando
Savater: "En el fondo, los malos y malditos de esta novela
contribuyen a divertirnos y entretenernos."
Brief notes from article: “Picaresca
mexicana: El Periquillo Sarniento en
el tejido mental de la nación”
-
Recognized as first Spanish American novel.
-
Picaresque
Traits: mimesis no
herióica, transgresión como suceso narrativo principal, y una actitud hacia esa
transgresión manipulada por el autor, a "constellation of
structures."
-
carácter
autobiográfico, el continuo cambiar de amos, el vagabundeo
-
Lizardi in favor of a Mexican nation
-
"El
autor señala el problema e inmediatamente da una solución"
-
La novela se
construye en base de un "exemplum ad contraris" en el cual el
protagonista narra su vida a sus hijos. He knows he's sinned, so he
tells his story so his kids won't make the same mistake.
-
his children symbolize the children of the "new
republic", teaching them so they can be good citizens.
-
he's not writing for the wise, but rather the simple
people (the majority).
-
language
in novel is simple, llano, y vulgar
-
wanted the educational system in Mexico to improve
-
endorse una educación tecnológica vocacional que
permitiría crear oficiales (instead of "filósofos y latinajos." -This
is illustrated by the dispute between Perico's parents regarding what kind of
education he should receive.
-
this book has lots of illustrations to make it easier
to read/more accessible to a broader audience.
-
la
novel es la bitácora del descenso de Perico de bachiller, a
estafador, a ladrón de caminos.
-
Brief aside about the role of beggars- before, in
middle ages, they were ok to have because by giving them alms, you won yourself
some points in heaven. THEN, when Lazarillo de Tormes shows up, there is far
less tolerance for those who don't work.
-
Novel also proposes a decentralization of Mexico
city b/c when farmers came to the city and couldn't find employment, they
became pícaros. In this novel,
Lizardi "invita a las clases bajas que habitan la capital a dejarla y
retornar al campo."
-
Lizardi
views pícaros as "delincuentes en potencia", peo no natos...whereas
frente a delincuentes natos, Lizardi shows he wants to ELIMINATE them from
society (as Januario muere ahorcado, pagando asi sus muertes y sus robos.)
-
Lizardi still believes in hierarchies in
democratic society. "Quiere
incorporar las clases marginadas a su proyecto nacional porque necesita su
fuerza de trabajo y porque les teme."
What Franco says about the work (Chap. 1)
-
This was Lizardi’s first major work; “a
picaresque work presenting the errors and follies of a hero whose environment
and poor education combined to give him weak and stupid attitudes” (35)
-
“the fourth part of this novel could not be
published in the first edition of 1816 since his views on the abolition of
slavery were too advanced even when put into the mouth of a fictional
character” (34)
-
El Periquillo is a passive hero, “a man who
protests too much without ever resisting the temptations put in his path” (35)
-
Hero is exposed to bad influences from early on
– “ignorant maids inculcate superstitions, his mother indulges his whims, his
teachers either have no vocation or no ability to discipline him”
-
Periquillo is incredibly ignorant despite many
encounters with good and wise people (36)
-
Sort of picaresque series of jobs due to his
unwillingness to work or take anything seriously (36)
-
Idea that the Spanish government and the
education system encourage parasitism and laziness (36)
-
Lizardi’s world is divided into undeserving
parasites, and the worthy, practical men whose virtues are not recognized by
society (36)
-
Explores racial questions – many encounters with
Indians and Negroes. Example of episodes relating to the Philippine Islands,
where a Negro makes a spirited attack on racial discrimination
What Cambridge says about the work (Chap. 1)
-
Wrote the novel in episodes
-
Sought to show that novels could serve a worthy
purpose – providing readers with moral uplift and sound advice, particularly
about molding young people into good citizens
-
Pedro (the narrator) is similar to a picaresque
protagonist; wanders from one unsavory master to another – but he’s not a
hardened picaresque rogue
-
The reader of the work is placed in the position
of one of Pedro’s children
-
There is some critique of imperialism (24)
-
Idea of the desire to improve Mexico – Lizardi
indicates a number of widespread customs that weaken Mexicans (24)
Suggested edition (Editors Mapes & López-Morillas) – Introduction
-
This text is the only important example of the
picaresque novel in Spanish America
-
Idea that picaresque novels originated as a
satire of novels of chivalry (ex: Lazarillo
de Tormes)
-
Many of the characteristics of the picaresque
are in intentional contrast to those of its predecessor, the novel of chivalry
o
Hero of chivalric novel is from upper class,
while pícaro is from the lowest
o
Hero/knight wants to free the oppressed and
defeat evil, while pícaro wants to eat
o
Knight is honorable, while pícaro is a shameless
cheat
-
Principle purpose of picaresque novel was satire
of social and economic conditions in Spain at the time
-
Lizardi was a reformer – desired political
change
o
There were lots of dishonest officials in power
during the time period in Mexico
-
Lizardi also criticized the catholic church –
suggested abolition of vow of celibacy, indicated the greed in the church
-
He also criticized the educational system,
saying that the teachers weren’t good and the curriculum was outdated
-
He indicated that since the only respected
professions (legal and clerical) were overcrowded, there were lots of ignorant
quacks out there, including lots of bad doctors
-
Lizardi most greatly criticized/satirized the
“conviction on the part of middle-class people that all labor, particularly
physical labor, was degrading, and fit only for
the servant class”
-
Suggestion that the account of Pedro’s school
days in the work is largely autobiographical
Personajes
-
Pedro Sarmiento / Periquillo Sarniento – the
protagonist, a pícaro from middle class
-
Pedro’s mother – weak/soft soul, loves Pedro too
much
-
Pedro’s father – much more sensible/practical,
but weak with love for Pedro’s mother
-
Martín Pelayo – Pedro’s friend during his youth,
who gives him advice sometimes
-
Januario – Pedro’s friend who’s a cheat
-
Cosme Casalla – Pedro’s first master, a scribe
-
Nicolás – Pedro’s second master, a pharmacist
-
Doctor Purgante – Pedro’s third master, a doctor
-
Andrés – youth that is Pedro’s assistant when he’s
a “doctor,” and later his assistant in the store/bar that he manages
-
Antonio – good man, Pedro’s friend that he met
in prison
-
Margarita – Antonio’s daughter, whom Pedro
marries
Ideas/Temas importantes
-
Estilo de escritura
o
Narración desde primera persona
o
La
novela se construye en base de un "exemplum ad contraris" en
el cual el protagonista narra su vida a sus hijos. He knows he's sinned,
so he tells his story so his kids won't make the same mistake. His children symbolize
the children of the "new republic", teaching them so they can be
good citizens.
o
Language in the work is simple – of the common
people.
o
Uso de retórica
§ El fastidium topos – “para no cansar a
uds.”
§ Las palabrotas como “hijo de p…” con
elipsis
-
Género/Genre
o
Costumbrismo / Cuadro de costumbres – describes
in detailed manner the life and characters of that period
§
Details the customs parents had for raising kids
(swaddling/binding babies, wet nurses, etc.) – criticizes these customs
§
Describes the characteristics of the people of
the smaller pueblos (like when he goes to be a “doctor” in a pueblo outside of
Mexico City” – Chap. 12)
o
Influencia
de la novela picaresca
§
YES because: Fictional autobiography, social
criticism, episodic, protagonist constantly changes roles, realist view of
society’s chaotic nature, protagonist is anti-hero, education is seen as one of
the reasons protagonist’s life is how it is
§
NO because: protagonist is not born as member of
lower class, fault lies in upbringing more than education, at end he becomes a
normal member of society
§
He self-identifies as a “pícaro”
o
Novel of social criticism – didactic example of
how, if you work hard and are noble, you will succeed (“el hombre de bien con
su conducta constantemente arreglada domina casi siempre su fortuna, por
siniestra que sea” – Chap. 17)
o
Some influence of neoclassicism because of the
intertextuality and references from older periods
o
Some romantic liberal themes – criticism of
corruption in all aspects of society
-
Criticism of Spain / Spanish rule
o
Criticizes the educational system
o
Criticizes the strong Catholic presence
-
Criticism of the educational system
o
The teachers in his early education were
inconsistent – some were not qualified and over-indulgent while others were too
strict
o
Teachers at colegio level were liars, didn’t
care if he really learned
-
Religion / criticism of Catholicism
o
Pedro is able to enter the religious order
despite being a total hypocrite
o
Criticism of cheating and greedy priest (Chap.
14)
-
Criticism of certain professions (especially
doctors)
o
Criticizes doctors as lazy and greedy (Chapter
8)
o
Overcrowding
of medical profession – “en México había más médicos que enfermos” (Chapter 12)
-
Social class/Social criticism
o
Lizardi most greatly criticized/satire the
“conviction on the part of middle-class people that all labor, particularly
physical labor, was degrading, and fit only for
the servant class” (Introduction)
§
Prime example is how his mom didn’t want Pedro
to learn a trade because that was beneath their family name
o
You can’t trust your family
o
When Pedro works as a doctor, nobody cares when
the poor people die – they don’t even notice. “los más que morían eran pobres, y en éstos no es notable ni la vida ni la
muerte”
o
With the
group of fake disabled people (Chap. 13) – “¿cómo es posible que no haya quien
contenga estos abusos, y quien les ponga una mordaza a estos locos?”
-
Género / Gender
o
Pedro’s mother is described as soft, weak, and
ignorant
o
Women don’t really have a significant role –
only real exception is Pedro’s mother
o
Antonio allows his daughter Margarita to decide
for herself if she wants to marry Pedro
-
Hypocrisy, engaño
o
Pedro deceives everyone in order to become a
fraile
o
He works as a doctor despite his complete lack
of medical training
Apuntes del texto – different edition than one recommended on comps list
Chapter I
-Tells kids, on his death bed, he's
writing this for them and they should learn from his mistakes. Don't be scandalized by the things I've
done.
-Procuraré evitar aquella monotonía o igualdad de estilo que regularmente
enfada a los lectores.
-I'll just tell you as I remember
it.
-You can lend this out to hombres de bien not
"comerciantes usureros/padres y madres indolentes de la educación de su
familia, ni a las beatas necias y supersticiosas, ni a los jueces
venales....las muchachas que se alquilan..." (He just goes after
who he views as problem groups in society.
-Born in Mexico city, de "limpia sangre"
-tried to convince old women that
their superstitions were crazy. -When his parents abandoned him, godparents
acted like they didn't know who he was.
"Perdonand, pedazos míos, estas digresione que rebozan naturalmente de
mi pluma..."
-My name is Pedro Sarniento
-Critique the parents who contract
random wet nurses and moms who don't take care of their kids for reasons of
vanity. My mom was no good and my dad was a pushover and that's why I turned
out like this. They gave into my whims, fed me whenever, overdressed me so I
was never cold and all of this made we a weak and sickly little booger. If kids
had a more vigorous childhood, they'd be more robust and useful for society (resembles
la ilustración)
-my parents told me about the
boogeyman, which gave me a cowardly and effeminate spirit.
Chapter 2: On going to school
They didn't teach us to read
well.
-School was poor and poorly lead.
Everyone was called by a nickname. Mine was Periquillo Sarniento.
-His teachers were
inconsistent-some too nice, some too harsh. Everytime they hit him, he seemed
to get worse.
Chapter 3
His third school and his parents'
debate about giving him an oficio. Mom doesn't want a trade because that would
denigrate his name. Father is more practical, "What does his name have to
do with him being able to make an honorable living?" I don't want him to
go around like a beggar!
Chapter 4
"Es la mayor simpleza de muchos padres tener una pura fuerza un hijo
letrado o eclesiástico, aun cuando no sea de su vocación tal carrera, ni tenga
talento..." That's why we have abogados firmones, médicos asesinos, y
eclesiásticos legos. Some jobs need a certain body type.
Ch. 5 Periquillo writes about his curso de artes... Says that he learned to make sophisms and "oscurecer la verdad." (This sounds like Fray Gerundio...) Gets his B.A. degree., critiques the elaborate process of getting your degree/graduation. Makes an aside-says she writing this from his bed so of course it's going to be disorganized. Calls himself necio, bárbaro, presumido. "Reniego de mi física y de cuantos físicos hay en el mundo si todos son tan pelotas como yo."
Ch 7. The happenings at the hacienda. Mentions seeing toros, first time he sees "esta clase de diversiones que consisten en hacer daño a los pobres animales...when it's the toreros that deserve the beating for their barbarie." Wonders why rational people would get involved with such a thing.
Ch. 8 "el picarón de Januario no se saciaba de hacerme mal por cuantos medios podía, always pretending to be my friend." Januario tries to teach him to torear on the baby bulls. Periquillo says he was surprised by the perversidad and maldad of his friend. Compares el corazón del hombre malo vs. hombre de bien. El pícaro-tiene mil recámaras donde embodegar sus maldades. Really, like a shoemaker can judge a shoemake, a bad guy can judge other bad guy's behavior. El hombre prudente always considers his actions without rushing to conclusions.
Ch. 9. Periquillo talks to his dad. Dad says, "You're growing up." Bellas artes are deleitables but not useful. DOn't be a poet; they're poor. I want you to learn a trade that will let you earn a living. Says he wants to be a chaplain so father recommends he learn indigenous language so he can be a vicar and administer the scraments. Father criticizes son's decision, "abrazan la carrera eclesiástica porque les parece la más fácil de emprender y la que necesita menos ciencia. No! Priests must be the salt of the earth! Doctors of faith!"
Ch. 10 When he says he wants to be a soldier, comments, "el rey es padre de todos y tiene muchos miles para vestirme y darme de comer."
Ch. 11. Peri takes the religious habit and se arrepiente en el mismo día. Upset because it was a day of fasting...no chocolate (I agree-sounds horrible!)
Ch. 12 Comments on tough life-lots of work, little food at convent. Peri's friend Januario ("con el pretexto de la amistad so los más dañosos enemigos.") tells him to marry Poncianita. While Peri is trying to figure out ways to dodge life at the convent, his father gets sick, dies and he leaves him a note- follow the 10 commandments, they're on point. Januario snaps back, "Consejos y bigotes, ya no se usan." convent.
Tomo II
Chapter 1 (sobre los abusos de los funerales, pésames, entierros....) Everything
up to this point is lovely compared to the crimes that follow. Though an hombre
de bien/pobre trabajador would've managed nicely on his inheritance,
he squandered it quickly. People who don't know how to use money spend it
poorly and damage themselves and others in the process. When my father died,
all of the good food at the funeral brought lots of "mourners."
Ch. II.
Peri better and danced away all his
money, which force mom to live in room that was bajo e indecente.
Ch. 3
Animals take good care of their
babies and once their grown, they send them out on their own forever. Yet,
human mothers, who have a dangerous pregnancy, difficult crianza, never give up
taking care of their children. Even if they only loved us as long as a chicken,
we'd still owe our mothers. Mentions how a debt collector came and took
his measly furniture as payment.
Ch. 4. Periquillos, without relatives, begins hangin with Juan Largo "y por su persuasión abraza la carrera de los pillos en clase de cócora de los juegos." No one in the family offered him help when mom died. Januario teaches him this way to earn money- "hacerse dinero sin arriesgar un ochavo en el juego." Basically, teaches him to cheat the system.
Ch. 5
Mentions men who don't work on
monday, not for any other reason than to sober up after Sunday's debauchery.
Peri gets involved in fights because they catch him cheating people.
Ch. 6.
Peri is in the hospital. Critiques
the lazy treatment of nurses at hospital. Januario tries to justify his stealing of thing...anyone can have a bad
year-farmers, students- "robar no es otra cosa que quitarle a otro lo suyo
sin su voluntad, y según esta verdad, el mundo está lleno de ladrones." Critique
of gov't-what difference is it to rob from above than below?
Then, Peri responds that when a man
is determined to do something, he'll justify it however he wants. And
just because there are many thieves doesn't make it ok to steal.
Ch. 7
Robbing a house-Pipí and Januario.
The servant yells, "Ladrones!" They killed (or nearly killed) the
lady of the house. He gets roped in because he's wearing the same sarape as
Januario. Some guy sees him in jail, feels bad for him and helps him out...rhetoric
-"no acabaría si quisiera contar a ud. lso favores que le debí a
este." Falls in love with a woman, probably because she had lots of
things. Get married and wants to spend her money walking around town. Finds out- "mujer hermosa es una
alhaja que excita la codicia del hombre."
Ch. 8
Critique of the influence of malos
escribanos on judges, which can cause corruption.
Ch. 9.
Friends make fun of him in jail.
Start to throw urine on him! I don't want to remember what follows, but...then,
pícaro de marqués starts to woo his wife. So, tells his friend Domingo to hide
out in his room and do what needs to be done in case that guy comes by. So,
when the marques tries to sneak in one night and (maybe) rape his wife, Domingo
gets him! (Also: includes life-like dialogue- e.g. muncho...) But, wife
doesn't want him to be killed. (Rhetoric: my wife told me these things
just as I am writing them). Marqués wants vengeance. Plants tobacco in clothes
given to Peri to set him up, make him look like a smuggler. Faces jail again.
Freed when Marques is on his deathbed, confessing sins.
Ch. 10.
I acted badly because of the
example of mis malos amigos. Might have been better if they were virtuous
folks, like Don Antonio (who's on his best behavior to get out of jail and go
home to see his wife). Then, Antonio leaves and he starts hanging with gentuza
again. Met a mulato, ladrón astuto but incapable of successfully stealing
anything. But, one day that guy got off his rocker and beat some people
up.
Ch. 11.
In jail, Peri was robbed of the
things Antonio had given him. He has "delirios de grandeza" and
thinks he might be able to get out of jail claiming relation to nobility. Anyhoo. Some escribano gets him out,
becomes his first amo y dentro de pocos días me hice dueño de su voluntad. And
even gets to live at his house!
Ch. 12
Pedro critiques malos escribanos.
Tells about a criminal who falls in the hands of justice. He confessed his
crimes because they were undeniable. Escribano says he can't really help him.
But, his sister begged escribano more on his behalf. Then something bad happens
and sister says, "I had you taken for an hombre de bien, but what
you did wasn't right." Basically, says that escribanos (something like a
notary) just make things up when it's convenient for them. It's even easy to confuse escribanos instruidos
con criminalista trapaceros. Tells another anecdote (i wasn't paying good
attention...)
Tomo III
Ch. 1 More pícaro feeling: "Es increíble el terreno que avanza un cobarde
en la carrera." He was hungry and cold. He was drunk one night,
down and out, when God sent an old man his way who knew his mom. Mentions how
he's been through several amos, parents dies. Satirizes the many titles/names
people get for no good reason. Man offers to help him learn his trade.
Practices shaving people-starts by tying up the dog and a pobre indio!!! Did a
terrible job taking out a woman's tooth! Then, moves on, gets some clothes, guy
asks if he can read/writes-so he writes a ridiculous/silly sentence in Latin to
prove it. So, he becomes something of a druggist. One day, accidentally gives
the guy arsenic instead of magensium...His amo gets in big trouble for
this.
Ch. 2
Now, he works with a doctor (Dr.
Purgante, nonetheless). Says
"en méxico había más médicos que enfermos." So, he goes to a
pueblo and acts as a doctor. Says there's no risk because if the person dies,
then you say, "God knew it was their time" and if they live, you take
credit. Talks about a sick man who he simply annoints with various foodstuffs.
Then, another man who he helps to poo. (this is incredible. cant believe it
made it in a book in 1816!)
Ch. 3
Some of his quackery as a
doctor-expensive drugs, unintelligible names. Responsible for many deaths, but
it didn't matter since they were 1)poor, 2)he was already famous 3) only the
living could testify to his ability to heal.
Ch. 4
A plague comes in the town.
"Por mis pecados." People are really mad at him. So, he leaves.
Ch. 5
He goes into a store, People in
store recognize his cape as on that "Periquillo Sarniento" stole. So he goes and 'looks" for the thief
sin acabar de encontrarlo con ir tan cerca de mi". Ends up blaming
another little person.
Later, gets in a fight. More
writing of local dialect. Mentions a guy and says, "The state doesn't need
the rich to stay rich, but rather for there to be a more egalitarian
distribution of wealth." Mentions a family in which the girl is forced to
go to the convent, was so unhappy she died.
Ch. 6
Mentions how you should dress
according to your name. Peri is interested in going out with a woman. She's a
cook...but hey, she dresses well. Peri says, "La adulación era mi plato
favorito." Plus, the people that are around him make excuses for his bad behavior,
so HAY!! it all works out. Falls in love with a girl names Mariana, but needs
to get rid of another named Luisa....
Ch. 7
Kicks Luisa out because she's
having an affair- pretends to be mad at her, but really, he's glad she's out of
the house. Now, he gets married to M, yet misses Luisa...At the end of the
chapter, he is near "el frío cadáver de mi difunta esposa." (WHAT's
going on here?)
Ch. 8.
Sees Luisa in the street. She'
married. He almost rapes her! Then, her husband comes in and stabs him. So,
then I became a sacristán.
Ch. 9.
As a sacristán, not very respectful
towards chapels in church. Talks about burying people (only partially, though,
so he can rob them before they go six feet under). Intimate details about
holding up the stiff dead woman to get her clothes (a little taste of romanticism?)
Then, they faint. It's 4 am, so priest is waking up-sees the whole scene. Peri
confesses to what happens. Priest laughs. So he get kicked of church.
Then, comments on people who never
give money to a beggar unless they're trying to impress a girl.
SKIPPING (stopped on p 240)
Tomo V- Chapter 1
Peri tries to hang himself. Sells
his watch to buy some liquor. But, since he was so drunk, he couldn't tie
things well. So, he just falls asleep. An india finds him and takes pity
on him and feeds him.
Ch. II.
Testifies to the truth of his
tales. In the pueblo with the indios, one of the guys recognizes him from jail.
Then, tells that man he is a hunter, when he met him in jail it was because of
Januario, etc. (long chapter...enough!)
I think I'm going to read one more article on this and call it a day...
Apuntes del texto – versión indicada
en Comps list
Chapter 1 – Introduction to story premise, Pedro’s
childhood
-
He’s been sick for many months and says he will
probably die soon, so he’s writing down the events of his life for his
children, so that they avoid his mistakes and make wiser decisions
-
“I hope that by reading this you will learn to
avoid many errors that you will see that I and others have committed… maybe
then you won’t suffer the same bad treatment that I did”
-
Rhetoric (don’t want to bore you) – “No creáis que la lectura de mi vida os
será demasiado fastidiosa, pues como yo sé bien que la variedad deleita el
entendimiento, procuraré evitar aquella monotonía o igualdad de estilo, que
regularmente enfada a los lectores”
-
Costumbrismo/social
criticism – describes his childhood and criticizes many customs of parents
in the day
o
Indicates and critiques custom of binding
children as babies;
o
Parents got me a wet nurse – they are bad
because they influence on the child (I became bad because my wet nurses were
bad) and also because of the healthy problems they bring (as dirty Indians)
o
I was spoiled – parents gave me everything I
wanted. They treated me too delicately so I didn’t grow up healthy and robust.
“Children should eat less and at regular mealtimes, have discipline, and play
outside!”
o
My mom told me ghost stories so I grew up a
coward.
-
This was my life until I was 6 years old; then
they put me in school.
Chapter 2 – Pedro’s early education
-
They put me in school. My first teacher was a
good guy, but he just wasn’t suitable for the career. He was working as a
teacher out of necessity (he was poor) and was very soft, so he didn’t want to
discipline anyone. He often made mistakes with punctuation, which confused me
and the other students.
o
Ex: a little poem about the Holy Virgin María,
which he made seem he was doubting the
immaculate conception due to incorrect punctuation
-
“También
olvidé en pocos días aquellas tales cualidades máximas de buena crianza que mi padre
me había enseñado; pero en cambio aprendí otras cosillas de gusto, como ser
desvergonzado, malcriado, pleitista, tracalero, hablador y jugadorcillo”
-
They gave him the nickname “Periquillo
Sarniento”
-
A priest arrives to drop off his kid and sees
the incorrectly punctuated poem about the Virgin Mary, and severely criticizes
the teacher, suggesting he should go find a different career. The teacher quits
his job that day.
-
My second teacher was very different… went from
paradise to hell. This teacher was way too strict.
-
Finally, my third teacher was good and a very
nice young man.
Chapter 3 – Pedro’s inferior education at the colegio
-
His mom wanted him to go to university and
study, while his dad wanted him to learn a trade. His mom argued that it would be
shameful to the family name for him to learn a trade (middle/upper class is stuck up) – eventually his mom won out.
-
Pedro warns against forcing kids to go into
university – may not be their natural inclination, it’s expensive…
-
He went to study and they lied to him about how
good he was. (Said he was smarter/better than he really was). Criticism of the educational system. He
didn’t really learn anything in school, yet still earned his degree/title.
Chapter 4 – Pedro decides to study to be a cleric, fails,
then decides to be a fraile
-
Pedro’s father sits him down and talks to him
about his options. If he wants to continue studying, he’s got three paths:
clerical, legal, or medical. If he doesn’t want to study, he can learn some
trade. Pedro’s father gives him 8 days to think about it. Pedro’s lazy and
doesn’t really want to do anything; he decides to become a cleric b/c a friend
suggests it and says it’s a good position later in life.
o
Criticism
of the Catholic church – idea/implication of the common belief that you
don’t really have to know much to be a priest.
-
Bad influence of a friend who just wants to have
fun. Pedro isn’t advancing at all in his studies, and when his father discovers
this he wants to force him into a trade. Pedro is going to be a fraile – easy
life.
-
“No parece sino que me ayudaba en todo
aquella fortuna que llaman de pícaro, porque todo se facilitaba a medida de mi
deseo.”
Chapter 5 – Pedro’s time as a monk, his father’s death,
he leaves the monastery
-
Pedro goes to the convent his friend recommended
him to become a fraile. He says he desires to serve God… he’s just saying
whatever he thinks he needs to in order to get in. Blind repetition of “Sí,
Padre.” – Hypocrisy, critique of
Catholic church.
-
“él
era bueno; yo era un pícaro, y ya se
ha dicho lo fácil que es que los pícaros engañen a los hombres de bien”
-
Happiness
of Pedro’s mother – “todo el mundo lo ve, y nadie puede dudar de que es noble
él, sus padres, sus abuelos…” – Social
pride, wants to be seen as noble
o
Criticism
of Pedro’s father – “La nobleza verdadera consiste en la virtud” – juntos, eso
es una crítica de la clase media que
quiere avanzarse/verse bien
-
Pedro’s father is super skeptical of Pedro’s
sudden transformation
-
Pedro
becomes a monk but remains a pícaro –
“Tomé el hábito, pero no me desnudé de mis malas cualidades… experimenté por mí
mismo que el hábito no hace al monje”
(hypocrisy)
-
Life as a monk is difficult for the spoiled and
lazy Pedro. He makes it through with the hope of abandoning the monastery in a
few months (after 6 month period as a novice). He imagines that he can fake an
illness to get out.
-
Then, Pedro receives notice of his father’s
death… his father writes him a letter with his last words of wisdom.
-
Pedro decides to leave the monastery anyway, “to
be of consolation to his widowed mother.”
Chapter 6 – Pedro moves back in with his mother and
wastes all their money until she dies.
-
Pedro moves back in with his mother and they
pass in mourning together for his father / her husband.
-
Pedro insists on ending the mourning period 6
months early in order to have a big party for his saint’s day. The party wrecks
the house.
-
Pedro becomes disrespectful with his mother and
does whatever he wants. He wastes all the money his father had left them, and
spends his time dancing and gambling. They are forced to move to a smaller
house because they have no money. Pedro sells all their things to have money to
have fun.
-
Now, Pedro looks back on this time and regrets
his horrible attitude and bad actions – should have listened to my father’s
wisdom.
-
Pedro’s mother falls ill and soon dies. Pedro
has no money and is forced to abandon the house.
Chapter 7 – Pedro survives as a gambling cheat with his
friend Januario
-
Pedro goes to see if any relatives will help him
but it’s a no go. Critique of the
family.
-
Pedro randomly finds an old friend, another
pícaro, Januario / “Juan Largo.” This friend teaches him how to cheat at cards
to earn himself a living.
-
Januario is bad by nature, he’s made to be a
cheat. Pedro is scared/timid, but manages to get by. They spend 6 months
together gambling like that, but then their luck turns and they’re fast going
broke. They cook up a trick with someone else as the victim, and Pedro gets
caught in it and receives a beating.
Chapter 8 – Pedro’s time in the hospital, Januario robs
a house
-
Pedro ends up in the hospital after his beating.
At the hospital, Pedro sees other people die because the doctors don’t attend
them in the night. (Criticism of doctors).
Pedro threatens the doctors to do their jobs or he will report them. When
someone dies, the doctors split up their possessions. (Greed).
-
Pedro is in the hospital for a couple months,
and Januario comes to visit him. He’s in bad shape because now nobody will play
at cards with him, knowing him to be a cheat.
-
When Pedro leaves the hospital, he finds
Januario, who suggests they rob an old widow to have some money. Pedro doesn’t
want to do it, so he lets Januario go alone. Pedro is worried about J however,
so he goes to hang out outside the house and wait for him. The widow starts to
shout and while J manages to escape, Pedro gets caught up in the action, and
the widow’s servant accuses him, knowing him to one of J’s friends. Pedro is
taken in for questioning.
Chapter 9 – Pedro’s time in prison
-
Pedro’s in prison as a thief; they interrogate
him and he gives a false name so as not to mar his family name.
-
Pedro was the only white person in the prison;
all the others were indigenous, blacks, mulattos, and mixed. (questions of race/discrimination)
-
In the prison, Pedro is forced to work, and he
makes friends with other prisoners. On one occasion there’s a brawl and a
“friend” punches him in his anger.
-
The same friend later plays a prank on him,
lying and saying that the court has ordered that he be whipped 200 lashes as a
punishment for robbery. Pedro writes
to a random uncle for help. His uncle rejects him – “el pícaro es bien que
sufra la pena de su delito.” You can’t
trust your family, yo!
-
Pedro gets a little job in the prison writing
for some scribe, and the scribe manages to get him out to come work for him.
Chapter 10 – Pedro’s time with the scribe, his first
master
-
The scribe, Cosme Casalla, gets Pedro out of
prison and becomes his first master.
-
The scribe was not a great dude. Pedro gives
example of how he blackmailed a man into letting him have his way with his
sister. (Criticism of unfair justice
system).
-
Pedro was forced to do a lot of illegal/shady
work, all to satisfy the scribe’s greed.
-
The scribe brings in Luisa (the blackmailed guy’s
sister)… after a while Pedro thinks he could be with her, and she is seduced. Later,
Pedro is chatting with another chick in the house, and Luisa sees, and gets
into a fight with the other girl. The scribe discovers what’s going on with
Luisa and Pedro due to the fight, and Pedro high-tails it from the house.
Chapter 11 – Pedro’s time serving the pharmacist, his
second master
-
Pedro manages to find a place to stay the night
with the owner of a billiard. The same guy gets him a job as a pharmacist’s
assistant. The pharmacist (don Nicolás) is happy that Pedro can write and knows
Latin. He promotes him to apprentice. Pedro spends a few months like that, lazy
and enjoying the good life.
-
After a while, Nicolás balances the books and
realizes something’s not quite right (because Pedro has been cheating him) so
he starts watching him more closely.
-
On an occasion, Pedro makes a bad medicine (by
accident?) and poisons someone, who gets pissed – the doctor discovers it.
Pedro nearly has to go to prison, but his master gets him out of it, and goes
to pay the fine. Meanwhile, Pedro high-tails it and decides to go serve the
doctor who was a friend of the pharmacist.
Chapter 12 – Pedro serves the doctor (his 3rd
master) and starts work as a doctor himself.
-
Pedro starts to work for the doctor Purgante. He
works as a servant in his house for 7 or 8 months. Meanwhile, he studies a
little medicine and watches the doctor’s technique, and starts to think he can
be a doctor.
-
Pedro runs away, stealing some of the doctor’s
money, his special doctor’s outfit, and his license/title documentation. Before
leaving the city, Pedro takes on a servant, an old acquaintance, Andrés.
-
“en
México había más médicos que enfermos”
-
Pedro and Andrés go and establish themselves in
a new pueblo. All the people are awestruck by them. Pedro starts to treat
people and impresses everyone with his fancy language and confident attitude.
He miraculously cures a rich guy and suddenly his reputation skyrockets.
-
After a little more than a year, a plague hits
the pueblo. Tons of people die and Pedro can’t do anything about it, so after
someone important dies and everyone is mad, he high-tails it and heads back to
Mexico City.
Chapter 13 – Pedro’s time as a beggar, pretending to be
blind
-
Back in the city, Pedro meets another pícaro,
who teaches him how to fake being disabled in order to get alms. There is a
group of people who do this… example of one young woman who pinches her kid to
make him cry in order to get more alms. Pedro decides to pretend to be blind.
-
Social criticism, with the group of fake disabled – “¿cómo es posible que no haya quien
contenga estos abusos, y quien les ponga una mordaza a estos locos?”
-
One day, Pedro is begging and a man offers to
help him if he will go to his house with him to get money. Once there, the man
accuses him of lying about being blind and says he’s being an indecent cheat,
but that he will help him change his life. The man gave him money, so Pedro
betrayed all the other fake disabled and got them all sent to prison.
Chapter 14 – Pedro’s time serving as a clerk
-
Pedro becomes a clerk/copyist. He and his boss
are major cheats.
-
Example of trickery: they pay someone to start
an illegal card game, then show up and arrest all the people there.
-
They cheated with the Indians in particular, knowing
they could get away with it. (Racial
discrimination).
-
Description of a cheating priest who lived in the area and was very greedy. Example:
made the Indians pay a quantity of money every time an effigy of Jesus passed
them during a religious ceremony.
-
Finally, the chief Indians get sick of it all
and they report the cheats. Again, Pedro high-tails it.
Chapter 15 – Pedro’s time as a thief
-
Pedro randomly runs into his old friend from when
he was in prison (in Chapter 9). The old friend and his buddies work as thieves.
For a while Pedro works as their assistant. One day they go out to attack some people
who killed one of their buddies. It doesn’t go well, and Pedro ends up
high-tailing it yet again.
Chapter 16 – Pedro’s epiphany
-
Pedro has an epiphany – he’s been living his
life the wrong way; he can’t survive being idle. A criminal can’t ever be
happy. My father was right all along… I could have died today but I didn’t and
so I still have time to change!
-
Later, he sees his friend Januario dead. (Karma – he was bad so he deserved it)
-
Later, he sees his friend from his youth, Martin
Pelayo, who has become a priest. This friend helps Pedro out and gets him a job
as an administrator (of a bar/hotel/store?) in San Agustín.
Chapter 17 – Pedro finally lives respectably, and gets
married!
-
“el hombre de bien con su conducta
constantemente arreglada domina casi siempre su fortuna, por siniestra que sea”
-
Pedro’s
trying not to screw up anymore – “Traté de pensar seriamente, considerando que
ya tenía más de treinta años”
-
He’s changed his attitude about work; he works hard
and is happy when his master is happy – “Tuve la satisfacción de ver a mi amo
siempre contento y descansando en mi buen proceder”
-
Pedro runs into the young Andrés, who worked as
his assistant when he was a “doctor”
-
Andrés – “está México hecha una lástima” – the city is overcrowded so there’s not good
work… message: move to the pueblos, yo!
-
One day a family that’s been robbed shows up at
Pedro’s bar and he puts them up for free; he realizes that the man is Antonio,
the only good guy he had met in the prison of Mexico (We didn’t meet Antonio in this edition…). Later, Pedro ends up
marrying Antonio’s daughter, Margarita.
-
Description of the wedding of Pedro and
Margarita
-
Birth of his children – He specifically addresses them at this point
Chapter 18 – The end of Pedro’s life, his death, and
Lizardi’s note
-
When Pedro’s master died, he left all his
properties and inheritance to Pedro to keep
-
My focus has been on educating and raising you
kids.
-
Now I’m just so grateful that I ended up ok
despite my awful youth. I still regret all that mess.
-
****** Pedro describes meeting a new friend,
Lizardi, a writer (aka the author of this
book – metafiction? Not really…) Rhetoric of humility in the way that Lizardi is described.
-
Pedro gave his writings to Lizardi close to his
death, and Lizardi added a note that ends the text. Lizardi describes the
manner in which Pedro died and how he asked for forgiveness beforehand. Later,
he published Pedro’s writings, since they could be useful for society (didactic purpose).
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