The Futile Life of Pito Perez: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Futile Life of Pito Perez" is a satirical exploration of the life and experiences of Pito Perez, a street peddler in Morelia, who embodies the struggles and disillusionments of a marginalized existence. Pito, characterized by his thin, ragged appearance and penchant for alcohol, navigates various occupations, reflecting on the hypocrisy and injustices of society that he believes have relegated him to a life of failure. Throughout the narrative, he encounters several significant characters, each contributing to his cynical worldview.
José de Jesús Jiménez, Pito's first master, represents the corrupting influences of power, while Father Pureco showcases the superficiality of faith. José Vásquez, the jailer, embodies the flaws of authority, further fueling Pito's disdain for the law. Romantic entanglements with characters like Irene and Soledad reveal Pito's difficulties in love, often marked by betrayal and unfulfilled desires. His cousin Chucha's manipulations illustrate the complications of familial relationships, while his imagined "wife," Caneca, underscores Pito's deep-seated loneliness and desire for companionship without the burdens of reality. The narrative is framed by a rich poet who serves as the narrator, facilitating Pito’s storytelling in exchange for liquor, thus highlighting themes of desperation and the quest for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world.
The Futile Life of Pito Perez: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: José Rubén Romero
First published: La vida inútil de Pito Pérez, 1938 (English translation, 1942)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Michoacan and Morelia, two provinces in Mexico
Plot: Picaresque
Time: The 1920's and
Jesús Pérez Gaona (heh-SEWS PEH-rehs gah-OH-nah), or Pito Perez (PEE-toh), the protagonist, a thin, long-haired, drunken rogue dressed in rags. He works as a street peddler in Morelia. During his vagabond life, he has assumed various occupations, such as druggist's assistant, sacristan, jailer's secretary, and general store clerk. His adventures inspire his incisive and satirical observations of human nature. He firmly believes that society's injustice and hypocrisy have made him a loser. He feels fully justified to lie, cheat, and steal his way through life. He considers his shamelessness to be a sign of his honesty, and he observes that people can relax only when they have no reputation to maintain.
José de Jesús Jiménez (hoh-SEH deh heh-SEWS hee-MEHN-ehs), a corpulent and lethargic druggist. He is Pito Perez's first master. Pito fled when the druggist discovered Pito's love affair with the druggist's wife. Under the druggist's tutelage, Pito learned the tricks of the pharmaceutical trade.
Father Pureco (pew-REH-koh), the dim-witted priest of La Huacana, who employed Pito as his sacristan. Pito supplied him with Latin phrases to embellish his sermons, as his parishioners appreciated him much more when they did not understand what he was saying. Pito left his service because he received no salary and was not allowed to drink liquor.
José Vásquez (VAHS-kehs), a jailer and champion drinker. He and Pito were drinking companions. Pito became his secretary but promptly left that position when Vásquez proved to be dictatorial and self-serving. Pito left Vásquez's employ with great disdain for representatives of the law.
Pito Perez's Uncle, the bearded owner of a general store. He fired Pito for misusing the store's earnings. Pito extended credit to customers without keeping records and used the store's income to finance dances on the outskirts of Morelia.
Irene (ee-REHN-eh), the tall, dark, and slender child of a poor family. She was Pito's neighbor and first love. Pito serenaded her for a year on his flute until he found out that his brother, Francisco, already was courting her.
Chucha (CHEW-chah), Pito's olive-skinned cousin whose father owns the general store where Pito worked. She charmed Pito into allowing her to take money from the store's cash box. Pito asked his friend, Santiago, to request her hand in marriage for him. Instead, Santiago asked to marry her himself. From this incident, Pito learned that his bad luck in life extended to the pursuit of romance.
Soledad (soh-leh-DAHD), a happy, seductive woman who plays the guitar. Pito kept the account books for her and her mother's business. Pito's romance with her ended abruptly when she married the town's new tax collector.
Caneca (kah-NEH-kah), a female skeleton that Pito calls his wife. Pito claims that she is the perfect mate because she is faithful to him, makes no demands, and has no bodily functions or odors.
The narrator, a rich poet who convinces Pito to tell his life story in exchange for aguardiente (liquor). The book comprises the narrator's memories of his conversations with Pito.