Man's Hope: Analysis of Major Characters
"Man's Hope" explores the complexities of human character amidst the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, providing a rich analysis of various figures involved in the conflict. The protagonist, Manuel, transitions from an idealistic sound engineer to a high-ranking officer whose leadership necessitates increasingly harsh decisions, reflecting the moral dilemmas faced by those in power. Colonel Magnin, a French aviator, embodies a philosophical approach to warfare, balancing his passion for flight with a commitment to the values of liberty and social justice. In contrast, Captain Hernandez serves as a representation of uncompromising idealism; his steadfast adherence to personal principles ultimately leads to his downfall during the war.
Other notable characters include Colonel Ximenes, who learns the necessity of compromise in the fight against fascism, and Puig, an impulsive anarchist leader whose romantic vision of victory ends in tragedy. The narrative is enriched by figures like Garcia, an intellectual who grapples with the implications of war, and Giovanni Scali, whose belief in collective action underscores the importance of unity in achieving common goals. Through these characters, the novel examines the intricate interplay between personal conviction and the harsh realities of conflict, offering insights into the broader themes of hope, sacrifice, and the human condition.
Man's Hope: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: André Malraux
First published: L'Espoir, 1937; revised, 1947 (Days of Hope, 1938; better known as Man's Hope)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Spain
Plot: Adventure
Time: 1936–1937
Manuel (mahn-WEHL), a sound engineer in the film industry when the novel opens. He is a handsome, jovial, and idealistic young man whose political convictions have led him to join the Communist Party. When the Spanish Civil War breaks out, he becomes a soldier in the Republican army, and because of his leadership qualities, he quickly climbs through the ranks to become a high-ranking officer. Generous and outgoing at the outset of the novel, Manuel becomes increasingly detached as the realities of command force him to make brutal and occasionally inhuman decisions in the name of efficiency. An able and courageous commander at the novel's end, he has lost some of his humanity.
Colonel Magnin (mah-NYEEN), a French aviator, volunteer for the Spanish Republic, and head of the Republic's International Squadron. Tall, mustachioed, and philosophical by nature, Magnin is a shrewd observer of people and an excellent judge of character. He combines a passion for flying with an idealistic devotion to the cause of the Republic and the principles of individual liberty and social justice for which it stands. Although it is his responsibility to mold a motley assortment of foreign volunteers and mercenaries into an effective fighting force, he is skeptical of those like the communists who are obsessed with discipline.
Garcia (gahr-SEE-ah), the head of the Spanish intelligence service. He is a corpulent, robust, and good-natured man who, in Magnin's view, gives the impression of being a wealthy landowner. An anthropologist before the war and a famous intellectual, Garcia is a man of extraordinary culture and learning. As the author's principal mouthpiece within the novel, Garcia provides an overview of the meaning of the struggle, analyzes the role of the intellectual in revolutionary politics, and addresses with great insight the metaphysical and moral quandaries inevitably brought by war.
Captain Hernandez (ehr-NAHN-dehs), a career army officer who remains loyal to the Republic when Francisco Franco launches his uprising. He is a severe, uncompromising idealist whose inflexibility ultimately destroys him. Although he recognizes that the brutal expediency and efficiency of the communists are necessary to defeat the fascists, Hernandez refuses to sacrifice his personal principles to the cause of victory. He is given to making noble and chivalric gestures that seem hopelessly outdated in a modern, mechanized war. Ultimately disillusioned, Hernandez is captured by the fascists during the Republican retreat from Toledo and is executed along with the other prisoners. Although a sympathetic and admirable character, Hernandez is held up as a negative example in the novel because his overly rigorous idealism ultimately serves no one and in fact plays into the hands of the fascists.
Colonel Ximenes (hee-MEHN-ehs), the Civil Guard commander in Barcelona and, like Hernandez, a career officer who remains loyal to the Republic, despite his conservative and traditionalist views. Unlike Hernandez, Ximenes understands that one's personal beliefs and values must be sacrificed in the short run for the sake of victory over the fascists. Thus, during the struggle for Barcelona, Ximenes willingly fights alongside the anarchists, the traditional enemies of the Civil Guard, to save the city from falling into the hands of Franco's supporters.
Puig (pweeg), a dashing, enthusiastic anarchist leader in Barcelona. He cuts a romantic figure, in his leather jacket and turban, during the fighting. Despite important philosophical and temperamental differences, Puig and his comrade-in-arms Colonel Ximenes share an admiration for courage and a belief in the fraternity of those fighting for the Republic that transcends social and political differences. Puig has no patience and can conceive of the struggle only in terms of an immediate victory. In keeping with this “apocalyptic” stance, he dies while driving a car full speed into a barricade set up by the fascists.
Slade, a tough young American journalist whose reports on important events in the war such as the bombing of Madrid are quoted verbatim in the novel. His reports confirm his strong support of the Republic and underscore the brutality of the fascists' tactics and their utter contempt for human life.
Giovanni Scali (jee-oh-VAH-nee SKAH-lee), an Italian art historian who serves as a volunteer in the international air squadron and acts as second in command to Magnin. He is a diminutive, curly-haired man who is both sensitive and intelligent. Scali believes in the value of the individual and the individual's creative potential but insists that the greatness of people lies in their capacity to act collectively to achieve a common goal. The international air squadron therefore is greater than the individual members who compose it.
Alvear (ahl-veh-AHR), an aging Spanish art dealer and the father of pilot Jaime Alvear. He questions the value of the Republic's struggle against Franco. He does not believe that social and economic reform alleviate suffering or improve what he describes as the “quality of man.” In a conversation with Scali, he claims that art is superior to life because the latter is ephemeral and full of suffering, whereas art is eternal and a source of comfort and fulfillment.
The Negus (NEH-gews), one of the leaders of the anarchists and a former deckhand in Barcelona. He is a skilled saboteur and guerrilla fighter who accompanies Puig in his suicidal assault on the Fascist barricade. When the war drags on, he loses interest but continues to fight because he enjoys his work as a saboteur.