People of the Dog by Alma Villanueva
"People of the Dog" by Alma Villanueva is a poignant narrative that explores the harrowing life of a young boy who escapes an abusive home in search of safety and survival in Mexico City. As he navigates the city's harsh realities, he shares a vulnerable existence with other boys, facing both physical and emotional trauma. The story intertwines elements of fantasy, as the boy imagines a young man adorned with tattoos and a baby wind god, symbolizing hope and escapism from his suffering. These visions provide respite from his harsh circumstances, allowing him to momentarily forget his pain and fear.
Tragically, the narrative takes a somber turn as it reveals the fate of the boy, who succumbs to the perils of street life and the indifference of society. The juxtaposition of his dreams with the grim reality highlights the struggles of marginalized youth and the systemic issues they face. Villanueva's work delves into themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the resilience of the human spirit, ultimately prompting reflections on life, death, and the societal neglect of the vulnerable. This story serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities of survival in a world that often overlooks the plight of those like the boy.
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People of the Dog by Alma Villanueva
First published: 1990
Type of plot: Social realism
Time of work: The late twentieth century
Locale: Mexico City
Principal Characters:
The boy , a street urchinA young man , Quetzalcoatl, an Aztec godThe baby wind god A social worker
The Story
An unnamed boy comes to Mexico City to escape an abusive home, where the new man takes his food, hits him with his fists until he bleeds, and threatens to kill him. His mother tells him tearfully to go to the city, where she hopes he will survive. Almost ten years old, the boy sleeps with four other boys, two of them younger, all of them tormented, and one of them raped by older boys.
In his fantasy, the little boy sees a young man, "his entire body . . . tattooed with snakes, birds and circles . . . with the wind god clinging to his back." The young man gets into a boat, and the boy feels the water at his feet, remembering that he has not bathed since he left his mother's house. He jumps in the boat after the young man, attracted by the happy expression of the baby wind god. He paddles rapidly; the young man's tattoos begin to move faster and faster; the baby wind god laughs. The boy is no longer tired, no longer hungry; he is no longer in pain, no longer afraid. He cannot remember any suffering. In his vision, he swallows a small piece of lightning that comes from the mouth of the baby wind god. He sees a city and many brave Indians, and the scene reminds him of Mexico City when he first saw it, before it devoured him. An eagle flies from the mouth of the baby wind god and lands on a cactus. He sees the young man again, whose face is divided into gentle and fierce aspects. The baby wind god changes into a thin white cloud, which the boy inhales. The boy thinks he will not remember if he is dead, but he will remember Quetzalcoatl.
A Mexican woman with noticeable Indian features bends over the boy's dead body. He is covered with a filthy blanket and wears shoes stuffed with rags to keep out the cold. A tube of glue lies next to him. His face shows no pain, only peace. Another boy has called her because his friend would not wake up. He went with a man who gave him money and some pills. Another little boy is missing, he says, and he thinks the older boys may have killed him. The woman wonders if perhaps the dead boy is better off than the living ones. She will call the police, who will dispose of the poor boy's body as if he were a dog. She does not realize that "the ancient one, Quetzalcoatl, came from a clan called the Chichimecs. People of the Dog." She covers the dead boy's face with the dirty blanket, and the baby in her womb jumps suddenly, causing her to sigh deeply.