Son of Man: Analysis of Major Characters
"Son of Man" explores the complexities of human experience through its major characters, each representing different facets of Paraguayan society during times of conflict and despair. The narrator, Miguel Vera, embodies a sense of aimlessness, arising from his privileged background but struggling with commitment and purpose. His journey leads to betrayal of the rebels he initially supports, culminating in a tragic end marked by self-inflicted violence.
Cristóbal Jara, a quiet yet courageous rebel leader, contrasts Vera by striving for justice and betterment for the campesinos. His selflessness is evident in his efforts to provide for isolated soldiers, ultimately becoming a victim of Vera's desperation. Casiano Jara, Cristóbal's father, symbolizes the effects of exploitation as he escapes forced labor, portraying the hardships faced by the oppressed.
Gaspar Mora, a leper, seeks connection through art, leaving behind a powerful legacy of sacrifice that resonates with the community. Likewise, Alexis Dubrovsky, an exiled doctor, initially dedicates himself to caring for the sick but succumbs to corruption and personal failure, highlighting the challenges faced by those trying to help amidst societal decay. Crisanto Villalba's return from war reflects the deep psychological scars of conflict, as he destructively grapples with his lost identity. Collectively, these characters illustrate the struggles and moral dilemmas inherent in human existence during turbulent times.
Son of Man: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Augusto Roa Bastos
First published: Hijo de hombre, 1960 (English translation, 1965)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Itapé, Sapukai, and the site of the battle of Boquerón
Plot: Social realism
Time: 1910–1935
Miguel Vera (mee-GEHL VEH-rah), the narrator of the odd-numbered chapters, a member of the educated upper middle class in Paraguay. Characterized by his utter lack of direction in life, he can never seem to make a commitment to any cause. He joins the military at an early age and becomes an officer but later sneaks away to help a group of rebel peons whom he subsequently betrays. Later, when fighting in the Chaco war, he and his men become stranded and are dying of thirst. When, after a treacherous journey, Cristóbal Jara arrives with a water truck, Vera, delirious with thirst, shoots him. In the end, Vera is killed by a bullet from his own gun in an apparent suicide.
Cristóbal Jara (krees-TOH-bahl HAH-rah), a rebel leader of the Paraguayan campesinos. A brave and silent young man, he works selflessly to better the lives of the peons, of which he is one. He organizes a peon rebellion to fight for their rights in the Chaco war. After Vera's betrayal, he ingeniously escapes the persecution of the military. He later embarks on a final selfless mission of carrying water across the enemy lines to a group of isolated soldiers, one of whom is Vera, who shoots at the water truck, killing Jara.
Casiano Jara (kah-see-AH-noh), an indentured worker. Weakened from abuse, he and his wife Nati escape with their infant son, Cristóbal, from their forced labor. They flee to their hometown of Sapukai, where they make their home in an old train car. Demented by their harrowing experiences, they continue their flight by pushing the car up and down old and forgotten rails.
Gaspar Mora (GAHS-pahr MOH-rah), a leper who has isolated himself in the woods so as not to contaminate them with his disease. To assuage his loneliness, he busies himself by carving a life-size wooden image of himself. After his death, this statue is cherished by the townspeople as a Christlike symbol of Mora's sacrifice for his fellow people.
Alexis Dubrovsky, an exiled Russian doctor. He comes to live in the town of Sapukai and establishes a ranch for the lepers of the town. He begins caring for the sick, from whom he rarely accepts payment until one day, when he discovers a coin in the neck of an ancient image he receives from a patient. He begins demanding these images from his patients and ultimately breaks them all open, goes on a drinking spree financed with the coins from within the images, and disappears from the village, never to be seen again.
Crisanto Villalba (kree-SAHN-toh vee-YAHL-bah), a soldier who fought in the Chaco war. After the war, he returns to his hometown of Itapé a broken man. Although he is reunited with his son and is now able to return to his ranch, he is depressed and dejected. He no longer wants to be a farmer. He had found his identity and his purpose in life as a soldier. He returns to his ranch with his son and blows it up with hand grenades.