The Tattooed Soldier by Hector Tobar - Book Report/Review Example

Order 444833 Topic: Analysis essay--The Tattooed Soldier by Hector Tobar Introduction: When one thinks about the gender roles in relation to a pair of characters in the novel, “The Tattooed Soldier” by Hector Tobar, Elena and Antonio turn out to be the sterling characters. The wise saying goes-God loves those who die young! Elena died under unfortunate circumstances at a young age, with her two year old son in her arms, but her death leaves a sorrowful, tragic and lasting impression in the minds of the reader. She is a gallant lady, who stood by her convictions even after owning the family responsibilities and by remaining true to her love. She died for a cause. Antonio was an intellectual, wished to pursue his college studies, but his life took a tragic turn with the death of Elena and his son. His life became directionless and destination less. How many thousands of lives of youngsters were destroyed by the death-squads let loose by the autocratic government of Guatemala? Antonio wants to avenge the brutal murder of his wife and young son, but lacks courage to react. He escapes from the scene of the crime to save his own life. The intense feelings of revenge keep burning in his heart, and finally he gets an opportunity to kill the murderer. Elena plans for her dual role as a loving wife and an affectionate mother, and pursues her revolutionary activities, but she is shot dead along with her son, when none expects such a tragic end to her life. Elena: Antonio and Elena are the two memorable characters in the novel. Elena is a dominant character. She is not a Latin American stereotype of being submissive. Her love is deeply entrenched in the heart of Antonio. The beginning of the novel sets on an interesting note. Antonio is asked to vacate his flat by the landlord, and he is busy in packing up the things. His love for Elena is reflected through this incident. The memories of her association come floating in his mind. Tobar writes, “In between two of the envelopes he discovered a forgotten photograph of his wife and son, taken years ago in Quetzaltenango against a painted backdrop of fanciful lakes and volcanoes. Of all the things. He raised the photograph to his lips and tried to fight off the rush of memories that began to gather and rumble like thunder behind his eyes. This pictured is the sadness of me, the tragedy of me.” (p.7) The painted backdrops of fanciful lakes mentioned in the quote refers to the happy time spent in the loving company of Elena. The reference to volcanoes refers to the sudden tragedy. Just as the volcano erupts all of a sudden without warning, disaster arrives in the life of Antonio, without warning and devastated his life for all time to come. The damage caused was irreparable. All these musings show the deep impact of the personality of Elena on Antonio. He suddenly remembers Elena telling him, “Elena always said I had an overactive imagination.”(p.15) This admission by Elena indicates that she is not an ordinary girl and it speaks about her latent brilliance and her liking for revolutionary ideas. Even after her death, her impact on the psyche of Antonio is profound. Tobar writes, “Antonio was gradually leaving the company of men, slipping backward on the evolutionary tree. What would Elena say if she saw him like this? Elena liked him to dress well. Elena was a little vain.” (p.73) This change in Elena’s attitude is the indication that from a revolutionary Elena, she is becoming a normal girl, smitten with love. Tobar supports this change in Elena with another observation, “How many times has Elena appeared to him in his dreams, caressing him in his sleep?”(p.79) Her intimacy with Antonio is through many discussions she has with him in the college campus, about books on revolution by famous authors and she is astonished that an otherwise sober-looking Antonio has such a burning heart as for revolution and he possesses an extensive knowledge of peoples’/workers’ struggles. Tobar writes, “Antonio, her first boyfriend ever, was also the one responsible for her political awakening.”(p.86) Poor Elena does not know how her admiration for Antonio transforms into love! After having a long and fructifying discussion with Antonio, what is lovelorn Elena’s condition? Tobar writes, “Elena felt a twinge through her body, a rush of warmth that gathered and gelled below her waist.”(p.91) Antonio recalls his past; he was so much attached to Elena by then, in every small action he saw his love reflecting for Helena. In the beginning of the novel, wherein Antonio is confronted by his landlord to vacate the house, a small incident relating to his glasses reveals the goings-on in his mind. He remembers about his happy college days, when the students lived a care-free life. He viewed his every small belonging from the point of view of Elena. What she would think of it? Will it be acceptable to her? Antonio is busy packing his belongings, and Tobar writes about Antonio’s reaction, “These are my intellectual glasses,” he told a friend once. “I can’t decide if they make me look like a chemist or a Maoist. What do you think?”(p.7) He knew, if he looked like a revolutionary by wearing the glasses, Elena would still like it, because revolution was her first love! His bent of mind, like that of Elena was towards revolution, (But Elena is stronger in her convictions), but after falling love with Elena he was veering towards intellectualism, and he wished to lead a normal life of a young man in love, by marrying Elena. The dormant revolutionary ideals with in heart continue, even after Antonio and Elena are forced to flee to rural San Cristobal. She exposes the dubious lethal practices of the local sanitation company, which ultimately results in her being shot dead with her son. Antonio Tragedy and heartlessness ruined his life. His life was finished, before it had a chance to begin. Elena’s seed of love has begun to grow as the tender sapling in his heart. Soon it will be full of fragrant flowers of hopes and aspirations. They were blessed with a son and Antonio thought, he was lucky to get a good start in life. The action of the death-squad, the chilling blood-letting that resulted in the loss of two lives, made Antonio cynical and developed an attitude of revenge. A timid Antonio becomes brave and adventurous on seeing the practical example of Los Angeles riots of 1992. His attitude towards the society undergoes total transformation. Personally, he could never forget or forgive Longoria. Tobar writes about the changed Antonio, “With a gun anyone could be a killer. Guns were very democratic instruments. They did not discriminate. With guns the weak became strong, the frightened brave. Anyone who held one became invincible." (p. 269) He acted true to his convictions, by killing Longoria, under the cover of racial riots that broke out in Los Angeles. Antonio arrived in Los Angeles with high hopes; to build himself financially from the ruins of Guatemalan from where he had to run on account of compelling circumstances. But he quickly realizes that Los Angeles is no better. He compares his life with that of children who are blessed with plenty and prosperity. How they enjoy their ignorance about poverty! His unforgettable discovery of his past, the shattering memory of Guatemala, the sight of the mutilated bodies of Elena, his love, and their child, the replica of divine innocence, bathed in blood with the bullet—and the utter humiliation he had to suffer in that particular situation, when someone pointed out to him one of the perpetrators of the crime—he was so weak, helpless and cowardly that he could not do anything but to run away from the scene of the crime for the safety of his own life! In Los Angeles, in a chance encounter Antonio spots Longoria and the memories of nightmare years ago in Guatemala, comes rushing in his mind. The caring, shy young intellectual is now itching for revenge. His idealistic relationship with his impulsive Elena, revolutionary tamed with love, was reduced to shambles by Longoria. What all indignities he had to suffer on account of the action of the death squad at Guatemala? Conclusion: Today, poor cannot afford to have any convictions, as their tomorrow’s bread is not assured by today’s labor. Is this not a new form of economic slavery? The greed, envy and the power crazy politicians have ruined the lives of common man. What can be appropriated at the cost of others?—this has become the lifestyle of many. The objectives and the final goals of the revolutions are unclear in the minds of the combustible younger generation. They have begun hate the existing system, and those who are in charge of the existing system would like to remain in the seat power, at all times, and at all costs. Human beings are killed like flies— that was the situation is Guatemala. Elena, and her young child paid with their lives at the altar of such a system, and Antonio lived to suffer! ************** Works Cited: Tobar, Hector. The Tattooed Soldier: Publisher: Serpent’s Tail, 29 Jun 2000. Read More