The thematic set of images that I am going to reflect on is Rulfo’s images of Hell. One way that he used images that make one think of Hell, Rulfo borrowed ideas from Dante’s Inferno. For starters, Rulfo wrote, “In the shimmering sunlight the plain was a transparent lake dissolving mists that veiled a gray horizon. Farther in the distance, a range of mountains. And farther still, faint remoteness” (2626). In Inferno, starts indicate the exit of Hell, and in this passage Rulfo is describing a night sky. In the context of Pedro Paramo, this passage is located in a section in which Pedro Paramo is leaving to begin his search for his father, a task that is haunting him. So, just like in Inferno, the stars can be seen as a sign of freedom, only in Pedro Paramo, he is about to embark on the journey to finding his father, which means he’s one step closer to freedom. Another image of Hell is Rulfo’s use of “crossroads” (2626). In most folklores, crossroads is the place where one goes to make a deal with the devil. So, Rulfo’s use of crossroads also reminds me of Hell. Also in Pedro Paramo, there is a lot of imagery surrounding religion.
In Pedro Paramo, there is was a very strong centralized ordeal about the Priest, and thus religion. In the Pedro Paramo, the Priest accepts money to do sinful blessings. Then there is a scene where the Priest can no longer absolute people because he is not absolute. I am not Catholic, but I know that this is a big deal because if the Priest can’t absolute a person, than that person is not following the laws of Catholicism. I believe that Rulfo uses these types of images to show the sinful nature of the of the community in which Pedro Paramo lives.
In Pedro Paramo, Rulfo uses a lot of imagery that remind me of Hell and religion. He does so by borrowing ideas from Dante’s Inferno, making references such as “crossroads,” and creating a good portion
No comments:
Post a Comment