So how are you doing so far? We are a little behind schedule, but that won't stop us! We wanted to highlight the parallelism of the (fiction) revolution in Canudos and the real ones starting in the Middle East, what do you think? Are idealists like Galileo Gall appearing in Egypt? Morocco? Libya? Are the causes the same, hunger, poverty, inequality? What's the role of religion? In both our book and our newspapers we are seeing the armies against the people, does the book make you more interested in these developments? Or do you think they don't have common elements? Please, let us know your views!!
I can imagine among the thousands of anonymous heroes in Egypt or Morocco a few idealists like Galileo Gall. And I say a few, because I believe that what we have mainly seen in those revolutions is people tired of years of oppression, brave, but with their heads clearer than Gall’s.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have no idea what can happen in the next pages of the book, at this point I feel The Counselor is nothing more than a charismatic fanatic with high (although peculiar) leadership skills. I guess I am hoping for something to turn that around…
I agree with Macarena. I think the Counselor is nothing more than that. He has the ability of influencing some hard-to-influence people and has enough charisma to have people follow him. But how dangerous that is.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to the end of the book to see what happens. I am somewhat tired of so much war and violence and blood.
I have come to two (basic) conclusions:
1. Fanatism and extremisms are bad counselors. Extreme positions normally lead to senseless situations.
2. Wars are disgusting. It gives me the creeps imagining how the soldiers must feel in that horrible hospital, thinking why they are there and what is the point of it all. They probably forgot what they are fighting for.
This doesn't mean that we don't have to fight for our ideals, but violence and war is hardly ever the answer.
Finally, I think people in Egypt, Lybia, Tunisia are very brave to say 'enough' and fight for their rights against fanatics like Gadafi. I feel ashamed of our politicians.
I keep expecting a major role for The Counselor, but it doesn't arrive... we'll see at the end! I'm enjoying the book, but sometimes I think more action would be needed, or around 100 pages less in total... but well, who am I to edit Vargas Llosa? hahahaha...
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more, Arantxa. I like how clearly you extract those simple but huge conclusions from the book. I found it hard to read through all the individual miseries; now, the war makes it even harder. And still, I do not feel so horrible for the people of Canudos because they have that "happiness". I feel it much more for the soldiers.
ReplyDeleteI don't expect much more of the Counselor. For him paradise will come after death, and he is certain that death will arrive soon for his and his followers. He is not going to do anything to stop it.
ReplyDeleteFor me the turning point in the book is when Joao Abade (one of the robbers and killers) says that he believed that joining the Counselor would have brought peace to his life but now he was involved in the worst war he ever thought of. I suppose this shows the very end of the book: the final massacre (I still have to finish the book to confirm my theory!).
Gall for me is quite an enigmatic character. It took me time to realize what it is what he wants in all this war. No doubt he is an idealist but the other idealists in the book are fighting for the their political or religious believes. However, he is going to Canudos to die for the sake of supporting a revolution, even if it is not his. Just remember that he is an atheist but he is also appealed by the blind rebellion of the miserable against power.
There is another subject that I find fascinating. It is how from being a humble orator the Counselor escalates in power creating once more a pyramid of power. Originally, he community was based upon social equality and in the 3rd part of the book there are rules, special housing for the Counselor and his court of caretakers, scribes, personal guard. How would this community end if the troops don't attack Canudos? A perfect oppressive state imposing their credos?