Initially when reading this novel I found the words and names to all mix together. The start of the book felt like a bag of random facts and information which made it hard for me to follow along and get invested to. But who knows maybe I was just reading “The Old Gringo” on an off day or something.

Once I got deeper into the book it became more interesting through all of the stories and small details and connections between each of the novels characters. I found the dynamic between Ambrose, Arroyo, and Harriet to be quite interesting and odd. I respect that fact that even though Ambrose clearly had deep feelings for Harriet he understood that he was older and because of his understanding for this he didn’t try to force himself on her like many other men would. Arroyo could easily see however that Ambrose had fallen in love with Harriet and as an act of spite, Arroyo persuaded Harriet to enter a relationship with him. This obviously was difficult for Ambrose to have to witness, especially because everything else around them was so stressful and overwhelming. I truly don’t understand why Harriet would be with Arroyo, maybe she really wanted to be with him or maybe she was just scared to say no. Part of me thinks that Harriet feels that she is in someway protecting Ambrose from Arroyo by her being with him. Harriet has always had a deep need to protect (old man) Ambrose, in fact he is the reason that she decided to join the mission, she felt like she needed to be there for Ambrose.

I respect that even though the Old man doesn’t have much ambition for life, which is made clear when he constantly brings up the fact that he came here to die, he still keeps his morals close to him. When Arroyo ordered Ambrose to shoot a captured soldier, Ambrose couldn’t go through with those orders which is a very honourable sacrifice because he knew that disobeying Arroyo’s orders would most likely lead to his death. Unfortunately when Ambrose tried to disobey his orders this resulted in Arroyo sparking a sexual relationship with Harriet who he knew that Ambrose was deeply in love with.

My question for the class: Do you think that had Harriet disagreed to be with Arroyo that Ambrose would have ended up dead? Or do you think that Arroyo would keep him alive still because he is clearly talented and therefore and asset to the team.