I really enjoyed the later sections of this book. I found some of the sections in the first half very wordy and theoretical, which was difficult to read at times, but the mainly first person approach in a lot of the second half was easier to read which made it more enjoyable. I liked having insight into Marcos’s personal life, and feeling like I was on the journey with him. For example, in the part when he talks about intending to quit the guerilla army but accidentally walks down the wrong side of the hill, I felt like I got the benefit of the perspective of someone’s experience with the guerilla forces. I think it was more impactful than a blanket statement about how some fighters had doubts would have been, because I felt connected to Marcos’s journey. The sensory descriptions in this part also made it feel very real.

One part I found particularly interesting this week was the first story with Durito, where Marcos meets the beetle. I could be reading into this interaction, and am also probably a bit biased because I’ve been thinking a lot about this in my history courses recently, but I thought the part where the beetle tells Marcos that he is studying neoliberalism and domination in Latin America was significant. When you hear a beetle talk about something so academic and theoretical, it seems a bit absurd (hence Marcos’s response, “and what good is that to a beetle?”). And yet, the beetle is revered as a hero and symbol of hope, so maybe this story is meant to emphasize the value of such academic pursuits. Durito’s character is really interesting, because he represents so many things. He is a manifestation of hope for humanity, and of childlike innocence, but he also represents sophistication and useful analyses of the situation in Mexico. Sometimes he is giving commentary on the political atmosphere, while other times he is playing piano for a ballerina, or giving confident orders. I am very curious about Marcos’s choices when writing these stories involving Durito. What purpose does the magical element of the stories serve, and why did he choose a beetle? Does Durito directly symbolize something from Marcos’s life or experiences, is he a combination of people and ideas, or is he entirely made up? I am also curious about the source of Durito’s authority. He has lots of strong ideas that he asserts loudly, but he’s not all talk; people also respect him and listen to him. I am curious about how that came to be.