Tag Archives: crime

Ricardo Piglia, “Money to Burn”

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Ricardo Piglia’s novel, “Money to Burn,” is a refreshing change of literature that follows the escape route of a group of criminals as they speed to escape from Buenos Aires to Uruguay with the police tight on their heels. This book offered a different reading experience compared to the other readings in this course, it was fast-paced, the language used was brash, and the style of writing was clear and straightforward. The first significant event was the robbery done “in broad daylight (pg. 24).” This was intriguing because I thought that robberies typically occur during the night to utilize the dark and avoid detection from witnesses. However, there were plenty of witnesses who gave descriptions, although varying, about the robbery that transpired and the robbers who did it. The criminals were also confident enough to make a spectacle out of it, they intercepted the moving car and shot rounds of ammunition in the streets. 

 

The huge heist was accomplished at the beginning of the reading which left the narrator recounting the drama and backstory of the criminals as they fled from the relentless pursuit led by the police officer Silvio. The beginning and the end of the novel are more fast-paced. In the middle of the story, the author invites the readers to observe the deeper levels of each character. Most of the characters in the crime gang had an alias or nickname; for instance the Kid Brignone, Blond Gaucho, the Crow, the Girl, and Stripey. Since they are all ruthless criminals, I assumed that their childhood and environment have not been kind to them. However, this is not true for all the criminal characters, the Kid demonstrates this with his upbringing. The Kid, real name Franco Brignone, was the “… firstborn son of a wealthy entrepreneur in the construction business, resident of the rich suburbs of Belgrano (pg. 73).” This character really stood out to me, his backstory was surprising and so different compared to the typical profiles of criminals. It made me consider the reason why Franco Brignone, the “favourite son of a respectable businessman (pg. 73)” walked into a life of crime despite his privileged upbringing and wealthy parents. He didn’t have the need to steal and kill for economic necessities like money and property, so did he do it to rebel against his family and society’s expectations? The Kid also raised questions regarding the nature of criminals and the extent to which their environment affects the trajectory of their lives. 

 

Discussion Question: 

Why do you think the Kid “embarked on a path of crime (pg. 74)” despite his wealthy parents and privileged upbringing? Do you think it had to do with an adolescent’s tendency for rebellion or adrenaline? Or perhaps he was rebelling against the expectations placed on him by his family and society? 

Roberto Arlt, “Mad Toy”

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Roberto Arlt’s novel, “Mad Toy,” was a refreshing coming-of-age novel that invited readers to follow the harrowing journey of a struggling youth named Silvio Astier. In the first chapter, “The Band of Thieves,” Silvio befriended Enrique Irzubeta and Lucio. Together, the three adolescents became members of the “Club of the Midnight Horsemen,” entangled in a life of petty crimes and thievery. The narrator used Enrique and Irzubeta interchangeably, which I found peculiar as he didn’t stay consistent with just a first or last name. Additionally, Silvio described his friendship with Enrique as “that of Orestes and Pylades (p. 26);” this interested me to search for the historical context behind the two characters to better understand the relationship dynamics between the two boys. From the beginning, this book was much more engaging for me in comparison to “Combray” by Proust. Although it was also told in the first-person, the narrator immersed the readers with descriptive dialogue and exciting action that conjured a sense of danger and thrill for readers. In chapter 2, “Work and Days,” Silvio leaves the days of thievery and mischief behind to find work, signalling the start of adulthood. Although the “Club of the Midnight Horsemen” disbanded, Silvio still looks for traces of his old friends during his time working at a run-down bookstore, he stated that Dona Maria’s smile “reminded me of Enrique Irzubeta’s smile when he was slipping through the fingers of the police (p. 76).” This reflects the universal experience of growing up and leaving childhood friendships behind, which most university students can resonate with as they face similar transitions into adulthood. The next chapter, “Mad Toy,” highlights Silvio’s intelligence. Despite the barriers of poverty, Silvio’s curiosity and self-education, from books and literature, emphasize his resilience and determination to pursue knowledge and advance his skillset in constructing gadgets and explosives. Overall, this reading successfully depicted the journey of a troubled youth navigating through the complexities and hardships of life. Silvio was constantly growing and adapting to the obstacles thrown his way as he discovered new aspects of himself in the quest for identity in this ever-changing world. 

Questions:

In chapter three, Silvio was fired from his new position as an apprentice airplane mechanic, but what was the reason behind it? The school director stated, “We don’t need smart people here, just dumb brutes who can work (p. 99),” so was Silvio simply too smart to stay in the army? That doesn’t make sense to me as I thought that the Military School was looking for youth who wanted to study and had an interest in engineering to build engines and repair planes. Even Silvio was confused, “They threw me out of the army for no reason (p. 100).” Another question I have is whether Silvio’s previous life in crime influenced his decision to turn in Rengo to the police, what was the pivoting point when he made his decision? Why did he decide to turn Rengo in and was this another turning point in finding his identity and morals?