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?