This week’s book was an adrenaline filled, action-packed (yet surprisingly emotional) glimpse into the criminal Argentine world in the 1960s. I’m sure a lot of people had the impression while reading that this novel reads a lot like a film- you get this very clear picture of the characters’ actions through Piglia’s simple yet eloquent description. It was quite a fun read, but I don’t think this one breaks the pattern of the mostly sad or tragic novels we’ve been reading in this class. For one thing, the background of the characters, Dorda in particular, is quite heart-wrenching and difficult to stomach. It’s made clear that he was sexually abused (presumably more than once) as a child, and that he never really had a chance at a “normal” life. Dorda is obviously severely mentally ill, with symptoms that seem to suggest schizophrenia. His mind is more often than not occupied by a multitude of female voices, getting in his way and often causing him to act in ways he doesn’t entirely want to. He thinks of his dead mother often, who told him “you’ll come to a bad end” (p.183), as if he’s fulfilling a prophecy. Yet considering the childhood abuse and serious mental dysfunction, it seems like Dorda didn’t really have much of a choice with how his life turned out. Sure, he’s a criminal and has killed a lot of people- I’m not justifying his actions, just pointing out how the odds were stacked against him in a lot of ways. Even describing the first person he killed, a prostitute, it’s clear that he wasn’t in his right mind (the voices told him to do it) and he could have benefitted from some real help/intervention (although it’s the 1960s so that probably wasn’t going to happen).

Okay, I don’t want to talk about Dorda the whole time, but also…. His relationship with the Kid was one of the most fascinating parts of the book, and seemed to represent a very pure form of love. The moment of the Kid’s death and Dorda’s subsequent capture was the toughest part of the book for me- Dorda watches the only person he really loves die and essentially loses everything. This part was interesting for another reason- the public’s reaction to Dorda being carried out of the apartment building. Obviously he’s just killed a number of cops and is seen as a deranged, evil murderer, but he’s also incredibly weak and already well on his way to death. The brutality with which people, police and bystanders alike, begin to attack his vulnerable body is sickening and almost hypocritical, given their judgement of him as a violent criminal. It’s interesting to think about when excessive violence is acceptable to people, and when people allow their moral boundaries to dissipate. You might think that people had seen enough violence during the standoff, that they would be sick of the blood and grateful for peace. But no, everyone is infected with this hunger for more blood and most of all, for vengeance.

Anyway. Kind of a crazy read, and it gets even crazier when you learn that Ricardo Piglia actually met one of the people connected to the criminals (Blanca) on a train shortly after these events, and that’s how he started writing the story.

My question- what did you think of the crowd’s reaction to Dorda’s capture? Justified or not?