I want to begin by mentioning that I found this novel much easier to read than Proust. I was constantly engaged and interested in learning more about the main character. The amount of dialogue and the rate of story progression almost made Mad Toy seem like a playwright. As a result, I feel like the chapters can be considered as “Acts” of the work, with each section being a region of key character development.
One thing that Arlt did exceptionally well is demonstrate how a person is a product of their environment, but only to an extent. Each action performed or role undertaken by Silvio was clearly influenced by the people around him. For example, there was a slight group polarization effect when he assembled his “gang” in the first chapter, where all members pushed each other to enact their actions. Moreover, in the second and third chapters, the main character did his best to fit into the jobs imposed on him (at the bookshop or in the army), which he ultimately could not. The fact that he was unable to acclimatize to these roles may be attributed to the type of person he was; he was someone that enjoyed literature and logic, he always had an opinion. These inherent, unique traits are what prevented him from just following orders or being forever disrespected at his workplace.
This work really felt like an authentic coming of age story due to the apparent changes in the main characters thought processes, actions and morals. The development in Silvio’s character was solidified at the end of each chapter where he made a major, somewhat spontaneous decision. For example, he threw the piece of coal at the bookshelf at the end of the second chapter or chose to turn his friend in for this robbery attempt. Both these actions demonstrate how he is has changed from his previous self in various aspects, with a full circle moment at the end of the last chapter: at the beginning of the work, Silvio was a thief, but at the end he reported a robbery. This action really showcases how much Silvio had changed as a character throughout his adolescence.
Overall, I really appreciated how this work demonstrated the role of the environment in shaping people and portrayed “coming of age” in a more “circular” light. At the end of this work, I felt like Arlt wrapped up the “loose ends” by making connections to earlier on in the story (by either bringing characters back or referencing certain events). Doing so, made the Silvio’s development feel more rewarding as it seems like he learned from the past. To wrap up my post, a question I have for you all is whether you think this is a well done coming of age story?