Blog Post 10: Dog of a Job
Of all our books in this class, The Underdogs deals most with death, chaos, and disillusionment in the face of revolution. The author, Mariano Azuela, himself participated in the Revolution and wrote this book in 1915, in the very middle of the fighting. While the characters are mostly fictional, Azuela based them off of people he knew and fought alongside--or against.
The Mexican Revolution started in 1910-1911 with the overthrow of the tyrant Porfirio Días by the popular Francisco I. Madero. By 1913, however, Madero himself was deposed and murdered in a coup by one of his generals, Victoriano Huerta. By 1914, Huerta was also defeated by another popular uprising, but these revolutionaries were not united. So, fighting would continue for 6 more years, mainly under four factions: Pancho Villa (a bandit from the north), Venustiano Carranza (a politician from the north), Álvaro Obregón (one of Carranza's generals who turned on him), and Emiliano Zapata (a peasant from the south). All four of these men were murdered during the Revolution except Obregón, who was assassinated in 1928 just before he could take office after his reelection to the presidency. (Since then, Mexico abolished reelection, and no Mexican president has ever been reelected.)
Our story opens in early 1914, when Huerta is about to be defeated.
Choose one of the following prompts to answer. Use at least three specific pieces of information no one has yet used in their blog posts and at least six specific pieces of information total, from Part 1 of The Underdogs, with a page citation for each; also, use at least 300 words in your answer.
1) What do you think Demetrios and his men are fighting for? What is Luis Cervantes fighting for? Who of these people do you think is most likely to triumph in the end, and why?
OR
2) How did ordinary people, men and women, get mixed up in the violence of the Mexican Revolution, and how does the Revolution alter their lives? Which character is your favorite so far, and why?
The Mexican Revolution started in 1910-1911 with the overthrow of the tyrant Porfirio Días by the popular Francisco I. Madero. By 1913, however, Madero himself was deposed and murdered in a coup by one of his generals, Victoriano Huerta. By 1914, Huerta was also defeated by another popular uprising, but these revolutionaries were not united. So, fighting would continue for 6 more years, mainly under four factions: Pancho Villa (a bandit from the north), Venustiano Carranza (a politician from the north), Álvaro Obregón (one of Carranza's generals who turned on him), and Emiliano Zapata (a peasant from the south). All four of these men were murdered during the Revolution except Obregón, who was assassinated in 1928 just before he could take office after his reelection to the presidency. (Since then, Mexico abolished reelection, and no Mexican president has ever been reelected.)
Our story opens in early 1914, when Huerta is about to be defeated.
Choose one of the following prompts to answer. Use at least three specific pieces of information no one has yet used in their blog posts and at least six specific pieces of information total, from Part 1 of The Underdogs, with a page citation for each; also, use at least 300 words in your answer.
1) What do you think Demetrios and his men are fighting for? What is Luis Cervantes fighting for? Who of these people do you think is most likely to triumph in the end, and why?
OR
2) How did ordinary people, men and women, get mixed up in the violence of the Mexican Revolution, and how does the Revolution alter their lives? Which character is your favorite so far, and why?
In The Underdogs, several people are fighting for different things. When it comes to Demetrios and his men, I believe that they are all fighting for similar things. The first things they are fighting for is revenge. On page 10, Demetrio and his men all vent about what had happened to their belongings. “’They burned by house!’” he said in response to their inquisitive looks” (10). For Demetrio personally, I believe that his revenge also comes from how they treated his wife. “Demetrio stood looking at them, in insolent and scornful smile warping his features” (8). Their unfortunate encounter forced his wife and child to flee their house even though they did nothing wrong. Demetrios and his men are also fighting for the people who do not have a “voice”. “The revolution benefits the poor, the ignorant. It is for him who has been a slave his entire life…” (26).
ReplyDeleteAs for Luis Cervantes, he is also fighting for revenge but not because the Federales took his belongings. The Federales took his freedom and because of this Luis wants to fight. “And Luis Cervantes, who already shared with the common soldier this concealed, implacable and mortal hatred toward the upper classes…” (23). Also, I believe that Luis is fighting for opportunity. Before he was captured, he was a medical student and a journalist, and it would be safe to say he (and others) want to have those opportunities again. “Once our cause is victorious, you will be able to obtain your degree very easily. Two or three weeks of serving as an attendant at a hospital, a good recommendation from our leader Macías” (34).
I think both Demetrios and his men and Luis will both triumph in the end. I believe they both will because they have both already lost so much. One of Demetrios’ men lost his cattle and when someone loses something of value, they will go to great lengths to get it back. I also think Demetrios will triumph just because he has so many people believing in him. He seems like a selfless and determined character the first couple of chapters. Luis will also triumph because he wants to regain the life he once had. The group as a whole is fighting for themselves but also the people and where they came from. “We are instruments of destiny for the revindication of the sacred rights of the people. We are fighting a fight against tyranny itself” (42).
In the novel “The Underdogs” the main character, Demetrio, and his men are fighting in the revolution for a few reasons that are not specifically stated in the text. Demetrio and his men seem to be fighting for justice and to get back at the Federales for all of the trouble and pointless harm they have caused. It is even said, “You vile men, you killed my dog! What harm in the world did my poor little Palomo do to you?” (pg 6) This statement shows that the Federales are just killing anything that crosses their path with no particular reason. They are fighting for justice because the Federales have burned their homes and hurt their families along this journey including Demetrio’s house in the beginning of the novel. “At the bottom of the canyon, near the river, he saw tall flames rising: his house was ablaze.” (pg 8) I think that Luis Cervantes is fighting for justice as well but protection of himself and for his opportunities he has to come. Cervantes is a medical student and a journalist that was captured and made a prisoner by the Federales. (pg 20) He tries to persuade Demetrio and his men that he is fighting for the same reason they are and believes in the same ideas as them but seems as if he might just be saying it to get their approval. (pg 20) I think he is joining Demetrio and his men to fight his way through the revolution and stay alive so he may pursue his career as a doctor and journalist rather than really being on the same page as Demetrio in regards of his reason for fighting. I also think everyone in this story is fighting just to fight and are caught up in the revolution itself. It seems that everyone thinks they have a reason but they all just seem angry and in the mood to fight. “ Why didn’t you kill them? Said Demetrio’s wife. It just wasn’t their time yet!” (pg 8) They seem to have the want to say they are helping the revolution, which is just my assumption that I believe will be revealed by the end of the book. I think the federales are most likely to triumph in the end due to their ruthless way of fighting. They seem to not care at all whom they hurt or what family they destroy in their path. Demetrio and his men have more sympathy and wish to fight back for their families and their homes but do not have the ruthless mindset and lack of care for others like the Federales do. (pg 7)
ReplyDeleteTess Song
ReplyDeleteDemetrio and his men are cohesively planning to participate in this revolution because of the harm the Federales have caused. Their plans to attack were ignited by the burning of Demetrio's house. Angrily, Demetrio "pulled out the horn hanging across his back...and blew into it three times" (10). Then, all of the men quickly responded with their presence. Demetrio and his men were going into the revolution with the lack of knowledge of how many men are going to be there but put their faith into the fact that "Julian Medina challenged all the pigs and Federales in town with just half a dozen scraggly men armed with knives sharpened...and he crushed 'em all" (10).
Luis Cervantes also seeks revenge against the Federales. He shared a common hatred with Demetrio and his men: to destroy the Federales. However, his presence was not accepted immediately. When he arrives to join the coreligionists, he is not welcomed with open arms, but is instead locked “up in a pigsy” (23). In addition, Demetrio explicitly says that he is able to “go back home or whatever [he] wants to go” once he is cured (33). His want to help is not appreciated and the men see him as an intruder. Later on, Cervantes takes it upon himself to explain the purpose of what they are fighting for. He explains that they “are fighting a fight against tyranny itself” (42).
Although it seems that Demetrio and his men are small in number and have limited resources, I believe that they will triumph in the end. Their resilience is exceptional and it is apparent that they will do whatever it takes to successfully achieve their goal. Their strength is portrayed when “twenty-five men slept amid the weeds of the Sierra until the sound of the horn woke them up” (11). Demetrio and his men are willing to believe themselves despite several barriers ahead of them.
Neal Vogel
ReplyDeleteThe fighting is shown in the novel as bringing chaos and devastation to ordinary people, not just the soldiers and revolutionaries fighting in the war. The first instance of this happens at Limon where Demetrio's dog Palomo is killed by drunken Federales (6), one of whom then tells Demetrio's wife, "I've decided to spend the night in the kind company of this little brunette here" (7) in a demonstration of the kinds of liberties the soldiers would take with the people they came across during the war. Another example of this is the Federales' thievery, recounted by the rebels who say, "You know that they steal our pigs, our chickens, and even the little bit of corn that we have to eat" (15). But the soldiers take more than just material goods, as the rebels also explain that they "take our women" (15). The women met by the rebels raise similar complaints, one of them whispering "They even took Senora Nieves's youngest daughter! (17)" Even those who are not robbed by the government troops may still be roped into the war, as the Mexican government institutes a draft forcing young men to join in on the side of the Federales. One of these men is Luis Cervantes who explains "At midnight three soldiers grabbed me from my house. By the time I woke up, I myself was a soldier in the barracks (21).
But it is not just the Federales who get ordinary people mixed up in the chaos of the war. Demetrio's rebels also cause much mayhem, using violence against an innocent peasant to get information (51) and killing a prostitute in a night of debauchery after which the only thing that is done is to say "Pshaw! Have 'em buried..." (60).
My favorite character of the novel is Demetrio. Even though he comes from the same background as the men he commands and as such is rather rough around the edges, he also shows a distinctiveness among them in his thinking and seriousness. For example, in the first battle scene while his men are acting foolish in battle, “Demetrio continued shooting and warning his men of their grave danger” (14). Similarly, when his men are willing to execute Luis, Demetrio is willing to hear him out and even develops the clever tactic of staging an execution and confession to see if he confesses to being a spy (25). Demetrio is not the most admirable character, but his distinction and clear-headedness among his less-serious peers makes him my favorite.
Haley Melita
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways in which ordinary people get mixed up in the violence of the Mexican revolution. For starters, the book starts by introducing Demetrio, a woman, and a child, who are all gathered in a hut as soldiers circle the area. In this scene, the characters are on edge because of the nearby soldiers, “Demetrio grabbed his cartridge belt, strapped it around his waist, and picked up his rifle...He stepped out slowly, deliberately, disappearing into the impenetrable darkness of the night” (5-6). Soon after the soldiers arrive, Demetrio’s dog is killed, “You vile men, you’ve killed my dog! What harm in the world did my poor little Palomo do to you?” (6). The following quotes demonstrates how these characters manage to get involved in the war and even lose their dog because of soldiers passing by. Furthermore, in chapter four, ordinary people are forced to give soldiers their food, “You know that they steal our pigs, our chickens, and even the little bit of corn that we have to eat” (16). Also, ordinary people are losing their homes because of soldiers, “You know that they burn our houses and take our women. And then, wherever they track you down, right there and then they finish you off as if you was a rotten dog” (16). It is evident from these quotes that despite avoiding involvement in the Mexican Revolution, ordinary people are suffering and are getting mixed up in the violence of the war. Additionally, it is affecting their everyday lives. These people are being forced to find other sources of food and housing because of the soldiers. My favorite character so far in the book is Demetrio Macias because he is a brave man and a good leader. This is seen when Cervantes explains why he trusts Macias so much, “Esteemed leader...ever since we met, you and I have gotten along very well, and I have grown to care for you more and more as I have come to know how valuable you are to the revolution” (42). From this, it is clear that Demetrio is a well respected leader and fighter. Additionally, Demetrio is seen as a fearless individual capable of change, “You have risen up against the cacique system itself, the system that is devastating the entire nation” (42).
Demetrio is fighting for revenge. He fights for what he has lost and what has been taking away from him.” They burned my house!” “If it was not for a run in with Don Monico, then I would be preparing to sow my land right now.” (10) (39)
ReplyDeleteLuis Cervantes is fighting for justice. He was a medical student, who was taken prisoner. He then seeks out Demetrio because Luis himself is a believer of the same ideals and fights for the same cause. Luis is an educated guy who has a way with words. He explains to Demetrio and his men that they fight for justice, to end tyranny and for the rights of the people. “We are constitutive pieces of a great social movement that will lead to the exaltation of our motherland. We are instruments of destiny for the revindication of the sacred rights of the people. We are fighting a fight against tyranny itself. That is what it means to fight for one’s principles, to have ideals. That is what we are fighting for.” Now the men are seeing the bigger picture. (20) (42)
What started out as revenge now has taken on a life of its own. Demetrio and his men are a symbol of hope for the Mexican people. “To the triumph of our cause, which is the triumph of Justice.” (58)
The people fight because they have nothing left to lose. The government has taken their livestock, food, and their women. They burn down their houses and ultimately take their lives. They are running away from the draft, chased by the government who have declared war to the death on all us poor people. (16)
Yes, each person fights because of personal reasons. A wrong that was done to them, but ultimately, they come together for a common good. To end tyranny, injustice, and to get back the rights of the people.
I think that Cervantes would be the one to triumph in the end because he sees clearly what the outcome of the struggle must be. It’s all or nothing because this will ultimately shape the identity of the Mexican people.
Katie Lebo
ReplyDeleteOrdinary people, men and women, got mixed up in the violence of the Mexican Revolution by many ways. In the very beginning of the book Demetrio is at a home with a woman and a child. The woman keeps staring into the night afraid that someone is going to show up unexpectedly. Eventually a few men show up to at the house, killing the dog, and demanding that the women prepare food for them (6). The men eventually leave but come back and burn the house down (8). This alters the lives of the women and the child because this was their home and now they won’t be able to come back to it. On page 16, the men come across “a handful of small, drab houses huddled together in a clearing between the bluish mountains. Demetrio had his men take him there.” While they were there, Senora Remigia was complaining saying, “not long ago I had eggs, chickens, there was even a baby goat that was born here. But these damned Federales cleaned me out.” (17) She also said, “they even took Senora Nieves’s youngest daughter!” (17). People who are fighting in the war and that are passing through these small villages are taking resources from the people who live there and are “cleaning them out” and leaving them with nothing. The Federales also took someone’s daughter and her life will never be the same. My favorite character so far is Demetrio Macias. I like how fearless he is and how isn’t afraid to take risks. When explaining to Luis Cervantes how they were going to take down the Federales he said, “we hit’em when they least expect it, and tha’s that.” (50). I also like that Demetrio is fighting for what he believes in and is fighting for justice.
The violence of the Mexican Revolution not only effects the people involved, but it also directly effects the ordinary citizens. One example of this is when drunken Federales kill Demetrio’s dog for no reason (3). We can see that this action, in turn, causes distress in Demetrio’s family by the wife’s reaction. The wife calls the soldiers “swine” and is obviously enraged by what just happened (4). The soldiers go on to harass the wife until Demetrio steps in and takes the situation into his own hands by threatening them until they leave (5). Another example of the Mexican Revolution’s repercussions on the people is how Demetrio and his family are forced to flee (6). his causes Demetrio to be separated from his wife and endangers both of them because of them being alone. At the end of this section when Demetrio looks back as he is fleeing, he notices that his house is set ablaze (7). This is probably detrimental to them as they are probably not the wealthiest people, and for them to lose their house is a big alteration to their lives.
ReplyDeleteAt this point in the novel, Demetrio is my favorite character. When I am reading a book, I enjoy when a character encounters hardships because it allows me as the audience to see how they react to the problem. It is cool because it can put a different perspective on a situation for me because I may want to take on the issue a different way, but with the different perspective, it can demonstrate different ideas. Demetrio’s character is a good example of courage can be enacted throughout hard situations. When his house was burned, it only pushed him further to do what he believes was right and stand up for his beliefs by organizing a rebellion (10).
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ReplyDeleteIn Mariano Azuela’s “The Underdogs,” the novel opens up its first part by introducing the Mexican Revolution not only through the eyes of the soldiers, but also through their interaction with ordinary men and women. Through this perspective, we are able to see how both soldiers and civilians got caught up in the violence and how their lives were altered in various ways. The novel begins with the Federales coming into Demetrio Macías’ property and shooting the family’s dog. Followed by this, the Lieutenant tried to impose fear on Demetrio’s wife by telling his sergeant that he “had decided to spend the night in the kind company of this little brunette right here,” implying Demetrio’s wife (6). This emphasizes the amount of controlling and egocentric personality among men of this time. During the face off Demetrio had with the Federales in his house, one of them turned to him and said to him right before he left that he “always respect[ed] the house of a brave man, of a real man” (8). This is important because it gives the reader a first glimpse of machismo not only present between men and women but also among the men in general. In the novel, although women did not serve as soldiers during the revolution, their role in the war was still very important. They cooked for the soldiers, let them stay in their home, took care of their wounds and acted as compañeras. This is seen when Camila took care of wounded Demetrio and Luis Cervantes and also when Señora Remigia performed a healing ritual to help Demitrio with his bullet wound (29-31). Because of such close relationship between men and the women, many of them would end up falling in love regardless of marital status. For example Camila fell in love with Cervantes while married Demetrio was in love with her. Although many men felt they had a right to these women, women such as Camila, still tried to stand up to be with who they wanted, which in her case was Cervantes. Because of this close relationship between the women and soldiers, “the women were actually quite upset by the departure of Demetrio and his men” and even the men felt the same way (47). Another way the war interfered with ordinary people was the way both the soldiers and revolutionaries treated the people that crossed their paths. Even the people that helped them, rather than being thankful, they felt entitled to that help. An example of this is the “poor peasant” who directed them to the barracks. They struck him with the rifle and forced him to do this even though he had a wife and children back home and didn’t want to be involved (51). The same man also tells them that when they start attacking, many of the Federales would run because rather than wanting to fight in the war, they were drafted and therefore don’t want to die. This shows how many ordinary people had little say in the revolution and ended up getting caught up in everything against their own will. In the end, the revolution impacted everyone. So far my favorite character in the book is Luis Cervante. I think his interaction with Camila served as a comic relief for such a heavy subject and I also like how mysterious he is. His approach to the revolution through a logical perspective is different and helps the reader see it through a different point of view. When he says that “the revolution benefits the poor, the ignorant…it is for him who has been a slave his entire life, for the wretched who do not even know that they are so because the rich man transforms the blood, sweat and tears of the poor man into gold,” Cervante adds meaning to the rebels cause rather than just letting it be revenge (26). I thought that this was very important.
ReplyDeleteCarrolline Kickhoefer
ReplyDeleteWorld History Since 1500
Blog Post #10
First, I personally believe that Demetrio and his been are fighting for the same things. The biggest thing Demetrio and his men are fighting for revenge. On page 10 his men seem very upset about saying, “ They burned by house!”(10). Demetrio also tells the readers the only reason his house didn’t burn down was because “If it was not for a run in with Don Monico, then I would be preparing to sow my land right now.” (39). Also from the very beginning of the book Demetrio and his wife have had problems with the federales just being ignorant and in way abusing their power.
Now Luis Cervantes is fighting for justice and looking for revenge against the federales because they took him as a prisoner. Cervantes is a medical student and a journalist that was captured and made a prisoner by the federales. (20) But now they will fight together because they share a lot of the same ideals. “That is what it means to fight for one’s principles, to have ideals. That is what we are fighting for.” (42). So it is almost as if they are a team now working together for each other.
I think that in the end both Luis and Demetrio will triumph because they both are so determined and have been wronged by the federales. Like when a drunk federales beats Demetrio’s dog without having a real reason (3).Then obviously Luis was taken prisoner. So even though these men have their own reasons for wanting revenge or justice, them coming together out of anger or sadness I think will have a good result for them in the end of the book and I think that justice will be served where its needed by the end.
Dalton Shettle
ReplyDeleteThe Mexican Revolution changed the lives of many unsuspecting civilians throughout the war in many different ways. One way some of the men got mixed up in the violence of the war was by choosing to fight back against the Federales who did something to incite the civilians fighting back against them. On page 10 an example of the men planning to fight back says, " tomorrow or perhaps even tonight, we will get another close-up of the Federales. What do you say muchachos? Ready to show 'em 'round these paths and trails?" (Azuela 10). An example of how men who got mixed up in this war can get killed is on page 15 where it says, "All of a sudden Quail shouted from where he was marching out in front: he had just seen the missing comrades, hanging from the branches of a mesquite tree" (Azuela 15). Another way that people were altered because of the war was mentally. After Demetrio found Serapio and Antonio hanging from the mesquite tree, it says, "The silhouettes of men hanging and swaying softly in the breeze--necks limp, arms drooping, legs rigid--would not fade from his memory" (Azuela 15). Another way the men and their families were affected by the Mexican Revolution was through the military draft conducted by the Mexican government. An example of this is on page 16 when it says, "Tomorrow, we'll run too, running from the draft, chased by those damned government criminals who have declared a war to the death on all us poor people. You know that they steal our pigs, our chickens, and even the little bit of corn that we have to eat. You know that they burn our houses and take our women. And then, wherever they track you down, right there and then they finish you off as if you was a rotten dog" (Azuela 16). Another person who was affected as a result of the Mexican Revolution was Luis Cervantes and his mother. On page 22, an example of this says, "I had my mother, a little ol' lady who hadn't been able to get up from her chair for the last ten years because of her rheumatism. At midnight three soldiers grabbed me from my house. By the time I woke up, I myself was a soldier in the barracks. Then, by the time I went to sleep that night, I was already twelve leagues away from my hometown. A month ago we go by there with the troop again, and my mother's already six feet under!" (Azuela 22). The character that I like the most in Part I is Luis Cervantes because he has a really good reason for wanting to fight in the war, his mother. On page 23 he says, "I swear that these cartridges that I'm carryin' right here are gonna be used for the enemies. And if the miracle of miracles is granted to me, if the Most Holy Mother of Guadalupe grants me the miracle, and I am allowed to join Villa, then I swear on my mother's blessed soul that I'll make these Federalists pay for it" (Azuela 23).
It seems to me Demetrios and his men were once private, successful farmers with wives and children and when the Federales came, their women were taken, homes burned and farms looted. They wanted revenge on the loss of the lives they had lived. “Before the revolution, I even had my own little corner of land to sow… d’ya know what I’d be doin’ right now? I’d be rushin’ about, preparin’ my team of oxen to sow my land” (39). Demetrios and his men also seem to have pasts they are trying to escape. By fighting the Federales, they are also keeping themselves out of trouble (40). As for Luis Cervantes, I see him as a young man with high ideals and an education striking back against the tyranny of the government that is in control. “And Luis Cervantes, who already shared with the common soldier this concealed, implacable, and mortal hatred toward the upper classes, the officers, and all superiors, felt that the very last strands of a veil were being lifted from his eyes, as he now saw clearly what the outcome of the struggle had to be” (23). I see him as being sincere in his efforts to help Demitrios’ fight in the revolution to the best of his abilities. “I wanted to fight the blessed struggle of the poor and the weak. But you do not understand me, you reject me. And so I say: do with me what you will” (26). Cervantes sees himself as a crusader for the poor and believes he can use his education and medical training to serve as an asset. Cervantes was quick to point out the old man with his donkey outside the city may have been lying to them about the number of soldiers in the town (50). As for who will triumph in the end, I think Cervantes has enough wit and smarts about him to survive; however, I’m not sure he will be the same young man with high ideals. Demetrios and his men seem confident in their ability to triumph, as shown by the toast given by Cervantes when meeting with General Natera (58). The men seem to have a respect for Pancho Villa and believe if they can join his troops, their chance for victory is much better than fighting alone (64). Demetrios and his men are a scrappy, rag-tag team of fighters who are able to think and act quickly. I think they have a pretty high chance of triumph.
ReplyDeleteRyan McConnell
ReplyDeleteIn part 1 of the book The Underdogs, I believe that Demetrios and his men are overall just fighting for justice and popular sovereignty. They are tired of being pushed around and treated like dirt by government officials and military figures. These simple folks can be seen being pushed around at the very beginning of the book by military personnel when a couple of military officers went to Demetrios' house and harassed his family demanding that they "bring [them] somethin' for dinner" (6). Then the military officers came back with more people and set "his house ablaze" (8). This treatment can prove to be very daunting because the people who are being tormented don't really have any leverage in the situation and it's hard for them to fight back at all because the military and government have all the power. Then in the case for Luis Cervantes, it isn't him who is being oppressed, but he wants to fight for those who are being picked on per say. For Luis Cervantes "the suffering and the misery of the dispossessed would eventually move him" to take up arms with these rebels and fight with them for their cause (22). He is "demanding justice, pure justice" for these people and will stop at nothing for it(22). In the end I feel like whoever has the "shiny heavy gold coins" will win the fight (23). That is saying that whoever has the most financial backing will win the revolution. The army in the north ride "horses [that] are made of pure silver," this is saying that they have so much wealth even their horses are the finest money can buy (23). Demetrios and his allies may have a stronger belief and dedication for what is right, but in the end whoever has the stronger forces and can afford those forces is going to win the fight.
Ordinary people got mixed up in the Mexican Revolution because they would often take rebels into their homes. Senora Remigia took Demetrio into her hut after he had been wounded and gave him a place to rest and food to eat (17). They stayed there for weeks, and oftentimes the rebels grew on the peasants’ affections, and vice-versa. Demetrio fell in love with a young Indian girl, Camila (45). Similarly, Camila fell in love with the tag-along curro, Luis Cervantes, who never would have lived in her home if he had not been captured by the rebels (36). Furthermore, Senora Remigia felt affection for the revolutionaries, for she employed her traditional and religious customs to heal Demetrio’s belly (31). Overall, because the revolutionaries lived in the peasants’ homes, they connected with the citizens, and the citizens felt for them in return. The residents gave up their homes, food, land, privacy, and resources for a group of rebels who they believed could better their situation from the Federales overlords. Luis Cervantes mirrored the passions of the people when he said, “We are not fighting in order to defeat one miserable murderer. We are fighting a fight against tyranny itself” (42).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite character is Anastasio Montanes because of his kindness and loyalty. He was described as a man with “sweet eyes” (10). Additionally, he cared for his friends. He tore off his shirt sleeves to wrap Demetrio’s wound (15). Anastasio even sat next to the curro, Luis Cervantes, and asked, “Why are you so sad, curro? What’re you thinkin’ so much about? Come over ‘ere, move closer, let’s talk” (37). Anastasio genuinely cared for those around him, regardless of their affiliation, yet was loyal to his closest friends. He fought bravely in battle and yet displayed kindness for his fellow men.
ReplyDeleteOrdinary people, especially women played different roles in the Mexican Revolution. To start off, the women were attentive to the men. They fed them, gave them water, and other things they needed. Senora Remiga invited the men and Demetrio into her house, and offered to attend to anything he needed (17). In doing this, it seems that some of the soldiers (Federales) took advantage of this: “They even took Senora Nieve’s youngest daughter (17)”. The fact that the women are housing soldiers means that they are unsafe and can easily get caught up in the violence. This puts the women in danger (18). Continued in chapter eight, Camilla tends to Cervantes’s wounds out of her friendliness (27). The soldiers are forcing themselves into the homes of these people not involved in the war. They are using their food and shelter. Even everyday people became soldiers during this revolution unknowingly. They were forced and really had no choice. One of the soldiers says that he was just a carpenter. In the night, soldiers broke into his house and before he knew it, he was a soldier himself (22). Soldiers would entice they soldiers by saying, oh look what the people have over there; gold and silver. And, look what we have, nothing (23).
My favorite character so far is Demetrio Macias. It doesn’t seem like he has selfish ambitions. He is fighting because the Government is treating him and his family badly (10), as well as the poor who have no voice (26). I admire his bravery and will to fight for the ones he loves. He is standing up for what he believes in and he knows what he wants. Lastly, I like his leadership and decision making skills. He is logical in his thinking, as a leader should be.
Throughout the novel so far there are many instances where violence from the Mexican Revolution begins to interfere with the lives of ordinary men and women. An example early on in the novel that foreshadows the turmoil to come is when the Federales show up at the home of Demetrio. “ I’m telling you that’s no animal. Listen to how Palomo is barking… That must be a man.” (3) Once the Federales show up violence and unjust behaviors already arise. “ Go on, Sergeant, tell the corporal to unsaddle the horses and prepare dinner. I’m stayin’ right here. Listen little darlin’, you let my sergeant fry up the eggs and warm up the tortillas, and you come ere with me.” (7). The Federales are already trying to take advantage of the women that they find, but this doesn’t happen too easily. “ A white silhouette suddenly filled the dark opening of the doorway. Demetrio Macias! The sergeant exclaimed, aghast, taking several steps back. The lieutenant got up, speechless, and stood cold and motionless as a statue. Kill em’! The women exclaimed, her throat dry.” (7) Demetrio had trembled then, but this was not enough to keep them away for long. “ I can feel that they’ll be back with the whole group…after many hours of climbing, he turned around to look back. At the bottom of the canyon, near the river, he saw tall flames rising: his house was ablaze.” (8). Violence had begun and innocent women and children were removed from their homes. Homes were burnt down and this was only the beginning if the devastations to come. As the Federales came they tried to take women, land, and destroy the homes of Demetrio and his men. Individuals that got involved in the war were injured and even killed. This altered their lives and the lives of their families. There would nobody to protect them or provide for them. “ Two men were missing: Serpio the candy maker and Antonio, who played the cymbals in the Juchipila band.”(14). These were ordinary individuals who were being challenged by the difficulties arising from the fight against the Federales. Another way families were affected by the Mexican Revolution was the power the government was enforcing. By drafting individuals for war they were destroying families and involving those you were not mentally nor physically prepared for this kind of task. "Tomorrow, we'll run too, running from the draft.(16) They were forcefully being pushed into the war effort. "chased by those damned government criminals who have declared a war to the death on all us poor people. You know that they steal our pigs, our chickens, and even the little bit of corn that we have to eat. You know that they burn our houses and take our women. And then, wherever they track you down, right there and then they finish you off as if you was a rotten dog" (16). This quote goes to show the turmoil that ordinary people were facing during this time. Their simple lives were being uprooted. My favorite character so far is Demetrio, because he has a charisma that is extremely evident throughout the novel so far. The way he speaks and fights is extremely bold, but once he is injured things go a bit downhill for him. “ They set the stretcher down on the ground; Demetrio called out in a weak voice, asking for a drink of water.” (16) He describes what the Federales had done to him and seemed very vengeful toward them. “ Just imagine! Not long ago I had eggs, chickens; there was even a baby goat that was born here. But these damned Federales cleaned me out!” (17) He is extremely passionate in his fight.
ReplyDeleteThere are many people that are involved in the Mexican Revolution other than those who are fighting. Ordinary people, including women, men, and children, are indirectly involved in this and changes their lives. For instance, in the very beginning of the book soldiers came and killed Demitrio’s dog which greatly affected his wife. She was very angry and proceeded to call them “swine” and asks what “harm” the dog ever did to them (I). Demitrio has to get the soldiers to leave by being very stern (I). He also has a reputation that is strong, so the soldiers did not want to put themselves in a bad situation before war even started. They also “burnt [his] house” which destroyed everything he had. He was lucky and smart to get him along with the woman and child out when he did (II). Also, Camilla, a girl in the village developed a crush on Luis Cervantes. She becomes embarrassed when he doesn’t believe her story about the chief and he laughed “heartily” (XI). She would have never had come into contact with him if it were not for the war. Also, Luis, also known as Tenderfoot, has gained trust and comfortability with the people and some have come to call him by his real name. Venanuncio now “addressed him as Louie” (X).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite character is Demitrio Macias because I believe that he is a very fair and strong man who is a generally good leader to his people. Even Cervantes, who had only known the chief for a little bit said that he “took a fancy” to him the first time he saw him and likes him “more and more every day. (XIII)” He also seems to be fighting for a purpose which I like. He takes things personally and fights in response and wants the enemy to pay for what they did to him and his household.
- Brittany Carty
Let’s get this one out of the way: The violence doesn’t just kill people, but also destroys the lives around them, including Demetrio’s dog (3). He cries out, “You vile men, you’ve killed my dog! What harm in the world did my poor little Palomo do to you?” It’s a rhetorical question but brings light to the harm and non-sense of war. What did the dog do? What did any of the casualties of war do?
ReplyDeleteWhy must ordinary people become involved, like the women the Federales soldiers demand make food for them when they barge into the house (8)? It creates a refugee crisis as houses are burnt. Even those that aren’t left homeless pay some price and “owe” the soldiers something during war, like the Lieutenant suggesting he sleep with Demetrio’s wife, the “little brunette” (6). There’s a new, stronger sense of power imposed on the common people.
My favorite character so far is Demetrio. Despite all the power and helplessness around him, he doesn’t let that control him and fights for change. His speech on page 41-42 is a rousing moment of his leadership, claiming they are “The elements of a social movement which will not rest until it has enlarged the destinies of our motherland.” His views are forward-thinking and grand in scope, as he’s not simply fighting against a tyrannical leader but against “tyranny itself.” (42)
He’s really a man of the people. At the end of his monologue which at least inspired Venancio, Demetrio calls for two beers (42). It’s a simple moment, but it’s an effective moment that highlights his normalcy. And like many great protagonists, he’s vengeful too. Because his dog was killed, I like to think of Demetrio as John Wick, looking to kill the people who killed his dog. So not exactly something from the book, but that’s one reason I really like him.
In the Novel “The Underdogs” by Mariano Azuela, the name says it all. All the groups are fighting for the same thing against the Federales. The novel starts off with Federal soldiers walking through the streets being loud and drunk. They end up shooting a dog and the wife runs out yelling at them and drags the dog back. Demetrio goes outside and seems to receive respect by these men. “Either way, it’d be good for you to hide Demetrio” (Pg. 1) says his wife. Scared for his sake. They Federales show little respect to women. “are ya comin out or do we make ya come out” (Pg. 6) they say to Demetrio’s wife. They were trying to find a place to stay and wanted to take advantage of his wife. Once Demetrio Macias comes out of the doorway, the seargeant begins to backup and apologize and explain how he “respects” men like him. “Seargent lets go. I always respect the house of a brave man, a real man” (pg. 8).
ReplyDelete“surely now the federales will find our trail, and they’ll jump on us like dogs” (Pg. 9). They are describing their path through the ravine and that the federales couldn’t possibly follow their trail. “tomorrow, we will get another close up of the federales. What do you say muchachos? (pg.10). They exclaim and curse out towards the federeales and talk about fighting them tomorrow. On page 10, the men of Demetrio talk about the men of Medina and how they have a leader who they describe and being pround and having “sweet eyes” (pg.10). On page 19, We find out about a guy named Carranzo and how they didn’t kill him but only shot him in the leg. We find out that he joined the federales because he had no choice but had deserted them the day before. ”But in the battle the day before yesterday, I was able to desert” (Pg. 19).
Revolution and war always impact people who are not involved in the fighting, and changes their lives for the worse. This happens in The Underdogs during the revolution; people who were ordinary ended up being negatively affected by the fighting that was going on. In the very beginning of the book, two men on horseback come to Demetrio’s house. They call out to Demetrio’s wife while they ride up, “Little lady, we want to eat, real quicklike! Are ya comin’ out or do we make ya come out?” (6). At the time, they did not know that it was Demetrio’s wife and so they would have acted this way at any house they would have run into. It shows that ordinary people could be taken advantage of. This is also shown when the people tell about the soldiers stealing their possessions and food; “You know that they steal our pigs, our chickens, and even the little bit of corn that we have to eat” (16). Demetrio’s house was also set ablaze after they met the two horseman, literally out of nothing, but an insult (8). Not only do they steal possessions, but they also took people; “they even took Senora Nieves’s youngest daughter!” (17) People are also taken from their daily jobs in order to be a part of the revolution, “Venancio was a barber, and in his town he pulled molars and applied caustics and leeches” (15). The revolution also affected how ordinary people helped those they stood with, and used their food and homes to feed and house the rebels due to their hatred for the other side. “Meanwhile, there was an abundant amount of frijoles and corn in the ranchos in the area, and the people’s hatred of the Federals was such that they were more than willing to provide the rebels with shelter (33). The ordinary people, fueled by their passion, got involved with the revolution by helping the rebels. I think so far, Demetrio is my favorite character because of his bravery and his leadership. I admire how he respects his men and loves his wife.
ReplyDeleteIn The Underdogs, Mariano Azuela portrays a barbaric and tumultuous region during the Mexican Revolution who seek havoc among their own people. The ordinary people, during this time, were originally betrayed by their own government through their savagery and their sadistic actions. This was first depicted in the first chapter when two soldiers come across Demetrio Macias’s hut and drunkenly shoots their dog (15), continues to disrespect their hut and predictably disrespects the wife of Demetrio as the drunk lieutenant starts to make sexual suggestions towards her. (15-16) This disrespectful, pompous behavior became a norm through the Federal soldiers and eventually through the rebels of Demetrio’s men. The men and women were caught in the cross fire between the rebels and the federal soldiers and were treated so inhumanely. The ordinary people would be deprived of their stock, their vegetation and their homes being burnt down. The women were raped and ripped away from their huts (27-28) and taken along with the soldiers and any men that stood in the way of the soldiers were killed (27). What’s ironic is that although this behavior was expected of the Federal soldiers, these perverse actions eventually play out in the rebels. The irony lies in the fact that many of the rebels that join forces with Demetrio experience many of these instances or some sort of injustice from the government, which is why they are revolting. However, their behavior begins to mirror their opposers and you begin to notice them losing site of their purpose. The Revolution brought in individuals who had no actual full protection throughout the war. The rebels in The Underdogs started with a purpose of defense against the tyranny of the government, but then eventually their behavior becomes more untamed as the begin to show less mercy, like their opposers (69-70) Another instance where the rebels showed a reflection to the Federal soldiers was in Chapter 18 as their reckless night ended up with the brutal deaths of an old prostitute and two men of Macias’ (73).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite character so far is Demetrio because he shows a sense of personability and humbleness. He also expresses less savagery and brutality in comparison to his men who exhibit similar stories.
While the reasons for fighting are at first different between Cervantes and Demetrio, the two ideals are united later on. Demetrio originally starts out fighting for what could be described as familiarity. That is, he starts with the goal of a status quo ante bellum (for example, several things that he list for his casus belli is “They [The Federales] even took Senora Nieves’s youngest daughter!” (17) or that Anastasio is “out ‘ere ‘cause of that” (37), of which “that” is referring to a stabbing and that he misses when he “harvested [his] ten acres last year” (37), that is, he misses his simple country life). However, Cervantes starts out with a much bigger goal: not just to return to peace and without the extreme pressure from the government, but the ‘system’ itself: oppression and fascism. Cervantes explains to Demetrio that his movement (and thereby what their movement should be) is that “You have risen up against the cacique system itself, the system that is devastating the entire nation” (42) and that they “are fighting a fight against tyranny itself” (42). We can see this from even earlier when Cervantes says “The revolution benefits the poor, the ignorant. It is for him who has been a slave his entire life…” (26) which uses a more decentralized diction that points more towards a cause of ideology, not just the Demetrio equivalent of ‘kill fascist/conservative pigs.’ This ideological divide can even be seen early on when Demetrio ask why a city person would join their rebellion (“Well, tell me, then: what causes exactly are we fighting for?” (20)) with the clear presumption that he can’t be fighting the same cause as why would a curro would fight for returning to normalcy. Cervantes’ later talk, however, aligns both his and Demetrio’s cause under this ideology.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think Cervantes is more likely to hold on to his call to war as he, from the beginning, held the ideology, while Demetrio had to be persuaded by Cervantes to switch causes (or at least, expand it). Even though Cervantes is less acclimated to the whole fighting thing (for example when “Luis Cervantes quickly [averted] his gaze, horrified” (56) when the saboteur was killed), in the end, it’s the ideology that drives someone to do something. You need a case, and Demetrio shows that he isn’t fully sure what he’s willing to fight for.
Ashton Peckinpah
ReplyDeleteIn the "Underdogs" several characters are fighting from the beginning for various different reasons. The main character, Demetrio, is believed to be fighting for reasons of justice. From the beginning of the book, Demetrio and his men complain about all of the horrors that have happened to their belongings. They continuously accuse others for the destruction(10). We find out that these men that are causing harm are the Federales. They continually cause harm, like killing an incident animal, just to make a point(6). For Demetrio, on the other hand, I believe this revenge comes from a mistreatment of his wife by the Federales. "Demetrio had a scornful smile warping his features" (8). This incident forced his wife and children to flee. Even though his wife and many others in the community did nothing particularly wrong, just because they were bystanders was enough to hurt them. Demetrios army makes a statement of the war being for those enslaved and with no voice to speak.
Another character that is seen to be fighting for justice is Luis Cervantes. Luis Cervantes is angry at the Federales because they took his freedom(20). He attempts to speak in favor with the Federales by relating to them, however, they do not fall for his silly tricks while he is a prisoner. Ultimately, it seems as though Luis is fighting for an opportunity to be a medical student and journalist again. “Once our cause is victorious, you will be able to obtain your degree very easily" (34). I think he joins the revolution with Demetrio not because he is in favor of his beliefs, but rather because he wishes to stay alive. Something that this book has began to make me question is whether or not any of these characters in this book are fighting with a legitimate reason. Are they all just fighting just to fight?
I think that by the end of this book a triumph could go either way. The Federales could triumph by fighting ruthlessly all the way to the end of the book. Even though Demetrio have a positive lookout on the outcome of the war, they do not carry the evil mindset it takes to triumph over another (7). However, I also believe that others could just as likely triumph in the end. Demetrio seems like a hard-working and faithful servant to his people, I think he had the ability to win. Both of the two sides may end up with what they want or who will hold victory over another.