El Señor Presidente In Latin America

El señor presidente is seen as one of the first “new novels” introduced in latin America which seeks to break from traditional realist novel and undertake a magical realist stylistic technique. Rene Prieto suggests Asturias “is one of the forefathers of the on-going literary revolution” (p.5) which proposes Asturias aims to expose the true reality of Latin American society, which deals with the struggles of political corruption during the dictatorship regime of Manuel Estrada Cabrera. Unlike a traditional novel which is more simplistic and “steers the reader towards a rather narrow and unambiguous interpretation of reality” (p.37) the novel confronts the issues within society such as poverty and totalitarian control and corruption through
In chapter 15, the drunken postman encapsulates the obsession with consumerism and money in an extremely poverty bound country. “amigo, amigo, la unica ley en egta tierra eg la loteria” (p.141) that the confusing and distorted language is mindless and controlled to the regime. Moreover it specifically references the economic struggles within society revolving around the obsession with money and democracy. It highlights the trauma beneath poverty “Que triste cosa es ser pobre”(p.37) Above this, the lie behind the regime reflects the broken and unjust political system as innocent characters are accused and turned against each other. The president is subtly hinted as the dictator although we are never presented to him, exerting his omniscient and omnipresent status. He embodies characteristics of a God like figure proving his all-powerful status “exploit the implications of the notion of a mad or evil God”. (P. 21) the evil God concept undertakes an idea that religion is corrupt presenting a modernist approach that God possibly doesn’t exist. Furthermore, the rebellion against God from the president’s right hand man “Cara de ángel” for a better change could mirror reality that desires for a break in dictatorial repression. The name has no coincidental implication of an angel, as we discover “Un ángel, un ángel” (p.34) which
As he rebelled against his duties, evil vs good also accentuates the idea of morality and immorality inverting traditional ideas. As mentioned earlier, Cara de Angel is seen as the rebellious Lucifer who betrays the evil God and amongst the indigenous people is seen as “como Jesús, hijo del pueblo” pg 134 insinuating he is a saviour. It is also notable that the revolutionary figure of Cara de angel mirrors that of the revolutionary desire of the population and sparked the question for a change in society reinforcing the success of the new novel. Not only does the dictatorial regime deconstruct relationships it also breaks down the psyches of individuals in society which represent the psychological trauma stemmed from the regime. This is demonstrated through traumatic and chaotic language in several chapters, for example “Ay mis o vaaaAAArios! Reflecting death and destruction negatively caused by the controlled