Life Of Lazarillo De Tomes Summary
We as natural citizens of this world, feel the obligation to report every wrong doing in our society/communities. It’s natural to want to dismantle and expose our sorrowing by showing the reality in which we life. It make us want to take actions. And that is precisely what Lazarillo does in the book The Life Of Lazarillo De Tormes. This book is an anonymous autobiography. Lazaro tells us his life as a child and how due to his life circumstance see himself force to become a picaresque kid. In the book, he narrates how he see himself force to mentally grow up to survive. His purpose, is make us comprehend his future actions, and in a way, also tell us the reality in which he lives in, the sixteen century Spain.
As mentioned before, Lazaro uses his autobiography to point out morality critique tours religious. Throughout the book, as Lazaro changes owners in each chapter, he starts to introduce us tours various religious figures in his society. One of Lazaro’s first view to religious is his second owner (chapter 2), the priest. As Lazaro’s life’s goes on, we start see that some of his masters are …show more content…
connected to religious. Other figures throughout Lazaro’s life are, a chaplain (chapter 7), seller of indulgences (chapter 5) and friar of the order of mercy (chapter 4). With all the connections he starts to build with the clergy, Lazaro is documenting his experiences with religious and none of these experiences are pleasant.
First and one of the most important, Lazaro’s second owner, the priest in chapter two. The way in which Lazarillo introduces his experience with this master, proves to the audience that it did not go any better than his previous owner. In chapter two, page 33, he said “I’d got away from the thunder only to be struck by lightning.” By using this metaphor to describe how bad it when with this master we as readers start to see that this priest is not serviceable after all. As a priest, his job is to care for the people, no exceptions. In this case, the priest fail to comply with his job.
Another chapter which includes a character with a religious role, is chapter four. This chapter can be open to various interpretations on regard of the actions of this master. One thing we know for sure, based on what Lazaro tell his audience, is “He [the master] was dead set against singing in choirs and eating in monasteries” (page 89). This confection shows a contradiction of Spain religious believers of “one religion only”. This owner was a friar of the order of mercy, and just knowing his job in comparison on the way he practice his religion by refusing to eat in monasteries tells us that his believes are not that strong.
A third and strong example of Lazaro’s accusation on false religious is pointed to his fifth master.
This fifth owner is a seller of indulgences, which basically means people pay him to give them forgiveness and access to heaven. Even though selling indulgences in sixteen century Spain was a common act, this seller did many things to force people to buy them even though they were false. Lazaro state that he saw his master, in many occasion tricking people to by him indulgences. For example, in page 92, Lazaro tells us that his master was very cleaver when trying to persuade people. He starts by saying, “he’d resort to the most ingenious tricks. It would take too long to describe all the things I saw him get up to,” (page 92). Not only is he faking his abilities, he is also taking advantage of innocent people. Which also, contradicts Catholicism believes and
behavior.
To conclude, even though this book can be open to different interpretations on Lazaro’s purpose for his own autobiography. I argue that Lazaro focused on criticize the practice of religious at the time. I also notice other topics repeatedly in the book. Such as hunger, lack of female figures in society, power/status, honor, morality, poverty etc. But I notice a more emphasis in religious as well as morality. The common feature in Lazaro’s owners assure me he is making a strong accusation to religious in Spain. Putting the pieces together, the purpose of Lazaro is showing us his reality and also Spain reality in regard of religion.
As mentioned before, Lazaro uses his autobiography to point out morality critique tours religious. Throughout the book, as Lazaro changes owners in each chapter, he starts to introduce us tours various religious figures in his society. One of Lazaro’s first view to religious is his second owner (chapter 2), the priest. As Lazaro’s life’s goes on, we start see that some of his masters are …show more content…
connected to religious. Other figures throughout Lazaro’s life are, a chaplain (chapter 7), seller of indulgences (chapter 5) and friar of the order of mercy (chapter 4). With all the connections he starts to build with the clergy, Lazaro is documenting his experiences with religious and none of these experiences are pleasant.
First and one of the most important, Lazaro’s second owner, the priest in chapter two. The way in which Lazarillo introduces his experience with this master, proves to the audience that it did not go any better than his previous owner. In chapter two, page 33, he said “I’d got away from the thunder only to be struck by lightning.” By using this metaphor to describe how bad it when with this master we as readers start to see that this priest is not serviceable after all. As a priest, his job is to care for the people, no exceptions. In this case, the priest fail to comply with his job.
Another chapter which includes a character with a religious role, is chapter four. This chapter can be open to various interpretations on regard of the actions of this master. One thing we know for sure, based on what Lazaro tell his audience, is “He [the master] was dead set against singing in choirs and eating in monasteries” (page 89). This confection shows a contradiction of Spain religious believers of “one religion only”. This owner was a friar of the order of mercy, and just knowing his job in comparison on the way he practice his religion by refusing to eat in monasteries tells us that his believes are not that strong.
A third and strong example of Lazaro’s accusation on false religious is pointed to his fifth master.
This fifth owner is a seller of indulgences, which basically means people pay him to give them forgiveness and access to heaven. Even though selling indulgences in sixteen century Spain was a common act, this seller did many things to force people to buy them even though they were false. Lazaro state that he saw his master, in many occasion tricking people to by him indulgences. For example, in page 92, Lazaro tells us that his master was very cleaver when trying to persuade people. He starts by saying, “he’d resort to the most ingenious tricks. It would take too long to describe all the things I saw him get up to,” (page 92). Not only is he faking his abilities, he is also taking advantage of innocent people. Which also, contradicts Catholicism believes and
behavior.
To conclude, even though this book can be open to different interpretations on Lazaro’s purpose for his own autobiography. I argue that Lazaro focused on criticize the practice of religious at the time. I also notice other topics repeatedly in the book. Such as hunger, lack of female figures in society, power/status, honor, morality, poverty etc. But I notice a more emphasis in religious as well as morality. The common feature in Lazaro’s owners assure me he is making a strong accusation to religious in Spain. Putting the pieces together, the purpose of Lazaro is showing us his reality and also Spain reality in regard of religion.