The House Of The Scorpion Quote Analysis

“Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. When Lord Acton, an 1800s English historian, spoke these words he was warning others that if one person is given too much power, there will likely be consequences. He also stated when someone is given absolute power, there is not a doubt that person will become corrupted. In the same fashion, characters in The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, abuse power or are affected by the abuse of power. In the beginning of the book, Matt, a young boy, leaves the confinement of his home for the first time only to realize he is a clone, which causes him to be isolated and treated like a wild beast by Rosa, a maid of the Alacran Estate. After six months, El Patron takes Matt under his wing and provides
When Rosa is given the power to do whatever she wants with Matt, she becomes corrupted. For example, “Bleating won’t save you, you good-for-nothing animal. No one can hear you… I could bury you under the floor --- and I might do it” (39). This evidence shows how Rosa abuses her power by talking to Matt like he is an unholy, filthy beast and keeping him completely isolated from the rest of humanity. Rosa’s quote is important to understand because it is where the corruption starts, but soon it escalates because no one has challenged her authority over Matt. Another piece of evidence is, “Rosa suddenly swung him up by his arms and tossed him inside. He landed with a whump and sat up coughing. ‘That’s what dirty beasts get to live in,’” (42). This citation highlights that Rosa has taken her power too far by forcing Matt to live in “deep litter” like a wild animal. The reason Rosa becomes corrupted is she was given so much power with little to no limitations. Given these points, Rosa is an example of how power corrupts the people who hold
El Patron and Rosa are both examples of how power can corrupt someone, especially when nothing restricts them from abusing it. While Rosa and El Patron differ, they share one chapter of their life in common, their corrupted power comes to an end. Rosa is turned into an eejit for what she did to Matt and El Patron dies because he could not receive his heart. The character endings are important because they emphasize when corruption and seemingly endless power are present, it can be stopped if it is challenged. In addition, while these two characters are examples of corrupted power, power does not always have a negative effect, it depends on who holds it. Abraham Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” This idea contradicts Lord Acton’s quote because it is an example of how just because someone is given power, does not mean corruption is right around the corner. Everything rides on who the “holder” is as a person and the decisions they make. Rosa and El Patron take it too far because the combination of their bad character and power do not mix. In conclusion, power can corrupt, but it depends on who it is put in the hands of and how much it is limited. As Matt rises to the challenge of controlling Opium, his true character will be the difference maker and reveal whether El Patron’s corrupted leadership style