FL 380: An Archaeology of the "Boom": Modern Latin American Prose Fiction


Reading Guide to Vargas Llosa #1
The Time of The Hero
  1. 9 In school: Cava: "This was different. What was happening tonight..."
  2. 11 A fateful start: "The pane of glass exploded into..."
  3. 12 "You gutless peasant . . . you've pissed your pants".
  4. 12 FLASHBACK: A life line: Ricardo Arana, the "Slave".
    A. 13 "Why does she kiss me on the mouth?"
    B. 13 "his mother and a man were..."
  5. 14 Back to school: Alberto Fernández, the "Poet".
  6. 14 "I could go and tell him. . ."
  7. 15 Race: "who can trust a Negro". [Vallano]
  8. 16 "...or rather he saw them in his mind (...) or else he invented them..."
  9. 16-17 "He stopped, hesitated a moment, then lied..."
  10. 17 "...his mind a blank, letting his lips and tongue talk..."
  11. 19 "I'd be a real shit to steal from a guy from Miraflores..."
  12. 19 "What the Slave needs is for somebody..."
  13. 21 "I don't play poker with peasants..."
  14. 22 "And you imitate the Jaguar's laugh," the Slave said...
  15. 23 "I don't imitate him," the Slave said...
  16. 23 "But you're a soldier here whether you like it or not..."
  17. 24 "I make believe I'm crazy. I mean I play stupid..."
  18. 24 "What the fuck are you crying for?"
  19. 27 "He put his hand on Alberto's arm again..."
    A. How many hand contacts from p. 23 to p.27?
  20. 29 FLASHBACK: A life line: Alberto Fernández, the "Poet"
  21. 31 "But little by little he began to study their styles..."
  22. 32 Back to school: The (new) "Circle": Cava, Boa, Curly, and Jaguar
    A. 33 "And what if Curly buggers the fatboy?"
    B. 33 "at least a chicken is more like a game..."
    C. 33 "Curly tells her not to move her beak because..."
    D. 34 "Listen, does it make any difference whether he lets you?"
    E. 34 "The Boa screws a dog..."
    F. 35 "Do you thing animals have any feelings? (...) the way women do?"
    G. 36 "The only time I ever heard a scream..."
  23. 37 In school: the chemistry examination
  24. 46 "You'd better not tell anybody you saw him..."
  25. 49 Vallano: the only "real" student.
  26. 49-50 Gamboa: "cadets under his command felt proud..."
  27. 50 "They came from all parts of Perú."
  28. 51 FLASHBACK: In school: Initiations and the original "Circle".
  29. 53 "His features twisted with dread..."
  30. 54 Race: "His white face..."
  31. 56 "When the Jaguar came in, behind Cava, they all realized..."
  32. 59 A foiled revenge and the end of the original Circle: "But even if he did, Jaguar, it isn't something to kill a guy for"
  33. 61 A baptism: "You're just a slave."
  34. 63 FLASHBACK: A life line: ???
    A. Friend to Skinny Higueras
    B. Devotee of Teresa
    C. Son a poor widow
  35. 65 FLASHBACK: In school: Boa reminisces about fighting the 5th year cadets
  36. 68 "And what about the Poet...."
  37. 69 Camaraderie: "And everybody swapped cigarettes and put their arms..."
  38. 70 FLASHBACK: A life line: Alberto Fernández, the Poet.
  39. 71 "The other boys in the neighborhood always made fun..."
  40. 71 "Alberto was the most eager strategist..."
  41. 73 FLASHBACK: In school: Boa reminisces about competing against the 5th year
  42. 82 FLASHBACK: A life line: Ricardo Arana, the Slave
  43. 82 "A shadow crossed his father's face. The battle began..."
  44. 83 "He acts like a girl."
  45. 84 "Don't hit my mamma! (...) He's naked, he thought..."
  46. 84 "...he felt himself hoisted in the air and he was back (...) in a turbulent nightmare.
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