"Poverty, the need for a little extra cash, unfitness for other work, chance, and occasionally, a natural taste for serving, though in a different way, supplied the incentive to a man who felt firm enough to reduce disorder and distress to a system." "Aunt Monica forgave him for bringing back the child, after she heard the explanation, seeing that he brought a hundred milreis with him. "
(Machado de Assis, Father Versus Mother, pg. 90 and 96)
I think that we all are faced with difficult circumstances and we are forced to do some things that might seem a little bit crazy in order to change our situation. In this story Candido is forced into catching runaway slaves to be able to provide meager food and accommodations for his new bride. He is against odds and it is really hard for him to get a big break. Eventually He finally does and is able to provide for his small family.
This reminds me of the movie, "A Knight's Tale", when William (played by Heath Ledger), Roland, and Wat are peasants and just earned a reward of 15 pieces of silver. They decide that they are going to keep trying to get "glory and riches" and do what they have to in order to provide for themselves. They go on and train to win a knight's tournament.
William, Roland, and Wat are similar to Candido. They don't know how to do anything else, so they are reduced to lie their way to competition and the prize. Candido is reduced to slave catching which wasn't highly looked on as a trade. Both stories involve getting through a struggle of sorts. In Father Versus Mother they are going to have to give up their newborn baby. In A Knight's Tale, William has to get the princess to love him after she finds out that he has been lying the whole time. The important thing with both of these stories is that they just kept trying, had faith and everything worked out.
Both stories show a struggling individual (or individuals) who tries their hardest and changes their stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment