Pedro Paramo

I wish that the presentation was a bit longer, for I’m sure there is a lot more to this masterpiece than was covered.

This story reminded me of Dante’s “Inferno”, the way that it began, a journey into the underworld. In this case Comala was the destination, as Rulfo described it “a Purgatory”. In the “Inferno” we find out about prior lives with Dante and Virgilio asking the lost souls to tell their stories, Francesco e Paolo and  Conte Ugolino being the most interesting. In Pedro Paramo, the souls of the dead come and go as they please telling their own stories, “Purging” themselves of their sins, a  sort of confession. Padre Renteria tries to make sure that the penances are all carried out.

With Comala being a Purgatory, Rulfo condemns the souls to penance, but gives them a way to cleanse themselves of their wrongdoings, in preparation for their wings.