This is a summary of Vargas Llosa's 900 age epic La guerra del fin del mundo. The summary covers al majors event from each section of each chapter, along with references to themes, techniques and intertextual references to Vargas Llosa's other works. It is ideal to anyone studying this work/author ...
La Guerra del fin del mundo-Primary notes
Uno
1
22-There is a lot of biblical language, and this is a good example of sins and sermons
which encapsulate the Consejero’s world view
Interestingly, Consejero is similar to Anselmo-someone who comes from nowhere
and has a lasting effect
23-example of biblical prophecy for the fate of the world
We learn his real name is Antonio Vincente
24-28-takes place in the office of the Jornal de noticias-Galileo Gall arrives hoping to
publish a notice about Canudos-through this short segment we learn a lot about
Canudos and the press is introduced.
28-35-About el Beatito’s initiation into the cult
o 31-seems to be a motif of blindness
o 33-traditional catholic punishement
35-39-about the incredible life of Galileo Gall up to his arrival in Brazil.
2
41-50-about an almost biblical draught and how the Consejero, not unlike Moses, led
his people through it. MVL is very detailed in the description of the effects of the
draught.
o Taxes are described to be worse than the draught-thus the biblical and he
bureaucratic are merged.
o 42-bread and fish0thus new testament imagery to go along with Consejero
old testament prophet embodiment.
50-56-takes place in a temporary military camp-Teniente Ferreira explains to
someone from the top brass that his batallion was essentially ambushed by the
Consejero’s men-who managed to get to so close as they were not dressed for battle
and consisted of women and children-however, we learn they are armed to the
teeth.
56-63-vignette about Joao Grande and how he came to join the Consejero-he is the
result of deliberate slave breeding by his master to get the perfect slave of sorts-he
ends up brutally murdering the daughter of his owner, a woman who took a special
interest in him. There is a high reward for his head.
o 61-describes the brutal murder.
o 62-‘’tengo al perro en el cuerpo’’
64-68-another segment about Galileo Gall-this time about his beginnings in Brazil.
o He talks to a Dutch man calle Jan Van Rijsted about revolution-this segment
reminds me of El siglo de las luces- revolutionary ideas and delusion vs
reality.
o 69-dudar-Gall seems certain but uses the conditional tense-could this be
subtle foreshadowing.
3
71-76-informaiton on the cult’s early military victory
o 71-New military caps still have Monarchy’s emblem-this is v MVL-irony
76-80-Galilleo Gall meets Rufino and asks him to take him to Canudos
80-87-Maria Quadrado-pious woman
, 97-94-provides more information about Canudos
o Who is speaking here? First person narration.
o 94-communism?
4
95-101-Talks about life in Canudos, their currency etc
101-107-Gall in Queimadas-no-one wants to talk about Canudos-Brings up the two
different political parties, which will become much more important at the end of this
chapter
101-119-Joao Satan-best vignette so far
o Parallel between travelling singer’s song about Roberto el Diablo and Bible
stories about sinners-life imitating art imitating life and how this is
externalised in the life of Joao.
o 119-125-Gall is solicited by Gonçaves to bring arms to Canudos-as if he (Gall)
is caught, it can’t be traced back to the political party.
o Structure-Gall’s journey which we’ve been reading about is explained.
5
127-133-recounts another military victory for Canudos
134-138-Gall readies himself, and we learn about a large force who have been sent
to Canudos in response to the previous expedition’s failure.
138-148-story of los Vilanova, merchants who faced much turmoil before reaching
Canudos
148-152-2nd letter by unknown author-is the interviewee mentioned Gall?
6
153-160-about the build-up to the next battle-
o 160-MVL irony, by the time the military arrive, they are too tired to do
anything
160-169-three men come to murder Gall and succeed in stealing the weapons he
was to bring to Canudos. He kills two of them, and then, in the heat of the moment,
rapes Jurema
169-179-Story of the dwarf, Leon, who despite being highly intelligent, is mercilessly
bullied throughout his childhood and nearly burnt at the stake, before the Consejero
saved him.
179-185-Explores Gall’s psyche following his rape of Jurema. Why did he do it? What
will he do now? We learn before this, he took an oath of celibacy in Rome.
7
187-196-depicts the great military victory of the people of Canudos, from the jaws of
defeat.
196-202-we find out that it was Gonçaves who ordered the hit on Gall, as he needed
an ‘English’ cadaver to stoke up unrest.
o 201-humour-Scotish, not English.
202-210-Joaquim and Alejandrinha-READ AGAIN
211-216-Follows Gall’s convalescence and ultimate decision to go to Canudos
anyway
o 215-‘La nostalgia es una cobardia, Gall’-MVL philosophy
o 216-MVL ‘cuts away’ with an elipses and ends the chapter this way-what is he
trying to do here with this technique?
DOS
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