When Moncho is running with the other kids, shouting at the "Reds" he starts shouting scientific words that Don Gregorio taught him. I wonder if anyone had any theories about what point this was making.
I wasn't sure if it was meant to be Moncho not understanding what he was shouting (Atheists, Reds etc) and just reverting to words he associated with Gregorio in his mind, or if it was a more conscious decision.
You're god damn right I did!
Don Gregorio was arrested due to his affiliation with the Republicans, and Moncho's father is also a Republican, so Moncho's family fears that he may be arrested too. By shouting "reds" and other words at the prisoners, it makes them appear to be on the fascists' side. They also burned all of their Republican-supporting papers. Moncho's mother told him to shout those things, and he goes along with the request as well as copy the other children by running after the truck and throwing stones. However, by shouting "espiritrompa", the word that Don Gregorio taught him, he is sending a secret message to Don Gregorio that he does not mean the words he is shouting, and that he still means so much to him.
shareI thought that too, @Kaybay. But then I started to wonder if he just thought they were bad words or "red" words if you will. And he was symbolicly purging hinself of these red words? Like if he got them out theyvwould follow all the "bad" reds and he would be clean and in his mind safe from the purging. (?). He was a smart kid but it had to screw with his mind to all of a sudden be told by his parents to sharply dennounce his friend and teacher, and seeing his parents do the same.
share