Michael Sowell

December 2012

A Determined Identity: The Hardening of the Heart of Pascual Duarte

A testament to the confusion and consequences that can often be associated with moral decisions, Proverbs 14:12 says “ there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Seldom is it the case that one can consider the likes of morals and God without also having such a concept as fate enter the mind. As it happens in the mind of the believer, so it happened in the thoughts of Pascual Duarte as expressed in, “La Familia de Pascual Duarte.” From the beginning of the work the character of the protagonist is made the novel's most central aspect. The first impression that the reader receives of Duarte is his assertion “Yo, Señor, no soy malo." This can either be taken as a doomed man's honest attempt to preserve an image of himself that he truly believes he has merited, or a man biased toward a self-serving point of view who may or may not be choosing what may be his final words as a last desperate attempt to save his own skin, as is suggested by John Rosenberg “La trama que inventa Pascual describe la victimización de un ser inocente por las fuerzas del determinismo social; es decir, Pascual reinterpreta su vida según la doctrina del Naturalismo europeo y su novela imita su ideología“ ( Sherzer 359). Whatever is reflected to the reader in Duarte's first line is accompanied by the question that the reader will keep with them throughout the read and will likely attempt to solve for themselves: “Is Pascual Duarte a bad man?”

The reader's suspicion is swayed in either direction until the story's end. By the time they reach the passage in which Duarte commits matricide, Cela's convincing manner of justifying the protagonist's actions through his own eyes can quite possibly have them saying “she deserved it!” However, the reader is just as likely to give him a psychiatric evaluation. It is well said by Karen Breiner-Sanders: “the reader gradually, almost subconciously, becomes convinced of the poor fellow’s innocence, or at least of his victimization”(Sherzer 358). Rosenberg’s theory that Pascual has invented his tremendously terrible social circumstances in an attempt to convince the reader that there is at least the slightest sliver of innocence on his part seems to override the many correlating interpretations of the author’s intention in writing the novel, to expose the many terrors and injustices of life. It is evident that a thick pessimism exists in the mind of Cela, a pessimism that has clearly made it’s way into his work. In an article Jacob Ornstein and James Y. Causey, Cela is noted to have said “life is not good; neither is man... Upon occasion it appears that man is kind and intelligent. But let us not be deceived. He is only hiding behind his mask” (137). Furthermore, Cela mentions in an interview conducted as a follow-up to his receiving his Nobel Prize that his intent is to write “without subterfuge,” stating “I don’t think a writer can permit himself subterfuges, or tricks, or camouflage, or masks” (Miles). Such a statement may allow for the reader of La Familia de Pascual Duarte to take Pascual’s account at face value. In the same interview, Cela responds positively to a question by the interviewer concerning the correctness of a comment made by Saul Bellow, “Many critics claim to have found an existentialist backdrop to your work; man is in the end responsible for his actions. However, Bellow considers there to be little theory in your work, that you are not trying to convey existential, sexual, or political messages.” By agreeing with Bellow he allows for readers to assume that Duarte’s beliefs are sincere, allowing a further examination of the deterministic traits of the novel to be much simpler as Duarte’s thoughts simply need to be processed without the added hassle of filtering them through the lens of what would otherwise be considered to be his desperate and deceiving account made simply to purvey the possibility of some semblance of innocence on his part. Having accounted for this, suggesting that there is a hidden narrative behind Cela’s work may be slightly reaching.

Though deeming Duarte to be an evil man is certainly a justifiable position, it may be just as easy to believe that he was a victim of fate, his actions having been determined either biologically or through divine influence. William Sherzer writes in an article of his examining the possible interpretations of La Familia de Pascual Duarte "(In) 1979... a new line of interpretation emerged, Pascual could be seen as a victim of direct social circumstances, a symbol of the primitive and violent nature of man, or, for one reason or another, a pessimistic and negative existential figure." If a desire to avoid the possibility of divine influence exists in the reader, viewing Duarte as a victim of his own social circumstance is certainly a viable option for constructing a legitimate case for determinism in the biological sense. Why was killing his own mother an option for Pascual? Perhaps it was due to lunacy. Then again, perhaps readers are drawn to lunacy because they cannot imagine the thought of killing their own mothers. It is likely that many reading the novel do not have a mother like that of Pascual. His description of his mother paints a picture of a dirty, often drunk woman who consistently spouted blasphemies and fought physically with her husband, and who showed little sign that she actually cared for her children. A mother's comfort was likely not a familiar concept to Pascual, and because of this the fact that she was his mother may not have been a relevant factor for Pascual in his decision to kill her.

Consider the nature of Duarte, he is a man who, having never attained a legitimate education, has little experience expressing himself with words. In a particularly relevant scene, Pascual meets the pimp Estirao in the streets. After an exchange of highly antagonizing words directed at Pascual, he warns Estirao that, as he is a very manly person, he does not have much use for words, and insinuates that he might get physical if he is pushed too far. This passage is likely the most informative in displaying the social tendencies of Pascual and his nature in general: "¡Mira Estirao! ¡Mira Estirao! ¡Que soy muy hombre y que no me ando por las palabras! ¡No me tientes...! ¡No me tientes... !" (42). His home life likely presented him with this less effective means of expressing emotion, as his parents often fought physically in order to sort out their problems. Further evidence of his violent nature is the manner in which he attained the affection of his first wife, an event that basically involved them beating each other until Pascual came out on top, biting his potential lover until she bled. This is perhaps a key factor when considering the possibility that Duarte is recounting his story as a desperate criminal. One might ask how a man who makes a fool of himself by tripping over his own words in front of a man that he was quickly growing to hate could even attempt to create a such a story, one that incites such a sympathy from it’s audience that it could play a factor in his sentencing if it were ever read, unless the feelings of confinement to the order of the world around him actually existed. In one instance in which he speaks of his youth at home he pinpoints for the audience his precise mindset pertaining to the flow of life, saying “La verdad es que la vida en mi familia poco tenía de placentera, pero como no nos es dado escoger, sino que ya - y aun antes de nacer - estamos destinados unos a un lado y otros a otro”(32) He also portrays his resignation toward this: “procuraba conformarme con lo que me había tocado, que era la única manera de no desesperar.” If this passage truly reflects Duarte’s mindset, then he is likely convinced of his own victimization, which pushes the reader a step forward in relating to him. However, the passage is oddly insightful, a fact that cannot go unnoticed when considering Duarte’s claim not to work well with words, a key element in his case.

However, his wisdom is easily forgettable when one considers that several of the events of which Duarte wrote painted him in quite a negative light. For example, the murder of his dog is not only a despicable act on it’s own, but a scene that also gives insight into what is likely, as evidenced by the thought process described by Duarte in his account, a very twisted mind. “La perra seguía mirandome fija, como si no me hubiera visto nunca, como si fuese a culparme de algo de un momento a otro... Cogí la escopeta y disparé”(29). He continues describing the scene, highlighting disturbing details both before and after the murder such as the dog’s stare being as a nail into him and the dark color of the blood spilling out of her after he shot. One would think that Pascual cutting his story short would benefit his case, yet he spills out every twisted detail. Events such as this are detailed throughout the novel. For example, when Duarte details his account with Zacharias, with whom he quarrels because of a challenge to his manliness in front of a crowd of peers, an aspect that is of much importance to him.

Among the most definite examples of Pascual's thoughts on fate are his comments and concerns for the lifestyle of his sister, Rosario. Pascual cared for Rosario deeply, a fact that probably had much to do with the effect she had on the family while she was at home. She seemed to keep the family in line morally, calming the episodes of physical violence. He describes her as a nun, and the only of the house to use her brain for the purpose for which it exists. According to Duarte, as a child she quickly became the queen of the house. He expresses with pity, however, that it was only a matter of time before she took a turn for the worse morally: “Si el bien hubiera sido su natural instinto, grandes cosas hubiera podido hacer, pero como dios se conoce que no quiso que ninguno de nosostros nos distinguiésemos por las buenas inclinaciones, encarriló su discurrir hacia otros menesteres” (38). In this passage Pascual not only asserts once again that fate is in control of things, but goes so far as to blame God for his sister’s turn toward what will eventually be a life of prostitution.

God having been introduced as being a possible source of Pascual and his family’s misfortune, questions come to mind concerning the legitimacy of this claim. Religious determinism among the Christian community has been distinctly divided into a pro-determinism group and an anti-determinism group. Forming a case for determinism being in control of the life of Duarte leaves the reader with a protagonist who is ultimately a victim of God, who seems not to have found it desirable to smile upon Pascual and alleviate the pain that is his situation in the world. We find him comparable to Pharaoh who had his heart hardened in order that God’s power might be more greatly shown during the Exodus. An anti-determinism approach leaves us with a Pascual who, though capable of breaking free of his situation and having the capacity to refrain from resorting to violence, is still trapped in a situation that has determinism in the worldly sense further pushing him down the wrong moral path. The aforementioned verse from Proverbs concerning the ineptitude of man’s moral compass should be considered. As has already been established, with a youth full of violence in the home life, and an adult life filled with tragedy and even more violence, one can easily deduce that God’s hand was never needed for Pascual’s fate to have been sealed from a very early stage. How many peaceful and morally upright ways could have possibly seemed right to a man who had seen so little right throughout the span of his life? An example of this is Pascual’s reflection of his own condition: “Si mi condición de hombre me hubiera permitido perdonar, hubiera perdonado, pero el mundo es como es y el querer avanzar contra corriente no es sino vano intento.” (126)

Examining the opposing possibilities leaves us with either a Pascual who has reached the narrator’s situation by simply being the victim of a fate given to him by God or by making his own poor choices; it should certainly be noted that the choices that were made to lead up to his situation in the narrator’s seat were largely influenced by the world in which he was made to live. It is hardly fair not to admit that any other man in his situation would likely not have fully developed an adequate moral system either. The question that remains is whether or not Pascual is a bad man. Leaning to the determinists point of view the answer would probably be yes, but a yes that must be given by default, as, for many who would hold the deterministic mindset, man is an inherently evil creature and cannot choose good on his own. Even if one wishes to avoid concluding the case in this manner, a compatibilistic view of the matter would associate free will with Pascual’s decisions along with divine providence, leaving Duarte with the responsibility for his actions. This view seems to manipulate itself in between the opposing views. Some believe that to impose the doctrine of free will on humanity allows for a weak God, one that is not in complete control and can be surprised by the outcome of a given situation. However, on the opposing side of the argument is the view that to assert that God determines the fate of everything and, more pertinently, everyone is to illustrate God as a being who decides the fate of those who will suffer in hell before they are even able to commit the pre-determined deeds that will earn them such a fate. It is the belief of those in this category that a God of this sort is unjust. It seems as if to choose one of these arguments is to cede a characteristic of the nature of God that is of the utmost essentiality. Determinists seem forced to admit to an unjust God while non-determinists must seemingly give up God's omnipotence. It is, after all, largely believed by those who have considered the subject that determinism and free will cannot co-exist. The compatibilist viewpoint asserts, however, that both free will and determinism can exist, and there in fact exist those who believe that only a determined act may be free. Among such philosophers have been Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, and John Stuart Mill (Inwagen 341). Often the latter variation of the belief holds that mankind's fate is already determined by it's having attained a sinful nature, and that the inherent evil existing in humanity is the key determining factor in man's timeline; man can only ever do evil because of the evil nature that he has inherited, and all good can only come through the divine intervention of God. As can be inferred by this description of compatibilism, a Pascual being influenced in this way is not only determined to commit matricide through divine influence and cannot do otherwise, but also, in a seemingly illogical combination of determinism and free will, performs the act out of his own desire and blame may be justly attributed to him. If religious determinism is to be rejected entirely, then Pascual has chosen his path of his own free will and all immoralities that he has committed are his responsibility and he again lies culpable. The key factors are the elements of his life that seem to determine the direction that he would take and the question to be answered is whether or not these circumstances, which were outside of his control, siphon any of the guilt from him.

In another interview with Cela, he exposes more of his beliefs on the identity of man, and gives insight into the nature of the world. “The fact is that this cruelty is part of man's very condition. And the only way one can salve the violence in the world all around us is by injecting into it a few drops of something-call it charity or sympathy or love or tenderness or whatever you like”(Beardsley 44). Although the novel in question is almost completely devoid of charity or sympathy or any semblance of happiness at all, it is an excellent reflection of Cela’s opinion concerning man’s condition. In spite of any speculation as to the morality that existed in the heart of Duarte and whether or not a choice ever existed for him in either moral direction one must agree that the situation into which he was born and the tragedy that was his life did much to form him into the man standing over his mother at the end of the novel. Proverbs 22:6 - "Train a child up in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Bibliography

Cela, Camilo José "Camilo José Cela, The Art of Fiction No. 145 " Interview by Valerie Miles. The Paris Review. 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. <http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/1396/the-art-of-fiction-no-145-camilo-jos-cela>

Cela, Camilo José, and Agnes Moncy. "Nobel Lecture 1989: In Praise of Storytelling." PMLA 106.1 (1991): 10-17. Print.

Cela, Camilo J. "Interview:Camilo José Cela." Interview by Beardsley and Eva Kronik. Diacritics 1972: 42-45. Print.

Cela, Camilo José. La Familia De Pascual Duarte. Ediciones Destino, 1998. Print.

Charlebois, Lucile C. Understanding Camilo José Cela. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, 1998. Print.

Clark, Gordon Haddon. God and Evil: The Problem Solved. Hobbs, NM: Trinity Foundation, 1996. Print.

Foster, David W. "Camilo José Cela: 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature." World Literature Today 64.1 (1990): 4-8. Print.

Geisler, Norman L. Chosen but Free. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2001. Print.

Mallo, Jerónimo. "Caracterización Y Valor Del "tremendismo" En La Novela Española Contemporánea." Hispania 39.1 (1946): 49-55. Print.

McPheeters, D. W. Camilo José Cela,. New York: Twayne, 1969. Print.

Ornstein, Jacob, and James Y. Causey. "Camilo José Cela: Spain's New Novelist." Books Abroad 27.2 (1953): 136-37. Print.

Peter Van Inwagen “Moral Responsibility, Determinism, and the Ability to Do Otherwise”

The Journal of Ethics , Vol. 3, No. 4, The Contributions of Harry G. Frankfurt to Moral Responsibility Theory (1999), pp. 341-350

Robert C. Spires “Systematic Doubt: The Moral Art of La familia de Pascual Duarte” Hispanic Review , Vol. 40, No. 3 (Summer, 1972), pp. 283-302

Sherzer, William. "Ideology and Interpretation in "La Familia De Pascual Duarte"" Revista Hispánica Moderna 55.2 (2002): 357-69. Print.

Weintraub, Ruth “Psychological Determinism and Rationality”Erkenntnis (1975-) , Vol. 43, No. 1 (Jul., 1995), pp. 67-79

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Translations

(Self-made)

“Yo, Señor, no soy malo."

I, sir, am not evil

“La trama que inventa Pascual describe la victimización de un ser inocente por las fuerzas del determinismo social; es decir, Pascual reinterpreta su vida según la doctrina del Naturalismo europeo y su novela imita su ideología."

The drama that Pascual invents describes the victimization of an innocente being brought about by the powers of social determinism; that is to say, Pascual reinterprets his life according to the European doctrine of Naturalism and his novel imitates it's ideology.

"¡Mira Estirao! ¡Mira Estirao! ¡Que soy muy hombre y que no me ando por las palabras! ¡No me tientes...! ¡No me tientes... !"

Look Estirao! Look Estirao! I am very manly and do not conduct myself with words! Don't tempt me! Don't tempt me!

“La verdad es que la vida en mi familia poco tenía de placentera, pero como no nos es dado escoger, sino que ya - y aun antes de nacer - estamos destinados unos a un lado y otros a otro.”

The truth is that life in my family offered little joy, but as we are not given a choice, rather - even before being born - some of us are destined to one side and others to another.

“procuraba conformarme con lo que me había tocado, que era la única manera de no desesperar.”

I attemped to conform with what I had been dealt, which was the only way not to despair.

“La perra seguía mirandome fija, como si no me hubiera visto nunca, como si fuese a culparme de algo de un momento a otro... Cogí la escopeta y disparé”

The dog continued watching me fixedly, as if she had never seen me before, as if she were going to blame me for something at any moment... I picked up my shotgun and shot.

“Si el bien hubiera sido su natural instinto, grandes cosas hubiera podido hacer, pero como dios se conoce que no quiso que ninguno de nosostros nos distinguiésemos por las buenas inclinaciones, encarriló su discurrir hacia otros menesteres.”

If good had been her natural instinct, she would have been able to do great things, but as God is known for not having wanted any of us to distinguish ourselves by good inclinations, she directed her time toward other duties.