Five Hours with Mario: A Summary of Carmen’s Monologues
Monologue 1
Menchu begins by reproaching Mario for various things, including his relationship with her sister, Encarna. Menchu believes this relationship was always present, especially after Encarna’s husband died. She criticizes Mario for defending Encarna and accuses him of not considering her feelings. Menchu also complains about Mario’s behavior during her pregnancy, his refusal to be intimate when she desired, and his lack of involvement in childcare.
Monologue 2
Carmen complains about Mario not buying a car and calls him selfish. She accuses him of continuing with his newspaper work despite his father’s advice to stop. Carmen expresses her dissatisfaction with their life together, claiming she lived better with her father. She criticizes Mario for riding his bike, believing he had no right to do so, and hates that he took their son on the bike’s seat. Carmen also expresses disapproval of Mario talking to the janitor.
Monologue 3
Carmen alleges that Mario never read her poems and sometimes even thought they were dedicated to Encarna. She suspects that Mario and his friends talked about women during their gatherings and then changed the subject when she was present. Carmen complains that Mario was not strict enough with their children and criticizes his behavior at a party where he drank excessively. She also mentions his refusal to accept help from Fito, whom she loved out of pity while others rejected him.
Monologue 4
Carmen reproaches Mario for not being affectionate. She mentions that some of his old friends wanted to paint her nude and that his brother had a look she liked. Carmen also talks about her mother being a wealthy lady and expresses her dislike for the fact that Mario’s father was a moneylender.
Monologue 5
Carmen complains that Mario didn’t engage in serious conversations and always responded the same way when she talked about their children. She mentions the Church Council and criticizes women who called themselves tomboys, praising her daughter for not wanting to study. Carmen complains about the progress of other countries concerning women’s work and disapproves of Mario writing in “The Mail.” She also criticizes him for taking the park guard’s side during an incident.
Monologue 6
Carmen reproaches Mario’s involvement with Caritas, criticizing their practice of distributing aid without expecting anything in return. She believes it reflects poorly on her to help a poor woman by teaching her to pray. Carmen criticizes Mario for reading, studying, and writing “strange things” and doesn’t want their child to follow the same path. Finally, she confronts him about being a Protestant and threatens not to tell their children.
Monologue 7
Carmen reminds Mario that he loved war and tells us that their neighbor, Hope, is a communist. She mentions that Mario’s father always wore a black tie, which Mario assumed was for his mother’s death, but it was actually in protest against the communists, and he would only remove it when they returned to power. Carmen complains about the lifestyle of young people, who only dance the Twist and read, believing it’s not good for them to acquire knowledge of different ideas. She also mentions Transi’s passing, describing him as a burden. At the end of the chapter, a neighbor, Elisha, throws out junk, and Carmen reproaches Mario for still finding her attractive.
Monologue 8
Carmen criticizes those who went to work and mentions the stranger and Doro. She reproaches Mario again for getting drunk at a meeting. Carmen speaks highly of her friends, demonstrating her love for them. She talks about Italian men and their reputation with women, mentioning that Mussolini chose the tallest for propaganda. Carmen criticizes Italian women, calling them sluts. She speaks highly of Constantine Galli but complains about his use of potions. Carmen recalls going on a car ride with him and his sister, which sparked her desire to own a car. She criticizes Mario once again for not writing romance novels.
Monologue 10
Carmen reproaches Mario for his involvement with voting and expresses her distrust in the vote count conducted by Josechu Prados. She reiterates her complaint about the lack of a car and his lack of gratitude towards her. Carmen repeats that there was another man in her life and believes she was a virgin when she married Mario. She complains about the lack of intimacy during their honeymoon. According to Esther and her friend, they had the same mindset. Carmen disagrees with Mario’s decision to open a Protestant chapel nearby. She criticizes Encarna again and questions whether they had a relationship.