Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Cubs: Themes and Narrative Analysis
Themes and Narrative in Mario Vargas Llosa’s *The Cubs*
Symbolism in *The Cubs*
Symbols play a crucial role in the narrative. For instance, “puppies,” the name used to designate the group of friends, is an Americanism used to express the poor prospects for education. This name derives from “puppy,” which means dozing, a Peruvianism that serves to define a life empty and devoid of ideals. “Pichulita” is a word for the penis of children. Football practice is the ritual that Cuéllar must perform upon arriving at school to be accepted into the student group and join the clan. Thus, this sport becomes a myth with its specific language.
Cuéllar’s castration carries symbolic connotations, as the dog Judas represents the informer of a degrading educational system. Leaving the cage represents the release of the animal instinct that humans possess. It is no coincidence that after the accident, the dog is gone and a couple of white rabbits take its place. This is a replacement mechanism that camouflages the beast in the image of the harmless rodent. By association with a butterfly, Cuéllar manifests traits of vulnerability, love of freedom, and fragility. Crushing the bug refers to the destruction of Cuéllar, in which everyone participates.
Through interaction with cars, Cuéllar initiates the man-machine dynamic, attempting to erase the barriers between people and objects. On an unconscious level, this is an attempt to dominate the world. Thus, the car is an important element that cannot be removed from the character.
Major Themes
Castration marks the beginning of Cuéllar’s psychological frustration because the problem is not just the accident but the impossibility of being one more in the group. The group “castrates” him by pressuring him to do things that are difficult for him. The group is also “castrated” because it is subject to the values imposed by their social class and ends up doing the same as their parents.
Machismo
The society depicted is sexist, and in that world, fear and timidity are poorly regarded. This may have been the cause of Judas biting Pichulita, in addition to Cuéllar’s stutter when trying to talk to Teresa.
Virility and Machismo
Through Cuéllar’s actions, it is implied that he embodies the kind of macho manliness and virility, showing all attributes except the most important one, which is missing. His only way out is death. Football is also included in the theme of machismo; in the work, it is a myth, and Cuéllar considers it a success.
Narrative Structure and Point of View
The work presents a timeline of adventures that spans 25 years. In the six chapters of the story, the characters are shown from their time at school until their children replace them. Each chapter represents a stage in the lives of the young people, with Cuéllar carrying the weight of the work.
- Chapter 1: Two years
- Chapters 2 and 3: Five years each
- Chapters 4 and 5: Two years each
- Chapter 6: Longer than the previous ones (possibly 10 years)
At the end of the book, the characters are approximately 36 years old. The story is set in the 1950s, indicated by references like Elvis Presley. The passage of time is marked by the use of phrasal verbs such as “still wore shorts.” The narrator expresses the birth of Cuéllar to present a parallel structure: the story of Cuéllar ends, but the group continues, then starts again with the next generation. The narrator has a place in the story, even identifying with a character or the group. Hence, the change between the first and third person. The union of the narrator and the characters is also seen in the language, through the use of onomatopoeia typical of children and how they refer to adults.