The Life and Adventures of Pablos
Book I
Chapter I: Introduction of Pablos and His Family
Pablos is introduced as a child, living with his father, mother, and brother. His father is a barber and a thief, his mother a witch, and his brother dies in jail after a beating for stealing. Pablos desires to attend school, leading to arguments with his parents about his future. Eventually, he gets his way.
Literary Note: The phrase “The mother bewitched” has a double meaning, referring to both her magical practices and her charming personality.
Chapter II: Pablos’s School Days
On his first day of school, the teacher takes a liking to Pablos, but his classmates do not, giving him nicknames related to his father’s profession. He befriends Don Diego, son of Colonel Don Alonso. Pablos experiences several mishaps at school, including confrontations with a classmate and a man called Pontius Pilate. During Carnival, a chaotic battle ensues after Pablos’s donkey eats a cabbage. Following this disaster, Pablos decides to stay with Don Diego.
Literary Note: “The day came and went in an ethical and withered horse, which, over well-armed servant, was bowing, the horse was lame, so to reverence.”
Chapter III: Pablos at Boarding School
Don Alonso, seeing the boys’ refusal to attend school, sends them to a boarding school run by Mr. Cabra in Segovia. Quevedo describes Mr. Cabra as the “lackey of death,” using metaphor and hyperbole. Hunger is a central theme, with related words appearing frequently. A boy dies of hunger, and the rumor reaches Don Alonso, who removes the boys from the school.
Literary Note: Abundant comparisons and metaphors are used in the description of Mr. Cabra, such as “The basement was miraculous,” “dry arms,” “the long gullet of the ostrich,” and “death seemed lackey.”
Chapter IV: Journey to Alcalá de Henares
After several months of recuperation, Don Alonso sends Pablos and Don Diego to study in Alcalá de Henares. During their journey, they stop at an inn where they encounter a group of students, a priest, and a foolish woman who tease Pablos. The group dines at Don Diego’s expense and subjects them to hazing the next day.
Literary Note: The ruffians say, “Don’t dine too much, sir, it will hurt you.”
Chapter V: Arrival in Alcalá and Hazing
Arriving in Alcalá, they settle into a rented house. The owners separate the servants, leaving Pablos alone. Older students haze Pablos, who informs his master. That night, the four servants sharing Pablos’s room are beaten, but the perpetrators remain unknown.
Literary Note: Don Diego bribes the older students for protection, and they respond: “Viva comrade, and be admitted into our friendship. Enjoy the preeminence of old. May have scabies, walk stained, and suffer hunger all.”
Chapter VI: Pablos’s Pranks and Mischief
Pablos engages in various pranks, including killing pigs (not his own) and hosting a feast, tricking a love interest into giving him two chickens, and stealing candy and a justice’s sword. His friends find his antics amusing, encouraging his behavior.
Literary Note: Pablos tricks his love interest by claiming the chickens ate the pope, thus ridding him of sin.
Chapter VII: Separation from Don Diego
Pablos receives a letter from his uncle informing him of his father’s execution and his mother’s imprisonment. Don Diego also receives a letter from his father, expressing disapproval of Pablos’s behavior and ending their association. The boys separate, and Pablos decides to find his family and claim his inheritance.
Literary Note: Quevedo ironically notes that Pablos’s father “died honorably,” despite being executed for theft, referring to his courage in the face of death.
Book II
Chapter I, The road to Segovia Alcalá, and what happened to me in it to Gates, where I slept that night.
On the way to Segovia to collect the inheritance, he meets an engineer who happens to be a little crazy. All the way is talking. Arrive at the inn, and there still continues with his subjects. Encounters a strong teacher gives a lesson, night falls and go to bed after dinner.
Literary:
“If down the Turk and the King’s forces” topic in the talks of the time, as is currently the talk of the time. Are preambles to a possible dialogue more interesting.
Chapter II, of what happened to me, to get to Madrid, with a poet.
Goodbye to his new friend, while I was thinking about his future, he met a very old cleric, who was also a little crazy. Arriving in Madrid aimed at an inn who knew the cleric.
Literary Resources:
“Five sheets paper”: 125 sheets, each hand was 25 sheets. Here refers to the vastness of the work.
Chapter III, of what I did in Madrid and what happened to me up to Cercedilla, where I slept.
At the inn, after dinner, read the Premat Pablos cleric. Later they fired on each other. Pablos take road to the port, and he knows a soldier. The man who gives his life for his country, teaches all combat wounds in the groin, head, etc … Then came a hermit, who also directed the port.
Once in Cercedilla, entered into an inn, decided to pass the time playing cards for real money, the hermit I’m cheating and everything.
The next day, they left way to Segovia. On arrival, says goodbye to his company and goes in search of his uncle, who is in the plaza, executing a few. After completing his uncle with the task, they leave.