A ranch town in the early 20th century might bring up images of gunfights, but that doesn't even come close to encompassing all the bloody mayhem in Pedro Páramo. When you add the Mexican Revolution to the mix, as well as a greedy landowner willing to kill to get what he wants, the results are pretty dang gory.
The violence in this novel has a snowball effect: Each action inspires more violent action. It's like the circle of life, er, death. The murder, sexual assault, and war-related crimes lead ultimately to the unraveling of a community.
Questions About Violence
- Can you find a point of origin for all of the violence in the story? Where does it all come from, and why?
- Do you think that the town of Comala somehow causes its inhabitants to be more violent than people in other towns? Why or why not?
- Which act of violence in the novel stands out to you as representative or especially impressive? Why?
Chew on This
The violence of the Mexican Revolution was widely documented and reported, but the novel Pedro Páramo shows the everyday violence that the revolutionaries were fighting against.
The violence against women in the novel reveals a type of violence that is often ignored in discussions about family and community.