The Death of Artemio Cruz《Analysis of an extract from this novel》

P27: “…You know that all extremes contain their opposites: cruelty and tenderness cowardice and bravery; life death. In some way—almost unconsciously because of who you are because of what you’ve lived through—you know this and for that reason you can never resemble them who don’t know these things…isn’t everyone in a single moment of his life capable of embodying—as you do—good and evil at the same time letting himself be simultaneously led by two mysterious different-colored threads that unwind from the same spool so that the white thread ascends and the black on descends and despite everything the two come together again in his very fingers?…you yourself will block oblivion; your bravery will be the twin of your cowardice your hatred will have been born from your love all your life will have contained and promised you death. Therefore you will not have been either good or evil generous or selfish faithful or a traitor. You will let the others affirm your good qualities and your faults; but you yourself how will you deny that each of your affirmations will be negated that each of your negations will be affirmed?…that your existence will be woven of all the threads on the loom like the lives of all men. That you will have neither too few nor too many chances to make of your life what you wish it to be. And if you become one thing and not another it will be because despite it all you will have to choose. Your choices will not negate the rest of your possible life all that you will leave behind each time you choose: they will only hone it hone it to the point that today your choice and your destiny will be one and the same. …Will you die? It won’t be the first time. You will have lived so much dead life so many moments of mere gesticulation….”

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This paragraph is a series of statements voiced out by Artemio’s “You” voice the voice of the recent past. These statements discuss the opposite poles of life and the contradictions in general.

In many ways this characterizes Artemio Cruz (the protagonist of this novel) because he is a man of contradictions. His sense of contrasting identities (national identity versus individual identity) shifting ideals (betterment of the society versus personal interests) and ever changing philosophy (to love versus to hate) all very commonly confront each other which causes many complications for him when making decisions.

However it can also be understood through this novel that these so called contradictions may coincide and when speculated closely often resolve to accord. As a quote from Atlas shrugged by Ayn Rand states “Contradictions do not exist whenever you think you are facing a contradiction check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.” this is very true in Artemio’s case. During the revolution Artemio abandoned a soldier to increase his own chances of survival at first this disturbed him and shattered his moral values but later on he comes to realize that “perhaps the death of others prolongs our life” is a natural occurrence.

“You will have lived so much dead life so many moments of mere gesticulation….” This quote further supports the view that Artemio is not innately “evil” he merely “gesticulated” in other words “faked” for the sake of survival. Through this quote one can sense Artemio’s desire to repent his wrong doings and at the same time note that he did not make those morally challenging decisions with a light heart instead those decisions slowly killed him inside.

Artemio as a young man had great visions for his country-- Mexico. However his lack of experience and naïve thoughts were soon crushed by the realities of the world he lived in. As Artemio ages he realizes that things are not black and white as he had assumed when he was young and that people cannot be judged just from a single aspect.

Finally in the time of Artemio’s death he looks back upon many of his morally dubious decisions he has made in his life and seeks redemption and a means of justification. Through the many flashbacks of Artemio the reader cannot help but grasp a sense of regret and guilt which makes this paragraph critical to the characterization of Artemio as it provides a means of justification and at the same time aids the reader in understanding Artemio’s original motives better. “Isn’t everyone in a single moment of his life capable of embodying—as you do—good and evil at the same time?” this quote demonstrates Artemio’s change in philosophy and understanding of life this together with the rest of the paragraph can be seen as a overall justification for many of the choices Artemio has made in his life.