Saint Emmanuel the Good, Martyr

Explore the potential selfish motivations behind Don Manuel’s actions. To what extent do his efforts to maintain the villagers’ faith serve his personal needs or fears?

Why does Lázaro choose to share Don Manuel’s personal struggles with Angela? Analyze his motivations, considering whether it stems from a desire for intellectual engagement or a lack of empathetic understanding.

In what ways does Don Manuel see aspects of himself in Angela and Lázaro? Discuss how these relationships illuminate his internal conflicts and desires.

What is the purpose of Miguel de Unamuno inserting himself as the narrator in the Prologue and Epilogue? How does this metafictional approach affect your interpretation of the novella’s themes and characters?

Explore Angela’s self-perception regarding her intelligence compared to her acute insight into Don Manuel’s character. What does this contrast reveal about her role in the narrative and the themes of understanding and faith?

Discuss the significance of the carnation found in Don Manuel’s breviary. What does it reveal about the personal versus the public aspects of faith?

Analyze how Angela’s recounting of Don Manuel’s life and teachings parallels the parables of Jesus in the Bible. In what ways does her narrative evoke the structure and moral lessons of biblical stories?

Discuss the portrayal of women in the novella, particularly through Angela’s character. How do her role and perspective contribute to the novella’s exploration of faith and challenge traditional gender roles within Christian narratives?