31 pages • 1 hour read
Mariano AzuelaThe Underdogs: A novel of the Mexican Revolution
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1929A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Underdogs
The idealistic view of the underdogs is embodied by Luis early in the novel. His view of the underdogs extends to anyone who is downtrodden and oppressed by those in power. Many of the characters in the novel find themselves at a disadvantage. The rebels see themselves as fighting on behalf of the peasant class that is being exploited and violated by the government. By the end of the novel, however, Luis no longer cares about the plight of the underdogs. He is more interested in living in comfort and avoiding fighting.
Even though he is promoted to general and has the loyalty of his men, Demetrio is an underdog when it comes to education. While questioned by Natera, Demetrio professes a limited understanding of politics and expresses a desire to be told what to do. He is a fighter who does not understand why he fights anymore, and politicians and other officers are able to move him around like a piece on a game board.
Mexico itself functions as another type of underdog. The infrastructure of the country is in ruins by the end of the novel. The war fought by powerful men on behalf of the peasantry leaves towns in ruins and the populace starving. Given the shifting alliances and constant changes to the country’s leadership, the very idea of stability in Mexico is farcical.
Palomo and Peace
The novel begins with Federals killing Palomo, Demetrio’s dog. Palomo is the Spanish word for dove, and the dove is a symbol of peace. Palomo’s death is a symbol of the end of peace in Demetrio’s life. Other than rare moments of happiness with Camilla, the rest of Demetrio’s existence is one of violence, constant movement, confusion, and disillusionment. When Demetrio is killed, he is described as continuing to point his rifle, even in death. Critics have argued that Demetrio’s final position reveals the author’s pessimism about the possibilities of a peaceful world.
The Revolution
A primary question in The Underdogs is what the Revolution is supposed to accomplish. The characters have different ideas of what the Revolution stands for, and why they are participating in it. Demetrio has such a poor understanding of the political realities that he does not know what Natera means when he begins describing Carranza as a provisional president. For Luis, the Revolution is initially a fight between the powerful Federals and the romanticized, underdog rebels. Other characters such as Güero see the Revolution as a backdrop against which they can kill and cause suffering, paying only lip service to the idea of fighting for freedom.
The Revolution is poorly defined and understood by the characters who are not politicians. For them, it is a constant cycle of fighting and dying, neither of which achieve the goals they thought they were fighting for. The Revolution can symbolize political ambition, greed, ignorance, and also an authentic desire for reform. The nature of the symbol depends on how it is interpreted, by whom, and to what end.
