WRITE FOR 10 MINUTES ON THE REPRESENTATION OF THE DEAD.  HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH CHARACTERS ARE DEAD?

PAGES 26-64

In this section, we meet Donis and his sister who have an incestuous relationship.  Rulfo also makes apparent the undercurrent of violence in the text.
Besides Donis's sister, Ana is the subject of a rape.  We learn through the conversation between the priest and Ana that Miguel Paramo had entered Ana's room and raped her.  Miguel also killed Ana's father.

Since the novel deals with the dead, we meet various characters who appear to be in a kind of limbo. But Rulfo also allows characters like Eduviges to "pass" for being  alive. The trick for the reader is to ascertain when we are in a memory and when we are in the present.  Descriptions of dust, empty streets, cobblestones, and ruinous architecture tend to signal the world of the dead, disembodied souls.

Whenever descriptions are specific and material, we can assume that we are in a memory or that the people represented are alive.  This is the case with Donis and his sister; their room smells of urine and they offer Juan Preciado some beef jerky.

DOROTEA:
BURIED WITH JUAN PRECIADO; LAMENTS NEVER HAVING A SON 61
WE LEARN LATER THAT SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING
MIGUEL GIRLS.

MIGUEL PARAMO:
PEDRO PARAMO'S SON (ONE OF MANY); AN UPSTART, A
RAPIST 27-29;
ASSOCIATED WITH A HORSE (LIKE LEONARDO IN LORCA'S PLAY)
HE DIES AFTER BEING THROWN.

DAMIANA CISNEROS:
WORKS IN KITCHEN OF PARAMO HOUSE.

DON LUCAS:
PEDRO'S FATHER
HE IS KILLED (67)

FATHER RENTERIA:
BLESSES MIGUEL PARAMO EVEN THOUGH HE HATES HIM
HE SEEKS ABSOLUTION FOR HIS OWN SINS WITHOUT SUCCESS

SUSANA:
THE DAUGHTER OF BARTOLOME SAN JUAN AND A WIDOW
IN HER GRAVE, SHE STILL MISSES FLORENCIO, WHO IS
PRESUMABLY HER DECEASED HUSBAND.
SHE MARRIES PEDRO PARAMO BUT SPENDS THE REST OF HER
DAYS IN BED, RAVING AND SUFFERING.

JUSTINA:
SHE SERVES SUSANA AND TRIES TO PROTECT HER