Fabiola Garcia

CAS113B
Professor Zelaya
May, 13, 2014
Violence
The novel The Good Cripple, by Rodrigo Rey Rosa presents the story about a man named
Juan Luis. Juan Luis faces cruel acts of violence by a couple of men who kidnap him for his
fathers wealth. Later in the novel the kidnappers amputate his foot, and because of this tragic
event an unending cycle of violence arises. As a result of being abducted Juan Luis faces
physical violence by his kidnappers, but his father also contributes to that cycle of violence. His
father not willing to pay for his ransom affected him, and knowing his father was ashamed of
him caused a psychological type of violence within his character. The author switches the roles
of Juan Luis being the victim to being the victimizer, inflicting violence unwillingly on Ana
Lucia, violating her rights as a women. Throughout the book, the cycle of violence is an
unending cycle that continues between the characters
In this novel Juan Luiss father contributes to the violence shown in the novel, by not
helping his son get out of an unpleasant situation. It is not until Juan Luis faces an amputation
that his father realizes that his son had faced violent acts from his kidnappers. Even though, the
father dose not physically contributed to that violence, he dose psychologically. As he was
kidnapped he faced physical violence, which is mainly known as physical force with the
potential for causing harm. This is seen in the novel because they first cut his toe, then start with
the foot because his father refused to respond to the ransom. Although, it was an inhumanly


decision to do because of money, not only was physical violence portrayed but psychological
violence. Psychological violence is known as mental or emotional abuse which was evidently
seen in the novel. For example having to go through a kidnap and knowing his father was not
willing to help pay for his freedom resulted in an emotional scar. Being in a situation in which he
is receiving no type of help from the only person he had, which is his father. Yet, Juan Luis knew
his father had the money and Juan Luis was not just asking for it but was willing to pay it all
back. On the back of his mind he knew his father was ashamed of him, allowing his father to
implement a psychological type of violence. Juan Luis writes a letter saying, In my last letter I
promised to do all I could to live the rest of my life without bringing shame on you as I have in
the past. Today I ask only for your pity. (32) This demonstrates the psychological violence that
his father inflicts on his son, by demonstrating how Juan Luis is weak and vulnerable. Which
doesnt allow Juan Luis to move on from the cycle of violence because the father still hold
power over him. His father was the answer to the problem he was facing but because of his
fathers pride he decides not to help. Juan Luis father refuses to pay for his freedom even though
he begs and writes letters to his father asking him to pay and he would be willing to work hard to
pay him back. He dose not ask his father for nothing else but to have pity on him because he
knew his father was shamed and couldnt ask for anything more then pity. As the novel
continues the father still refuses to help his son, until he is shown a foot of his son, and still takes
a small approach on the situation. The father does clearly contributes to the unending cycle of
violence within the novel, because he did not physically hurt him but emotional he did. Juan
Luis eventually is freed and is facing a psychological type of violence, because of his fathers
actions against him. The situation Juan Luis faced was coldhearted, and even though he knew his


father was ashamed of him it hurt him to see that no action was being done to help him overcome
it.
Violence is shown to lead to more violence, and unpredictable behavior such as with Juan
Luis. Violence can be the confounding variable to many situations of aggression, and it is a very
powerful tool that is used to cause harm. According to ( Montero et al.)Violence can be
physical, sexual, or psychological. Perpetrators mainly include intimate partners, family
members, friends, coworkers, and stranger. In the novel the author uses Juan Luis, the father,
and girlfriend as the characters who continue with the cycle of violence. At times the people
closest to the individual can be the one that causes the most destruction, because it affects the
individual psychologically. Such as with the character of Juan Luis, his father showed no interest
in the life of his son, causing him to feel helpless. Family members who perpetrate violent acts
on each other leave a tremendous scar, because a family is supposed to be seen as a unity. Just
like Juan Luis with his father, even though Juan Luis knew he was a disappointment he still
required of his father compassion and understanding. Due to the outcome of Juan Luiss situation
he faced an inner violence which he later continued with his intimate partner. Ana Lucia was a
women who loved Juan Luis and agreed with everything he proposed. The fact that Juan Luis
took away her rights as a women by not allowing her to have children is also seen a
psychological violence.
Juan Luis goes through a constant battle with himself, and continues unconsciously
repeating the cycle of violence, with his own wife. As he moves around to rebuild his life, and to
forget the horrible experience because past is still very vivid. Looking down at his foot and
realizing he was crippled stood as a constant reminder of his past. This episode is an endless
reminder of his past, which makes him unconsciously continues with the cycle of violence. He


gets into the habit of smoking cannabis, as a way to cope with a brutal event. As well as getting
accustomed to visiting prostitutes instead of going to his wife. This helps contribute to the
unending cycle of violence, and demonstrates how Juan Luis continues the cycle of with his
wife. Juan Luis not just disrespects his wife, but keeps certain information from her. Not
realizing that he is emotionally hurting his wife. Juan Luis sets up a day to meet up with bunny,
one of the kidnappers. As he approaches bunnys house he goes with the mentally of receiving
closure. As he enters bunnys house, and observes around he notices photographs hanging off the
wall and imagined they were bunnys children. At that moment Juan Luis was strongly certain
that he wanted no descendent. (112) From that moment he knew he didnt want descendants
because just like bunny had children Juan Luis could think of hurting bunnys children, because
family is so valuable it could be seen as a threat. Juan Luis thinks of seeking revenge using his
offsprings, and wouldnt want anyone to feel the same towards his descendent. A womens
dream is to be able to have children and establish a family, but Juan Luis is going against Ana
Lucias rights. A women aspires to be able to carry a fetus inside her body, and nourish it. Not
being able to do so takes away from the role of a women. Juan Luis does not see that as a violent
act upon Ana Lucia, because for him its a good thing for the both of them. He believes he dose
not have to live a life fearing for the lifes of his children. The cycle of violence continues
against Ana Lucia now, the violence is no longer physical or psychological, Juan Lucia is going
against Ana Lucias rights as a women. He is preventing her from having children because of his
constant fear and reminder of the horrible event. Juan Luis isnt ending the violence, but is also
contributing to some form of violence against his girlfriend. Not allowing her to have children
and cheating on her, just contributes to the unending cycle.


Violence is shown in many ways which could lead to induced trauma, emotional, and
many other psychological issues. Which, can result from an experience or situation that has had a
major impact in an individuals life due to different types of violence. Such as Juan Luis, he was
kidnaped, and forced to write letters to his father begging him to pay for his ransom. Due to the
fathers lack of sympathy Juan Luis had his foot amputated. And now lives with the reminder of
his past, and because of his past experiences he contributes the violence against his girlfriend.
According to Heather Pollette she states, Violence is behavior that is used to intimidate and
assert control over an individual and includes physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Throughout
the novel it is clear that the kidnappers wanted total control over Juan Luis to be able to win
money, and what resulted of that was nothing because only one person took the money. The
others died and the ones who survived faced the constant fear of persecution for that occurred a
long time ago. Also Juan Luis faces physical violence but emotional because of his father. His
father had total control of the situation, but chose not to do anything. Instead the father let time
pass without showing any type of empathy towards his son, despise their differences. Showing
violence against someone is very dangerous because just like the victim is hurt through the
violence the victimizer could also experience similarities. For example having to live with an
unclean conscious and feeling guilty. Trauma occurs within that cycle of violence because it is a
continuous recap about an experience. Just like Juan Luis looks at his leg and is still not used to
having to be the crippled man with no foot. Which can also lead to use certain medications or
drugs to able to cope with that brutal event. In the novel it is said that Juan Luis used Cannabis
throughout the novel, which can be seen as a coping mechanism because of the result of the
situation.


In conclusion, violence overall is an unending cycle between the characters. The author
demonstrates violence through the different roles that the characters play, and with that shows
how it develops. The fathers treatment towards Juan Luis also affected Ana Lucia and of course
Juan Luis because he was the main character. Juan Luis tries to reestablish himself and talk to
the kidnappers and his father, but that feeling of revenge still exist in his character. Which shows
that the violence is unending, because he still has strong feeling toward that situation that
changed his life. The theme of violence is very clear within the novel, and it is clear that
violence creates violence. As well as anger could be one of the many factors that lead to
violence. It was not just physical violence, but psychological violence, which can lead to long-
term consequences. Just like Juan Luis experiences in the novel, and tries to escape the violence
but is unable to. The event he faced built up within him that he was not able to see the violence
he was inflicting on Ana Lucia. Just as his father did to him, his father did not help him but
instead let him to handle business on his own. Psychological, and physical violence was one of
the overall themes, therefore I argue that the cycle of violence is unending because it continues
within the characters, unwillingly.









Work cited.
ReyRosa, Rodrigo. The Good Cripple. New York: New Directions, 2004.
Pollette, Heather. The Connection between Violence, Trauma and Mental Illness in Women.
The Canadian Mental Health Association, Newfoundland and Labrador.2004: 1-8.Print.
Montero, Isabel, Vicenta Escriba, Isabel Ruiz-Perez, Carmen Vives-Cases, David Martn-Baena,
Marta Talavera, and Juncal Plazaola. "Interpersonal Violence and Women's Psychological Well-
Being." Journal of Women's Health (2002), 20.2 (2011): 295-301.