58 pages • 1 hour read
Juan RulfoPedro Paramo
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1955A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Juan Rulfo's 1955 novel Pedro Paramo, Juan Preciado honors his dying mother's wish to find his father, Pedro Paramo, in her hometown of Comala. Arriving there, he finds a ghost town filled with spectral inhabitants and learns that his father has long been dead. As Juan navigates the haunted landscape, he unravels the dark history of Pedro Paramo, a tyrant who once terrorized the town. The novel contains portrayals of rape, domestic violence, and death by suicide throughout.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Pedro Páramo, a landmark in Latin American literature by Juan Rulfo, is praised for its haunting atmosphere and innovative narrative structure. Critics lauded its portrayal of rural Mexican life and complex exploration of themes like death and redemption. Some found its fragmented chronology challenging, yet the novel's emotional impact and literary significance are widely acknowledged.
Who Should Read Pedro Paramo?
Readers with an affinity for magical realism, akin to fans of Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, and those drawn to the exploration of life, death, and memory in Latin American settings would be captivated by Pedro Páramo. Ideal for those who appreciate a dreamlike narrative interwoven with complex themes.