Suggested Study Questions

The Underdogs

Lecture 2

Bruce-Novoa

1. Why was the novel not a "historical novel" when written?
2. Why is it considered a historical novel now?
3. During what Phase(s) of the Mexican Revolution does the novel take place?
4. What did Prof. Bruce-Novoa mean by the "Darmok Fallacy"?
5. Give some examples of the use of repetition to convey plot development.
6. Why is Solís such an important character in the novel?
7. What does he say about the psychology of the Mexican Revolutionaries?
8. How does the novel use buildings and dwellings to convey a message?
9. What is the last dwelling the reader encounters in the novel? What might it mean?
10. Why is it possible to derive different interpretations of Demetrio's last image in the novel?
11. How does architecture help read the ending in the context of the author's intent?
12. How did muralism offer a different reading of the Revolution?
13. How did the muralists restore the national allegory of the healthy Mexican family?