In the
following passages I was able to identify many concepts that we have discussed
in class. One reoccurring theme that I have noticed is the idea of us vs. them.
A quote that I selected that exemplifies this idea can be found on page 137 and
states, "It means you're a stranger everywhere, if not everyone’s enemy.
Be smart: convert." The person being tortured usually has opposing
ideologies than the person performing the torture and that creates a difference in the two roles. To submit to Christianity would put one at less of a risk
because then that person would be a member of a majority opposed to the
minority.
As seen in The Crucible, if one names other,
he or she is usually saved. The inquisitors just want to hear names and usually
the tortured person is sparred if they give up the identities of others. Dona
Francisca gives up the identities during Scene 14 to escape the torture she had
been enduring.
Lastly, the importance of a name is seen here as well as in The Crucible.
Proctor struggles with the idea of tarnishing his name for not only himself,
but for his family as well and that is a factor in why he decides to accept
death over lies. Don Luis the Elder questions what is in a name. The
significance of a name is important because it is something that can be remembered
forever or quickly forgotten and it is associated with ones character.
Great post! I especially loved your point about the importance of names. When Don Luis the Elder asks what is in a name, it seems as if he is asking a rhetorical question. This question contributes to the comical mood of the play. He is very lightly mentioning the meaning of a name, which allows the reader to laugh at his consideration of taking on the name yet also allows the audience realize the deeper meaning of the name. It shows the reader that a simple change of one's name can also change their fate; association by name can be fatal, much like in The Crucible.
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