The science treeby Pío baroja, is one of his greatest novels and also a classic of national literature. Narrative epitome of vital disappointment, is required reading in institutes and the like. Today I bring a brief analysis her. And by the way we all remember it.
The science tree
Baroja said in his day that it was the best novel he wrote. In fact, it is very autobiographical because he writes it according to his own experiences and identifies with the main character, Andrés Hurtado.
Central theme and structure
Story of a existential disorientation, tells the life of Andres Hurtado, a man lost in a life without meaning and in the midst of adverse events that lead him to continuous disappointment. The structure revolves around him but also mixes many elements.
It is divided into 7 parts which add up 53 chapters not very long in length. But, internally, it is divided into 2 cycles or stages of Hurtado's life, separated by an intermission in the fourth part, a dialogue with an uncle of his where they discuss the problem of the tree of life and that of science.
Parties
The first two parts are dedicated to formation of the protagonist, his family and studies. A family that makes him a withdrawn and isolated boy. His brothers and the rigidity and disagreements with his father will mark his later concept of life, while trying to give him a purpose.
In that the third part. Their medicine studies (like Baroja) they do not fill him with the desire for knowledge that he has and, at the same time, contact with the sick depresses him a lot. And it also appears Lulu, a woman who will then powerfully influence him. The illness and death of his little brother will definitely install him in the skepticism before science.
In the fourth is the debate previously mentioned with his uncle. And in the fifth and sixth Andres has new experiences in the countryside (Alcolea, a town from La Mancha) and the city, his return to Madrid and the reappearance of Lulú. By last, in the seventh, will marry Lulu and he will have a relative peace, which will be definitively broken by the death of his son and the break with his wife. And the only way out will be the suicide.
Characters
All are of importance and spin around Andrés and Lulú. The latter is the woman prototype characteristic of Baroja that, above all, values sincerity and loyalty.
They are the despot father from Andres; Julio Aracil, cynical and friendly playboy of the University; Luisito, his brother small, or Iturrioz, his uncle, a philosopher of very particular theories.
Environments
A fundamental element for the framing and development of the novel. This Andrés's corner, what you see from your window, the cafes, the dissection room, the hospitals, etc. There are no long descriptions of landscapes, but sketches for example of town, property, orchards, inns, the casino, etc.
E
It is the time that conditions all of the above in The science tree, the characters, the environments, the pessimistic tone. Poverty and contrasts between rural and urban life, incompetence, disinterest and contempt for culture they roamed at ease.
They are what Baroja most wanted to reflect in this novel and, especially, the discouragement they caused. A discouragement that marks the tragic fate of its protagonist, gripped by a terrible anger and the pessimism for not knowing how to manage a solution or find a way. The struggle to live and life itself, here seen as that of all human beings, are left without explanation or meaning and, as a phrase in the play goes, "it seemed to him an ugly, cloudy, painful and indomitable thing."
Ultimately
No, The science tree it is not light reading for the summer, or for any other time of the year, but it is the most representative of its time.