Augusto Roa Bastos

"In his novel Son of Man, Augusto Roa Bastos uses images and symbols of shadows to represent the ramifications of the Paraguayan Dr. José Rodríguez de Francia’s dictatorship. Rodriguez de Francia’s legacy, which begins during the postcolonial years and extends well into the 20th century, resonates in the novel in socio-political structures and characters’ ideologies and behaviors. It allows for plantation owners to enslave workers and their families; it confines and oppresses people through unfounded legends and myths; and among other things, it creates a false idea of purpose and patriotism in the Chaco War (1932-1935), which in the end lets down the soldiers. To counteract these deleterious social conditions, Roa Bastos creates surreal characters, such as a fantastic helper who aids plantation workers to escape dehumanizing situations." Patricia G. Montenegro