RESUMEN Y ANÁLISIS del cuento AGUA de José María Arguedas | Literatura Peruana

The Struggles of San Juan: A Tale of Water Scarcity

Desolation in San Juan

• The remote village of San Juan faces severe desolation due to a lack of water, characterized by dry slopes and relentless sun.

• Abandoned houses await their inhabitants as farmers express resentment over the drought that devastates their crops.

• Don Braulio, a powerful landowner, is responsible for water distribution but tends to favor his wealthy friends while neglecting indigenous communities.

Community Response to Drought

• Farmers are too intimidated to confront Don Braulio despite blaming him for their plight; he reacts violently to any dissent.

• Various communities gather in San Juan to discuss equitable water distribution amidst the ongoing crisis, highlighting collective desperation.

Music as Resistance

• A musician named Pantalla returns from Nazca and plays a sorrowful melody on his horn, uniting the villagers in an act of resistance through dance.

• Don Pascual arrives with intentions to distribute water fairly but faces opposition from the intoxicated Don Braulio.

Confrontation and Violence

• Tensions escalate when Don Braulio orders a violent response against those seeking water; Pantalla encourages villagers to stand firm.

• In a tragic turn, Pantalla is shot while trying to rally support against Don Braulio's tyranny.

The Fight for Justice

• Young Ernesto bravely confronts Don Braulio, calling him a thief and throwing Pantalla's horn at him, which injures the landowner.

• The story concludes with Ernesto escaping towards Utec Pampa, where indigenous people resist oppression unlike in his hometown.

Themes of Oppression and Resistance

Authorial Intent

• José María Arguedas wrote "Agua" not only as a narrative about water scarcity but also as an exploration of social injustice faced by indigenous peoples.