Reading this book made me feel as though I had aged a few years across every chapter, just as many of the chapters were spanned across many years. Perhaps reading it over the break made the timing all the more sensitive.
I have grown to dislike Esteban Trueba and develop an intense frustration when he sees many of his character faults as permanent characteristics rather than something that can be improved.
To better explain, I will point to the passage beginning at the bottom half of page 199, referring to when Clara installed a lock on her door. Esteban said "...Clara had a bolt installed on her bedroom door and after that she never let me in her bed again, except when I forced myself on her and when to have said no would have meant the end of our marriage..." (199).
Esteban is messed up. Reading the manner which he is writing appears sociopathic to me. Reading his account, Esteban seems clearly perplexed that Clara is not letting him share a bed with her after everything he has done. Not only that, he goes so far as to force himself on her. Unfortunately he does not completely understand himself as he says "I tried to make her see that in this respect men and women differ..." when referring to his ability to be furious at Clara during the day and want to be intimate during the night. This is not love. Scripture clearly teaches love as patient, kind, and able to bear all burdens. Esteban however, is driven by sensual passion, leading to his aggressive behavior during the day and his strong lust during the night.
Worse than that, Esteban mentions these events as thought this is common among men, or at least excusable. He understands these qualities to be something that Clara must simply live with and grow to understand and accept. This is a horrible lie. It reminds me of Christians who think of themselves as being permanently tainted with a sin, not seeking to repent of it and calling on others to accept them for it. Esteban Trueba reminds me of a man who is certainly able to provide for his family in terms of physical needs, but traumatizes them with his poisonous personality.
Reading about Esteban made me sick concerning many of the acts he committed, but it reminds me that the Gospel frees us from being stuck in this situation. We no longer have to become slaves to our own stubbornness. He can change, by the power of Christ alone at that.
I commented on the posts of Clabo and AnnaKate.
I have grown to dislike Esteban Trueba and develop an intense frustration when he sees many of his character faults as permanent characteristics rather than something that can be improved.
To better explain, I will point to the passage beginning at the bottom half of page 199, referring to when Clara installed a lock on her door. Esteban said "...Clara had a bolt installed on her bedroom door and after that she never let me in her bed again, except when I forced myself on her and when to have said no would have meant the end of our marriage..." (199).
Esteban is messed up. Reading the manner which he is writing appears sociopathic to me. Reading his account, Esteban seems clearly perplexed that Clara is not letting him share a bed with her after everything he has done. Not only that, he goes so far as to force himself on her. Unfortunately he does not completely understand himself as he says "I tried to make her see that in this respect men and women differ..." when referring to his ability to be furious at Clara during the day and want to be intimate during the night. This is not love. Scripture clearly teaches love as patient, kind, and able to bear all burdens. Esteban however, is driven by sensual passion, leading to his aggressive behavior during the day and his strong lust during the night.
Worse than that, Esteban mentions these events as thought this is common among men, or at least excusable. He understands these qualities to be something that Clara must simply live with and grow to understand and accept. This is a horrible lie. It reminds me of Christians who think of themselves as being permanently tainted with a sin, not seeking to repent of it and calling on others to accept them for it. Esteban Trueba reminds me of a man who is certainly able to provide for his family in terms of physical needs, but traumatizes them with his poisonous personality.
Reading about Esteban made me sick concerning many of the acts he committed, but it reminds me that the Gospel frees us from being stuck in this situation. We no longer have to become slaves to our own stubbornness. He can change, by the power of Christ alone at that.
I commented on the posts of Clabo and AnnaKate.
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