Mariano Azuela facts for kids

Mariano Azuela, a famous Mexican writer and doctor.

Mariano Azuela González was an important Mexican writer and doctor. He was born on January 1, 1873, and passed away on March 1, 1952. He is most famous for his exciting stories about the Mexican Revolution of 1910. He wrote many novels, plays, and literary reviews. He was one of the first writers to tell stories about the Revolution, and he inspired many other Mexican writers who wanted to speak out about social issues.

His first books, like Maria Luisa (1907), were about fate and life in Mexico under the Díaz government. After he experienced the Mexican Revolution himself, his writing changed. It became more sarcastic and showed his disappointment. His first novel about the Revolution was Andrés Pérez, maderista (1911). His most popular book, Los de abajo (The Underdogs), came out in 1915. He kept writing short stories and novels influenced by the Revolution. These later works, like La nueva burguesía (The New Bourgeoisie) from 1941, often made fun of the political tricks and false promises in Mexico after the Revolution.

Mariano Azuela's Early Life and Studies

Mariano Azuela was born in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico, on January 1, 1873. His parents were Evaristo and Paulina Azuela. His father was a successful rancher. Mariano grew up on his family's small farm. This farm later became the setting for many of his stories.

When he was fourteen, he started studying to become a priest. But he soon decided that wasn't for him. Instead, he chose to study medicine in Guadalajara, Jalisco. He became a doctor in 1899. He first worked as a doctor in his hometown. Later, after the Mexican Revolution, he moved to Mexico City and continued his medical practice there. In 1900, he married Carmen Rivera. They had five sons and five daughters.

How the Mexican Revolution Shaped His Writing

Like many young students, Azuela did not like the government of Porfirio Díaz. During the Mexican Revolution, Azuela wrote about the war and its effects on Mexico. After Porfirio Díaz was removed from power in 1911, Azuela worked as the Director of Education in Jalisco. This was under President Francisco I. Madero.

When Madero was killed in 1913, Azuela joined the Constitutionalist side. They wanted to bring back fair laws. He traveled with the soldiers of Julián Medina, who followed Pancho Villa. Azuela worked as a doctor for the soldiers in the field. Being part of the conflict gave him many ideas for his famous book, Los de abajo (The Underdogs).

He later had to move to El Paso, Texas, for a short time. This was when the forces against the revolution, led by Victoriano Huerta, were winning. It was in El Paso that he wrote Los de abajo. This book was his personal account of the fighting during the Mexican Revolution. It was first published in a newspaper called "El Paso del Norte" in 1915. The book became widely known in 1924. It was praised as a great novel about the Revolution. Los de abajo shows how the Revolution could be pointless. It also highlights the people who took advantage of power and the poor majority in Mexico. Azuela wanted a better Mexico. He believed the Revolution fixed some problems but created new ones that were just as bad.

The Underdogs and Mexican Identity

In his novel The Underdogs, Mariano Azuela describes a character named Demetrio. He is called a "full-blooded Aztec." This description suggests that Demetrio has a strong connection to the land and his ancestors. Some experts believe that Azuela used Demetrio to show how Mexican peasants needed to find their own strong identity. This was important to resist the Spanish conquerors.

A revolution often aims to reject the identity given by colonizers. But to do this successfully, a group needs a shared identity. Demetrio Macías represents the ancient Aztec spirit because he is linked to his ancestors and the land. He is shown "riding proudly on his horse" with "pure-blooded Aztec cheeks." However, Demetrio doesn't seem to have a clear reason for fighting in the revolution, other than revenge or enjoying being a leader. This might mean Azuela cared more about the revolution's goals than his characters did.

Azuela shows how Demetrio and his men feel free when they are on the land. They "threw out their chests as if to breathe the widening horizon." This feeling of freedom helps them forget their hard lives as conquered people. By showing Demetrio as a pure-blooded Aztec, Azuela suggests he was unhappy with how his people's identity had been changed by Spanish colonizers. He wanted to show a strong Mexican identity from before that influence. Azuela highlights the problems that happen when cultural identity is lost. When Demetrio starts to forget his heritage, it leads to small fights, stealing, and chaos. Azuela emphasizes Demetrio's background so readers understand what is at risk if a group loses its cultural identity.

Mariano Azuela's Later Life and Awards

In 1917, Mariano Azuela moved to Mexico City. He lived there for the rest of his life. He continued to write and worked as a doctor, often helping poor people.

In 1942, he won the Mexican National Prize for Literature. On April 8, 1943, he became a founding member of Mexico's National College. Here, he gave talks about Mexican, French, and Spanish writers. He also shared his own experiences as a writer. In 1949, he received the Mexican National Prize for Arts and Sciences. He passed away in Mexico City on March 1, 1952. He was buried in the Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres, a special place for famous Mexicans.

Some of Mariano Azuela's Books

Books by Mariano Azuela Translated into English

• The Underdogs (1929)
• Marcela: A Mexican Love Story (1932) - This is a translation of Mala yerba.
• Two Novels of Mexico: The Flies. The Bosses (1956)
• Two Novels of the Mexican Revolution (1963) - Includes The Trials of a Respectable Family and The Underdogs.
• Three Novels (1979) - Includes The Trials of a Respectable Family, The Underdogs, and The Firefly.

See also

In Spanish: Mariano Azuela para niños

• Mexican Revolution
• Porfirio Diaz
• Francisco Madero
• The Underdogs