The Grotesque Reality of La Nona: Character Analysis and Themes
The Grotesque in La Nona: Themes and Structure
The grotesque form of writing effectively captures the tragic situation of immigrants. While the subject matter is sad, the presentation maintains a certain grace.
The central conflict arises partly from the family's economic struggles, exacerbated by the absence of income (perhaps referring to Carmelo's money). This forces Chicho, who was previously unwilling to work, to devise a plan to eliminate La Nona (the Italian immigrant matriarch) who consumes everything within reach.
Gradually, the family begins to disintegrate, forced to sell furniture to survive. One by one, all the characters die, leaving only La Nona alive.
The work is defined as grotesque, not only because it employs typical farce and reflects the difficult situation of immigrants at that time, but also because it manages to evoke laughter despite the inherent sadness of the story.
Key Characters
La Nona: The Insatiable Matriarch
La Nona is the matriarch of the family. She controls all family members due to her demanding nature and continuous need for food, keeping the entire family constantly on edge amidst a worsening economic crisis. She possesses a strong character and impeccable health, coupled with an insatiable appetite.
As the main character, she evokes strong emotions in the audience, such as anger and powerlessness, primarily because she is seemingly impossible to kill and always gets her way. Her relationship with her grandson, Chicho, whom he attempts to eliminate at all costs, also generates moments of dark humor.
Chicho: The Reluctant Killer
Chicho is the son of Doña Maria and the grandson of La Nona. Initially, he shares a relationship of unconditional love with his grandmother. However, this relationship sours when he realizes the threat she poses to the family's survival, leading him to try every possible way to eliminate her.
Chicho is portrayed as a lazy, disguised artist who has never worked, making him a burden. Due to the economic crisis and unemployment, he is finally forced to work to bring money home.
In the end, unable to kill La Nona, and realizing that the entire family has died (except Maria, who had moved to Argentina), he grabs a gun. He points it, but repents and commits suicide instead.
Don Francesco: The Ruined Suitor
Don Francesco runs a kiosk. When Nacho offers him La Nona's hand in marriage, he accepts, mistakenly believing the woman in question is Martha.
Upon realizing he was set to marry the old woman, he was forced to fabricate a false legacy, claiming that she only had one month left to live—a lie that was never fulfilled. This disastrous marriage caused his business to go bankrupt, as La Nona consumed everything in his kiosk.
Later, Don Francesco becomes an invalid. He briefly serves as a source of family income when Nacho takes him to the streets to beg (as he had aged very quickly in addition to being invalid). One night, Nacho goes looking for him, but he is gone.