Hats Off to Men of Maize

‘Men of Maize’ is another novel written by the Nobel Prize Award recipient Miguel Angel Asturias. It is an incredible account of the lives of the indigenous Indian people of Latin America in the early 20^th century. Miguel Angel Asturias had brilliantly interwoven the three timelines to illustrate the saga as a legend.  

The Plot

The novel is about the disparity between two social classes whose lives intricately revolve around maize. The first class being those lowly men who rely on maize as a sanctified provision while the second class are those who capitalize on maize merely as a commercial produce. It revealed how capitalism of multinational companies could be detrimental to the lives of maize farmers. A characteristic difference on how the two classes view maize was depicted on the story. An intense undercurrent of conflict involving the two varying cultures was undeniable.

For the growers, maize has a profound meaning to their way of life, tradition, and identity. In fact, maize is their life. The Indians perceive the crop as something that is essential to their being and the thought of it being grown by foreign nationals for such selfish purposes was detestable. They were repulsed by the notion that what they consider as sacred will be used as a profitable enterprise. The rage of the Indians grew even more as they were forcefully evicted from their lands in order for the capitalists to use it commercially. This led to their rebellion and a cycle of vengeance coming from them ensued. With the continuously arising tension came the enduring distaste between the two groups. Despite the oppression the growers experienced there was still hope which motivated the younger generations to struggle for freedom and a great future ahead.

The Verdict

Insight of the Indian’s way of life is elemental in order to gain understanding of the depth of the plot. The indigents of Latin America have a very rich culture. Activities in their everyday lives hold the answers to everything and reflect their beliefs. The way Asturias wrote the story from a native perspective is truly remarkable. He has succeeded in writing a novel that enthralls the audience and leaves a magically delightful experience.

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