Beginning Pablo example essay topic

331 words
At the opening of the story the three man Pablo Ibbieta, Tom Steinbeck and Juan Mir bal are already captured and sent to trial. Shortly after that they are placed into the cell where most of the story takes place. At the time the three of them have normal conversations just like any other stereotypical prisoners would. Next, a Belgian doctor is sent into the cell to spend the prisoners' last night with them to observe the psychological reactions of these people under the sentence of death, which indeed serves as the main purpose and conflict of the story. The prisoners talk less and less as their life runs towards an end and the protagonist Pablo describes his psychological change through his own words. In the beginning Pablo admits that he "never thought about death" (pg. 327), where he still holds a normal state of mind.

But as the time goes on and being influenced by the others he begins to think about the execution; and that's when Pablo starts to laugh when Juan violently bites the doctor's hand with no reason, but to let his anger and emotions out. Eventually Pablo psychologically dies when he doesn't care to live anymore even though he could have betrayed Ramon Gris in exchange for his own life. When Pablo and Tom talk about being pushed against the wall and discuss about the pain they are going to suffer, implying that both Pablo and Tom have reached the other side the "The Wall". symbolizing the psychological barrier between life and death. The climax of the story is reached when Pablo lied to the police and tell them his uncle is hiding in the cemetery. Although Pablo is freed in the end when the men captured Gris, Pablo has already lost his hope and meanings of life in the cell and thus staying alive doesn't make him an more a lives as a mentally-healthy person.