Valentin and Molino have been presented in the novel as two different characters that learn to cope with one another. When we meet them, the only similarity they share is being in prison. Molino has been jailed for molesting a child while Valentin has been charged on political grounds. We also learn that Molino is gay, which makes their staying together even more complex. It is quite difficult for the two to relate in their prison room considering the differences they share. They have no common stories or backgrounds they can relate with, yet since they have to be together, they develop and interest in each other. Manuel in drafting the book wanted to show how circumstances could make two parallel people to relate and be friends. Valentin and Molino only had each other to converse with and hence had to find a common ground before trying to pull one to the other. The issue of Molino being gay is not immediately brought up in the story, just to keep the reader anticipating of how the two men will relate.
The prison room does not have any form of media that could entertain and keep the two men busy from each other. The only entertainment they had was themselves. Since they were human beings and therefore social, they had to find a meeting point where they will keep themselves busy, at least for the time they will be in prison. Molino has been presented as the talkative one while Valentin as the listener. In this scenario, Molino breaks the ice by telling Valentin about the stories of films he has watched (Peck 50). Valentin finds this interesting and listens on. We are told of how the stories kept them awake all through the night, which mean that Valentin didn’t mind them even if he did not enjoy them. The conversation on films acted as a good icebreaker as through them, the two men started opening to each other about their lives. They were able to know more about each other’s backgrounds and hence enjoying their company.
In this extract Manuel is slowly building the characters of the two men from just being strangers in a prison cells to people who can talk to each other. The point he is trying to bring about is that two people can always have a common ground where they can start a conversation. The issue is usually the person who will take up the responsibility of getting the attention of the other. Molino acted as the icebreaker in the novel and began a conversation, which fortunately made them to interact (Mellown 463). Having the ability to talk to each other put them in a position where they can learn and understand each other. They are however faced with another challenge, just as they get to know and appreciate one another. This acts as a taste for the development of the two characters.
Molino is used by Valentin’s opposition members in politics to get some vital information about the activism activities he is involved in. This is being done without Valentin’s knowledge, which complicates the issue. It is even tough for Molino who is just getting to know and befriend Valentin. Knowing that the people who want some vital information about Valentin are influential in government can be tempting. This means that he could get a bail or even be released from prison by having his mistakes cancelled. It would have been easy for Molino to give in to their demands, after all, he just met Valentin in the prison and they have nothing in common (Dank 41). He could be released out of prison and they would never meet again or even if they met, there would still nothing for them to share. We are not told much about the sharing of such information with Valentin’s opponents yet the relationship they still enjoy imply that Molino rejected the offer.
In this scenario, we are encountered with yet another higher level of character development between Valentin and Molino. The two have grown their relationship to the level of trust. The two men share a lot behind the bars and it is obvious that Molino has the information needed by the opposition, yet he chose not to share it. It would be easy for Molino to grill Valentin on crucial matters without him noticing that he is a secret agent.
Manuel has developed the characters to reveal how strangers grow into friends that can confide in each other without fear. It would have been hard to imagine that the two men will grow their friendship into such a level of trust considering the differences they shared. Manuel proves that two people can always relate when they are put in an environment where they only have them, for themselves. At this point, it did not matter the backgrounds where they came from or the differences they shared, all that mattered to them was similarity of a prison cell that compelled them to gain to find solace in each other.
It is usually believed that misfortunes and trouble bring people together rather than success and happiness. It is easier for people to blend when they are in trouble rather than when they are enjoying success. This is because, when in trouble, a person will tend to be nice to everyone with the hope that they will not only be comforted but also get the needed help out of their situation. The scene for Valentin and Molino is however different considering the fact that they were all in trouble and chose to relate. There was no possibility of them finding any help from each other rather than sharing and comforting each other. Molino was the lucky one, if he cooperated with Valentin’s enemies. He had a rare opportunity to turn against him for political gain. He however considered the fact that Valentin was the only person who understood his situation and could empathise with him better than those operating out of the prison doors did.
Just when we thought their friendship had reached their peak, we are introduced to a more intimate relationship between Valentin and Molino. Molino appeared to be the most influential and outgoing in the novel. He succeeded to lure Valentin into a conversation that made them good friends. After defending him from his opposition members, he managers to lure him into a love affair. This catches the reader by suspense, especially considering the differences in sexual orientation. Even though we are told that Molino is gay, it would have been hard to imagine that he would pull Valentin his way and turn him into a gay partner (Schwarz 51). The strategy that was used by Manuel to bring and develop the two characters is amazing. One is left wondering whether the novel was all about the crimes they committed or the intimate relationship they shared in prison.
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication for any couple to move from the level of strangers into the stage of intimacy. This was even more awkward considering that they are two men with a difference in sexual attractions. From the extract, Manuel is bringing about the point of influence and relationships. It is clear that for any two people to relate to the level of intimacy, then they have to bear with each other and even fore gore some of their belief system. It took a lot of sacrifice for the two men to finally reach an agreement of being gay partners (Karen & Helen 73). One would easily think that the compromise was mostly on the part of Valentin, since he had to fore gore his attractions and be attracted to a fellow man. However, we realise that from the initial stages, Molino made more sacrifices to get the attention of Valentin.
Molino acted as the icebreaker by engaging Valentin in a conversation he was not sure he would enjoy. He managed to win him his side, which made them talk more on issues that affected them. Later on, we also see Molino making another sacrifice for Valentino. He was in a position to get and deliver the political information needed by his opponents, yet he chose not be involved (Puig 34). Molino being gay, it would be easy to conclude that he had the intentions of transforming Valentin into his gay partner. He might have had an attraction towards him and therefore taking his time to express his feelings. Molino was determined at making his relationship with Valentin prosper and hence taking all the risks and making the sacrifies. After all the kindness he had shown towards him, Valentin was caught up in a situation where he had no other wise but to give in.
Just like Molino, Valentin was in need of love. The prison environment is never pleasing to anybody and the best that a person can receive is love and assurance. The care that they showed towards each other was important for their psychological growth and development. They did not know for how long they would stay behind bars and hence making it necessary for them to enjoy their companionship. The relationship between valentine and Molino display a lot of compromise among the two. The point that Manuel is bringing about is that for two people to relate at such a level, then they have to compromise their personality and even dreams. It easy for them to blend because they did not hide any information from each other (Mittell 98). They were able to trust each other even in situations that none of them would notice the mistakes. The prosperity of their relationship was also due to the fact that they were in an environments where nobody would suspect intimacy. Even though it happened through fate, each one had the opportunity to learn and even agree to the intimacy, which they mutually loved and shared.
The climax of the relationship ended in a rather horrific but acceptable form. The end of intimacy between two people that truly love each other is usually in death. This was proved between the two lovebirds who were separated by death. The nature of their death also signified their togetherness and the fact that they were willing to do anything just to protect each other. We are told that Molino died of gun shorts due to the shootout between Valentin’s supporters and his opposition members. This implies that Molino had bought into Valentin’s political life and even stood in support of him. Manuel managed to develop the characters of two men, who have been brought up in different cultures and shared varied views and make them into one. They were able to compromise and even sacrifice for each other just to ensure they were in a similar line of thought. Molino was now interested in Valentin’s political though and even embraced it, while Valentino changed his sexual ideologies to embrace being Molino’s gay partner. All this happened in a steady manner that Manuel strategized in his writing.
Reading the literature, one becomes attracted to how the two men love and treat each other in an environment that does not favour the. As you read the novel, you almost forget that the two are prisoners and just enjoy their love story. Manuel also used a practice that is shunned by the larger society to bring about his point. It is usually normal to write about a book detailing how a male and female couple fall in love and the challenges they go through. However, for Manuel to bring about his point in relation to gay partners was a decision that he knew would invite many critics. As one reads the novel, they come to understand that the point was not about gay relationships but developing friendship from the initial stage of strangers in an awkward environment (Shields 65). Manuel attempted to prove the point that any relationship can work, only if two people are placed in an environment where they are able to learn and know each other more. It will however take the courage of one person, who sees the potential in the other person and hence making the initial step of creating a conversation.
Being in prison did not guarantee that the two will be intimate friends. In fact, we are told of people who live lonely lives behind bars or even in normal environments even when there are so many people around them. It is usually the willingness of the two parties to share their lives with each other that will lead to a successful relationship. In the scenario, there is also a need for one party to persistently show concern to the other party for them to open up to each other. Manuel has also brought up an important quality that stood up in the novel, as the two men related with each other. The aspect of loyalty, even in such a desperate situation played a big role in ensuring that their relationship prospered. Valentine and Molino had very many differences that would make them simply ignore each other in prison. They have however showed how much value they held towards each other and knew that the prison walls would not hinder them from achieving their goals. They put their differences aside and worked at perfecting and growing their relationship.
Works cited
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Mittell, Jason. "Narrative complexity in contemporary American television." The velvet light trap 58.1 (2006): 29-40.
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Peck, Robert F., et al. "The psychology of character development." (1960).
Puig, Manuel. Kiss of the spider woman. Random House LLC, 2010.
Schwarz, Gretchen. "Expanding literacies through graphic novels." English Journal (2006): 58-64.
Shields, David Lyle Light, and Brenda Jo Light Bredemeier. Character development and physical activity. Human Kinetics Publishers, 1995.
