MY ESSAY THAT I WORKED ON FOR SO LONG.. yet it still sux0rz...
English 6° Tran, Anna
12-16-01 8-317
Juan de Pareja
The book I, Juan de Pareja is a novel about the life of a slave living in Europe during the 17th century. It talks about Juan’s life as a slave and all the hardships he endures before he is “set free”.
The main character of this story is of course Juan or Juanico as his master calls him. I have chosen to write about Juan because I was most drawn to his gentle, yet strong and ambitious character. Juan went through so many hardships throughout his life and even after all he went through he still had a very positive view on life. I found those views very uplifting.
Juan is a Negro slave of African and Spanish decent. His parents died early in his life, when Juan was about five years old. His mother, Zeluma, was a very beautiful black slave. His father, Juan suspects, is the keeper of one of his Master’s warehouses. Juan thinks that his father may be a white Spaniard who could not afford to buy his mother.
Since his parents passed away early in Juan’s life, his Mistress, Dona Emilia de Silva y Rodriguez acted as the mother figure in his life. Juan belonged to her and he served her in many ways. It was his duty to walk behind her when she went out to the shops or to take sherbet with her friends, carrying her reticule, her fan, her missal, and her rosary. Juan was her little helper. Mistress took care of Juan when he was sick. She would watch over him and get up during the night to bring him broth. She made sure Juan had clean water to wash in, and she gave him her own soap each time she ordered the long white bars for her bath. She pretty much treated him like her own son. Juan was very grateful to her especially because Mistress taught him his letters.
Mistress eventually died of course so Juan was abandoned. Juan was alone for the first time in his life. He was sick and there was no one to take care of him. He had almost no food except for a few oranges and bucket of water. Juan felt so alone and scared. He didn’t know what to do. Luckily, Brother Isidro, a friar came to Juan’s aid. He fed Juan and nursed him back into good health. Brother Isidro acted as Juan’s temporary guardian.
After Juan was better, he was to be shipped off to his new Master. A gypsy named Don Carmello was to take him to Madrid where his new master lived. Don Carmello, in my opinon, was a bad person. He would steal food for only himself. He never even thought about Juan’s health. Sometimes, he would even beat Juan for no particular reason. Juan tried to run away one time, but Don Carmello caught him and whipped him many times. Juan was too scared to run away again so he just stayed with him. Juan somehow made it to his new Master in one piece. His master welcomed him and took care of him until he was better. And since then, Juan became the property of Don Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez.
Velázquez was Mistress Emilia’s nephew. He inherited Juan along with many of his Aunt’s other possessions. Master Velázquez was a famous painter and Juan was his faithful assistant. He would stretch canvases, grind colors, and of course, wash brushes in Castile soap and water. Eventually, Juan would become more than just a painting assistant; he became Velázquez’s caretaker and good friend.
After watching his Master paint all the time, Juan developed a longing to paint. He had once asked his Master to teach him, but there was a law in Spain which forbade slaves to practice any of the arts. Juan’s love of colors and painting led him to break the law and paint in secrecy.
In my opinion, Juan’s best quality is his positive outlook on life. He was perfectly happy about his slave status in life so he never complained. The only thing he disliked about being a slave was the law enforced upon them. This law stated that no slave could practice any of the arts. He hated that law, but he held it to himself. Juan was very smart, especially for a slave. Because Juan was smart and a quick learner, he was able to learn how to read and write (slaves were usually illiterate back then).
Another good quality about Juan was that he is a pure hearted person. He hated lying, especially to his Master. That’s why he had such a hard time painting in secrecy. He felt so guilty; he told one of Velázquez’s apprentices about his sins. He even went to Confession, but he still wasn’t happy with himself. He wanted to tell Velázquez the truth about everything, all the paints he stole and that he broke the law, but he was too scared to do so. He was afraid of being sold or punished for breaking the law.
Eventually, Juan did confess to Velázquez. Everything turned out alright because Juan was “set free”. He was no longer Velázquez’s slave, but he remained his painting assistant. Since Juan was no longer a slave, he did not have paint in secrecy any longer. He was free to paint and express his creativity wherever and whenever he wanted.
Although there are many good qualities about Juan, there are still a few bad qualities. However, I can only think of one bad quality about Juan, and it’s that Juan cries too easily. He was a sucker for animals and hated to see them suffer. He would cry over the smallest things. I think the reason why Juan cries so easily is apart of his innocence. Juan was able to stay innocent all through his life but at the same time he could face the reality of the cruel world. His innocence is a very good quality, in my opinion. It’s hard to find people as pure hearted as Juan these days.
I believe Juan’s personality can be reflected by the colors which he loves so much. The dark would represent his “bad” qualities and the bright colors would represent his many wonderful qualities.
Juan had a very good influence on the other characters in this book. One example is that his love of life kept his Master going. Juan’s smile would brighten up Velázquez’s day and even inspire him in painting.
If Juan were a real person, I would honestly want to be friends with him. His love of life is just so amazing to me. I would want his personality would rub off on me and I think that would make me a better person. Juan seems like he would be a very loyal and trustworthy friend and I could always use another one of those people in my life.
Juan’s love of life was what kept him going through all the hard times he faced. He was a wonderful person and definitely deserved to be free. I am glad he was eventually set free and was able to marry Lolis, the one person he loved.
English 6° Tran, Anna
12-16-01 8-317
Juan de Pareja
The book I, Juan de Pareja is a novel about the life of a slave living in Europe during the 17th century. It talks about Juan’s life as a slave and all the hardships he endures before he is “set free”.
The main character of this story is of course Juan or Juanico as his master calls him. I have chosen to write about Juan because I was most drawn to his gentle, yet strong and ambitious character. Juan went through so many hardships throughout his life and even after all he went through he still had a very positive view on life. I found those views very uplifting.
Juan is a Negro slave of African and Spanish decent. His parents died early in his life, when Juan was about five years old. His mother, Zeluma, was a very beautiful black slave. His father, Juan suspects, is the keeper of one of his Master’s warehouses. Juan thinks that his father may be a white Spaniard who could not afford to buy his mother.
Since his parents passed away early in Juan’s life, his Mistress, Dona Emilia de Silva y Rodriguez acted as the mother figure in his life. Juan belonged to her and he served her in many ways. It was his duty to walk behind her when she went out to the shops or to take sherbet with her friends, carrying her reticule, her fan, her missal, and her rosary. Juan was her little helper. Mistress took care of Juan when he was sick. She would watch over him and get up during the night to bring him broth. She made sure Juan had clean water to wash in, and she gave him her own soap each time she ordered the long white bars for her bath. She pretty much treated him like her own son. Juan was very grateful to her especially because Mistress taught him his letters.
Mistress eventually died of course so Juan was abandoned. Juan was alone for the first time in his life. He was sick and there was no one to take care of him. He had almost no food except for a few oranges and bucket of water. Juan felt so alone and scared. He didn’t know what to do. Luckily, Brother Isidro, a friar came to Juan’s aid. He fed Juan and nursed him back into good health. Brother Isidro acted as Juan’s temporary guardian.
After Juan was better, he was to be shipped off to his new Master. A gypsy named Don Carmello was to take him to Madrid where his new master lived. Don Carmello, in my opinon, was a bad person. He would steal food for only himself. He never even thought about Juan’s health. Sometimes, he would even beat Juan for no particular reason. Juan tried to run away one time, but Don Carmello caught him and whipped him many times. Juan was too scared to run away again so he just stayed with him. Juan somehow made it to his new Master in one piece. His master welcomed him and took care of him until he was better. And since then, Juan became the property of Don Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez.
Velázquez was Mistress Emilia’s nephew. He inherited Juan along with many of his Aunt’s other possessions. Master Velázquez was a famous painter and Juan was his faithful assistant. He would stretch canvases, grind colors, and of course, wash brushes in Castile soap and water. Eventually, Juan would become more than just a painting assistant; he became Velázquez’s caretaker and good friend.
After watching his Master paint all the time, Juan developed a longing to paint. He had once asked his Master to teach him, but there was a law in Spain which forbade slaves to practice any of the arts. Juan’s love of colors and painting led him to break the law and paint in secrecy.
In my opinion, Juan’s best quality is his positive outlook on life. He was perfectly happy about his slave status in life so he never complained. The only thing he disliked about being a slave was the law enforced upon them. This law stated that no slave could practice any of the arts. He hated that law, but he held it to himself. Juan was very smart, especially for a slave. Because Juan was smart and a quick learner, he was able to learn how to read and write (slaves were usually illiterate back then).
Another good quality about Juan was that he is a pure hearted person. He hated lying, especially to his Master. That’s why he had such a hard time painting in secrecy. He felt so guilty; he told one of Velázquez’s apprentices about his sins. He even went to Confession, but he still wasn’t happy with himself. He wanted to tell Velázquez the truth about everything, all the paints he stole and that he broke the law, but he was too scared to do so. He was afraid of being sold or punished for breaking the law.
Eventually, Juan did confess to Velázquez. Everything turned out alright because Juan was “set free”. He was no longer Velázquez’s slave, but he remained his painting assistant. Since Juan was no longer a slave, he did not have paint in secrecy any longer. He was free to paint and express his creativity wherever and whenever he wanted.
Although there are many good qualities about Juan, there are still a few bad qualities. However, I can only think of one bad quality about Juan, and it’s that Juan cries too easily. He was a sucker for animals and hated to see them suffer. He would cry over the smallest things. I think the reason why Juan cries so easily is apart of his innocence. Juan was able to stay innocent all through his life but at the same time he could face the reality of the cruel world. His innocence is a very good quality, in my opinion. It’s hard to find people as pure hearted as Juan these days.
I believe Juan’s personality can be reflected by the colors which he loves so much. The dark would represent his “bad” qualities and the bright colors would represent his many wonderful qualities.
Juan had a very good influence on the other characters in this book. One example is that his love of life kept his Master going. Juan’s smile would brighten up Velázquez’s day and even inspire him in painting.
If Juan were a real person, I would honestly want to be friends with him. His love of life is just so amazing to me. I would want his personality would rub off on me and I think that would make me a better person. Juan seems like he would be a very loyal and trustworthy friend and I could always use another one of those people in my life.
Juan’s love of life was what kept him going through all the hard times he faced. He was a wonderful person and definitely deserved to be free. I am glad he was eventually set free and was able to marry Lolis, the one person he loved.
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