Deep Rivers by Arguedas: Colonial Legacies

To me, this book illustrated how colonialism remains deeply embedded across Latin American societies. The main character, Ernesto, is a mestizo (mixed) boy, and as a result, he feels torn between understanding and exploring both sides of his heritage. I think that the lecture captured this idea perfectly in the phrase: “He is forever betwixt and between, neither one thing nor the other, but it is for this reason that he is able to tell us about both (torn) halves of the Andean world.”

Reflecting on the novel as a whole, it reminded me of a scattered puzzle. The book contains various stories and experiences (the pieces), and together they constitute a society marked by the constant struggles left by a colonial past (the puzzle). As noted in lecture, the modern state’s presence “still feels like that of an invading army.” I think this dynamic is essentially the underlying reason why the book was so challenging for me to follow. Since Ernesto felt like an “outsider” he was never fully able to grasp any particular storyline, and so his account became a compilation of bits and pieces of societal experience.

I think that one of the most prominent scenes illustrating the novel’s post-colonial context was the uprising of the chicheras women over salt (a government monopoly). Their discontent is illustrated in their cries: “No longer shall they steal our salt! Today we’re going to throw all the thieves out of Abancay” (91). I believe that Ernesto being drawn to this issue portrays his interest in understanding and internalizing his Indigenous background: “I was excited by the women’s violence. I felt like rushing at somebody, like fighting” (91).

The title Deep Rivers is very reflective, as it captures the complex social, historical, and political dynamics that exist in the novel. The term “deep” refers to the structurally embedded colonial history, while “rivers” refers to how members of Peruvian society are constantly in motion and putting up a fight. Additionally, this title reflects Ernesto’s fondness for the natural world.

Overall, I can’t say that this was my favourite read, as I am someone who enjoys structure, organization, and a direct plot. However, I appreciated how this book reflects the society it is taking place in - it is largely fractured and all over the place. Finally, I believe this statement from the lecture is a great way to look at the novel: “Deep Rivers resists that process of novelization, as though aware that the novel form itself is a vehicle of colonization.”

My question for those reading this: If Ernesto had settled in one place for an extended period, rather than constantly moving around, how would this have affected his social development? Would he have found community and felt less like an outsider?

My photo for this novel is a photograph of Cuzco, where the story opens: