Characters
Conchita
Refer to Concha Díaz.
Concha Díaz
Concha Díaz is a young woman who arrives in town, claiming that her unborn child is Vargas's. Despite Halabí's offer to let her stay with him until the baby is born, she insists on living with Vargas. This decision initially turns Vargas's wife, Antonia, against her. During the early days of her stay, Concha avoids Antonia, who refuses to cook for her unfaithful husband. Consequently, Concha prepares meals for Vargas, but only after Antonia leaves for work. Concha's loneliness leads her to cry frequently, which drives Vargas away from the house. When complications arise in Concha’s pregnancy, Antonia and Halabí take compassion on her and transport her to the hospital for treatment.
Concha is distressed by the physical changes her body undergoes during pregnancy. On some days, her condition is so severe that she cannot get out of bed, while on others, she feels well enough to cook and clean. Antonia’s initial pity evolves into protectiveness, as she recalls her own pregnancies and begins to treat Concha like a daughter. Shortly after Concha delivers the baby via cesarean section, Vargas attempts to have relations with her, despite her not having healed from the surgery. Both Antonia and Concha confront Vargas, and their fierce resistance frightens him away. From that moment, Concha transforms into a new person, caring for the children and managing the household while Antonia works. Eventually, due to financial necessity, Concha also begins to work.
When Vargas returns home after a gambling match with the Lieutenant, claiming his gold is gone, neither Concha nor Antonia show any distress. Following Vargas’s murder, the two women take on the responsibility of providing for the children and start a home-based cooking business, likely using Vargas’s hidden gold as capital.
Riad Vargas Díaz
Riad Vargas Díaz is the baby born to Concha Díaz and Tomás Vargas. The baby is the reason Concha comes to Agua Santa and requests to live with Vargas. The child is named after Riad Halabí, the local shopkeeper, who covers the hospital expenses for the birth when Vargas refuses to pay.
Riad Halabí
Riad Halabí, often called "the Turk" by Vargas, is the sole person Vargas respects. Consequently, Halabí is the only one capable of reprimanding Vargas when he is intoxicated or aggressive. As the owner of the town's store, Halabí is among the few who show compassion towards Vargas's estranged family. Together with the schoolteacher Inés, Halabí finds ways to provide Antonia Sierra and her children with clothes, food, school supplies, and vitamins. His store is a frequent stop for the National Petroleum trucks, making Halabí the first to hear Concha’s story and summon Vargas to take responsibility for Concha’s child. Halabí is a generous individual who offers Concha a place to stay, although she eventually resides with Vargas. This act by Concha causes Antonia to lose her composure, prompting fears among the townspeople that she might harm Concha in her anger. As a result, Halabí, along with Inés, is asked by the townspeople to step in at the Vargas household when they suspect Antonia might attack Concha.
Halabí also transports Antonia and Concha to the hospital when complications arise during Concha's pregnancy, requiring medical attention. He covers the hospital expenses for the cesarean section, as Vargas refuses to do so. Out of gratitude, Concha names her baby Riad, in honor of the storekeeper. Known for his integrity, Halabí is chosen to act as the judge during the gambling match between Vargas and the Lieutenant, ultimately declaring the Lieutenant the victor. He offers support to Vargas when the elderly man...
(This entire section contains 1526 words.)
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is so devastated by his defeat that he cannot stand. Furthermore, Halabí steps in when Vargas claims the gold is missing, and the Lieutenant begins to assault him. After Vargas's death, and as the two women start their cooking business, they trust Halabí with any extra funds they have, instructing him to distribute the money to the truck drivers.
Inés
Inés, the town's dedicated schoolteacher, provides free education to Antonia Sierra’s children because Vargas refuses to pay for their schooling. Her mission is to ensure that no child in the town remains illiterate. Alongside Riad Halabí, Inés is approached by the townspeople to intervene in the Vargas household when there are concerns that Antonia might harm Concha. Additionally, Inés takes care of Antonia’s children for a week while Antonia attends to Concha after the birth of her baby.
The Lieutenant
The Lieutenant is an arrogant and aggressive individual who dares Vargas to a pivotal card game where Vargas loses his gold. However, when the Lieutenant trails Vargas to retrieve the gold, it is missing. The Lieutenant swears he will get his money back, and shortly after, Vargas is discovered murdered, likely by the Lieutenant. The townsfolk detest the Lieutenant almost as much as they do Vargas because he beats up anyone who ends up in his jail and assumes the power to create his own laws.
The Schoolteacher
See Inés
Antonia Sierra
Antonia Sierra is the wife of Tomás Vargas. She ultimately stands up to her husband's abusive behavior, which drives him to his ill-fated gambling match. Antonia, once a beautiful mulatto woman, has lost her beauty due to numerous births, miscarriages, housekeeping, and her husband's abuse. Despite this, she remains very proud and never speaks out about Vargas's mistreatment or willingly accepts charity. Her pride crumbles when she returns home from work to find Concha—her husband's pregnant mistress—sleeping in her bed.
Initially, Antonia is so enraged that everyone expects her to kill Concha. However, she eventually feels sympathy for the girl when her pregnancy takes a turn for the worse, reminding Antonia of her own first pregnancy. Antonia arranges for Concha to be taken to the hospital for treatment and shows a motherly protectiveness when Vargas attempts to sleep with Concha while she is still recovering from a C-section. At this point, both Antonia and Concha confront Vargas, frightening him with their fierce defiance.
After this, Vargas keeps his distance from the two women, who form a friendship and partnership. While Antonia works, Concha manages the household and cares for the children. Although their financial situation becomes so dire that Concha eventually has to work as well, it is only temporary. Once Vargas is murdered because he can't pay his gambling debts due to the stolen gold, Antonia and Concha come into a significant sum of money, presumably from Vargas's missing gold. The two women start providing for the children and even launch a home-based cooking business.
The Truck Driver
The National Petroleum truck driver takes pity on Concha, offering her a ride to Agua Santa after seeing her walking along the road, clearly pregnant. Typically, National Petroleum truck drivers stop in Agua Santa to gamble but, unlike the city's usual practice, they never reveal their money beforehand. Nevertheless, they adhere to the city's unspoken ethical code that dictates one should not play if they cannot pay.
The Turk
See Riad Halabí
Tomás Vargas
Tomás Vargas is a notorious miser known for his hidden stash of gold nuggets, which he loses in a card game. Unbeknownst to him, someone steals his gold, leaving him unable to settle his gambling debt, leading to his murder. Vargas distrusts the new banking system and paper currency, which have led to the downfall of others' wealth, so he buries his gold. Despite his material wealth, he is morally corrupt, infamous in town as a philandering, abusive husband who forces his wife to work while his children suffer without food or clothing, all while he indulges in life's luxuries. The only person who can confront Vargas about his conduct is Riad Halabí, the local shopkeeper. Vargas's life takes a turn when Concha, a young woman he has been involved with, arrives in town demanding that he take responsibility for her. Outraged by this egregious act, Vargas's wife, Antonia, finally speaks out.
Although Antonia eventually takes on the responsibility of caring for Concha, Vargas refuses to do the same for their child. When asked to cover hospital expenses, he feigns intoxication to avoid accessing his hidden gold. Even before Concha has recovered from her cesarean section, Vargas attempts to sleep with her, prompting Antonia to defend the girl and thwart Vargas's intentions. Concha also threatens Vargas, warning that she will harm their newborn if he approaches her. Alarmed by this threat, Vargas turns to gambling to reclaim his macho image.
Vargas becomes obsessed with gambling after an initial winning streak, placing increasingly large and boastful wagers. After winning two hundred pesos from the Lieutenant, he boasts about his victory for days. The Lieutenant challenges him to another game that weekend, with a stake of one thousand pesos. Vargas loses and is compelled to unearth his hidden gold to settle his debt. However, upon reaching the hiding spot, he discovers that his gold has been stolen. The Lieutenant shows no pity, and Vargas is soon found murdered, with no one to grieve his death.
