Critical Context
Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 124
Since writing Coronación (1957; Coronation, 1965), Esta domingo (1966; This Sunday, 1967), and El obsceno pájaro de la noche (1970; The Obscene Bird of Night, 1973), among other works, José Donoso has been writing about middle-class people and their fruitless existence. He has depicted this social class as decadent, and as a victim of its conventionality, its blind submission to rules, and its absolute acceptance of whatever is in fashion. Sacred Families is no exception: The three novellas revolve around the bourgeoisie and its most negative characteristics. In each case, below the surface action lies the impossibility for the characters to be themselves: Regardless of the fight that some of the characters may put up, they will finally bend to the rules and become part of the society.
See eNotes Ad-Free
Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.
Already a member? Log in here.
