Gabriel Marquez's In Evil Hour
© 1992, 2003 by Daniel Ust All Rights Reserved.
In Evil Hour is a product of the politically charged Latin American literary scene. The theme of this brief novel is that communities are built on trust. As you might guess from the title, this is not an upbeat revelation. Instead we see an already factionalized society disintegrate. The mistrust and corruption are sadly not as shocking as they should be.
Despite the fact that Marquez keeps his general idea in full view throughout, he does not have much else to say. While the book centers on a small town going to pieces, we catch no glimpse of what it was before and only obscure clues of the ultimate forces at work there. Perhaps this was because he was writing to an audience that could "read between the lines" or because he didn't want to antagonize the government of his native Columbia. I can't tell, but this is definitely a serious fault.
While he shows the break up from many perspectives, there is little attempt at any strong characterization. It's too short and kaleidescopic to allow such development. The Mayor and the Preist are the only memorable figures in the book. If he had added some pages or concentrated more on these two something much more could have been.
How might this tale apply to us? Often people do try to learn from the problems facing others. On a local and national scale we can see the lack of confidence in our own society. Unlike Marquez, we should try to find out what's behind this. What are the underlying causes of it? It appears that we are under strain from two different inimical ideals. On one hand, we have a strong undercurrent of individualism however inconsistent. On the other, there's the onslaught of collectivism which has been part of our nation from the beginning but is now much stronger and has the upper hand in most contests. Witness the Supreme Court's Hardwick decision of a few years back and the push for a national healthcare system. These are just two recent examples. I'll leave to the reader to find others.
The diagnosis stands. In the long run one of these two principles must win out. Another thing that's is important is which of the two must win. Which is the one that should rule? Also, are both equally valid? Are they both able to be implemented? Or is only one practicable? I think individualism is the one that should win and the one that is most compatible with our nature. I think its opposite, collectivism, can only result in the kind of pathetic "Peoples' Republics" once so common before the collapse of communism and the small town Marquez portray's in this novel.
Overall, I do recommend In Evil Hour, as a study in decay. As a work of art, though, it leaves much to be desired. It especially lacks anything that soars to new heights. We need much more soaring and much less decaying especially in this nearly heroless age.
Design
I have started to design the cover for 'In Evil hour'. I have kept to the same layout as '100 years of solitude' (a line of imagery down the right hand side).
I wanted the design to reflect the deaths in the novel and the central religions community, whos suspicions, shameful secrets and gossip cause bad things to happen.
I thought it would be good to include a bird as a focal point, as I have included one in 'one hundred years of solitude'. A crow or raven is a clear symbol of death and a dark plot.
I really like this colour pallet, very striking and works well with the imagery to convey the tone of the plot.
