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Book 1: A Bell and a Miracle
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Death Comes for the Archbishop, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Spirituality vs. the Material World
Friendship and Compromise
Humanity’s Relationship with Nature
Colonialism, Industry, and Loss
Memory, Death, and Afterlives
Summary
Analysis
A few months later, Vaillant is on the way back from Albuquerque. He plans to stop along the way at the home of Manuel Lujon, a friendly, rich Mexican man who wants to have his children baptized and his servants married. He also wants to stop at Santo Domingo, an indigenous village where Vaillant is starting to rally a sizable congregation. Unfortunately, Vaillant’s horse is about to give out.
As Latour’s vicar, Vaillant’s job is to travel around and bring even the most far-flung Catholics into the church. Once again, sacraments (particularly baptism and marriage) prove to be a crucial way in which the priesthood maintains contact with the people.
Themes
As Vaillant approaches Lujon’s home, he is struck with admiration for the house’s grandeur. Lujon hopes to feed Vaillant and drink with him, but Vaillant wants to hurry up with the baptisms and marriages; to Lujon’s surprise, Vaillant orders him to call the men in from the fields. While Vaillant sets up for the marriages, Lujon’s servants whisper about how ugly Vaillant is, though they see this as a sign of his holiness. Vaillant performs the marriages and wonders when dinner will be served.
Every moment of this passage marks Vaillant’s struggle to balance material cares—for the grandeur of the house and the deliciousness of the food—with his spiritual responsibilities. But rather than assuring Lujon of his faith, Vaillant’s hasty approach to the marriages unnerves the wealthy rancher; only when Vaillant relaxes into his own, more everyday persona does he really bond with Lujon.
Themes
Lujon explains that the cooks are working on cooking the mutton—but Vaillant, sick of stewed mutton, asks to roast his portion of the meat. While Vaillant eats, he splits a bottle of wine with Lujon and talks about reform; Vaillant wants to make it clear that no priest should profit from his job. Lujon thinks this will be difficult, as priests like Father Gallegos in Albuquerque value wealth above all. Though Vaillant claims not to believe in priests who play cards, he cannot help but indulge in game of dominoes. The next day, Lujon shows Vaillant his two white mules, Contento and Angelica. Lujon explains that the mules are smart, and that they love each other’s company.
On the one hand, Vaillant really does believe in reforming the church, ensuring that all priests serve their communities before they serve themselves. And on the other hand, Vaillant can’t help but care about the domino games, about the quality of the wine and about the way his meat is cooked, suggesting that he is less distanced from material cares than he would like to think.
Themes
Upon seeing these mules, Vaillant immediately jumps up on Contento’s back. Vaillant praises the creature, saying how much easier it is for a short man like him to ride on a mule than on a horse. After some consideration, Lujon offers the mule to Vaillant, as a thank-you for all the work he has done. The two men embrace, and Vaillant rejoices.
Throughout the novel, Vaillant is constantly trying to get things out of people, whether that means money or food or two brand new mules. This important exchange with Lujon shows just why Vaillant succeeds at this kind of exchange: his enthusiasm and straightforwardness make his asks feel charming instead of exploitative.
Themes
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The next morning, however, Vaillant has decided he cannot accept the gift, much to Lujon’s dismay. Vaillant asserts that he cannot separate the two mules, musing that if he were rich like Lujon, he would give both mules away. Lujon explains that there is nothing he prizes like these mules, but he reluctantly agrees to give both animals to Vaillant. As Vaillant rides away, Lujon reflects that the priest “had forced his hand, but he was rather glad of it.”
Lujon’s cheerfulness at giving up his beloved mules again speaks to Vaillant’s power as a communicator and fundraiser. Crucially, Vaillant’s unwillingness to separate Contento and Angelica—whose bond comes to symbolize the vicar’s bond with Bishop Latour—foreshadows the pain Vaillant will feel later when it comes time to leave his old friend.
Themes
