The House of the Scorpion

by

Nancy Farmer

Matteo “Matt” Alacrán Character Analysis

Matt is the protagonist of the novel. He is the clone of El Patrón, created for the sole purpose of harvesting his organs in order to extend El Patrón’s life. He enjoys learning all kinds of information, as well as playing and listening to music. As he grows up, he struggles between his impulses toward selfishness and jealousy and his desire to be a kind, moral person. The majority of other characters in the novel, especially Mr. Alacrán and Tom, treat him as less than human because he is a clone, and Matt wishes to become so accomplished he changes their opinions. Matt’s caretakers, Celia and Tam Lin, love and protect Matt throughout his life and encourage him to be a moral person. María, Matt’s childhood friend and love interest, also motivates Matt to be kind to others. Matt has a complicated relationship to his creator, El Patrón, as he loves the old man for the education he gave him and feels a kinship with him due to their genetic connection as clone and original. However, Matt comes to realize El Patrón is a cruel man who created him only for the purpose of organ transplants and who exploits everyone around him for his own gain. Matt asserts his free will over El Patrón’s preplanned destiny for him when he escapes from his home country of Opium. However, Matt returns to Opium at the end of the novel when he realizes he can use his genetic sameness to El Patrón to take over the country and choose to end the injustices of the old man’s empire.

Matteo “Matt” Alacrán Quotes in The House of the Scorpion

The The House of the Scorpion quotes below are all either spoken by Matteo “Matt” Alacrán or refer to Matteo “Matt” Alacrán. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Free Will vs. Predetermination Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

“Don’t fix that one,” said Lisa, hastily catching his arm. “It’s a Matteo Alacrán. They’re always left intact.”

Have I done you a favor? thought Eduardo as he watched the baby turn its head toward the bustling nurses in their starched, white uniforms. Will you thank me for it later?

Related Characters: Lisa (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán, Eduardo
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

“I should have known what he—it—was the minute I saw it. No servant would be allowed to keep a child or live away from the others. Benito told me about the situation, only I thought it was living somewhere else. In a zoo, maybe. Wherever those things are kept.”

Related Characters: Steven Alacrán (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Benito Alacrán
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

Celia said the Virgin loved all kind and gentle things. She wouldn’t approve of throwing a rotten orange in Tom’s face, even if he deserved it. If She looked inside Matt, She would see the bad thoughts about Rosa and the doctor and be sad.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Celia, Tom, Rosa, Willum / The Doctor
Related Symbols: El Virgin
Page Number: 46
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“You can speak now, mi vida,” said Celia, but Matt wasn’t ready to go that far.

Mi vida. I like that,” the old man said with a chuckle. “I like it so much, in fact, it’s what I’ll call him. Can he talk?”

“I think he’s in shock. […] He’s very intelligent, mi patron.

“Of course. He’s my clone.”

Related Characters: Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán (speaker), Celia (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis:

“Matt is to be treated with respect, just as though I were here in his place. He is to be educated, well fed, and entertained. He is not to be mistreated.” El Patrón looked directly at Tom, who flushed red. “Anyone—anyone—who harms Matt will be dealt with severely. Do I make myself clear?”

Related Characters: Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Tom
Page Number: 62-63
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

“I’ll tell you this: El Patrón has his good side and his bad side. […] When he was young, he made a choice, like a tree does when it decides to grow one way or the other. He grew large and green until he shadowed over the whole forest, but most of his branches are twisted.”

Related Characters: Tam Lin (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán
Page Number: 70
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

“The man we saw on the ground probably lagged behind the other workers and didn’t hear the foreman tell them to stop. He might have worked all night, getting thirstier and thirstier—”

“Stop!” shrilled Matt. He covered his ears. This was horrible! He didn’t want to know any more.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Tam Lin (speaker)
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

He threw himself into studying everything that came before him. Matt could name the planets, the brightest stars, and all the constellations. He memorized the names of countries, their capitals and chief exports.

He was in a rage to learn. He would excel, and then everyone would love him and forget he was a clone.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 91
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11 Quotes

The senator didn’t know that María had kissed Matt on several occasions, just as she kissed Furball and anything else that pleased her. Matt knew this was different, though. He was humiliating her. If it had been Tom asking for the kiss, no one would have cared. People would have thought it cute for a boy to flirt with his novia.

Matt wasn’t a boy. He was a beast.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, María Mendoza, Tom, Senator Mendoza
Page Number: 110
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

“It’s a boy,” whispered María.

It was. Only first Matt thought it was some kind of beast, so alien and terrible was its face. It had doughy, unhealthy skin and red hair that struck up in bristles…Worst of all was the terrible energy that rolled through the trapped body. The creature never stopped moving. It was as though invisible snakes were rippling beneath the skin and forcing its arms and legs to move in a ceaseless bid for freedom.

Related Characters: María Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, MacGregor’s Clone
Page Number: 119-20
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

“Are there any others like me?” he asked.

“No. You’re the only one,” Celia said.

The only one! He was unique. He was special. Matt’s heart swelled with pride. If he wasn’t human, he might become something even better.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Celia (speaker)
Page Number: 125
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

For the first time he realized what a terrible thing it was to be an eejit. He hadn’t known any of the others before their operation. They were simply there to do boring jobs. But Rosa had been a real, though cruel and violent, person. Now she was merely a shadow with the life sucked out of her.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Rosa
Page Number: 147
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

“You don’t have a soul, so you can’t be baptized. All animals are like that. I think it’s unfair and sometimes I don’t believe it. After all, what would heaven be without birds or dogs or horses? And what about trees and flowers? They don’t have souls either. Does that mean heaven looks like a parking lot?”

Related Characters: María Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19 Quotes

It couldn’t be! Matt pressed his hands against his temples to keep the idea inside. If he didn’t think it, it wouldn’t be real.

But it slipped through his fingers anyway. MacGregor had created a clone so he could have transplants when he needed them. The thing in the hospital had every reason to howl! And what was the source of El Patrón’s fetal implants?

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán, Mr. MacGregor, MacGregor’s Clone
Page Number: 191
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 22 Quotes

“He’s livestock,” Steven said with a cold smile. “The law is very clear. All clones are classified as livestock because they’re grown inside cows. Cows can’t give birth to humans.”

Related Characters: Steven Alacrán (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 226
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25 Quotes

Equally, he couldn’t return to the mansion. The only way out was the border of Aztlán. You can do it, he imagined Tam Lin saying. I guess I have to, thought Matt, turning to look one last time at the quiet meadow, the white plumes of bear grass, and the black-throated sparrows flitting through the trees.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Tam Lin
Page Number: 255
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

“Boys, boys, boys! Hasn’t anyone told you labor is shared equally among equals? If one person has to walk, everyone has to.”

“You’re not walking,” Matt pointed out.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Carlos (speaker), Fidelito
Page Number: 286
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 30 Quotes

“Some boys have to learn the hard way. They have to be broken and mended and broken again until they learn to do what they’re told. It may be simple, like sweeping a floor, but they do it eagerly to keep from being broken again. And they do it forever, for as long as they live.”

“In other words, you want to turn me into a zombie,” said Matt.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Jorge (speaker)
Page Number: 302
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 34 Quotes

What could he do? Where could he go? He couldn’t stay here until Jorge came back to check up on things. But he couldn’t leave Chacho behind, either. He limped back to the basin and sat on the edge. He talked and talked, sometimes exhorting Chacho to come toward his voice, sometimes only rambling on about his childhood.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Jorge, Chacho
Page Number: 335
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 35 Quotes

“How can anyone celebrate death?”

“Because it’s part of us,” Consuela said softly.

Mi abuelita said I mustn’t be afraid of skeletons I carry my own around inside,” said Fidelito. “She told me to feel my ribs and make friends with them.”

“Your grandmother was very wise,” said Consuela.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Fidelito (speaker), Consuela (speaker)
Page Number: 351
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 37 Quotes

“You can’t have two versions of the same person at the same time,” Esperanza went on. “One of them—the copy—has to be declared an unperson. But when the original dies, the copy takes his place.”

Related Characters: Esperanza Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 367
Explanation and Analysis:

“Matt’s human?”

“He always was,” her mother replied. “The law is a wicked fiction to make it possible to use clones for transplants. But bad law or not, we’re going to use t now. If you survive the landing, Matt, I’ll do everything in my power to make you the new reigning drug lord. […] Only you must promise me that once you’re in control, you’ll destroy the opium empire.”

Related Characters: María Mendoza (speaker), Esperanza Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 367
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 38 Quotes

Tomorrow he would begin the task of breaking down the empire of Opium. It was a huge and terrifying job, but he wasn’t alone. He had Chacho, Fidelito, and Ton-Ton to cheer him on. He had Celia and Daft Donald to advise him and María to be everyone’s conscience.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, María Mendoza, Celia, Daft Donald, Fidelito, Chacho, Ton-Ton
Page Number: 380
Explanation and Analysis:
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Matteo “Matt” Alacrán Quotes in The House of the Scorpion

The The House of the Scorpion quotes below are all either spoken by Matteo “Matt” Alacrán or refer to Matteo “Matt” Alacrán. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Free Will vs. Predetermination Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

“Don’t fix that one,” said Lisa, hastily catching his arm. “It’s a Matteo Alacrán. They’re always left intact.”

Have I done you a favor? thought Eduardo as he watched the baby turn its head toward the bustling nurses in their starched, white uniforms. Will you thank me for it later?

Related Characters: Lisa (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán, Eduardo
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes

“I should have known what he—it—was the minute I saw it. No servant would be allowed to keep a child or live away from the others. Benito told me about the situation, only I thought it was living somewhere else. In a zoo, maybe. Wherever those things are kept.”

Related Characters: Steven Alacrán (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Benito Alacrán
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

Celia said the Virgin loved all kind and gentle things. She wouldn’t approve of throwing a rotten orange in Tom’s face, even if he deserved it. If She looked inside Matt, She would see the bad thoughts about Rosa and the doctor and be sad.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Celia, Tom, Rosa, Willum / The Doctor
Related Symbols: El Virgin
Page Number: 46
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“You can speak now, mi vida,” said Celia, but Matt wasn’t ready to go that far.

Mi vida. I like that,” the old man said with a chuckle. “I like it so much, in fact, it’s what I’ll call him. Can he talk?”

“I think he’s in shock. […] He’s very intelligent, mi patron.

“Of course. He’s my clone.”

Related Characters: Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán (speaker), Celia (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 57
Explanation and Analysis:

“Matt is to be treated with respect, just as though I were here in his place. He is to be educated, well fed, and entertained. He is not to be mistreated.” El Patrón looked directly at Tom, who flushed red. “Anyone—anyone—who harms Matt will be dealt with severely. Do I make myself clear?”

Related Characters: Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Tom
Page Number: 62-63
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

“I’ll tell you this: El Patrón has his good side and his bad side. […] When he was young, he made a choice, like a tree does when it decides to grow one way or the other. He grew large and green until he shadowed over the whole forest, but most of his branches are twisted.”

Related Characters: Tam Lin (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán
Page Number: 70
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8 Quotes

“The man we saw on the ground probably lagged behind the other workers and didn’t hear the foreman tell them to stop. He might have worked all night, getting thirstier and thirstier—”

“Stop!” shrilled Matt. He covered his ears. This was horrible! He didn’t want to know any more.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Tam Lin (speaker)
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

He threw himself into studying everything that came before him. Matt could name the planets, the brightest stars, and all the constellations. He memorized the names of countries, their capitals and chief exports.

He was in a rage to learn. He would excel, and then everyone would love him and forget he was a clone.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 91
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11 Quotes

The senator didn’t know that María had kissed Matt on several occasions, just as she kissed Furball and anything else that pleased her. Matt knew this was different, though. He was humiliating her. If it had been Tom asking for the kiss, no one would have cared. People would have thought it cute for a boy to flirt with his novia.

Matt wasn’t a boy. He was a beast.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, María Mendoza, Tom, Senator Mendoza
Page Number: 110
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

“It’s a boy,” whispered María.

It was. Only first Matt thought it was some kind of beast, so alien and terrible was its face. It had doughy, unhealthy skin and red hair that struck up in bristles…Worst of all was the terrible energy that rolled through the trapped body. The creature never stopped moving. It was as though invisible snakes were rippling beneath the skin and forcing its arms and legs to move in a ceaseless bid for freedom.

Related Characters: María Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, MacGregor’s Clone
Page Number: 119-20
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

“Are there any others like me?” he asked.

“No. You’re the only one,” Celia said.

The only one! He was unique. He was special. Matt’s heart swelled with pride. If he wasn’t human, he might become something even better.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Celia (speaker)
Page Number: 125
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

For the first time he realized what a terrible thing it was to be an eejit. He hadn’t known any of the others before their operation. They were simply there to do boring jobs. But Rosa had been a real, though cruel and violent, person. Now she was merely a shadow with the life sucked out of her.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Rosa
Page Number: 147
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

“You don’t have a soul, so you can’t be baptized. All animals are like that. I think it’s unfair and sometimes I don’t believe it. After all, what would heaven be without birds or dogs or horses? And what about trees and flowers? They don’t have souls either. Does that mean heaven looks like a parking lot?”

Related Characters: María Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 19 Quotes

It couldn’t be! Matt pressed his hands against his temples to keep the idea inside. If he didn’t think it, it wouldn’t be real.

But it slipped through his fingers anyway. MacGregor had created a clone so he could have transplants when he needed them. The thing in the hospital had every reason to howl! And what was the source of El Patrón’s fetal implants?

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán, Mr. MacGregor, MacGregor’s Clone
Page Number: 191
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 22 Quotes

“He’s livestock,” Steven said with a cold smile. “The law is very clear. All clones are classified as livestock because they’re grown inside cows. Cows can’t give birth to humans.”

Related Characters: Steven Alacrán (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 226
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25 Quotes

Equally, he couldn’t return to the mansion. The only way out was the border of Aztlán. You can do it, he imagined Tam Lin saying. I guess I have to, thought Matt, turning to look one last time at the quiet meadow, the white plumes of bear grass, and the black-throated sparrows flitting through the trees.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Tam Lin
Page Number: 255
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

“Boys, boys, boys! Hasn’t anyone told you labor is shared equally among equals? If one person has to walk, everyone has to.”

“You’re not walking,” Matt pointed out.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Carlos (speaker), Fidelito
Page Number: 286
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 30 Quotes

“Some boys have to learn the hard way. They have to be broken and mended and broken again until they learn to do what they’re told. It may be simple, like sweeping a floor, but they do it eagerly to keep from being broken again. And they do it forever, for as long as they live.”

“In other words, you want to turn me into a zombie,” said Matt.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Jorge (speaker)
Page Number: 302
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 34 Quotes

What could he do? Where could he go? He couldn’t stay here until Jorge came back to check up on things. But he couldn’t leave Chacho behind, either. He limped back to the basin and sat on the edge. He talked and talked, sometimes exhorting Chacho to come toward his voice, sometimes only rambling on about his childhood.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, Jorge, Chacho
Page Number: 335
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 35 Quotes

“How can anyone celebrate death?”

“Because it’s part of us,” Consuela said softly.

Mi abuelita said I mustn’t be afraid of skeletons I carry my own around inside,” said Fidelito. “She told me to feel my ribs and make friends with them.”

“Your grandmother was very wise,” said Consuela.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán (speaker), Fidelito (speaker), Consuela (speaker)
Page Number: 351
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 37 Quotes

“You can’t have two versions of the same person at the same time,” Esperanza went on. “One of them—the copy—has to be declared an unperson. But when the original dies, the copy takes his place.”

Related Characters: Esperanza Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 367
Explanation and Analysis:

“Matt’s human?”

“He always was,” her mother replied. “The law is a wicked fiction to make it possible to use clones for transplants. But bad law or not, we’re going to use t now. If you survive the landing, Matt, I’ll do everything in my power to make you the new reigning drug lord. […] Only you must promise me that once you’re in control, you’ll destroy the opium empire.”

Related Characters: María Mendoza (speaker), Esperanza Mendoza (speaker), Matteo “Matt” Alacrán
Page Number: 367
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 38 Quotes

Tomorrow he would begin the task of breaking down the empire of Opium. It was a huge and terrifying job, but he wasn’t alone. He had Chacho, Fidelito, and Ton-Ton to cheer him on. He had Celia and Daft Donald to advise him and María to be everyone’s conscience.

Related Characters: Matteo “Matt” Alacrán, María Mendoza, Celia, Daft Donald, Fidelito, Chacho, Ton-Ton
Page Number: 380
Explanation and Analysis: