Character Analysis: El Conquistador De Corazones

In the small desert town of Esperarcita, Mexico, the lives of its citizens mimic its name: those of a little hope, those of little hope, and those who continue to wait a little. This novel focuses on community, in particular the relationships among a small group of individuals and their specific challenges of transformation. An old cement park bench, with the inscription “ALBERT JOHNSON,” is a central character, that while serving as a meeting place of friends, through a subtle touch “he” influences these relationships and transformations. Some of the unexpected transformations are complete. Others are not. The town’s banker, Julio Morales, the novel’s antagonist, has lived the majority of his seventy-eight years with the goal of being El Conquistador de Corazones (The Conqueror of Hearts). Through this quest, he has left many battered hearts and spirits in his wake. The writing focuses on certain individuals whose lives have been touched by El Conquistador, and now each attempts to deal with that past. …show more content…
Though ultimately both of those two men married much-loved spouses, each has carried that particular romantic loss since they were young. With the death of his dear friend Emelio, Juan is left with only an empty house, his shop, and his friend, Albert Johnson. While immersed in the loss of Emelio, Juan grapples with the belief that a newly befriended dog is actually the reincarnation of Emelio. Juan’s unexpected death leaves that question unanswered. Eventually the men’s special friendship is rekindled in their following lives as two stray, brown dogs. Both then serve to shepherd the story