Symbolism In Pedro Paramo

To What Extent is Pedro Paramo a Criticism of Catholicism Pedro Paramo was written in Mexico in 1955, a time during which Mexico was Catholic. The influence of the Catholicism in Mexico and Juan Rulfo’s disillusionment with the politics of the church can be seen throughout his novel. Pedro Paramo criticises the opportunistic and greedy nature of the church while also validating its claims by portraying a post-apocalyptic wasteland haunted by spirits stuck in purgatory.

Juan Rulfo portrays Comala as an unholy wasteland, tethering at the edge of ruin. The church, run by Father Renteria, is depicted as corrupt, having strayed from the principles in the Bible. The church elites are ruled by their greed and are willing to forsake the integrity …show more content…
Despite Eduviges’s sins being a lighter than Miguel’s the father refuses to pray for her saying that she could only be saved “with Gregorian masses. But for that we would need help, have to bring priests here. And that costs money.” The necessity of money to bring priests to Comala shows that money is required to buy salvation not only in Comala but throughout the world. Father Renteria feels guilty for having forgiven Miguel and admits this to the priest of a neighbouring town. Although this alleviates the completely negative portrayal of the church and the subsequent blaming of these actions onto God it still does not decrease the impact of Father Renteria’s actions, nor does it push Father Renteria to become a different person. Despite his guilt he continues to allow the rich their salvation in return for money while refusing to forgive the poor because they cannot afford it. Although “it [would] have cost him [nothing] to grant pardon” since “it was so easy to say a word or two—or a hundred if a hundred were needed to save a soul?” (73) he still remains stringent with his salvation. His attempt to be virtuous with poor people while he is willing to