An older looking woman and a twelve year old girl who are stricken with poverty board a train. They are the only passengers within the third-class car. They travel far through the plains, plantations, and towns during the mid-morning to afternoon heat. They finally stopped in a town with homes sadder than earlier ones. They dismounted the train with flowers in hand. Together they walk through the quiet town. They visit the Priest’s home. The woman of the home has to wake him for them as this is the time of the day the town rests. From the Priest they request the keys to the Cemetery. He asked whom they would like to visit. The woman informs him they wish to visit the grave of Carlos Centeno’s, who is her son who was named as a thief. It was the previous Monday he was shot and killed by a widow show claims he was trying to break into her home through front door. All she heard was him say in a very low tired voice “Ah, mother.” The priest gave them the keys to the cemetery. He encourages them to wear a cloth on their head to protect them from the heat. Then he asks them to wait a moment. He and the woman of the home notice that everyone has noticed them here. The woman of the house encourages them to take her parasol with them. They refuse and walk into the street while all watch them from their windows.
Plot
Ride on train passing towns and plantations. Introduction to main characters.
Character ~ Woman
Emotionally Strong
She refused to cry or show any sad emotion over the death of her only son.
Determined
She did not give up when she was told the Priest was sleeping and then that he would not be available until three. She was persistent to do what she came to do.
Unafraid
The priest and the woman of the house didn’t seem to want them to go outside as all were peering out their windows at them. Judging them for being the family of the accused thief.
Theme
The theme of this short story is the harm of misinformation. The widow who shot Carlos only heard what she thought was someone trying to break in. Instead of fully investigating she shot him and only came back to find him dead in the morning. The woman says he was a thief. Yet, he did not steal anything, nor was he within the house when she shot him. Second, the last words he uttered were “Ah, mother,” in an exhausted low voice. It seems as though Carlos was lost, perhaps drunk and had the wrong house. That would explain why he was trying to get in the home, when he wasn’t stealing anything, and he called out to his mother. The people within the town believe the widow, and stare with judgement at his surviving family. Even the priest doesn’t wish to have them seen coming out of his home. The word of mouth can cause vicious lies and misunderstandings. The theme of the story is misinformation.
Conflicts
Carlos vs Widow
Widow assumed he was a thief, then shot and killed him
Woman and Girl vs Town
The townspeople seem to have a poor view of them. They do not appear to agree with them leaving flowers at his grave, since they see him as just a no good thief.
Woman vs Self
She has a lot of self control to keep herself composed while people call her son a thief.
Woman vs Priest
The Priest did not want her and the girl to go outside, at least not without some kind of covering.
Character ~ Girl
Obedient
The woman told her not to drink anything, nor cry. She did neither and this surprised the Priest.
Intelligent
While