ny opposition to his role in the family or Tres Maras is quickly appeased by his uncontrollable fits of rage. In the case of Blanca and her encounters with Pedro Tercero, Trueba is prepared to do anything to keep his family in control and protect its outward image to society even if it consists of inflicting bodily harm upon his loved ones. “When he saw his daughter, Esteban Trueba was unable to restrain his evil character and he charged her with his horse, whip in the air, beating her mercilessly, lash upon lash, until the girl fell flat and rigid to the ground.” (199) However, Trueba can’t control Alba as much as the others and he tries to rationalize her actions when she participates in political activities: “she took it into her head to help fugitives get asylum in foreign embassies, something she did without thinking, I'm sure” (418). Trueba can't understand thinking from the heart, until he must rescue Alba from the militants and experience it firsthand. Trueba succeeds in his terms of wealth and power, and “becomes the most successful patron in the region” (62). There are many positive aspects to his success. He improves the standard of living of his tenants, provides food and shelter, “built brick houses for his workers, hired a teacher for the school,” and offers medical care. Objectively and intellectually, these things are wonderful for the tenants, but Trueba denies the tenants their dignity and humanity while he raises their standard of living. He meets the rational and physical needs of the tenants, but disregards their emotional needs, dignity, and equality as fellow human beings. In his need to control, he censors the tenant's education “for fear they would fill their minds with ideas unsuited to their station and condition” (59). In addition, he controls the way they spend their money by introducing a voucher system which “at first functioned as a ...
