The Gospel According to Mark Analysis by Borges Review

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Analysis
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

The short story “The Gospel According to Mark,” written by Borges in 1971, references Biblical verses in its name. The narrative outlines the journey of a young, highly educated to the point of arrogance man named Baltasar Espinosa. The author utilizes a range of literary devices to create a seemingly surprising ending. However, throughout the narrative, there have been several signs that Espinosa may have picked up on if he had been more attentive. The author alludes to and criticizes thoughtless religious preaching in the ‘unreached’ nations through biblical references.

Analysis

A Non-Surprising Surprise Ending

As the narrative progresses, the hints toward the ending become increasingly more self-evident. The audience could obtain key signs hinting at the end from the behavior of the Gutres family. Although initially their actions may be interpreted as ordinary events, slowly, they amount to a telling story. For instance, Gutres obeyed Espinosa’s orders in the absence of the farm owner and followed him around “as if lost without him” (Borges 3). One of the telling signs was the family “secretly stealing the crumbs he had dropped on the table,” which refers to sharing Christ’s flesh and blood (Borges 3). By portraying the family as obsessed with the protagonist, the author hints at the possibility of a cult-like following forming around him.

The description the protagonist gives to the family may be another allusion to future events. Espinosa discovers through the archive readings that Gutres are prone to “the rigid fanaticism of the Calvinist and the superstitions of the pampa Indian” (Borges 3). As he began reading the gospel, the family was fully absorbed, making Espinosa think that the religious affiliation is “still there in their blood” (Borges 3). Thus, he may have predicted, at least to some extent, the effect his readings would have on the naïve farmers.

Throughout the narrative, the author utilizes the strategy of foreshadowing the events that will occur on the last day. The night before the crucifixion, Espinosa hears the hammer blows and is told that the toolshed beams need repair (Borges 3). When the father asks Espinosa “if Christ had let Himself be killed to save all other men on earth,” the latter answers positively and mentions that Jesus had done that to “save everyone from Hell” (Borges 4). The author uses this dialogue to show that the family’s ideas regarding Espinosa’s role in their life are now solidified.

Gutres’ Thoughts: Real versus Perceived

Throughout the plot, the protagonist remains blissfully ignorant of the impact his gospel readings have had on the family. While he carelessly attributes the wonder at the words of Mark’s gospel to a child-like fixation on the enjoyable read, the minds of Gutres are preoccupied with the built-up religious awe (Borges 3). Likewise, when Espinosa thinks that the family talks about him “respectfully,” in reality, they are focused on fitting him into the newly learned worldview (Borges 3). The fanaticism and superstition the family is prone to are starting to take hold of them.

In the dialogue about Christ’s sacrifice, the following lines reveal the true nature of the father’s thoughts and showcase the tragically wrong interpretation given by the protagonist.

“Gutre then asked, “What’s Hell?”
“A place under the ground where souls burn and burn.”
“And the Roman soldiers who hammered in the nails – were they saved, too?”
“Yes,” said Espinosa, whose theology was rather dim.”

In this exchange, the protagonist’s thoughts are dominated by worries regarding the past night he spent with Gutre’s daughter, so he is not paying attention to the ominous nature of the question. In the meantime, the father is contemplating whether it would be possible for the family to save themselves through the making of a martyr.

A similar disconnect in conversations occurs when the head of the family and the protagonists talk later in the day. As Espinosa says, “it won’t be long now,” thinking of the receding waters of the flood, the father repeats the same sentence. However, the father’s words take on a different meaning since moments later in the narrative, Espinosa is first asked for the final blessing and then pushed toward the cross (Borges 4). Both the protagonist and the audience finally understand what was happening in the Gutres family’s heads.

Underlying Message

The deeper issue that the author raises is the underlying idea of misinterpretation, albeit unintentional, of the words of the Bible by translators, interpreters, or missionaries. The title of the story explicitly alludes to the religious connection. Borges presents an allusion-heavy statement on the wrongful influence preaching or incorrect translations may have on the religiously ‘naïve’ groups (Wyke 49). An example of a similar situation may thus be the Christian missionaries interacting with the indigenous peoples worldwide. Another, more literal example is the translators of the Bible who misread the key messages.

Throughout the narrative, the author deliberately creates various facets of Espinosa’s character, appearance, and behavior to elicit those of Jesus Christ in Mark’s gospel. For instance, the impression of Espinosa gradually reminds the readers about Jesus: a couple of days after the flood, the audience learns that he has grown a beard (Borges 2). Moreover, Espinosa’s character is reminiscent of some Christian qualities, such as his “an almost unlimited kindness and a capacity for public speaking” (1). The actions of the protagonist nearly exactly repeat those of Christ in the gospel, such as “teaching (Mark 1:21, 22, 27), preaching (Mark 1:38, 39), and healing (Mark 1:29–31, 34, 40–45)” (“Mark: The Gospel According to Mark”). Espinosa has taught, preached, and treated the lamb injured from a barbed wire (Borges 3). These events, coupled with the fact that the protagonist translates the gospel text ‘on the go’ and answers the questions incorrectly, lead to him being seen as a Jesus figure.

The narrative itself is structured almost entirely after the gospel. In the gospel, the audience sees four fishermen, the first disciples, follow Jesus around, much like the family follows the protagonist (“Mark: The Gospel According to Mark”). In Mark (2:2; 3:7; 4:1), Jesus is depicted as universally adored by the Galilee people (“Mark: The Gospel According to Mark”). Likewise, the protagonist is popular with the family. In the final moments before learning that he is being crucified, the protagonist is asked for a blessing, then mocked, spat on, and shoved (Borges 4). Finally, Espinosa sees the roofless shed and the beams pulled down “to make the cross” (Borges 4). All these elements are intentionally reminiscent of the journey that Jesus undertakes, with the family dutifully performing their role as Roman soldiers due to their wrongful understanding that this is their path to salvation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the author raises a broader issue of the impact a wrongful interpretation of the gospel and mission may have on the naïve populations. Borges utilizes a variety of allusions to Bible to establish the religious connection and presents the ironic ending with the protagonist’s crucifixion to present the consequences of unwillingly creating a false idol. Lastly, the foreshadowing is used to show the growing obsession of the family with the person whose initial role was to merely translate the biblical verses.

Works Cited

Borges, Jorge Luis. “The Gospel According to Mark.”The New Yorker, translated by Norrnan Thomas di Giovanni, 1971, pp. 1–4, Web.

“Mark: The Gospel According to Mark.”United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Web.

Wyke, Ben Van. “The Gospel According to Borges: The Spiny Authorial Roles of Bible Interpreters and Translators.”Translation and Interpreting Studies. The Journal of the American Translation and Interpreting Studies Association, vol. 12, no. 1, 2017, pp. 49–70. www.jbe-platform.com, Web.

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