Essay Questions

Why is Tyrant Banderas so confident that the commoners will never take his castle?

The author depicts the commoners as the ordinary people who feel that the king, Banderas, is cunning and oppressive. The commoners live in abject poverty while the king lives a luxurious life in his castle that he believes does not belong to a common man. Banderas is so confident that he cannot be overthrown from his castle because he controls the instrument of power and war. For instance, when the commoners raid the castle, they fail miserably because the king has access to weapons such as guns and cannons that ordinary people cannot access.

How does the author explore the issue of medieval governance?

In the colonial era, the author writes this book to enlighten the reader on the system of governance that was practiced in the Spanish colonies. The character Tyrant Banderas is symbolic because he represents how medieval authority operated. During the colonial era, the Central American government put in place dictatorial leadership to spread fear to commoners so that a few individuals could continue enjoying power. For instance, Banderas is very authoritative, and he controls the city with an iron fist. Additionally, the few leaders in management lived luxurious lives at the expense of the poor ordinary people. Therefore, feudal governance was common during the colonial era.

What is the symbolic meaning of the prisoners?

The reader learns of the prisoners when the ordinary people stage a raid on Banderas' castle. The prison is situated near the castle to punish the people who oppose Banderas's harsh rule. The prisoners symbolically represent the harsh realities of tyranny. Anybody who tries to resist the oppressor is arrested and tortured.