passengers for panama

Passengers for Panama

Summary

Tod Moran, the third mate of the Araby, sensed something abnormal as the Araby arrived at Caribbean port of La Guaira. Captain Tom Jarvis appointed Tod to get a receipt from the Venezuela Import Company for the reason that they can not load the goods at the port at that moment. Although Caracas ,the capital of Venezuela, was in turmoil and it would be dangerous to go to Caracas with the South American revolution breaking out there, Tod still took the responsibility of getting a receipt. After Tod got the receipt from Luis Sanchez, the manager of Venezuela Import Company, Luis Sanchez recognized the driver who took Tod was Paul Velasco, the nephew of General Gomez. Paul Velasco was an enemy of the rebels so Tod decided to get rid of Velasco because he did not want to be considered an accomplice of Velasco. On the way to get back to Araby, they were caught in a lot of dangerous situation by the rebels, so Tod firmly ordered Velasco to get out of the car several times, but in wain. Velasco succeeded in convincing Tod that he would not be able to find his way without his help and they were on the same boat to escape. On the way, they were surrounded by the rebles, but they tried to make their escape to play a trick. Unfortunately, Velasco was recognized by one of the rebels but they managed to escape by chance.Tod required Velasco to get out of the car again and again, but Velasco tried his best to stay with him by appealing to his sympathy and compassion for his family, but it was useless because Tod perceived that such kind of man should be punished by people. When Velasco revealed the two secret passengers hidden in the rumble seat who were his wife and son, Tod changed his attitude toward Velasco and decided to help his family escape the city. However,Velasco sacrificed himself for his family when meeting an armed guard. Finally, Tod fulfilled the promise with Velasco to save the lives of the wife and son of a public enemy and take them back to Panama.

Analysis

There are some analysis on the elements of the story. First of all, the setting is as follows. Between ten in the morning and ten that night of the day when revolution took place as a result of the death of the president, General Gomez, at La Guaira , Caracas in Venezuela South America.

Secondly, it included eight conflicts,Tod expected to see intense gun fighting between the soldiers of the old regime and rebels. But what he saw was an atmosphere of holiday celebration. Next, to his surprise, the chauffeur turned out to be an enemy of the people. He decided to get rid of the chauffeur because he didn’t want to be considered an accomplice of Velasco in order to get back to Araby. Tod was trying to get Velasco out of the car while the later insisted in staying with him when a mass of people was marching toward them. Tod had to escape with the driver by making their black car shoot ahead in high gear. Tod ordered Velasco to get out of the car again, but in vain.They were caught in dangerous situation between two crowds and almost had no way to go. But they tried to make their escape by playing a trick, pretending to support the rebels.The disguised driver was recognized by one of the rebels, but they managed to escape by chance. Velasco tried his best to stay with Tod by appealing to Tod’s sympathy and compassion for his family, but it was useless.

Thirdly, the climax comes. The first is that Velasco revealed the two secret passengers hidden in the rumble seat, who won Tod’s sympathy and compassion and changed Tod’s attitude toward the whole thing. The second is that the car was stopped before a lighted grocery store and Velasco was arrested while Tod and the passengers in the rumble seat escaped.

At the story, Tod and Velasco are the main characters around whom the conflicts revolve. Tod experiences great change in his attitude toward the South American. He first thinks he is an outsider, looking down upon the revolution and the South

American culture. Later he gets more and more involved in this revolution and becomes sympathetic with the rebels. He finally gains a new understanding of this historical event. Tod also experiences great change in his attitude toward Velasco. Finally he saved the lives of the wife and son of a public enemy.Velasco has a dual character. On one hand, he is cruel to the people in the country and deserves to be arrested and killed as a tyrant. On the other hand, he is kind and devoted to his family as a husband and father. At the story, Tod is a protagonist who is faced with a series of conflicts in the story while Velasco is the Antagonist who causes the conflicts.

The story is about justice, human nature of sympathy and compassion, which is revealed several time through the dialogues, the justice of overthrowing the regime government; the justice Tod shows in his action to save and protect the weak. The sympathy Tod shows for people in this country; the sympathy Tod shows for Velasco’s; the sympathy and compassion Velasco shows for his wife and child.