“Prologue”

From Cartilla de la Moderna. Published by Fondo de Cultura Económica. Accessed through the Biblioteca Virtual Migue de Cervantes. Translated and analyzed by Griffin Brown.

On matters of interest

(which are the most useful matters)

don't think about your father-

Not in your honor, nor your conscience.

The only matter must be

the diligence

of money,  having it,

it being all you earn.

May Mr. Money be your friend,

your blood and your children,

Mrs. Money your wife,

yourwealth, your conscience.

Money, I say, though everything

is for the sake of money, you lose:

Fairly or not, money

comes as it comes.

How do you get the average?

at last, what the media despises,

Well, they are the cause I say

the end that only takes advantage.

Don't look for a job’s

honor, because it’s foolish

that by a fear

of the world you have trouble.

The profit only seeks

the useful, not the boastful,

look at the estimate

It's just a vain idea.

This poem, written in 1950’s Mexico, is likely from an upper class perspective: one hopeful about the prospects of money, not panicking about their lack of it. The optimistic and prosperous undertone reveals that the narrator likely was either upper class themselves, or was just a very optimistic person. The personification of money itself, being described as many positive things show that the narrator has a positive connotation with money.

In 1950’s Mexico, the economy was in a very unusual spot. By advancing largely technologically, Mexico was able to benefit from numerous industrial exports, boosting their economy. This could explain the positive opinion the narrator has on money. But, at the same time, Mexico had a large problem with wealth inequality. The richer people had a disproportionate share of the wealth, leaving many lower class people in poverty. However, this only further enforces the idea of the upper class perspective of the narrator, because the wealthier people were extremely wealthy in this time period.

 Further, the narrator has a relaxed demeanor when discussing the ebbs and flows of money coming into and out of someone’s possession, saying ‘it comes as it comes.’ This reinforces the concept that the narrator has a stable relationship with money, and is reaping the benefits of the growing and evolving economy of the era.

Accessed courtesy of https://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra/satira-anonima-del-siglo-xviii-946260/