The crown of thorns (symbol)
César’s “crown of thorns” is a symbol of his suffering. The boy was delirious, his fever caused terrible visions, and that was one of them. That was the evening when he was supposed to stay alone. Of course, his parents forbade him to open the door to anyone but them. “The doors were locked, the wooden shutters closed…” He was safe. Then his mind started filling with visions. “The flood, the otter, the chocolates, the secret” were out there, “using up all the delirium” his “fever could generate.” The child was suffering from both fever and fears.
Radio (Allegory)
Radio is allegory of “company.” Life without a radio was “inconceivable” for César and his mom. After the disaster “that had befallen” them “immediately” after their move to Rosario, where they had “neither relatives nor friends”, they led a rather lonely life. Not to mention that “the circumstances were not ideal for making new friends,” so César’s mom was “all alone in the world.” Even though César was “everything to her,” that “wasn’t much.” She was “a sociable woman who loved to chat.” Radio saved them from isolation.
Buy cheaply, pay dearly (motif)
“Buy cheaply, pay dearly” is a motif of the story. They said that César was lucky, for he survived – what was more – he “lived to tell the tale.” However, “in the end” he “had to pay a high price.” While his body “writhed in physical pain,” his soul “was subjected to an equivalent torture.” César’s life turned into a series of horrible visions, fear became his companion, and illusions became an irreplaceable part of his life. “The terrible cyanide contamination” didn’t kill him, but it definitely left its impact on the child.
