Periquillo encounters lawyers, doctors, and priests who are incompetent, greedy, or morally bankrupt.
A notable contradiction lies in the author’s own position. A criollo who supported Mexican independence (the novel was published during the final years of the War of Independence), Fernández de Lizardi was nonetheless wary of radical change. He believed in gradual reform, not revolution. Thus, while the novel criticizes specific abuses, it ultimately endorses a conservative social order: the poor should accept their station and work hard; the rich should be just and charitable. This ambiguity reflects the complex political landscape of early 19th-century Mexico. periquillo sarniento
The Itching Parrot: Analysis of Major Characters | Literature and Writing Periquillo encounters lawyers, doctors, and priests who are
The novel tells the story of Periquillo Sarniento, a young man from a wealthy family who narrates his life experiences, focusing on his mistakes, adventures, and misfortunes. Through his story, the author critiques the social issues of his time, such as corruption, hypocrisy, and the abuse of power. He believed in gradual reform, not revolution
The son of a poor but respectable family in Mexico City, Periquillo refuses to follow an honest trade. Instead, he bounces from one master and profession to another: he is a student, a sacristan, a pharmacist’s apprentice, a beggar, a thief, a bullfighter, a doctor’s assistant, and even a leader of a gang of thieves. He travels through the viceroyalty of New Spain, from the capital to the countryside, experiencing all levels of society. Each episode serves as a vehicle for Fernández de Lizardi to expose a specific social vice—the laziness of the privileged, the corruption of public officials, the greed of the clergy, the incompetence of quack doctors, and the brutality of the justice system. Periquillo’s journey is circular: after suffering imprisonment, betrayal, and near-death experiences, he finally returns to Mexico City, marries, and becomes an honest man—but only after learning the hard way.
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El Periquillo Sarniento: The Picaresque Foundation of Mexican Literature