English Literature

Balboa – Short Story by Sabina Murray

BALBOA:
 “Balboa” is a short story taken from a book called “Tales of the New World” written
by Sabina Murray.

 Genre: realistic fiction or magic realism.

 Realistic fiction or magic realism: a fictional imaginative story with realistic elements.

 Theme: the idea or lesson that the author wants to the reader to know.
o The theme is not stated directly.

 “Balboa” expresses a number of themes related to reality and perception, the nature of
power, and what civilization means.

 Plot: is a series of events that make up a story.

 Plot line structure: exposition, rising action, climax,

falling action, and resolution (opened, happy, tragic).

 Elements of a short story:

1. Literary elements such as character and plot that develop the theme.
2. Narrative techniques such as flashback, flash forward and foreshadowing to
build interest and suspense.
3. More than one theme that develop and build on each other.

 Narrative techniques:
1. Flashback: scene that describes past events that can add important information
to help understand a character and their motives, or the causes of events.
2. Flash Forward: scene that describes future events (will happen later in the story)
that may change readers’ outlook on events and characters and affect the mood.
3. Foreshadowing: hint or clues about upcoming events to attract the reader’s
attention and create suspense.
4. Mediares: the author mentioning a conflict or an important event at the
beginning of the story to create suspense and to engage the readers.

 What did Balboa discover? The Pacific Ocean.

 To what extent is “Balboa” a realistic fiction story?

It is real, it happened in reality, however ... is fiction and that also... is fiction

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 Example:
Flashback Time Frame Plot Flash Forward

1990 2000 2022

Past simple Present Future simple

Past perfect Past simple Present

 Characterization: the process or way in which authors reveal the personality of their
characters.

 Direct Characterization: by using words (adjectives) or phrases and statements.

 Indirect Characterization: (STEAL):

o Speech (dialogue which is indicated through quotation marks).
o Thoughts (includes: plans, concerns, dreams or emotions).
o Effect on others (the interaction of the character with other characters).
o Actions.
o Looks (appearance).

 Exposition (Characters and Setting):

o Setting: Sep 25th, 1513.
o Characters: Balboa (main character), Spaniards and the Indians.

 Inference: making a guess using prior knowledge as well as clues in the text.

 Why didn’t the author mention the events of the story chronologically?
1. Create suspense.
2. Avoid boredom.
3. Engage the readers.

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P. Num. Quotation from the Text
“If they are the Israelites and
Balboa alone is off to speak
1 with God”
All of the first two
2 paragraphs.
“Balboa ascends slowly...
2 doesn’t trust his
countrymen... doesn’t trust
Indians”
“He would like to think of
4 himself as a lion, but no, he
is more of a rat”
4 “He does not remember
what it is to be civilized, or
if he ever was.”
“Colon, Isabel I, Vespucci,
4 Pizarro, his name will live,
Balboa”
4 “Balboa! Balboa the
Valiant. Balboa the
Analysis
Allusion to the Bible when Prophet Moses
spoke with God on the mountains and
received the ten commandments
Mediares
(The author starts the story with a conflict)
Traits of Balboa:
1. Brave
2. Cautious
3. Selfish (arrogant)
4. Distrustful
5. Leader
Irony:
Balboa views himself as a lion that he is
valiant, a leader and fearless (expectation)
While he in fact is a rat because he is
vulnerable, coward and fearful (reality).
Purpose of this Irony:
To criticize Balboa’s manipulative character,
and to create sarcasm as the author doesn’t
seem to admire him nor his personality.
EG: The author doubts Balboa’s civilization
and criticizes him that he is uncivilized,
savage and wild (creating suspense).
Allusion to history (famous explorers)
Repetition and parallelism used for emphasis.
This also creates sarcasm as the author shows
how arrogant and obsessed Balboa is.
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 Fearsome. Balboa the
Brave” The “is” are omitted to show Balboa’s
imperfection.

“Balboa the gambling pig EG: Balboa wasn’t in South America

5 farmer, who, in an effort to exploring but rather for escaping his debt and
escape his debt” creditors in Spain.

Flashback to Balboa’s life in Spain and some

6 All of paragraph six background about his past life as a pig farmer.

“And then he freezes, EG: This portraits Balboa’s vulnerable

7 hoping it is not one of the character that he felt scared when he heard
Spaniards." the sound of the jaguar.

EG: The Indians worship the jaguar because

“He finds himself face to it is powerful and fearful, they worshiped
7 face with a jaguar, god of things they feared and that’s because they
the Indians.” appreciated power.

EG: According to Balboa’s point of view,

“This great cat can make a the Indians’ God is more powerful than the
7 people fear god.” Spanish God. This indicates that he is not a
religious person (profane).

9 Hypophora (when the author asks a

“Why did he leave them… question and answers it the in the next line).
they have no interest”

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 This is a metaphorical meaning and a
“Amount of swearing, paradoxical sentence that shows how
9 which he does freely, profane Balboa was, that he polluted and
spilling Spanish profanity drenched the pristine, virgin mountain
into the virgin mountain air” with his profanity

EG: Balboa is already in another trouble

10 “He is already in trouble, other than him facing the jaguar. Not only
and his kingdom” himself is in trouble but also his kingdom.

Second Flashback (Balboa’s other troubles):

1. Balboa had organized a rebellion.

“He had organized the 2. He had supplanted the governor all of
10 rebellion… all done with this was done with efficiency and
efficiency” intelligence by his dominant, deceptive
personality.

3. He had sent the governor (Enciso) back

to Spain who swore to (take revenge)
have Balboa’s head on a platter.

“What stupidity made him

send the governor back to
10 Hypophora
Spain? Enciso swore to…
on a platter”

“Why didn’t he kill Enciso?

10 Why didn’t he turn Enciso Rhetorical Question
to an Indian tribe?”

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 “Unless he brings glory by
10 being the first to claim this
great ocean for Spain, then
the king will see him as the
greatest… pigs.”
“Then the king will see him EG: Balboa’s purpose and motivation for
10 as the greatest subject… not exploring:
a pig farmer”
14 “Leoncico is his dog.”
“Leoncico is a monster of a
14 dog, his head is the size of a
man’s, and his body has the
look of a lion, Leoncico
mean little lion.”
Internal monologue
(When the author speaks or reveals the
thought of the character out loud)
Actual motivation or internal thought of
Balboa:
1. Balboa shows and expresses his regret.
2. He reveals his motivation for making a
discovery.
1. To be considered as one of the loyal
subjects to the king.
2. To get out of his trouble.
EG: Balboa chose to have a dog as his
companion rather than a human is because:
1. He was distrustful
2. He was selfish, dominant and didn’t
accept competition.
EG: Description of Balboa’s dog:
Both Balboa and his dog represent the same
thing.
o Looks like a lion but he is a dog.
o Has the traits of a lion but in fact he is
a rat.
 Infront of the jaguar, he was a rat since
he was afraid, however, when he saw
his dog, he acted peacefully and
friendly.
1. The dogs reflect and represents
balboa’s personality.
2. Balboa is taking his power as a lion
from his dog.
6

“He was hidden on board
16 Enciso’s ship bound for San
Sebastian… they did not
punish him”
“Balboa became a member
of the crew…
18
shipwrecked… loss where
to go… Balboa convinced
him to try Darien.”
“Enciso had shown himself
18 to be a weak man. How
could Balboa not act?”
18 “How could Balboa not act?” Rhetorical Question
Third Flashback:
1. Balboa’s arrival to the New World was a
coincidence since he escaped his
creditors and hid in Enciso’s exploration
ship.
2. Enciso’s crew didn’t punish Balboa
because they didn’t have time since they
were busy fixing a problem in the ship
(one of the sails was torn).
Fourth Flashback:
1. Enciso accepted Balboa into being a
member of his crew (since he was
manipulative, smart).
2. The ship was originally heading to San
Sebastian, they lost their way, but
Balboa convinced Enciso to go to
Darien.
3. When the Spaniards reached Darian,
they established a Spanish kingdom
over there.
Fourth Flashback (complete):
During Enciso’s reign, Balboa realized
Enciso’s weakness in ruling and
understanding the mentality of the Indians
despite of being the leader (Balboa was
smarter than him).
Fourth Flashback (complete):
1. The Indians were fond of war.
2. Balboa was dominant and he wanted to
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 get rid of them so he:

“The Indians were battle- a. Divided the tribes and caused

18 hardened warriors…his discord between them (by
name moved quickly.” supporting one against the other).

b. Spread diseases among them like

smallpox and syphilis.

c. Used his Spanish war dogs,

mastiffs and wolfhounds that tore
children and people from limb to
limb.

 His name became known and spread

quickly (infamous and notorious).

“Spanish war dogs, great Parallelism and catalogue

18 mastiffs, and wolfhounds.” (a list of related items).

“The blood from his great Metaphor to show Balboa’s mercilessness

18 war machine.” and wickedness.

Hyperbole (exaggeration to show how

18 “The rivers flow red.” bloody Balboa was)

EG: Indians saw Balboa as a God since they

19 “The Indians think of him worshiped what they feared and saw as
as a God.” powerful.

8

“His soldiers tear babies
from their mothers… one
19
does not need to carry
food… fresh meat
everywhere.”
“He said he was here to
21 bring the Indians to God…
they work together.”
“He is the half of Balboa…
21 mind and appetite.”
“What did the monk
21
understand of that? What
did he understand of
anything? He said that…”
“Half of the Spanish babies
EG: The dogs were the soldiers of Balboa
(indicates his brutality and cruelty).
Dogs are easier to use than humans, because:
1. there is no need for muskets, as they
use their sharp teeth.
2. there is no need to feed them since
there is fresh meat everywhere (dead
bodies)
Fifth Flashback:
1. Dominican monk told Balboa that his
dogs are demons.
2. Balboa made fun of him and
responded ironically saying that the
monk is helping the convert and turn
to God and Balboa is sending them to
God quicklier by killing them, so they
are on the same page.
This shows how profane and unethical
Balboa was.
EG: The relationship between Balboa and
his dog.
They completer each other, the dog is the
halt that eats and Balboa is the mind and
appetite.
Hypophora
EG: The author makes a comment here:
Her tone is critical as she imposes and
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22 dies… it is not uncommon.” criticizes the injustice in France and Spain.

The government, the king, and other monks

are killing innocent people (those who
practice certain religion) and spreading
diseases among them.

22 “They butcher the Allusion to history

Huguenots.”
Foil (a character who sets in contrast with
the main character).

Balboa vs the Monk

24 “The monk curses Balboa.” Loved by no one Reverent/respected

Profane Religious/ethical
Coward Brave
Armed (dogs) Armless
Manipulative/ Honest
cunning
Sarcastic Serious
Strong/healthy Sick/diseased
Major character Minor character

“May your most evil act be
24 visited on you.”
Foreshadowing:
Foreshadows Balboa’s brutal death as a
result of his evil acts (what goes around,
comes around).

“His name had reached

24 Spain, and the king felt his EG: The king was horrified because of
authority threatened.” Balboa’s actions and misbehavior.

EG: Balboa is great in a dishonorable way

26 “He is the great Balboa.” through the rebellions, massacres and
destructions he has caused.

Shift in tense: back to present

“He stares out, the Mar del Balboa achieves his motive by bringing
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 29 Sur, the glory of Balboa, his glory to Spain and discovering the Mar del
gift to Spain.” Sur.

From his point of view: he felt relief and

thought he was safe and trusted now.

“After he has ceded the EG: Balboa cedes governorship to Davila.

governorship… he is
30 Balboa is promised Davila’s daughter.
promised his daughter... he
must sleep with one eye
Davila does not trust Balboa.
open.”

Flashforward to Balboa’s brutal death:

30 “With the blessing of Spain, Davila, with the help of the Spanish king,
Davila will bring… severed will bring Balboa for trail for treason on
from his shoulders.” January 21, 1519.

 What are the conflicts in the story?

1. Internal conflict: between Balboa and himself.
 He views himself as a lion while he is a rat.
2. Internal conflict: between Balboa and himself.
 He wonders why he didn’t kill Enciso instead of sending him back.
3. External conflict: between Balboa and Enciso.
 Balboa sends Enciso back to Spain and Enciso promises to kill him.
4. External conflict: between Balboa and the jaguar.
 Balboa is afraid of the jaguar attacking him while he is discovering the sea at the
top of the mountain.
5. External conflict: between Balboa and the king of Spain.
 Balboa is afraid to be called a traitor so he tries to become one of the loyal subjects
of the king.
6. External conflict: between Balboa and the Indians.
 Balboa gets rid of the Indians through multiple ways (see pg.8).

7. External conflict: between Balboa and the Dominican monk.

 Balboa makes fun of the monk so the monk curses him.

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