Periquillo Sarniento -

The novel’s most scathing critique is reserved for the educational system. Periquillo’s early schooling is a farce: teachers are cruel or incompetent, the curriculum is outdated, and rote memorization replaces genuine learning. Through this, Fernández de Lizardi echoes the ideas of Rousseau and Locke, arguing that education should be practical, moral, and suited to the individual’s role in society. Similarly, he condemns the gachupines (peninsular Spaniards) for their arrogance and exploitation of the criollos (Mexican-born Spaniards), subtly critiquing the colonial caste system. At the same time, he does not idealize the lower classes; Periquillo’s time among thieves and beggars shows that vice knows no social boundaries. This balanced cynicism is a hallmark of the picaresque.

At its core, El Periquillo Sarniento follows the picaresque tradition, a genre that originated in 16th-century Spain with works like Lazarillo de Tormes . The novel is narrated in the first person by Pedro Sarmiento, nicknamed "Periquillo Sarniento" (a name suggesting both cheekiness and an irritating, itchy quality). As a dying man, he confesses his life story to his children, hoping to guide them away from his own mistakes. periquillo sarniento

What elevates El Periquillo Sarniento from mere adventure story to literary landmark is its fierce social and political critique. Fernández de Lizardi was a fervent advocate of the Enlightenment and liberal ideas. He used his novel as a pulpit to attack the lingering feudal structures of colonial New Spain. The book is punctuated with long digressions—sometimes to the detriment of narrative pacing—in which characters deliver lectures on the need for universal education, fair governance, and the abolition of forced labor. The novel’s most scathing critique is reserved for

As the first novel written in Latin America, El Periquillo Sarniento broke new ground. Before it, literary production in the colonies was dominated by religious tracts, chronicles, and poetry in the Baroque style. Fernández de Lizardi adopted a colloquial, accessible prose that mirrored the speech of Mexico City’s streets. He also incorporated local customs, foods, and slang, creating a distinctly Mexican literary voice. At its core, El Periquillo Sarniento follows the

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.

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.