The Feast of the Goat

Feast grapples with the consolidation and the corrupting nature of power, arguing that in dictatorships, power is an end in itself, despite the worldviews that inform those who seek it. Trujillo frequently references other Latin American strongmen who have different philosophies but wield power in similar ways. Fidel Castro’s politics are diametrically opposed to Trujillo’s, yet in practice, the two countries function similarly. Their leaders express the same concerns and take similar actions, suggesting that their stated views on governing are just a means to acquire and maintain power. Trujillo has a very “masculine” view of power and authority. He believes peace can only be attained through consolidation of power, and he defines “peace” as loyalty to his worldview, justifying any number of atrocities in its name.

Urania’s story explores power as a patriarchal construct, used both by Trujillo and her father. After losing power over her body when Trujillo rapes her, Urania spends the rest of her life trying to regain power through several means: through knowledge, in particular over the facts of the Era; through her career as a lawyer; and through cultivating a cool detachment and measured composure. The assassins also exercise power in the novel, in the only way they can: In a country that forbids dissent, they use force to exert their will over their government.