THEMES - THEME ANALYSIS

The never-ending importance of love is the central theme of the novel. It is largely developed by the depiction of characters who suffer from a lack of love. The Marquesa showers her daughter with love, but is rejected by her. Esteban cares for Manuel through the pain of his infection, even though Manuel blames his twin for destroying his love for Camila. Uncle Pio is deserted by Camila, who becomes the mistress of the Viceroy. All of these characters suffer greatly during the book because they feel unloved. Ironically, the Marquesa, Uncle Pio, and Esteban are all crossing the bridge at the same time, and each of them is heading towards a life filled with new love or meaning. Additionally, Dona Clara and Camila suffer from not showing love and begin to understand how fully they were loved by the deceased. Dona Clara regrets that she has been so cruel to her mother, the Marquesa, just as Camila is sad over not returning Uncle Pio's love. Both women decide that they will share their love and wealth with the needy children living at the convent. In the end, therefore, love does prevail. The Abbess closes the novel by explaining the importance of love: There is a land of the living and a land of the dead, and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.

Another important theme of the novel is that fate plays a key role in the lives of people. Manuel, Esteban, and Pepita were all fated to grow up in the convent with the Abbess. Esteban and the Marquesa were fated to be rejected by their closest relative, in spite of the fact that they had totally devoted themselves to Manuel and Dona Clara. Fate placed all five of the characters on the bridge at the very moment of the accident; and as fate would have it, all of them were heading from a miserable existence to a happier life. Fate, however, stands in the way of their happiness, for the bridge breaks and kills all five people crossing it. The Peruvians seem to instinctively know that it is only Fate that has saved them from dying on the bridge. After the accident, they always offer a prayer of thanks when they see or cross the San Luis Rey; they are thankful that fate has spared them.

OTHER LITERARY ELEMENTS

IRONY

Throughout the novel, Wilder effectively uses irony to develop his plot, project his themes, and depict his characters. It is ironic that Brother Juniper spends six years of his life writing a book about the accident, which he considers to be a masterpiece, and is then burned at the stake for writing such a heresy. It is ironic that the lives of the Marquesa, Pepita, Manuel, Uncle Pio, and Don Jamie come to an end at the very point that they have found a new happiness and committed to a new way of living. It is ironic that the five victims to die on the bridge had circuitous ties to one another. Esteban and Pepita had both been raised by the Abbess in the convent. Don Jamie and Pio both love Camila, and the Marquesa and Esteban both know her and admire her as an actress; even Pepita has seen her on the stage when she attended the theater with the Marquesa. The Marquesa, Esteban, Uncle Pio, Don Jamie, and Pepita have all been unloved by at least one of their parents. The greatest irony, however, is that a tragic accident renews the lives of the living characters, including Dona Clara, Camila, and the Abbess. Each of them become better, more loving characters because of the deaths of loved ones on the bridge; therefore, in loss there is gain, and in dying, the Marquesa and Uncle Pio receive a love that they never experienced in life.