The setting of this novel is, quite literally, a ghost town, and spooky things happen in Comala after dark.
The narrator hears horrible screams, regular conversations, and singing. It's enough to scare a poor guy to death… and that's exactly what happens to scaredy-cat Juan. The town is populated by wandering souls who are unable to get into heaven, and Juan ends up joining them after he is literally scared to death. Brrr. This is a good book to read on Halloween.
Questions About The Supernatural
- Do you think that anyone is still living in Comala? Why or why not? If so, who?
- When do you think that Juan Preciado dies? Is he already dead or dying as he arrives in town, or is it an event that occurs during the novel?
- What is the effect of finding out that the characters are dead?
- How does the novel let the reader know that people are dead? What clues are dropped?
Chew on This
The dead in Comala are a metaphor for the small rural towns left behind during the great urbanization of Mexico in the 20th century.
The novel takes the religious belief that souls will not be able to rest if they don't confess before dying to the extreme in order to lampoon Catholicism.