Shadow of a Bull by Maia Wojciechowska, Newbery Medal
Publisher: Aladdin Book
Number of pages: 151
Manolo Olivar is the son of the greatest
matador in Spain, Juan Olivar, who was killed by a bull.
Because he is the son of such a famous torero, everyone
expects Manolo to be a bullfighter. But, Manolo does not have
the "aficion",ie. the love for corridas. He is even afraid of
bulls. At twelve, he must fight his first bull. But no matter
how much he practices, he lacks what it takes to be a matador.
On the contrary, his friend, Juan Garcia, has the vocation to
be a bullfighter. But nobody clearly seems to be giving him a
Manolo once meets a doctor at a bullfight
who heals a large wound made by the bullís horns. He asks
Manolo to help him. The young boy enjoys this very much and
would rather become a doctor than a bullfighter. He thinks
that what the doctor is doing is "the most noble thing a man
The day for the bullfight comes. Manolo
shows great courage in overcoming his fear and successfully
fights the bull in the first part of the corrida, where the
torero uses a cape. But in the second part, where the torero
is using the muleta and must kill the bull with a sword, he
realizes that bullfighting is not his vocation. He offers the
bull to his friend, Juan, who gets the chance of his life.
The story ends with the old doctor who had
guessed the desires of Manoloís heart, asking him to become
his apprentice. Manolo is happy and at peace since "his
fatherís life, bullfighting, would stay a part of him, as it
always had been, but in a different way than anyone had
planned". (A doctor is always present at a corrida.)
- The story has a lot of suspense, and the whole book
leads to the climax of the final bullfight.
- The reader is introduced to colorful world of Spanish
culture and pageantry.
- The young boy shows bravery in fighting the bull. He
does not disgrace his mother by showing himself a coward. He
has a great sense of honor.
- He goes to Mass and prays to Our Lady, La Macarena,
patroness of bullfighters, for courage.
- He shows true charity in helping his friend, Juan
Garcia, to become a matador.
- The story shows that the important thing is to follow
oneís vocation, which is the will of God for us. (p. 130
when Juan is asked his he will be a great torero, he
replies, "If it is the will of God.") One should not force
himself into a vocation just to please others.
- Our vocation in life is determined by the aptitudes God
has given us. We have to make the right decision if we do
not want to waste our life.
We cannot put on the same plane the bravery
of the torero and the bravery of the bull. Blind instinct is
different from rational virtue. (p. 36)
The book is excellent to make our boys
reflect upon the choice of a vocation. A good teacher can
discuss, with profit, the different dilemmas in Manoloís life
and how he resolves them.