CHARACTERS of The Tree of Knowledge: main and secondary [ABSTRACT]

Pío Baroja, renowned Spanish writer of the Generation of '98He also had a doctorate in medicine, which he dropped out to devote himself fully to literature. As often happens in the most important novels, the authors express their concerns in their characters, and Pío Baroja is no exception. In one of his most remarkable novels, The science tree, the protagonist of him, Andrés, carries throughout the book an important doubt with the field of medicine in which he is working.

That is why we can get to know the author better through this book, as well as society according to Baroja's eyes, something that becomes even more important when being aware that some of his characters are based on people real. Taking all this into account, and knowing the relevance that the novel has acquired in recent years, in a Professor we have dared to present The science tree and its characters. Can you come with us?

We start by talking about the main characters of The science tree, that is, those who have a greater prominence throughout the novel by Pío Baroja. The most prominent are the following.

Andres Hurtado

Andrés is the main character of the work The science tree. In relation to Pío Baroja himself, Andrés is a doctor who is not entirely comfortable with that profession. Already in his educational stage at the university, Andrés fervently shows his dissatisfaction with everything that surrounds medicine and university studies. There he meets his good friends Julio, Lulú and Montaner.

As for the character himself, being the protagonist we do not know a description of Andrés from the first moment, but he is gradually coming to us. We found in Andrés a great concern for social and political problems from the late nineteenth century, whose ideals collide with those of his own family. However, this character is not too social, in addition to being very aware of the great gap that existed then between the poor and the rich, always being a defender of the former.

He is also a literary man and connoisseur of the classics of literature and philosophy, becoming the turning point in the work his talks with his uncle Iturrioz after the death of his brother Luisito. Finally, after a long streak of social and personal discontent, Andrés decides to take his own life just after losing his son and wife in childbirth.

Lulu

Lulu is a young girl from wealthy family that, despite not being described as an attractive girl, Andrés ends up falling in love with her and marrying her. At first she, despite being young, she does not pretend, as she seems to be withered or emaciated. She is not very nice, but she is intelligent and has very strong convictions, as well as clear ideas. In fact, she shares her ideals with her husband, which brings them closer together.

Iturrioz

Iturrioz is Andrés's uncle. His appearance turns out to be the high point of the novel, since, after the death of his nephew Luisito, he talks with Andrés about existential aspects of life and science, dealing with literary and philosophical issues. Like Andrés, Iturrioz is a doctor who has not entirely found happiness in the profession, which serves as support for the protagonist.

But, in addition to the protagonists, there are characters from The science tree that have less relevance, but are essential for the future of the novel. The secondary characters are as follows:

• Alejandro Hurtado: Andrés' brother with whom he does not get along very well, and who is described as lazy. Of all his brothers, his father, Don Pedro, felt a special affinity with Alejandro, since they were like two drops of water.
• Don Pedro Hurtado: Andrés's father, with whom he totally differs from his ideals, being more conservative than his son's, and whom he does not hold in much esteem either.
• Mrs. Leonarda: This woman, religious and anchored in the past, is Lulu's mother.
• Julio Aracil: Julio is Andrés's classmate at university and also his friend. Despite not sharing the ideals with the protagonist, they have known each other long before going to university and end up being co-workers as well. This character and Montaner's represent real friends of Pío Baroja.
• Luisito Hurtado: Luisito is Andrés's younger brother, who ends up dying of tuberculosis. The death of this character marks the life of Andrés in a very important way.
• Margarita Hurtado: She is Andrés's sister with more conservative ideals than her brother. She cares a lot for her family, she being the one who communicates Luisito's death to Andrés.
• Montaner: Montaner is another friend of Julio and a classmate from the university. He is always arguing with Andrés and he does not share the ideals with Andrés either. In the end, he feels humiliated for having to ask Julio for work help. As we said with Julio, Montaner is also based on a real friend of Pío Baroja.
• Nini: Lulú's sister, which she maintains a not very fruitful relationship with Julio Aracil, since he does not treat her too well.
• Pedro Hurtado: Another of Andrés's brothers, whom he admires a lot. Despite sharing a name with him, his father is not very fond of him. His studies are directed more towards the legal profession.