Manabi territory, heritage, and literature in Un hombre y un río

Abstract

The article analyzes the novel Un hombre y un río (A Man and a River) by Ecuadorian writer and educator Horacio Hidrovo Velásquez, recognizing the marks of Manabi's territory and cultural heritage manifested in literary discourse, which facilitate understanding of the rural historical context of the 20th century. These marks are contrasted with the norms, cultures, characters, narratives, and identities of the 21st century. A qualitative approach and hermeneutic method were adopted, as well as a socio-historical analysis, which began with a descriptive and documentary study of the relevant characteristics of the main character, Celestino Vinces. The research raised points of discussion about Hidrovo Velásquez's work, highlighting a profound relationship between human beings and nature and the problems arising from their interrelationship with the environment, mainly the symbolism of the river as an artery of existence and a cultural and economic hub. It concludes that the novel, with its simple and poetic language, stands as a literary and cultural legacy of Manabí that contributes to reflection on the low value placed on peasants, on renunciations, and on the river with its unpredictable nature.