The Secret Lion by Alberto Alvaro Rios Review

The story starts off calmly and slowly, but soon begins to employ suspense. "I was twelve and in junior high school and something happened that we didn't have a name for, but it was there nonetheless like a lion..." Such an expression is certainly a well calculated use of suspense to start a literary piece. It makes the readers fix their eyes on the story if only to discover what that "something" could have been. The narrator goes on to throw in yet another similar statement, "Everything changed. Just like That..."

This literature provides both suggestive and hidden title. The Secret Lion has a symbolic significance. Such drawing is based on the number of experiences that the narrators were subjected to even as they made effort to conceal such experiences from their parents. For example, the boys first visit arroyo. Arroyo was cherished by the boys because it gave them freedom to pursue their desired activities uninterrupted. The narrator recounts that Arroyo made them have a chance to do what they wanted without anyone dictating anything to them (Rios 1). It is only unfortunate that they stop visiting their favorite location after a while because they simply get bored with it.

There is a similar change that is observed on the grinding ball because after safely hiding it from their mother, it disappears. Hiding the ball from their mother is inspired by the fact that their mother would ask them to "get rid of it" (Rios 1). The import of these acts is that children make decisions consciously and look up to their seniors to accept and approve them; which, unfortunately, does not usually happen. Therefore, children are forced to find alternatives. The boys tried as much as they could to keep their ball safe but somehow it vanished. The incident is symbolic and signifies the innocence that children try to treasure and keep but lose it all the same.

The reader is made to observe the behavior changes that occur in the boys prior to Arroyo. They are distancing themselves from the girls. Society is driving a wedge into the earlier established friendships that these youngsters had enjoyed and treasured. The boys now view the girls as the opposite sex; a perception that is distinctly different from the earlier one. They even have some form of attraction towards them. The boys have not found authentic ways to express their feelings to the girls so they device other ways to do it. In the arroyo, the boys are reported to shout loudly about the girls. They could do it here with no fear of retribution. The narrator reports that they could "...we would yell about girls and all the things we wanted to with them -- we didn't know what we wanted to do - --, just things..." (Rios 1). These changes are observable in real life in terms of the different socialization that they receive. Behavior change is possibly a function of biology. The boys are entering teenage life and changes in their bodies are beginning to show.

Moreover, the boys can differentiate between right and wrong. Such changes can be inferred from how they use obscenities in arroyo. They cannot ask for the meaning of certain words in class because they want to keep away from trouble. They are wiser now. The boys are aware of the possibility of being unruly at school and at home, so they find a channel to vent their pent-up energies in the arroyo. In the arroyo, they can overindulge without fear of anyone getting in their way or punishing them. The narrator says that it was the one place they knew they were not meant to go but they went any way. He describes it as having been their personal Mississippi and their friend from way back (Rios 1). The growth, in their level of understanding, made them avoid saying anything to their teachers so as to allow them experience on their own and quench their thirst.

The short story also portrays hopeful boys. Although they are not satisfied with the state of affairs and the world, they still seek a perfect world, a heaven which they seem to have found in the hills somewhere. Although their secret heaven is tacked away in the hills, they anticipate a crackdown sometime soon. Soon, the narrator and his friend come to terms with the fact that it really isn't heaven and that it doesn't exist.

The narrator is symbolically showing the growth process of boys from the point of innocence to when they lose it; albeit unknowingly. They grow into adults that are fully aware that they lost their innocence. The lion is chosen to keep reappearing and posing a threat to their lives and perfect world. Eventually, they learn the important lesson that change is inevitable. Consequently, they make their way back to their arroyo and have some more fun.

Everybody can easily relate to the Secret Lion because it is written in a simple form. The story triggers memories of life as boys and teenagers. The narrator employs the perspective of the young boys to present their view of life. The curiosity that is blended with naivety in life is well expressed (Understanding the Secret Lion). This, in turn, enriches the narrative with a humorous touch. The use of young boys has clearly achieved its intention. It is easy to relate to the story and understand it. The boys find it hard to understand or figure out some of the happenings around them. They came across the grinding ball while playing at the railroad near Arroyo. They picked it up, looked at it and were thrilled at the object. They expressed surprise at the sight of the ball, "Guy this is, this is, gee Guy this...."we had this perception about nature... nature is imperfect and that round things are perfect..." (Rios 2). This is a familiar experience because we all were fascinated at the sight of nature. Naivety is further captured in the line that describes the boys asking what the object is and acknowledging that they didn't know what it was. All the boys knew was that it was a great thing.

Language is used figuratively too. Exaggeration is observed occasionally. The expression "arroyo was our personal Mississippi" is an example. In this case, the expression could be intended to show that it was a place they found their relief from the pressures of life. Thus, it is in this place they found a chance to connect with their personal lives with no outside intimidation or interference (Coursework 1).

The setting is pleasant. It is filled with personification and figures of speech. The narrator plays with language and manipulates it tactfully. Merged English words are used to reinforce the minimalistic style of the story. Examples of the merged words include 'Gy God', 'Get rid of it', 'Gee guy this'. Some sentences are simplified and shortened. The structure is tailored to suit the simple approach to life by little boys. Indeed, some of the sentences constitute two or three words, e.g. 'so didn't.'

Symbolism is used largely to express the message of the story. The lion is used to show the boys' innocence that was continuously terrified. The grinding ball is also used to express the fascinating innocent encounters in life's way. Arroyo was a symbol of a safe ground of escape from the threats of life. Apart from the symbolism, the setting and characters in the narrative are used to provide an expression of transformation from boyhood to adulthood. The lion is also used to show the transformation from the innocence of boyhood to an experienced adult person. The boys never knew what was going on. They couldn't understand, for instance, why asking questions at school was not a good idea, why everything they thought as perfect was removed from their reach and why they could not talk to girls. These events can be compared to a wild scenario when a lion spreads terror among animals and they run all over not knowing the best thing to do. Eventually, everything calms down and life goes on, nonetheless. The narrator did exactly that. He lived on without his innocence of childhood. He says that they went back to the arroyo and tried to enjoy again. He noticed that fate was inevitable (Secret lion 2).