A while ago, I decided to give this beloved character another chance by reading The Mark of Zorro, the original novel written by Johnston McCulley and published in 1919. Though we’re not sure who was the real bandit behind the legend of Zorro, the story of the charming Mexican Robin Hood still lives on through films, books and pop culture in general, Since the dawn of time, people were fascinated by heroes who fought for the truth and Zorro isn’t an exception. The masked fencer believes in freedom and justice; therefore he protects the oppressed from corrupt authorities."He runs up and down the length of El Camino Real like a goat of the high hills! He wears a mask, and he flashes a pretty blade, they tell me. He uses the point of it to carve his hated letter Z on the cheek of his foe!" (Loc 43) "He has robbed none except officials who have stolen from the missions and the poor, and punished none except brutes who mistreat natives." Loc 125McCulley’s novel is set in California, in the early 19th century, when this region was still under Spanish rule. On the top of the social pyramid stood powerful aristocratic families whose obsession was to keep their bloodline pure as well as their honour. However, Don Diego de la Vega seems to be the exception to the rule because he dislikes most things a caballero does. He detests violence and the idea of finding a wife of noble blood isn’t too appealing to him. Don Diego is a sensitive young man who enjoys reading poetry and behaves like a whiny dandy. He is so lifeless and unpassionate that even the woman he ought to court mocks him. In contrast to Don Diego’s blend personality, Zorro is courageous risking his life to help the oppressed Native Americans, friars and Caballieros. Unlike Don Diego de la Vega, who avoids combat and shies away from wooing Senorita Lolita Pulido, Zorro is passionate, a skilful fencer and the man who steals the young lady’s heart.The Mark of Zorro is an action-packed story about courage, heroism, honour, breaking social norms, truth and love. I’ve noticed that the characters are pretty underdeveloped, the dialogue is usually flat, the historical background is very thin and the story is pretty racist and sexist, which reflects the mentality of the time. Despite all its weaknesses, the book is fast-paced, plot-driven and Zorro’s adventures are so seductive that you can’t stop rooting for him.In the end, though The Mark of Zorro is not a masterpiece in a literary sense, it gave us one of the most famous heroes in pop culture. If you’re looking for a fast-paced action-packed novel, give Johnston McCulley’s novel a try!
