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Jarred Joyce
5-10-17
English 101
Section 1290
A Misinterpreted Hero
The debate of good and evil has plagued philosophers for generations. This topic was

further developed into what characteristics establish someone as virtuous, honorable or

admirable. It is easy to agree that Saints and heroes described throughout literature lead virtuous

lives and are therefore admirable characters. Their stories exists to inspire and revitalize the lives

of those who read them. Likewise, there are many characters in Alex Espinozas novel Still

Water Saints whose stories awaken the good in humanity and remind its readers of the power of

determination. Although some might say that Dario, a significant character from Espinozas

novel, is an unreliable mentor to Perla, I cannot help but to disagree. Dario consistently emulates

saint-like behavior throughout the book. He devoted himself to helping people through their

daily problems, gave certain individuals a purpose in life, and traveled intercontinentally to do

this, despite having a polio virus slowly consume him.

In order to define an honorable or admirable character I turn to a lecture I attended hosted

by Zack Knorr, a Philosophy professor at Los Angeles Valley College, on the Greek concept of

virtue. He explained that according the ancient Greek perspective, virtues are the skills or traits

needed to fulfill ones telos or purpose in life. It was also clarified that one is virtuous if they

fulfill their telos. With this in mind, it could be argued that Saints, who are known to be some of

the most virtuous people that overcome tremendous hardships, exhibit similar characteristics to

any well-intentioned, righteous person. Furthermore, it is important to mention that according to

Joseph Campbells The Heros Journey diagram, any Saint is also a hero of their time. They
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traversed the land standing for morality and their lives were so impactful that they continue to

inspire vicariously through the stories they have left behind.

In the novel Still Water Saints, Dario shows his saint-like determination most

prominently by not allowing his polio virus to keep him from walking unaided. Polio, otherwise

known as poliomyelitis virus, is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a

crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease [that]...can invade an infected persons brain

and spinal cord. In this book, polio is responsible for stunting the growth of one of Darios legs.

The average person today is likely to seek a prosthetic, cane or some form of support for their

daily travels but he decides instead to walk with his own strength and a limp. He is admirable for

having the mental fortitude to resist relinquishing his opportunities to the virus. Additionally, this

response to such a debilitating virus is not only an example of saint-like determination, it is also

an inspiration for anyone in what seems like an unbearable situation to continue perusing their

goals and fulfill their telos.

Darios resolve is not his only virtuous characteristic. He is a devout healer otherwise

known as a curandero who found that his purpose in life was to help others. His main goal is to

travel to various cities and establish a Botanica to enrich the lives of the citizens living nearby.

The Botanica offers teas and other, more spiritual forms of restoring balance and comfort in

ones life. Additionally, each storefront is operated by a former customer who has a gift for

helping others. Dario seems to instantly connect with these individuals and share his passion for

lending a helping hand. For example, during one of their initial interactions he said to Perla, you

do have power. I saw it when you walked in. Shining blue around your whole body. Why dont

you let me help you? (78 Espinoza). It was clear from the beginning of their relationship that he

only wanted to aid and support her. Somehow, each person starts by helping Dario organize and
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maintain the work place but ultimately finds that operating the Botanica is their purpose in life.

In Perlas instance, taking care of others allowed her to get over the fact that she was unable to

have children.

Once Dario knowns that his new successor can manage the store on their own, he leaves

town in search of the next city that is in need of a Botanica and start the whole thing over again

(83 Espinoza). This is where the counter argument of Dario being an unreliable mentor could be

expressed. However, I argue that he was done teaching his beneficiary by this point. In the same

way that a graduate student would leave their department and teachers behind to navigate the

corporate world utilizing the lessons once taught by their favorite professor, it is up to Perla and

those like her to properly direct their customers towards a more self-gratifying way of life

without referring to Dario first. The student would be unjustified in calling their favorite teacher

a bad mentor simply because they chose to not provide further assistance after graduation. A

good teacher aims to educate the masses not an individual. Lastly, because of Perlas apparent

ability to communicate with spirits, she is capable of receiving messages rooted in intuition from

those who are no longer with her. At one point in the novel, Perla has such a real encounter with

her fathers spirit she claimed to feel his breath on the back of [her] neck, his hands on [her]

shoulders (58 Espinoza). Because of this Dario may have been able to communicate with her as

well if the situation was dire enough.

Another validation of Darios admirable character is how well his story fits Joseph

Campbells A Heros Journey Diagram. Though Dario may not complete a heros journey, he is

still a hero for all of those who frequent his stores and is therefore admirable. His story is

cratered trials like finding a purpose, separating from family, and immigrating to a country where

the official language is not his native tongue. His crisis, the poliomyelitis virus, is unforgiving
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and debilitating yet it never deters him from reaching the next city and fulfilling his telos. As

previously mentioned, Darios venture is incomplete. It appears to end at the ninth step of

diagram called the result. This is a reference to the results of Dario accomplishing his most

significant goal; establishing a Botanica to guide and comfort the lives of whomever chooses to

seek their assistance. The following step in the diagram is the return. Unfortunately, the reader

does not know where he goes after leaving Agua Mansa so it is not possible to see him return to

status quo or normalcy. However, considering that Darios character fits the majority of the Hero

diagram, I conclude that he must be a hero.

Despite Darios unique approach to mentoring, his saint-like behavior is critical to the

development of the entire novel. His willingness to give away something as valuable as a

storefront so that others can feel purposeful, allowed Perla to overcome her tragedy of not being

able to have children. Even after his departure Perla continued to turn to his lessons for guidance

and comfort when she needed advice. Darios character reaches into the lives of the readers and

inspires those who are limited by medical ailments to persevere and remember that just because

one is ill does not mean they have no purpose. Just as your favorite hero provides comfort and

security to all people, Darios actions altered the mind state in Agua Mansa so that they could all

lead a more fulfilling life. He is truly an admirable character.

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Works Cited

Anonymous. "What is Polio?" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, 15 Oct. 2014. Web. 10 May 2017.

Espinoza, Alex. Still Water Saints. New York: Random House, 2007. Print.

Knorr, Zack. "The Theory of Forms." Los Angeles Valley College, Valley Glen. 18 Feb. 2016.

Lecture.

Winkler, Matthew. What Makes a Hero? Ted Talk, Ted Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing. 9 May.

2017. Video Lesson.