Faith in Fray Gomez's Scorpion

            The Spanish colonization of Peru was a traumatizing experience for the native Peruvians. Peru was demographically affected and forced to assimilate to Spanish culture. Disease was spread and the Peruvians were mistreated. However, through these traumatizing times, some still found inspiration in their world, such as, Peruvian writer, Ricardo Palma, who wrote tradiciones, or traditions, depicting his culture's characteristics. In his story "Fray Gomez's Scorpion," Fray Gomez and the scorpion symbolize faith as a means to remain strong for the Peruvian people during the Spanish colonial period. .
             The Spanish colonization of Peru in 1532 enforced the people of Peru to become adapted to the political, social, and cultural standards of the Spanish. Under conquistadores, who guided the natives through their conversion of faith and language, the Peruvians were exploited, mistreated, and killed the natives. Peru was left decimated, as the Spanish also brought diseases with them, killing over 90% of the Inca population. Through these turbulent times, however, the people of Peru still found strength from having faith in their God. While the Inca Empire, now Lima, was diverse in its religion before the Spanish conquered Peru, eventually most of the population in Peru was Roman-Catholic ("The Cultural Effects - My HKA Website."). "Fray Gomez's Scorpion," shows their practice of this religion through the people's belief in miracles and goodness left in people and the world. The Peruvian people's strong faith that this goodness still exists is seen through Fray Gomez and the scorpion. .
             The scorpion in "Fray Gomez's Scorpion" shows that a bad situation always has a positive outcome As a child growing up, Palma frequently heard an old woman say: "It's as valuable as Fray Gomez's Scorpion," whenever she praised the beauty or value of a piece of jewelry. In the story, when the peddler, Jeromo, requests money from Gomez to support his business, Gomez hands him a scorpion from the wall and miraculously transforms it into a sparkling brooch (Palma 86).