Evil

A major theme in The House of the Scorpion is the theme of evil. Though El Patron is the predominant source of evil in this novel, it also appears in other characters in various ways and varying degrees. In his youth, Tam Lin accidentally killed twenty children with a bomb intended for the British Prime Minister, and in Opium, he assists El Patron in his evil doings. Because he cannot forgive himself for his crimes, Tam Lin drinks the poisonous wine at El Patron's wake as his way of making amends for his past errors. Rosa imprisons Matt and treats him like an animal. Felicia kills Furball so Matt will be blamed. Tom torments Matt and Maria and shows them MacGregor's clone to create a rift between the friends. Mr. MacGregor uses fetal implants to improve his health. The Keepers in Atzlan treat the Lost Boys poorly, forcing...