The Rebellion of the Hanged (Jungle Novels) [Paperback]

B. Traven (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jungle Novels | Publication Date: August 1, 1994

The Rebellion of the Hanged is the fifth of B. Traven's six legendary Jungle Novels which together form an epic of the birth of the Mexican Revolution. Set in the slave-labor mahogany plantations of tropical Mexico in 1910, at the time of the uprising against the rule of Porfirio Díaz and the beginnings of revolution, Rebellion is a powerful and somber tale of the tortures suffered by downtrodden Indians. But here it culminates in a revolt by the long-oppressed workers against the owners and overseers of the camps, and in a treacherous march through the jungles at the height of the rainy season—a human feat of epic proportions. In addition to his great storytelling ability, Traven's work has a special resonance today because of recent uprisings in the Chiapas highlands of southern Mexico, the very locale for many of Traven's writings. "Readers who ignore the genius of B. Traven do so at their peril."—New York Times Book Review. "Traven is a riveting storyteller."—Philadelphia Inquirer.

Editorial Reviews

Review

B. Traven is coming to be recognized as one of the narrative masters of the twentieth century. (New York Times )

The Jungle Novels constitute one of the richest portraits of revolution in all literature. (University Review )

Great storytellers often arise like Judaic just men to exemplify and rehearse the truth for their generation. B. Traven was such a man. (Book World )

Traven is a riveting storyteller. (Philadelphia Inquirer )

Readers who ignore the genius of B. Traven do so at their peril. (New York Times )

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

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Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Ivan R Dee (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566630649
• ISBN-13: 978-1566630641
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #902,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The rebellion finally begins, April 14, 2005

By 

C. B Collins Jr. (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rebellion of the Hanged (Jungle Novels) (Paperback)

In Traven's fifth jungle book, The Rebellion of the Hanged, the tensions and oppression finally build up to the breaking point. We have many characters in this fifth book that were introduced to us in the earlier books. Andreas, the oxen driver from The Carretta, longs to escape from the mahogony plantation and return to his young wife. Celso, the heroic Indian man of action, again plays a central role as he did in March to the Monteria. Candido, the dirt farmer, loses his wife Marcelina to appendecitis because the drunken doctor refuses to operate without outlandish payment. Candido, his two sons and his younger sister Modesta, go to the plantation to pay back the price of Marcelina's medical and funeral expenses. Don Gabriel is back, tricking young Indian men to sell themselves into debt slavery from which there is little chance of escape. The three money hungry sadistic plantation owners, Don Felix, Don Severo, and Don Acacio are back with a vengence. Their cruelty to the Indians is hard to imagine.

Traven however is very wise in that he brings into this situation three components of successful revolution: the chance event that signals vulnerability of the oppressors, the thinker who brings reflective consciousness to the oppressed so that they begin to understand their conditions, and the catalyst event that drives the revolutionaries forward.

The chance event that signals vulnerability is when Don Acacio unjustly tries to beat and hang two Indian men for a transgression they did not commit. He lets down his guard and the two men fight back, blinding Don Acacio.

A new group of characters, revolutionists on the run, join the plantation work crews to hide. One of them, Martin Trinidad, raises the consciousness of Celso, the natural leader of the debt slaves.

Finally, Don Felix's cruel cutting off of the ears of Candido's young child, stimulates his aunt Modesta to fight back which becomes a snowball of death for the plantation owners and their foremen.

This is the fifth novel in the series. In the first novel, Government, we see the corruption at all levels of society and government in Mexico that leads to the suppression of the native Mexican Indians. In the other three novels we are introduced to the characters Andreas, Celso, and learn the terrible business of the jungle mahogony production. Finally in this fifth novel, the tide is turned and the revolution begins. The novel ends as the revolutionists emerge from the jungles and begin to march across the corrupt fincas, encouraging the peons to rebel.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars real people, real life, real solutions, December 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rebellion of the Hanged (Jungle Novels) (Paperback)

this book started off intense and full of political emotion and it never backed down. if you would like a real and emotional story of who workers are, the opression they face, and the breaking point for them, then i suggest this book. i remember being outraged, shocked, disgusted throughout the book.....and then the ending...well it's full of sweet vengenace. real people, real life, real solutions....that's what this book is about.