HOUSE of the SCORPION

CHARACTER

• Matteo (Matt) Alacrán is a clone of a very old but immensely powerful drug lord, El Patròn. Matt is a pretty kind person and is normally a gentle person.
• "I didn't want to seem scary to her, I just wanted to be her friend." Farmer 18

SETTING

• The story takes place in northwestern Mexico, about 120 years in the future after the U.S. had become poor and Mexico was taking a rise in power.
• "I remember when the U.S. was powerful and rich." Farmer 86

THEME

• The story's theme is enveloped with power, greed, and anger. There are little bouts of surprise and happiness that sprout out of the theme, along with some little drops of grief and sadness.
• "They had all died. Every single one of them." Farmer 190

CONFLICT

• The conflict is mainly between most of society and Matt. The powerful drug lord El Patròn only has Matt as a clone of him so he can use Matt's organs to keep him alive.
• "You are made for him", says Tam Lin. "He just uses you for your organs." Farmer 115

PLOT

• The plot of House of the Scorpion is Matt finds out that he's a clone, and has spent all his live in this little home, away from all society. Then one day he sees some kids and jumps out to play with them, but gets hurt. Then he is taken in by the rich Alacràns to be healed. They find out he is a clone and for 6 months is locked up in a room full of sawdust and then finally gets released and with the help of his caretaker runs away to the Mexican border center. He then goes off to work at a plankton factory and meets some new friends until he finally goes back to his home where El Patròn needs Matt for his organs. Matt gets away and El Patròn dies. Then Matt goes on to end the drug industry and the story ends.
• "It was time to change Mexico". Farmer 208

THE END!