I Juan De Pareja Book Report
“I Juan de Pareja, was born into slavery early in the seventeenth century.” This quote opens up our adventure into the life of Juan de Pareja. This name belongs to a slave, a man, an artist, and a beloved part of a family. When the book start it introduces you into a young slave boy, juan, and his first place of residence he has ever known. We learn of his mother and his mistress, Emilia, who was a kind woman and loved him very much. This woman taught Juan how to read and write, but she also gave this poor boy a slight disadvantage for she did not fully prepare him for what life would be like with other, more cruel masters. In no time at all Juan's first master and mistress had died from the plague, Juan also got…show more content… One day a young man came to pay his respects and start an apprenticeship, this man was confident and had lots of connections to master. This man really surprised Juan when he addressed him as ‘senior’, slaves were not usually addressed in such a manner. This young man, who was called Bartolome, struck a chord with the master and he accepted him as an apprentice, much to Juan's satisfaction. This apprentice soon started impressing master and was soon allowed to move from copying paintings to actually working with master. During all this joy Juan picked backup on his painting, for now he could learn from two great artists. He was Guilty for it though, he did not take part in religious actions and he thought that if he were to die he would go to hell for lying, he pondered and pondered what he should. He wallowed and cried but finally decided to confide in Bartolome, he showed him his paintings and surprised him with the fact that it is illegal for slaves to paint, Bartolome we flabbergasted by this. He would not give up painting but he would not steal colors anymore, for Bartolome would give them to him. He was content for he could confide in someone and share his work as well as not be sinning by doing so. Bartolome left after 3 years of hard work and
