Paredes, Americo; "With his Pistol in his Hand," The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez. University of Texas Press (1958).)

Book Review by Joseph Osorio

Americo Paredes, the author of “With His Pistol in His Hand” has a really interesting approach in describing how cultural differences in 19th century, South Texas clashed with, also local, Mexican culture. His book was originally published on 1958 in Austin, Texas, at the University of Texas Press. Through his book he is able to tell the legend and story of a cultural hero, Gregorio Cortez, and how his story is still song and told through poems and ballads.

The legend of Cortez takes place along the Lower Rio Grande Border in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s in south Texas. Paredes brings a mixture of the North American culture and also the Mexican culture living in Texas. In his book “With His Pistol in His Hand,” Paredes brings a mixture of different parts from race, to folklore, to ballads, to anthropology, oral literature, and even fine ethnographic. Paredes divides the book into two sections, the first part of the book he starts of with explaining the customs, tradition, landscape, and the story of Gregorio Cortez. But in the second half of the book he explain the ballads, also known as poems or folklore song that narrate a story, and how they brought meaning to many of the Mexicans. In this part he is able to explain the beginning of the Spanish ballad, how they were produced, and their importance in the Spanish culture.

Throughout the whole book Paredes is comparing the two distinct but different cultures, their conflicts, and how time and time again they would clash. For example, at the beginning of the book he starts off by explaining the customs and traditions of the Mexican culture. He tells the reader how the Mexicans had specific rules in their family, how they were polite obedient, and highly respected their elders. But Paredes does not give much insight on the American-Texan, he just goes right into the Texan Ranger, who is the total opposite. He describes them as arrogant, immoral, dishonest, and careless. Paredes says that the Texan Ranger did not care about justice or the law, all that mattered to them was their own glory and how they were seen according to other officials of the law. The North American Texans thought highly of themselves and were raised to believe that they were superior, therefore they could take matters into their won hands. The differences between these two cultures caused them to clash and raise conflicts. Paredes explains that the two cultures did not get along and were never going to get along with their vast differences. With these two cultures living together there would be no room for compromise and friendship. Instead there would only be room for hate, anger, and violence.
Paredes not only explains the vast difference in culture but, the juicy and most exciting part of the book comes when he talks about the legend of Gregorio Cortez. Paredes divides the life of Gregorio Cortez in tow ways. The first part he tells the legend of Cortez, and in the second part of the book he explains the real story of Cortez in more exact detail. In this part of the book Paredes researched the names of people, precise dates, and event the exact events that occurred. Paredes tries to tell the actual trial with historical events and dates. But in the part of the legend he tells the story of Cortez through the eyes of the Mexican people. He tells the legend and how from his action of defending himself with his pistol, he became the great hero Gregorio Cortez. Paredes put emotion and feeling into the story of Cortez. He was able to write clearly so that the reader understood everything that was happening.

In the second part of “With his Pistol in His Hand,” Paredes goes into more depth with a very important aspect of the Spanish culture that was initiated during this time. This important feature became the ballads of the Spanish culture. Paredes begins to explain how the ballads initiated, and what was the purpose of a ballad. He writes that the corrido of Gregorio Cortez has many versions, but they all end up with the same meaning. That Cortez stud up for what was right wit his pistol, and for this he is seen as a hero. There were many corridos, and they were sung in different places from “cantina”(bars) to even special occasion, to just lonely nights out in the dessert. Anywhere someone went they could hear the legend of Gregorio Cortez. Overall, Paredes explains that the corrido itself is able to symbolize the hard conflicts between the North American and the Texan-Mexicans. Through these corridos he shows the conflicts between race and culture, and how at the end some prevailed but still other could not.

Overall, Americo Paredes made a great contribution in writing this book and presenting the real story of the lives of Mexican during this time. It is said that as Paredes was about to publish his book, an ex-Ranger who said that he would kill Paredes if he published this book threatened him. But without hesitating Paredes knew it was an important part in history that others needed to hear. Therefore, in the year of 1958 he published his book, and helped many gain knowledge in the lives of Texan-Mexicans along the Border during ht 1900’s.

I believe that Americo Paredes wrote a really good book. He gave me insight and knowledge in events that I did not even realize were occurring during this period. His flow of writing came very easily and exciting at the same time. He gave the reader a whole new outlook on the Texan culture between the Americans and the Mexicans. There were parts where he gives a lot of information about ballads, and certain events, that make it hard for the reader to comprehend. But, overall he wrote a really good book that kept me interested all the way to the end.