The Death of Artemio Cruz

This section features the extravagant party Cruz throws in his enormous Cocuya residence. The occasion is New Year’s Eve, which coincides with the feast of St. Sylvester. The home houses both Cruz and his paramour, Lilia (a former sex worker) alongside servants and mastiff dogs. The party features photographers, expensive liquors, and an elaborate spread of food. Cruz considers this house his real home, while his wife, Catalina, lives in the mansion in Las Lomas. Lilia complains about her boredom at home while asking Cruz about the appropriateness of her dress. Her idle conversation annoys him. As his 100 guests arrive, Cruz enjoys indulging them with food and drinks, but he prefers to sit alone with his mastiffs. Cruz imagines the conversations his guests will have, in which they question how they will ever repay the kindness of his invitation to such an exquisite party.

One dancer rides on a guest’s back like a horse, which elicits roars of laughter, and the other guests soon follow suit. Cruz continues to imagine the guests’ punctuated conversations, which he supposes include thoughts ranging from admiration of his splendid artwork to the trivialities of modern life such as cars and vacations. Cruz also imagines his guests in the bathroom as a result of the quantities of food he has provided them.