Porter, K.A. “Flowering Judas” essay

One of the most powerful characters in Porter’s story Flowering Judas is Braggioni. Katherine Anne Porter characterizes Braggioni both as a Marxist revolutionary leader in and around Mexico City, and as a Laura’s suitor. Briggioni is self-confident and self-obsessed person who knows what he wants and tried to achieve his goals by any means. For example, Laura fulfills his orders carrying messages to the imprisoned members of the movement. Although he comes to Laura’s house every night in order to talk with her and to sing for her, she politely refuses to have intimate relations with him. Briggioni tells Laura: “You think you are so cold, gringita. Wait and see. You will surprise yourself some day. May I be there to advise you!” ( Porter 220).

Briggioni is rather fat and extremely disgusting man, who is involved in cynicism and corruption of the revolutionary movement. It is difficult to tell that he is indeed capable of redemption. Although Briggioni possesses good leadership qualities, he holds the position of a powerful leader basically through his intimidation tactics and spying. Although he is revolutionist, he spends a lot of money on good food and elegant clothes. In the story, Briggioni is called a “good revolutionist” because he has such qualities as “the malice, the cleverness, the wickedness, the sharpness of wit, the hardness of heart, stipulated for loving the world profitably” (Porter 221).

To sum up, Briggioni is not capable of redemption because he addicts himself to vice and does not understand that his behavior is wrong and his actions are inhuman. In other words, he does not admit his mistakes.