Hope and need satisfaction in Juan Rulfo’s The Plain in Flames: A Maslowian analysis

This paper analyzes Juan Rulfo’s short-story collection The Plain in Flames, first published in 1953, with a focus on the characters’ pursuit of satisfying their needs. It highlights the importance of small glimpses of hope that inspire disenfranchised individuals to persevere in their pursuit of fulfillment despite adverse circumstances. Utilizing Abraham H. Maslow’s framework of need satisfaction, particularly from his 1954 work Motivation and Personality, the paper first outlines the constant struggle for survival depicted in Rulfo’s narratives. Following a summary of Maslow’s theory, it examines the stories “Paso del Norte,” “Macario,” and “Talpa” to illustrate the interrelation between hope and need satisfaction. The analysis concludes that the characters within The Plain in Flames, irrespective of their unique situations, exemplify the universal human inclination to seek even a small measure of hope as a means to progress. [NPID: Maslow, needs, fulfillment, pursuit]

Year: 2003

Reference: Gambrel, P., & Cianci, R. (2003). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Does it Apply in a Collectivist Culture? The Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 8(2), 143–161.

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