Fermina’s Father and Social Mobility

This flow traces Lorenzo Daza’s ambition for his daughter and the concealed costs of his rise.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A New Household

A New Household Ambition established Lorenzo Daza settles in the city with Fermina Daza and invests in a restored home and her education. Status pursued He hopes to make her a great lady through a socially advantageous marriage, making her future part of his own project.

The Suitor Rejected

The Suitor Rejected A father intervenes Lorenzo Daza confronts Florentino Ariza and demands that he leave Fermina alone, treating the decision as a matter for men. A daughter’s will ignored He removes Fermina from the city rather than ask what she wants, turning ambition into coercion.

The Keys Given Over

The Keys Given Over Authority transferred Lorenzo Daza gives Fermina Daza the keys to her life and delegates control of the household to her. Independence qualified The gesture grants practical freedom, though her father’s plans and secrets continue to shape her circumstances.

A Fraud Exposed

A Fraud Exposed Hidden dealings revealed Investigators uncover counterfeit money and other dishonest business schemes connected to Lorenzo Daza. Family respectability threatened Juvenal Urbino helps manage the scandal, while Fermina confronts the distance between her father’s public story and his actual conduct.

A Daughter Defends His Name

A Daughter Defends His Name Old injuries return Newspaper stories about Lorenzo Daza’s schemes reopen Fermina Daza’s questions about her father and her social identity. Anger redirected Her response is shaped by affection, humiliation, and a need to decide for herself what kind of man he was.

After Lorenzo Daza arrives in the city

When Lorenzo discovers the secret letters

When Fermina returns as a young woman

During Fermina’s married years

During Fermina’s widowhood