9th Grade Recommended Reading List: "The Censors" by Luisa Valenzuela

Juancito let happiness—a feeling you can’t trust—get the better of him when he received from a confidential source Mariana’s new address in Paris and he knew that she hadn’t forgotten him.

The letter that keeps his mind off his job during the day and won’t let him sleep at night (what had he scrawled, what had he put on that sheet of paper he sent to Mariana?).

Juan knows there won’t be a problem with the letter’s contents, that it’s irreproachable, harmless.

This was Juan’s sound plan when he, like many others, applied for a censor’s job—not because he had a calling or needed a job: no, he applied simply to intercept his own letter, a consoling but unoriginal idea.

This was Juan’s sound plan when he, like many others, applied for a censor’s job—not because he had a calling or needed a job: no, he applied simply to intercept his own letter, a consoling but unoriginal idea.

Ulterior motives couldn’t be overlooked by the Censorship Division, but they needn’t be too strict with those who applied.

The building had a festive air on the outside which contrasted with its inner staidness.

It’s true that on the third day, a fellow worker had his right hand blown off by a letter, but the division chief claimed it was sheer negligence on the victim’s part.

These were horrible days when he was shocked by the subtle and conniving ways employed by people to pass on subversive messages; his instincts were so sharp that he found behind a simple ‘the weather’s unsettled’ or ‘prices continue to soar’ the wavering hand of someone secretly scheming to overthrow the Government.

These were horrible days when he was shocked by the subtle and conniving ways employed by people to pass on subversive messages; his instincts were so sharp that he found behind a simple ‘the weather’s unsettled’ or ‘prices continue to soar’ the wavering hand of someone secretly scheming to overthrow the Government.

These were horrible days when he was shocked by the subtle and conniving ways employed by people to pass on subversive messages; his instincts were so sharp that he found behind a simple ‘the weather’s unsettled’ or ‘prices continue to soar’ the wavering hand of someone secretly scheming to overthrow the Government.

His zeal brought him swift promotion. We don’t know if this made him happy.

But Juan wouldn’t overdo it: any distraction could make him lose his edge and the perfect censor had to be alert, keen, attentive, and sharp to nab cheats.

He had a truly patriotic task, both self-denying and uplifting.