The Quest (1922)

As the first of his novel trilogy, "La lucha por la vida", Pio Baroja spawns the Forrest Gump-like character of Manuel Alcázar whose tribulations and improvisational spirit identify the trademark individual character of turn-of-the-20th-century Spain. "La Busca" ["The Search"] kicks off this saga with the main character dealing with hoodlums and the social unwanted. In the background of a saturnine misery, Manuel resorts to his creativity and good fortune to unwillingly climb the social ladder. His tendency to hesitate on decisions and his considerable aloofness turn out to be his greater allies. Manuel is the behind-the-scenes character, following events in the lowly suburbs of Madrid, coyly eyewitnessing the tension and survival among wanton groups. Baroja's work earmarks an era of historical disaster in the fading Spanish empire following the 1898 defeat to the emerging American empire. His story cranks the volume of the agonizing voices of helpless creatures underlining the scope of social and political disaster.