The Bridge of San Luis Rey

by

Thornton Wilder

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Bridge of San Luis Rey makes teaching easy.

Captain Alvarado Character Analysis

a well-known Peruvian explorer, Captain Alvarado is a reserved but deeply compassionate man. His friends, including Doña María and the Abbess, believe that his ceaseless traveling is a means of distracting himself from the tragic loss of his daughter several years ago. Captain Alvarado’s experiences with grief allow him to connect with Esteban after the loss of his twin brother Manuel, when no one else can comfort him. Heroically, he prevents Esteban from committing suicide and convinces him to accept a position on his exploring crew. As the two men journey into Lima, Esteban dies in the bridge collapse, but Captain Alvarado is spared.

Captain Alvarado Quotes in The Bridge of San Luis Rey

The The Bridge of San Luis Rey quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Alvarado or refer to Captain Alvarado. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Acts of God and Individual Will Theme Icon
).
Part 3: Esteban Quotes

He was the awkwardest speaker in the world apart from the lore of the sea, but there are times when it requires a high courage to speak the banal. He could not be sure the figure on the floor was listening, but he said, “We do what we can. We push on, Esteban, as best we can.”

Related Characters: Captain Alvarado (speaker), Esteban
Page Number: 63
Explanation and Analysis:
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Captain Alvarado Quotes in The Bridge of San Luis Rey

The The Bridge of San Luis Rey quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Alvarado or refer to Captain Alvarado. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Acts of God and Individual Will Theme Icon
).
Part 3: Esteban Quotes

He was the awkwardest speaker in the world apart from the lore of the sea, but there are times when it requires a high courage to speak the banal. He could not be sure the figure on the floor was listening, but he said, “We do what we can. We push on, Esteban, as best we can.”

Related Characters: Captain Alvarado (speaker), Esteban
Page Number: 63
Explanation and Analysis: