The House of the Scorpion Character Analysis

Matteo “Matt” Alacrán

Matt is the protagonist of the novel. He is the clone of El Patrón, created for the sole purpose of harvesting his organs in order to extend El Patrón’s life. He enjoys learning all… read analysis of Matteo “Matt” Alacrán

Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán

El Patrón is the patriarch of the Alacrán family and the leader of the country of Opium. At the beginning of the novel, he is over 140 years old, and has created a clone, Matt… read analysis of Matteo “El Patrón” Alacrán

María Mendoza

María is the youngest daughter of Senator Mendoza and Esperanza, the younger sister of Emilia, and the friend and love interest of Matt. She has black hair and olive skin and grows up… read analysis of María Mendoza

Tam Lin

Tam Lin is the bodyguard of both El Patrón and Matt. He has blue eyes and curly brown hair, is very muscular, and is covered in scars. Matt observes that Tam Lin shows a… read analysis of Tam Lin

Celia

Celia is Matt’s primary caretaker and a cook in El Patrón’s house. She comes from the same village in Aztán as El Patrón, and therefore was not turned into an eejit when she… read analysis of Celia

Tom

Tom is the illegitimate son of Mr. MacGregor and Felicia. He has red hair and blue eyes like his father. He is cruel and vicious, attempting to kill animals and tormenting Matt and María… read analysis of Tom

Gustavo “El Viejo” Alacrán

El Viejo is El Patrón’s grandson and Mr. Alacrán’s father. Unlike El Patrón, El Viejo will not use clone organ transplants in order to extend his life. El Viejo is deeply religious and… read analysis of Gustavo “El Viejo” Alacrán

Justin “Mr. Alacrán” Alacrán

Mr. Alacrán is the great grandson of El Patrón, the son of El Viejo, the husband of Felicia, and the father of Benito and Steven. He uses language to dehumanize Matt… read analysis of Justin “Mr. Alacrán” Alacrán

Felicia Alacrán

Felicia is the wife of Mr. Alacrán and the mother of Benito, Steven, and Tom. She used to be a concert pianist, but after having a nervous breakdown, only plays alone in… read analysis of Felicia Alacrán

Benito Alacrán

Benito is the oldest son of Mr. Alacrán and Felicia, and the great-great grandson of El Patrón. The family assumes he is the heir-apparent of Opium—however, he is both unkind and unintelligent. El… read analysis of Benito Alacrán

Steven Alacrán

Steven is the second son of Mr. Alacrán and Felicia, and the great-great grandson of El Patrón. He initially appears kinder than his older brother, Benito, and helps Matt before he realizes… read analysis of Steven Alacrán

Mr. MacGregor

Mr. MacGregor is the second-most powerful drug lord in Opium. He is a close friend and ally of El Patrón and the father of Tom. He has red hair and blue eyes. Like El… read analysis of Mr. MacGregor

Senator Mendoza

Senator Mendoza is a powerful U.S. senator, the father of Emilia and María, and the ex-husband of Esperanza. He is a close political ally and family friend of El Patrón. His political… read analysis of Senator Mendoza

Emilia Mendoza

Emilia is the eldest daughter of Senator Mendoza and Esperanza and the older sister of María. She is the childhood friend and later wife of Steven. Unlike her younger sister, she is not… read analysis of Emilia Mendoza

Esperanza Mendoza

Esperanza is the ex-wife of Senator Mendoza and the mother of Emilia and María. She left the family when María was a young child, leaving María to believe she had died in the desert… read analysis of Esperanza Mendoza

Daft Donald

Daft Donald is the bodyguard of El Patrón. He is similar in appearance to Tam Lin, with a brutish, tough exterior, and was also a Scottish nationalist before coming to work for El… read analysis of Daft Donald

Rosa

Rosa is a servant in El Patrón’s house and the mistress of Dr. Willum. She imprisons Matt as a child and neglects and abuses him. She treats him like an animal because he is… read analysis of Rosa

Willum / The Doctor

Willum is the primary doctor for both El Patrón and Matt. He is also the boyfriend of Rosa before she becomes an eejit. He is cold toward Matt and only cares for him… read analysis of Willum / The Doctor

Mr. Ortega

Mr. Ortega is Matt’s music teacher. He is deaf and therefore desperate enough for work to teach a clone, when all other human teachers avoid Matt. At the end of the novel, he cannot hear… read analysis of Mr. Ortega

Teacher

Teacher is an eejit brought in to teach Matt. The facts that she is only addressed by her function shows the loss of identity caused by the computer chip in her brain. She is… read analysis of Teacher

Raúl

Raúl is the first Keeper Matt meets over the border in Aztlán. Raúl supervises the Lost Boys, the orphans who lost their parents to the Farm Patrol. He repeats the Keepers’ dogma about everyone working… read analysis of Raúl

Carlos

Carlos is the head Keeper in charge of the plankton factory in near San Luis. Like the other Keepers, he is hypocritical, professing the values of equality to the Lost Boys while enjoying exclusive privileges… read analysis of Carlos

Jorge

Jorge is a Keeper at the plankton factory. He lectures the Lost Boys on the importance of collectivism and scolds Matt for his aristocratic manners. He is vindictive and abusive, beating both Matt and Ton-Ton… read analysis of Jorge

Fidelito

Fidelito is a Lost Boy, who was orphaned by Farm Patrol and now lives under the authority of the Keepers. He is the youngest and smallest of the Lost Boys. He is desperate for affection… read analysis of Fidelito

Chacho

Chacho is a Lost Boy and friend to both Matt and Fidelito. He acts tough and often swears at and talks back to the Keepers. Like all Lost Boys, he foolishly hopes that his… read analysis of Chacho

Ton-Ton

Ton-Ton is the Lost Boy in charge of driving the plankton harvester and cleaning the Keepers’ quarters. At first, he appears to be unintelligent, but later he proves himself to be observant and diligent. He… read analysis of Ton-Ton

Minor Characters

MacGregor’s Clone

The clone whom Mr. MacGregor creates in order to harvest the clone’s organs. Unlike Matt, scientists destroyed MacGregor’s clone’s brain as a baby, in accordance with the law. Tom uses the clone to horrify María and make Matt feel less than human.

Fani

Fani is the daughter of a wealthy Nigerian president and the wife of Benito. She has always hated Benito, but her father forced her to marry him in order to be tied to El Patrón’s powerful family, thus showing El Patrón’s international influence.

Hugh

Hugh is a Farm Patrol agent, who captures Matt thinking he is an immigrant who illegally crossed the border into Opium. He tells Matt about Tam Lin’s crime of accidently killing schoolchildren.

Ralf

Ralf is a Farm Patrol agent, who captures Matt thinking he is an immigrant who illegally crossed the border into Opium. He tells Matt about how most Farm Patrol agents are Europeans who got in trouble for brawls surrounding soccer games.

Flaco

Flaco is the oldest Lost Boy at the plankton factory. After being inspired by Matt, he leads the Lost Boys in a rebellion against the Keepers.

Luna

Luna is a former Lost Boy and Keeper-in-Training who works in the infirmary. His character reveals how the majority of Lost Boys hope to one day become Keepers so that they may enjoy the privileges and powers that used to oppress them.

Guapo

Guapo is an elderly Aztlán man who helps Fidelito and Matt when they escape to San Luis. He is the brother of Consuela.

Consuela

Consuela is an elderly Aztlán woman who helps Fidelito and Matt when they escape to San Luis. She teaches Matt about the Day of the Dead. She is the sister of Guapo.

Sister Inéz

Sister Inéz is a nun at the convent in San Luiz. She protects the injured Chacho from the Keepers.

Furball

Furball is María’s beloved dog. Matt is often compared to Furball, which he resents because this emphasizes how his society considers clones to be animals. Felicia murders Furball and Matt is blamed, driving a wedge between Matt and María, as well as between Matt and Tam Lin.

Eduardo

Eduardo is the scientist who grows Matt in the lab, despite his complicated feelings over Matt’s fate as a clone.

Lisa

Lisa is Eduardo’s colleague and fellow scientist.

Anna

Eduardo’s wife.

Wee Wullie

Wee Wullie is a Farm Patrol agent.