# First Master explained — The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes

> Chapter companion for The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes by Anonymous.

## What happens

Lazaro leaves his mother to serve a blind man, who teaches him cunning and survival but treats him cruelly. Lazaro tricks the blind man multiple times, culminating in a violent escape.

## Themes in this chapter

### Survival and Ingenuity

Lazaro must use cunning to survive the blind man's stinginess, learning to trick him for food and wine.

### Poverty and Hunger

Lazaro suffers near-starvation due to the blind man's avarice, highlighting the harsh realities of poverty.

### Innocence and Experience

Lazaro's initial simplicity is shattered by the blind man's trick, marking his loss of innocence and entry into a world of deceit.

## Character check-ins

### Lazarillo de Tormes

Begins service with the blind man, learns cunning, and eventually escapes.

### The Blind Man

Lazaro's first master, astute and avaricious, who teaches him survival but abuses him.

## Key lines

> This will teach you that a blind man’s boy ought to be one point more knowing than the devil himself

The blind man tells Lazaro that a blind man's servant must be even more cunning than the devil.

_This marks the beginning of Lazaro's education in trickery._

> I can give you neither gold nor silver, but I can teach you much in the ways of getting a livelihood.

The blind man promises to teach Lazaro survival skills instead of wealth.

_Highlights the theme of survival and ingenuity._

> I never met a man so avaricious and stingy, insomuch that he nearly killed me with hunger

Lazaro describes the blind man as extremely greedy, causing him to starve.

_Emphasizes the theme of poverty and hunger._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_lazarillo_de_tormes_se/chapters/first-master
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_lazarillo_de_tormes_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_lazarillo_de_tormes_se/chapters