© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

11/7/1957 - A Ton of Eyes by Charles R. Temple

JZNT TUT E OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS American Express A Ton Eyes adrid Spain November Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Rogers The fighting Jom Fulton American fighter living Seville It fighting occasionally humans allew himself petted handler This depicted seeking target muscle raised rigid sweeping prepeller I imagine Fulton fights kills animals professionally sense familiarity I I pencil paper newsletter assures But uninitiated At twenty Fulton spare eneretio His squarish curiously mobile punctuated karat shaped brows green His flare alertness He leoks young believe space years learned speak fluent Spanish dance flamenco paint fight bulls The important achievement concerned dedicate bullfight cerrida teros Cetten ather virtue Tiberius His profession Bmllfighting dirtiest games world God young This exico seven years Since I Watched outer inner workings corrida tores dozen countries weuld difficult isagree judgement Whatever oommentatorhas Own terpretation corri industry movie making ORT manufacture The highest rewards marketed commodity himself bullfighter effectively Since bullfightr torero little single fight cities towns Spain Latin America crowded would The situation t2reby created fiercely competitive little which regulated rules A maxim among bullfighters That torero The cynical remark Friendships cease three toreros plaza together The stakes enough corrida considered major industry Appendix Spain To public apparent pivot around which complicated structure corrida moves natador toros killer generally young usually dashing always something prima donna The dramatic matador makes arrogant catching entrances exits inside outside plaza mildest clearly considers breed apart Fulton described nicest American aggressive about profession takes delight pride being I fight bulls Sharing intense central light matador rofessional closest manager assistants peones cuadrilla sword handler sometime secretary est0ques Around these diminishing circles importance raisers sonal friends known hangers unknown hangers beggars bootblacks It court matador Fulton matador wryly remarks court consisting manager chief small noisy Earler I remarked fighter apparent focus corrida activities This because practice shares control manager impresario finances fights manages The which these behind scenes rarely becomes public knowledge except unreliable gossip But blood court which matador holds torero matter great plaza until accomplished Without manager eskimo withou igloo would perish Without impresario would perform privacy public would never This diminish importance fighter after thing being certain again again Hhas leave others marketing product His tribution himself skill bravery Whatever happens plaza outwit series charges animal while protecting himself against contusions concussion wounds dearth doing thissuch spectators approve applaud If person watches exceptional torero plaza looks feels orize shooting script beforehand following letter He forget weighing around whose intention drive horns moving object which confronts He forgets performances young beginners nevilleros learn learn actual contact eaugh tossed after often clumsy inept helpless before bullo The wants reach upper killers through apprenticeship Here perhaps roughest smell cruelty human beings about which sometimes nauseating The essential point about fighter apprenticeship practice which requires place himsel disposal living lethal weapon skills defences tially perfected There other death common consequences One Fulton photographs shows ground clinging desperately horns large gored until peones reach He could hardly raise least still alive The event which started Fulton Philadelphia Seville active participation corrida movie Tyrone Power Rita Hayworth version Blood Sand based Blasco Ibqez novel killer Ful movie I thought bullfighting everything still Alternatively might Hemingway Deat Afternoon still comprehensive appreciation James Conklyn another American torero Spain Both Fulton Conklyn agree either movie start Americans thinking about becoming bullfighters In spite Blood Sand Fulton might never bulls Spanish barber The latter having emigrated rainy Philadelphia could never forge clear skies Spain suffered profound sadness exiled Spaniard against Franco government swearing never return Spain breath about going fastest H never being The barber covered walls bullfight posters talked bulls always willing customers mostly Latin Ameri You Litri Maestranza Now plaza Did color yolks which travel And thatooo In Spain recalled every It posters which attracted Fulton S attention He found barber demonstra passes In short became friends barber taught basic encouraged torero daughter showed Fulton dance flamenco Ols castanets resounded outpost SPain At Fulton enrolled useum School Painting scholarship study Mexico As parting Spanish barber fightin Chicuelo Spanish torero daughter presented castanetso He still these gifts exicowas confusion Fulton continued paint began learn Spanish beyond elementary phrases gotten barber tried dimly murky world bullfighters cafes other haunts It There language difficulties there Americans present wanted toreros No particu larly helpful One gringo pretensions But dogged establish himself precariously world where successful while majori beens Or would All while joined practice woolen cloth muleta fight But needed himself before bulls state One approached offered place Carlos Arruza Mexico famous matadors Fulton could money bulls would A small portion receipts would cover Fulton expenses At first glance reasonable offer context corrida specious The reason Fulton beginner beginners simply figure ranking matadors He accepted however manag required mOney togethero After turned learned definitely fight Arruza taken Finally police listened politely asked erstwhile promoter Fulton objections night lonely police intercepted truck carrying bulls promoter The bulls stolen nearby ranch All volved arrested including Fulton spite having contacted police first As inexplicably jailed released wiser bullfight world determined Military service interrupted plans before Amy Mexico learned number pirants great number sponsors small Of course there those willing John Fulton matador costume dress there price Ther others offered undertake training presentation Fulton expense There snickered their tequila Saidin effect Come Yankee others encouraged could practical And there those beginners himself smiled shook hands pieces latero The reality romantic world Blood Sand healthy effect dispelling Fulton iillusions The result estimate which discourage confirm belief overwhelming desire matador The Mexican exper ience necessary innocence CRT The Army Fulton chance second stationed San Antoni participate several corridas which killed In meantime practiced muleta critical decision Mexico seemed unlikely could Spain Once discharged operation shortly arrived Spain several hundre dollars pocket fresh enthusiasm He directly Seville centers fighting activity traditions breeding bulls bullfighters spectators atmosphere A friend exice given letter Pee Illo torero turned manager Pepe letter looked Fulton All right ranch worst Fulton through paces malicious confesses awful awful I looked character never hands before In spite something which caught Pepe Illo fancy torero So learning something fighting Fulton astonished overjoyed Few beginners arrived Spain manager quickly And latter trains finances promising youngster known influence among impresarios handles publicity which keeps fighter public Sis technique handling torero break fighter involved For services between S0 fighter S income If Fulton worked Mexico worked infinitely harder Under Pepe tutelage Not learn fundamentals fight Spanish style Most often training sessions place railroad yards Seville There uneven stubbled ground littered sticks stones broken glass paper debris freight Fulton bathing trunks learned footwork carriage handling wrist control muleta technique profiling heavy killing sword muleta under sharp expert ironic voice manager Pepe Illo standard perfectiono Pepe arranged Fulton economical corridas small towns could satisfy important quirement learning craft working which little thought mistakes demanded torero automatically nothing before On these occasions Fulton fought badly tossed trampled added knowledge every The economical corrida brutal thing often bulls wanted fights either because blind passed before In first class corrida animal physically perfect large averaging modest spread around years nerally virgin exposed muleta before The leading toreros refuse fight under other conditions So comes about least prepared exacting bullo Several novilleros because because perience others gored injured Those responsible state affairs through phase career fighter Others Isagree pointing asily acquired decent unfai heaviest penalties least equippedo As every other aspect corrida argument strident situation static Abuses apparently longer stayin power virtues I asked manager littlest bulls known toreros He replied Why think money X would gored H affordtbe jured anymore investment Fulton other course accept state affairs An unknown hardly change standard Moreover fight bulls therefore others available Besides dream fighting after experi His manager wealthy contribute greatly Fulton maintenance In ginning Fulton nothing economical corri The eight months series outlays little return At funds could stand coffee treats cafes where bullfight people gathered This paradox thinking bullfight world presperity unshaven overcoat winter sleeping floor working stained patched barely eating Fulton found perfunctory dingy cafes their fleers littered sugar wrappers cigarette cigar butts napkins spittle their tables sticky spilled brandy coffee H found money magic talisman superstitious world torero whose would breed others He believes point simply ceased exist people In months situation begun CRT42 improve For fight H enormous enormous received expenses ledging tansportation incidentals himself Pepe H hopes repeat itself As Fulton painting diffi market Neither Spaniards foreigners iterested works unknown American especially doing series paintings illustrating themes Garca Lorca Lament Death Ignacio Suchez terero death plaza returned after retiring because mistress famous Spanis dancer demanded money could afford oreover Americans there decided hostility looked suspicion another young loose Europe without stake Job inter ested becoming bullfighter An American colony Seville Fulton pretty reugh Ful finally Lorca aside enough sketches commonest passes terero fighting These caught attention several Sevillians encouraged reproduced tourist trade Already number title Fiesta Brava promise bring enough money finance Fulton winter during which practice tientas testing young breeding purposes ranches perhap season which epens Spring intens fight first cerrida picadors novillero career There least three stages through which beginner passes In first muleta without animals second fights animals without picadors horseback drive lance muscle cause lewer third fights almost exclusively picadorSo The passage fromthe second third stage important because brings greater novillero finished performances It fighting bigger stronger bulls danger thereby increased since second stage often confronted animals admitted In event llero almost inevitably become matador badly reputatiion confidence suffer accor dingly Fulton preparing great cannot stand thought failure Why Fulton doing He happy faculty laughing problems which however conceal sensitivity slights personal attacks indifference Yet highly vulnerable position sides Among Spaniards Ameican terero Latin great matador Among Americans apparently shiftless misguided although found square judgement Fulton obvious dedication seriousness inclding abstinence smoking drinking nights The competitive nature corrida challenge thickest skinned What rives H himself recognizes something having watched celluloid portrait arrogant brave world commanding killer having committed himself deeply withdraw faiil would family friends wisherso The motive force elsewhere He Sometimes I tighten because I afraid usual because I something badly I weight those Man weigh For toreros fighting killing plaza private personal performed public anact whimh proves beyond shadow doubt For torero every fight affirma proof among In corrida finds fulfilment And makes mistake afraid pressure spectator becomes intolerable until weigh In piece designed explain something feelings confronts Fulton wrote The corridaS gives opportunity prove physical courage The timid raised conservative Philadelphia house becomes something quite different torero steps plaza gracefully knowledgeably bravely fights kills dangerous animal presence Of critical audience This metamorphosis perhaps explanation Fulton Seville today He described happens When doing balloon ready shoot wrong balloon there nothing worse world feeling Fulton story As points still future encouraging This summer fortune attract Juan Belmonte great retired matadors This short anvil jawed revolutionized 0corrida twenties often tientas important visitors He invites novilleros Fulto asked Belmonte ranch several times latter commented thinks Fulton outstanding novilleros experience His opinion worth great Ful pride enhances reputation among bullfighting people CRT Fulton adventures misadventures representa beginners nationalities experience unless money monied backers becon matadors Although chosen They Spain living mouth pensions airless heatless rooms charity friends their small stakes practicing hours killing bulls trying influence right people dreaming triumph They group assorted motives which bring corrida thing common passion Bullso This passion ficin which settles microbe brain One critic haart corrida It seems transcend other motives remains mysterious origin intractable analysis The aficin compared disease which treated never cured going plaza bullo Fulton badly One evening Sevile Fulton I before aestranza famous In black single sparkling ready golden crescent The waters Guadalquivir vered smoothly Before walls plaza glowed armly Fulton gestured toward entrance those gates carry through ontheir shoulderso osomedayo SiBcerely Charles Ro Templef CRT II APPENDIX Some measure economic robustness corrida schedule which promoter first class corrida faced For fight Madrid season featuring leding matadors expenses broke black brave since fighters cautious From their ranch Madrid truck their guardians atten lunch given rancher handlers fighters mamagers about Managers particular heartily Not wxperts certified bulls fitness employees ticket sellers guards consumed another The truckmen received ranch foreman helpers Everybody tributed among various critics announcing Horses rented contractor wages including social security plaza employees considerably bulls human labor Spain The least participants mules which dragged bulls Posters glowing leaflets exalted tickets tacky mounting distribution Pictures bulls adver tising purposes electricity sprinkler truck Then taxes A spectacle gross receipts protection minors Bullfighters Benefit Association municlpalit As afterthought Society Authors The plaza management I0 The matadors salaries nearly equaled previous expenses toreros substitute total The promoter nearly No reported depressed Everyone agrees business country laborer wages average month Received New York