This part focuses on Ernest’s family background and early upbringing. His household is bound by rigid religious traditions and authoritarian parents who emphasize obedience over freedom. Though his parents demand moral perfection, their hypocrisy breeds fear and repression in the children. Ernest grows up seemingly submissive but inwardly conflicted. Education, too, is dominated by dogma and authority, stifling individuality and thought. The narrative dwells on family history and domestic life, casting a long shadow over the protagonist’s development. It lays the groundwork for the conflicts that will unfold later.
