Saul the Hypocrite

The main message of The Storyteller puts a lot of emphasis on the importance on oral traditions within cultures while maintaining purity of those cultures. Saul Zuratas advocates this, and yet his actions seem to be contradictory of his beliefs. He infiltrates himself as an outsider into the Machiguenga culture and becomes a person of extreme influence. 

Saul's opinions on the matter of keeping the tribes pure are clear and strong from the beginning. Perhaps the clearest statement he makes regarding the matter is issued during a conversation where Saul was worked up about the civilized world imposing on the native tribes.

"And the only way to respect them is not to go near them. Not touch them. Our culture is too strong, too aggressive. It devours everything it touches. They must be left alone. Haven't they amply demonstrated that they have the right to go on being what they are?" (Llosa 98-99)

And yet this is just what Saul does. It may have been with the motives to maintain the culture--to keep the stories pure--but this doesn't make his actions any more reflecting his beliefs to leave the culture alone any more than the missionaries or Spaniards he so despises.

But perhaps this is the Llosa's way of inserting dramatic irony into the plot to make the more striking point: that contamination of all cultures on this point is inevitable. Any culture is simply not able to keep alone.