Análisis de la influencia religiosa en la obra “A la Costa” de Luis Martínez.

Abstract

This research explores two central themes: the impact of Catholicism on Ecuadorian society at the end of the 19th century and how this impact is reflected in Luis Alfredo Martínez's novel A la Costa. Based on this dual interface, the general objective was to analyze the influence of religion in the work, thus providing a more informed reading of how the Church pursued and legitimized structures of morality and authority at that historical moment. A qualitative design of a descriptive nature was chosen, articulating phenomenology and hermeneutics, allowing for the reconstruction of subjective experiences and the decoding of latent meanings. The research was based on a bibliographic review and was complemented with semi-structured interviews with three key informants: a priest, a sociologist and a literature teacher. The selection of the sample was intentional, based on the expertise and commitment of the informants to the intersections of religion, society and literary narrative that the novel summons. The findings show that the Catholic Church dominated education, public morality and social control and that it allied with the elite to maintain the hierarchical order. The play shows how this presence produces both internal and collective tensions, especially in the female characters and in the popular sectors. Salvador, the protagonist, symbolizes the search for personal autonomy in the face of the religious and social demands of his time. The novel, therefore, is a valuable tool for teaching. Its analysis in classrooms can encourage the development of critical thinking, nuanced interpretation of writings and ethical reflection among future teachers of Language and Literature.