UNINTERlingua 2023

57 ro grows up, he begins to find jobs where he can support himself, even if only at the poverty level. That is the case when he works for four years selling water for his master, the chaplain. Lázaro himself says: “Este fue el primer escalón que yo subí para venir a alcanzar buena vida” (Lazarillo de Tormes, p. 117). Another reason given has to do with hu- mor. Some critics seem to think that this Segunda parte does not have any humor at all, but in a study done by Richard E. Zwez , he has an entire chapter in his Hacia la revalorización de la Segunda parte del Lazarillo (1555) on all the different types of humor that exist in this continua- tion. How could one possibly say that there is no humor in this novel if, while Lázaro lives among the tuna fish, he has to pretend to be one of them? He has to act, live, eat, and follow all their customs in order to survive in that maritime world. The author takes great advantage of the pícaro’s precarious situation to entertain the reader. The levels of humor vary, of course, and they can go from provoking a simple smile to a true outburst of laughter, but they are definitely present in the work. Even when Lázaro suffers his second metamorphosis and returns to the world of men, the humor does not stop. It is impor- tant to remember that the type of humor we are used to these days is not the same as that of the XVI century, of course. It is possible that for those critics who point out the lack of humor, Lázaro’s adventures in the maritime world of the tuna fish lack comedic quality. However, if one makes the effort and keeps in mind that the men- tality and the customs of that time were much different from ours, it will be easier