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The malevolent saloon owner and barber Tenorio Trementina is the novel’s primary antagonist. Whereas many characters in the novel have moral complexity, Tenorio and his daughters are portrayed as avatars of evil who are even willing to consort with the devil. However, Tenorio’s evil comes not just from his proximity to witchcraft but because he lacks internal strength and morals. His behavior contrasts directly with positive role models in Antonio’s life, like Ultima, Gabriel, and Narciso. Ultima models the importance of accepting responsibility for one’s actions, even embracing her own death because she meddled with fate. In contrast, Tenorio blames Ultima for his daughters facing the consequences of their witchcraft. Unlike Gabriel and Narciso, who only kill out of necessity, Tenorio is willing to kill out of vengeance and grief, even attacking Antonio, who is only a child. Furthermore, Tenorio relies on the popular support of the townsfolk to fight his battles for him. While Narciso stands up for Ultima against the entire town, once people realize Ultima is not a witch, Tenorio no longer has the resolve to attack her directly. Tenorio thus serves as an anti-role model, a complete opposite to whom Antonio wants to become.
