"The Capital of the World" Summary

The Luarca Hotel caters to failed bullfighters and other members of the bullfighting profession. Paco is a new waiter who has just arrived in Madrid from the countryside. His two sisters work as maids in the hotel. They constantly fend off the sexual advances of the men who stay at the hotel. Paco dreams of being a bullfighter and pretends to bullfight when there are not any customers in the hotel restaurant. Enrique, the dishwasher, makes fun of Paco and challenges him to a fake bullfight in which Enrique holds knives like bull horns and charges at Paco. Enrique accidentally stabs Paco during the game. Paco dies from his wounds, waiting for the ambulance to come. The other inhabitants and workers at the hotel continue in their routines.

"The Capital of the World" Analysis