Juana Ibarbourou's poem “Rebel” serves as a powerful expression of the findings of life and the fight that descended as an intent to defy destiny. By him, the author’s concern is reflected by overcoming the limitations imposed by time, a profound wish to be different and stand out in society. Through a vibrant language, Ibarbourou not only presents a criticism of the nature of rebellion, but also redefines it as an act of autoconfirmation and transformation. This essay proposes analyzing how the poem defines rebellion, exploring the themes of uniqueness, and presenting the internal conflict of the poetic voice of the author.

The poem starts with the author invoking the name of “Charon.” Charon, in Greek mythology, is depicted to be in charge of bringing souls to their proper destinations. The use of this name, followed by the colon (from the translator: a direct translation is two points), clearly indicates who is the poetic voice and who it is directed to. Imagine the author Juana Ibarbourou in front of the figure of Charon. In the following verse, a metaphor is found in the expression “I will be a scandal in your boat”, in which the author compares themself to something scandalous, noisy, and striking at the moment of his passing to the afterlife. Then he mentions how the other shadows, referring to the other souls of the dead, as if they were praying, moaning, and crying in their boat. There is a clear comparison between the poetic voice she expresses about herself and what the other souls do. She shows herself as a “scandal” and the other souls with a defeated feeling at the moment they board the boat. Moreover, the author continues using a threatening tone towards Charon when saying, “and under your sinister patriarchal looks.” This line reinforces the defying attitude and challenging poetic voice towards Charon, meanwhile it offers a description of what it is like being in the boat of the dead. In the last verse the idea of the other souls being defeated by the conception of death is emphasized, she does this with the specific diction like timid, sad, and the description of silent prayers. This contrast between the souls crossing the boat and the poetic voice highlights an essential difference: while the other souls surrender to sadness and submission, the poetic voice seems to reject this defeat.

In the second quatrain, a simile is used when the poetic voice says she will go “like a singing lark,” which contrasts with her earlier comparison of being a “scandal.” Larks, being birds that sing in the mornings. The singing of birds being something so earthly and an experience related to life, contrasts with the imminent presence of death that comes accompanied by Charon. This verse connects directly with the last one of the first quatrain. While one verse says, “in a low tone, they pray,” this is contradicted by the singing, which is loud and boisterous. She continues by mentioning that she will carry her “wild perfume” with her. The “wild” description given to the perfume aligns with the scandal that the poetic voice will be in the boat, highlighting her presence in more than one way.

The author continues by mentioning that she will create ripples in the water of the river and uses a simile when she says that she will illuminate this stream “like a blue lantern.” The four verses in the quatrain serve to demonstrate through actions how the poetic voice will be a scandal when she is in the boat. She shows this through different actions related to life, such as singing, moving, and spreading scents or light. Analyzing the selected actions, there is a connection to the five human senses, showing things that can be smelled, seen, touched, heard, and actions related to the mouth. This reinforces the idea that she will be different from the other dead souls, who lack any of these characteristics. In addition, there is a force that directs the actions that will be taken against Charon—a force that seems to defeat death, but through deep analysis of what the poetic voice actually says, there is a constant use of comparison. The comparison between her and the other souls can be seen as an indication of weakness and of wanting to prove something to Charon by belittling everything around her.
There is the use of hyperbaton in the four lines that make up this stanza. This gives rhythm to the verses and connects with the fantasy that exists in this poem.

Starting with the tercets, the poetic voice begins to increase the aggressiveness of its tone. In the phrase "No matter how much you don't want to," it becomes clear that there is a challenging feeling against Charon. It expresses the desperation and passion that drive the poetic voice 's desire to live. Right after, it mentions the "sinister winks," another reference to Charon's gaze, accompanied by the title "masters in terror." It reaffirms the idea of ​​his gaze being chilling, but despite this, there doesn't seem to be a loss of momentum. There is a direct reference to the beginning, it says "Charon, in your boat I will be like a scandal." However, there is a great difference with the first line. While at the beginning it uses the metaphor to describe itself with the title "Scandal," in this line it uses the simile to say it. This is not only a different use of literary devices, but a direct representation of the voice's tone. A tone that begins by describing what it will do when its time comes, and how it will not accept death easily. Feelings that grow throughout the poem but which, as seen here, can be weak. The weakness of the tone comes from the aforementioned desperation of the poetic voice not to die, which is expressed with this defiant tone that hides all the existing insecurities.

For the last tercet of the poem, the defeated tone of the poetic voice is evident. The voice mentions, "And exhausted by shadow, by courage, and by cold." With these words, it illustrates a state of concession towards Charon; it understands the power of death, and shows its characteristics.For example, she embraces the concept of "courage," which is related to the struggle and strength, along with shadow and cold. These are two words related to death and they make the reader feel the anguish that overshadows any kind of motivation that existed at some point. She mentions the moment when she will be left "on the riverbank" and how, while this happens, this will happen “like a Vandal conquest.”

The poetic voice makes it clear that at the moment of her death, when her time runs out, she will continue fighting to live. The Vandal conquests refer to the moments in which the pirates “conquered” the women and stole them from their homes. In an obvious response, the women fought and struggled to prevent this. The poetic voice seems to gradually understand throughout the poem the true meaning of death, and as the end approaches, the realization becomes clearer. The use of literary devices, such as metaphor, simile, and hyperbaton, enrich the poem, convey the emotion of the poetic voice, and reveal its gradual realization of the fragility of its rebellion. The reference to Charon, as a figure of unwavering authority, serves as justification for the poetic voice to express its deepest emotions and confront the dilemma of life and death. The final confrontation does not represent a victory over death; it is a devastated but firm acceptance. It reflects the complexity of the human struggle against the inevitable. In this way, Ibarbourou offers a reflection on the human condition, on the constant desire to live and the inevitability of death, and on how rebellion, although charged with passion, ultimately confronts the reality of finite existence.

The poem presents a direct confrontation with death (Charon), a challenge to the inevitable that goes beyond mere resistance. Through the poetic voice, the author not only illustrates the internal struggle between the desire to live and the acceptance of death, but also exposes a resistance against the barriers and limitations imposed by fate.

As the poem progresses, the comparison between the protagonist and the other lost souls deepens, highlighting how she distinguishes herself by her will to excel and defy death. However, as the poem progresses, that defiant energy is tempered by a growing understanding of the fate that awaits her, culminating in a resigned acceptance, yet one that is still charged with struggle.