During the era of maritime exploration and the discovery of the Americas, hypotheses were made about the earth, comparing it not only to a paradise , but also to a paradise. invaded by cannibalistic natives. These assumptions led to the desire to explore the lands and conquer the savages who posed a threat to man and civilization itself. The consequences of this massive colonization and dehumanization of indigenous people have paved the way for literary works that present themselves as critiques of the era seen through a postcolonial lens. From a postcolonial perspective, a few common themes predominate among the texts compared. Focusing on the theme of travel, what it means and what it involves, Garcilaso de la Vega's "The Story of Pedro Serrano" and Juan José Saer's The Witness both tackle all of these themes with great severity. , dissecting the purpose of the trip. travel and what it means to be a civilized man. Vega wrote about Pedro Serrano, a man who was shipwrecked on a small desert island for almost a decade. The majority of the story focuses on conquering and taming Serrano to suit his own needs. For example, he uses turtle shells not only to collect water for his consumption, but also to build a small cabin in order to perpetuate the life of his fire which nature threatened to extinguish. However, despite his efforts, nature eventually wins over Serrano, stripping him naked and leaving him almost animal like in the eyes of civilized men. Although this story doesn't focus too much on Serrano's journey, it offers an in-depth perspective of what is at stake when man confronts nature. Serrano desperately tries to recreate civilization on the island in an attempt to cling to civilization. After all, it was religion (a man-made institution) ... middle of paper ... the need for a balance between man's true physical appearance and man's true behavior is necessary. For Serrano, his journey led him to discover this balance and for the "Def-ghi", it was the balance between the cannibalistic and civilized nature of man, something that frightened him so much that he has confined himself to the city where he disguises himself. like something refined. Between Vega's "The Pedro Serrano Story" and Saer's The Witness, each character discovered their own truths and purpose in life. For Serrano, his journey was about achieving the balance between nature and civilization and transforming it for his own benefit, just as he did with the island's resources. For the unnamed narrator, his journey was about gaining the identity of what would eventually become a lost civilization and sharing its story with the world, ensuring that they would continue to live and be understood..