Misfortune
Don Pablos' life can be characterized by misfortune. Although his culture is predominantly Catholic, Pablos is not religious. He believes in the power of fate but doesn't consider it too much. If he were religious, he probably would note the particularly unfortunate hand he's been dealt. From day one Pablos faces enormous challenges. His parents are criminals and outcasts. As he goes through life Pablos sets his intentions upon desirable, respectable goals, but he only knows methods of achieving those goals which result in more misfortune. He takes short cuts which often result in mishap, but more importantly chance appears to work against him. For example, Pablos falls in love with Doña Anna, but the very next day Don Diego denounces him as an imposter. True Pablos is posing as somebody he's not, but he genuinely cared for Anna and her family. The likelihood of encountering an enemy from a past life is slim to none, but this is Don Pablos' fate.
Nature Vs. Nurture
The author presents Don Pablos' life as an interesting commentary on the debate of nature vs. nurture. Born to parents who are criminals, Pablos is the perfect case study of crime. If his only role models were so irreparably corrupt, then the model which Pablos was shown of life was one of crime. His parents even grow worse over his lifetime. By the time Pablos is making his own way in the world after giving up school, his father has been hanged and his mother imprisoned. With no one to support him or advise him, Pablos really is on his own in life. The debate arises when one observes Pablos' decisions. Although he starts school with good intentions, he soon quits and falls into a life of listlessness and leisure. He's a hustler. When life catches up to him with bills to pay, he begins cheating random people into giving him money. He makes his living off of his simultaneously winning personality and his divisive genius for manipulation. In the end it's very difficult to determine exactly what role nature and nurture both played in Don Pablos' life, but he appears to be suffering from a poor temperament and a bad start in life.
Adaptability
Say what you will about Don Pablos' integrity, he is still a very adaptable man. After his brother's execution, he decides to try and avoid the dark side of the streets. He wants to go to school, but he's not accepted by his peers. Quitting school, he befriends Don Diego and uses their relationship to get his apprenticeship to Domine Cabra. The list goes on and on. Each time he faces a new challenge, Don Pablos adapts to meet the situation head-on. He relies upon his charm to endear himself to the people he meets, relying upon them for his food and lodging oftentimes. He's resourceful, but his main skill is knowing when to abandon an idea in favor of a better one.
