DONOSO, A NARRATIVE CYCLE OF FICTION By EVE

Transcription

DONOSO, A NARRATIVE CYCLE OF FICTION By EVE
DONOSO, A N A R R A T I V E C Y C L E
OF
FICTION
By
EVE
B.A.,
The
MARIE
University
SHAMASH
of
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN
British
Columbia,
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
1977
OF
THE R E Q U I R E M E N T S FOR T H E D E G R E E OF
MASTER OF
ARTS
in
THE
FACULTY
(Department
of
We a c c e p t
to
THE
OF GRADUATE S T U D I E S '
Hispanic
this
the
and
thesis
required
Italian
as
conforming
standard
U N I V E R S I T Y OF B R I T I S H
September
Eve M a r i e
Studies)
COLUMBIA
1984
Shamash,
1984
In p r e s e n t i n g t h i s t h e s i s i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t o f the
requirements f o r an advanced degree a t the U n i v e r s i t y
o f B r i t i s h Columbia, I agree t h a t the L i b r a r y s h a l l make
it
freely
a v a i l a b l e f o r r e f e r e n c e and study.
I further
agree t h a t p e r m i s s i o n f o r e x t e n s i v e copying o f t h i s
f o r s c h o l a r l y purposes may
be granted by the head o f my
department o r by h i s o r her r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s .
understood t h a t copying or p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h i s
for financial
gain
permission.
Department o f
DE-6
(.3/81)
It i s
thesis
s h a l l not be allowed without my
The U n i v e r s i t y o f B r i t i s h
1956 Main Mall
Vancouver, Canada
V6T 1Y3
thesis
Columbia
written
ABSTRACT
This
E
thesis
ste—do-mingo
>
studies
-EJ.
lugar
noche ) o f the C h i l e a n
The
thesis
cycle
theme
destruction.
destruction
on
fantasy,
Parallel
to
this
Donoso's
literary
techniques
traditional
of
This
the
the
next,
grotesque
increasing
and on t h e i r r a t i o n a l .
emphasis on the u n r e a l , t h i s study
increased
experimentation
with
innovative
as t h e novels move towards a t o t a l r e j e c t i o n
and i t s a t t r i b u t e s of v e r i s i m i l i t u d e . In
proposes
that
the
archetypal
structure of the
de l a noche i s v i t a l
development i n each n o v e l and from one n o v e l t o
i n a c y c l i c a l c o n t e x t . The t h e s i s uses t h e a n a l y s i s o f
destruction
structure.
the
Coronacion t o E l obsceno pajaro
archetypal
elements
on
novel with
t o be the most s i g n i f i c a n t .
thematic
outlines
The t h e s i s demonstrates t h a t t h e theme o f
Donoso's w r i t i n g : Henry James and V7illiam Faulkner
study
from
the
de i a
f i c t i o n which i s l i n k e d together by a common
realism
on
are considered
to
EI obsceno p a i a r o
n a r r a t i v e t e c h n i q u e , t h i s study p o i n t s out key l i t e r a r y
influences
novels
,
( Cpronacion ,
t h a t these four n o v e l s form a coherent
increasing
outlines
terms
sin limites
i s developed i n each s u c c e s s i v e
emphasis
of
four novels
/
proposes
of
first
author Jose Donoso, born i n 1924.
narrative
of
the
structure
i s organized
to
and
demonstrate
orchestrated.
how
the
This
theme
study
of
also
the main b i o g r a p h i c a l , e x i s t e n t i a l and p s y c h o a n a l y t i c a l
which
are
integrated
into
the
broader
archetypal
The
archetypal
approach
of
restating
and
basis
and
analysis
Northrop
l a r g e l y f o l l o w s the
Frye.
reshaping
This
of
analysis
recurrent
methodological
outlines
Donoso's
archetypes which are
the
of the b i b l i c a l myths t h a t bourgeois s o c i e t y has c u l t i v a t e d
which Donoso presents
This
thesis
i n a demonic i n v e r s i o n .
concludes
that
the B i b l e , as myth, p r o v i d e s
synthesizing
archetypal
fiction
proposes t h a t the m y t h i c a l
mainly
and
organized
by
a
s t r u c t u r e to Donoso's n a r r a t i v e c y c l e of
apocalyptic
patterns
imagery and
i n the novel
are
demonic parody, an
i n v e r s i o n of C h r i s t i a n b e l i e f s .
The
study
presentation
fall
of
of
the
Donoso's
process
first
of
four novels as a mytho-poetic
d e s t r u c t i o n and
demonstrates the a e s t h e t i c u n i t y , beauty and
s i g n i f i c a n c e which make Donoso a great
- iii -
writer.
of the
the
eternal
richness
of
T A B L E OF
CQNTE17T5
PAGE
ABSTRACT
i i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
C H A P T E R ONE
v
•'.
1
C H A P T E R TWO
25
CHAPTER THREE
66
C H A P T E R FOUR
102
CHAPTER F I V E
131
CONCLUSION
151
BIBLIOGRAPHY
156
- i v -
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I
and
would
Dr. Derek
l i k e t o thank Dr. Isaac Ruoio, Dr. Maria Tomsich
Carr
for their
c o n t r i b u t i o n s i n t h e form o f
s u g g e s t i o n s , support and p a t i e n c e .
I
would
also
like
to
thank
worthv/hile.
v -
my f a m i l y who made i t a l l
This thesis
i s dedicated to
Sarah, R a c h e l , David and l i t t l e
- vi
Gabriel
Chapter
Jose
public
Donoso
in
is
South
recognized
America
today
and
America,
as
Latin
American
w r i t e r . Although
the
are
s t i l l
Latin, American
alive
Donoso's
is
well
fourth
book
recognition
and
success
works.
the
"boom"
Cedomil
«creaciones
to
notables
El
contemporanea"l.
as
of
.
.
America."2
la
t h e most
Many o t h e r
noche
Hernan
one
in
similar
Vidal,
as
Donoso
l a noche
(1970)
(Emir
obsceno
pajaro
se
eleva
is
described
Rodrigues
associated
l a noche
como u n a
la
to
emerge
El
obsceno
the
from
las
book
Latin
pajaro
Hugo
Donald
de
in
literatura
describes
Monegal,
Quinteros,
brought
outstanding
de
en
P h i l i p Ward
Isis
and
the period's
powerful novels
Zunilda Gertel,
de
imaginacio'n
c r i t i c s have
terms
of
novela
la
interesting
such
The n o v e l
one
in
novels.
pajaro
author.
as
extent
"boom"
novelists
new
reading
the
the
hispanbamericana
".
successful,
publicity
esta
de
a lesser
stimulated
counted
" . . .
to
c r i t i c s consider
obsceno
appraises
terms:
mas
most
be o v e r ,
El
which
and
Goic
following
to
novel,
the
the
and,
and p u b l i s h i n g
clearly
with
c r i t i c s and by t h e
established,
novel
and w e l l
by
Europe
North
of
a
one
de
Achugar,
Shaw,
Ronald
Shwartz)3.
Donoso
has
chronology
which
of
he
written
the
imitates
classifying
Latin
situates
1965
as
"boom":
the
1970).
own
ironic
Historia
trend
American
to
his
set
by
writers
Donoso's
-
1
personal
-
critics
of
the
"ranking
interpretation
d e l boom
in
(1972),
categorizing
period
order"
is
and
in
and
(which
he
similar
or
identical
to
that
articles:
an
elite
Donoso
and
Cortazar,
of
fact
Donoso,
Lima,
appears
in
critical
Fuentes,
G a r c i a Marquez, Vargas
period. This
along
with
Cabrera
consistently
"superboom" l e a v e s
his Historia
writers
Infante,
in
personal
Salvador
Sarduy, Jorge
classification
are
reputation
occurs
appear
personal
del
already
been
convenient
excellent
It
and
among
but
firmly
boom
,
Donoso's
last
two
own
boom
niche.
to
classification
a
and
what
literary
will
Safnz,
to
Naturally
and some
standing
disappear;
critical
o r "boom
categories
particular
will
in this
Gustavo
e s t a b l i s h e d . As Donoso w r o t e
the
reduced
division
and i n
Borges continues
h i s own s p e c i a l
the
himself
Sanchez,
Edwards and many o t h e r s .
variations
overlapping
Nestor
and o c c u p i e s
by t h e
the second-file d i v i s i o n
junior":
there
the rest
O n e t t i , S a b a t o , P u i g and
The y o u n g e r w r i t e r s compose t h e t h i r d
defy
Llosa,
s u c h as R u l f o , Roa
d e l boom he p l a c e s
Garmendia,
and
r e f e r r e d t o a s t h e " g r a t i n " by
category.
Severo
essays
t o be d i v i d e d among t h e " p r o t o b o o m " , f o l l o w e d
Lezama
Vinas,
of
dominates t h i s
junior".
Bastos,
i n most a n t h o l o g i e s ,
of superstars,
composed
the f i e l d
"boom
found
and
in Historia
indeed
i t has
artifact
for
are
few
remain
a
novels.
i s the o r i g i n a l i t y
surpassing
trends
o f Donoso's c r e a t i o n , p r o j e c t e d
beyond
and c a t e g o r i e s , w h i c h h a s won h i m u n i v e r s a l
recognition.
Donoso's
(1966),
noche
coherent
El
first
luaar
(1970),
four novels:
sin
create
limites
his
n a r r a t i v e process
Coronaciop
(1967),
personal
culminating
-
2 -
(1957), E s t e
domingo
E l QbscenQ pajflCQ de l a
image
of
the
world
in a
i n E l obsceno p a j a r o
de l a
noche
.
This
contains
The
of
the
as
r e a l i s m and
its
The
of
Donoso's
in
is
logical
fiction
Donoso's
technique
his
original
new
direction
more
vision.
in
attributes
of
surmises4,
perhaps
new
a
direction
80's.
this
latest
set
novelitas
la
is
dominated
noche
which
on
the
repetition
by
the
emphasis
with
main
on
the
technical
traditional
that
is
and
the
after
in
his
novels,
la Marquesita
narrative.
de
and
hypothesis.
-
3
-
of
campo
and
the world
,
is
-
not
represents
a
returns
a
As
Ronald
that
to
realistic
Schwartz
will
narrative
(1978),
to
noche
changes
the
and
(1980),
appear
of
destroys
la
by
anti-novel",
de L o r i a
burguesas
What
(1973)
characterized
Casa
theme
-
de
the novel
novelists
several
conclusion
pajaro
burguesas
"anti
ends
destruction.
vision
literary career;
an
dominant
change.
his
and
in
function
of
obsceno
distinct
novelitas
the
logical
object
El
completes
and p r e s a g e d
u l t i m a t e and
L a t i n American
de
Tres
is
the
r e j e c t i o n of
Coronacion
technique,
desaparicion
by
de
expressing
Tres
by
experiments
f a i r l y conventional
for
Donoso's
in
a
Donoso's
traditional
pajaro
itself
in
fiction
grotesque,
increasing
total
character
shows
the
of
verisimilitude.
its
that
on
and
the
and
cycle
together
themes
stories
to
his
narrative
Donoso's
of
short
The
It
linked
towards
begun
taken
-
are
obsceno
process
narrator-
himself.
El
fantasy,
develops
attributes
is
on
P a r a l l e l to
moves
early
destruction
a narrative
constant
he
reason
narrative
the
of
author
innovations
the
novels
destruction.
unreal,
ends
emphasis
four
development
theme
novel
increasing
irrational.
and
last
La
mark
in
a
the
misteriosa
continue
the
trend
confirm
Schwartz's
In
this
narrative
cycle,
analyzed
as
mentioned
by
the
these
thesis,
the
unifying
are
element
mansions,
home
splendors
of
aspects
Chilean
scenario
main
expressed
in Donoso's n a r r a t i v e
to
a
four
past
-
the
stage
constant
own
constant
the
e x t e r n a l order of
The
and
theme
four
metamorphosis
that
ambiguous
nature
describir
un
asi,
juego
in
of
novels
that
decaying
all
emerge
destruction
is
fictional
and
mutations,
rigid
explore
from the
process
of
Donoso
desintegro.
has
order
y uno s o l o .
mascaras,
violentamente."5
4 -
collapse
around
is
Donoso's
selves
in
through
vision
of
the
that
:
"Al
es,
por
realidad
como
personaje
trapos.
from
repeated
destruction
Veo l a
these
repeated
of
inner
stated
Un
characters,
the
their
social
repeatedly
i n the
to Donoso's personal
reality.
-
another
that
free
disfraces,
turn,
relationships
search to
lo
In
the
disintegration
t r e i n t a personajes
de
The f o u r
provided
for
e r e c t e d by s o c i e t y
a continuous
personaje
of
and
briefly
setting,
eventual
corresponds
of
themes.
nostalgic
personalities
a repressively
novels
cycle
world
the
of Donoso's
reality
futile
studied
past.
their
the
for
themes
progressive
in their
all
of
a
oligarchy
and s e r v a n t s .
the
and
novels
moribund
of Donoso's
of
constant
-
of
confines
of
a complete
u n i t . We have
the
fragmentation
the
a global
as
be
in
the
characters
will
Chilean
of
fragmentations
novels
l i n k e d to a p a r t i c u l a r
in
un
of
in the d i s i n t e g r a t i o n
characters.
four
works
development
masters
various
The
and
the
between
decirlo
parts
the thematic u n i t y
themes
Donoso's
individual
constituting
repetition
evolve
viewing
La
deshago
In
Donoso's
first
four
repressed
and
bourgeois
s o c i e t y , emerges
Primitive
and
as
instincts
madness.
the
the
hidden
the
from
the
sexuality
conventions
the
that
is
established
by
characters'
as c a t a l y s t s unleashing
unconscious.
v i o l e n c e , death
Madness, f o r Donoso's a l i e n a t e d c h a r a c t e r s ,
masks
and
appears
form o f r e a l i t y , which f r e e s the s e l f
disguises
inherent
to
hierarchical
from
social
In t h e s t r a t i f i e d world of r i c h and poor, masters and
servants,
the
mutations
under
act
most a u t h e n t i c
structures.
novels,
as
play
they
of
search
masks
evolves
for their
with
the
characters'
" t r u e " s e l v e s among another
c l a s s i n a danse macabre t h a t i n e v i t a b l y leads t o v i o l e n c e .
Donoso's
characters
express
h i s v i s i o n o f the ambiguity o f
human
reality.
while
p r i m i t i v e i n s t i n c t s represent
limits
of
a
existential
instincts
They a r e a l i e n a t e d , l e a d i n g i n a u t h e n t i c l i v e s and
repressive
isolation
and
destruction
and
offer
an answer t o t h e i r
i n a meaningless u n i v e r s e ,
responses
of
culture
a p o s s i b l e s a l v a t i o n from t h e
the
are
ultimately
characters.
This
these p r i m i t i v e
t h e cause of chaos and
process
of
primitive
mechanisms
s t r a i n i n g the c h a r a c t e r s ' t i e s t o apparent r e a l i t y and
destroying
t h e i r masks, thereby c r e a t i n g a new r e a l i t y o f p a s s i o n
and
hate and d e s i r e and c o n f l i c t s
r e s u l t i n g i n madness and death,
is
a p e r s i s t e n t motive i n Donoso's f i r s t
of
the
main
destructive
theme
of
mechanism i n the human psyche i s p a r t o f t h e
destruction,
an
( p a r a d o x i c a l l y ) a l l of Donoso's f i r s t
As
the
conjunction
four n o v e l s . T h i s motive
element
four
which
sustains
novels.
study of thematic u n i t y and thematic development, i n
with
the
p a r a l l e l development of Donoso's n a r r a t i v e
-
5 -
techniques
a
in
narrative
points
of
is
loss
are
a l l
are
the
and
the
four
fall,
biblical
based
on
which
into
neat
f i t
Donoso's
use
of
of
the
perception
infinite
mechanisms
of
metaphors
the
of
novels
vital
to
novel
to
A
the
the
framework
structuring
of
writer
method
exorcises
biographical
own
his
element,
the
of
as
and
personal
own
narrative
of
the
symbols
contrary,
with
He
the
the
irrational
in
the
organization
pajaro
each
his
uses
r e a l i t y expressed
de
novel
his
in
From
of
- 6 -
is
obsessive
la
noche
and
from
the
another
world.
layers
of
dreams,
novels
this
catharsis
past.
part
system
On
elements
images,
stated,
ghosts
Donoso's
merely
through
unconscious
flow of
often
in
and
of
is
one
context.
Donoso's
Donoso
sexuality,
developed
archetypal
in
salient
society
not
as
paradise,
of
reality.
obsceno
psychoanalytical
As
a
El
of
desires.
is
to
a cyclical
subterranean
process
The
development
explore
of
interior
lost
consistent
channeled
in
to
his
myth
Coronacion
the
away
nature
the
bourgeois
closed
is
viewed
outlined.
violence
are
and
be
the
.patterns.
unconscious.
reality,
chasing
novels
elements
characters'
in
fall,
the
are
thesis,
should
themes
defined
ambiguous
factor
psychoanalysis
his
allegorical
thematic
next,
eternal
main
which
this
approach
the
a well
their
from
of
mythical
his
of
c u l t i v a t e d by
course
possibilities
novels,
innocence,
myths
Of
structures
focus
the
of
basis
novels.
four
critical
corruption
structural
first
the
appropriate
inevitable
the
first
author's
cycle,
an
The
the
sense,
and
this
He
of
of
are
related
interior
repressed
a means
the
genesis
of
of
the
of
creative
l i b e r a t i o n as
point
uses
view,
the
the
creative
process,
In
assumes
each
more
novel,
we
autopsychoanalysis
of
aesthetic
personal
are
value
his
This
Donoso
reaches
greater
the
will
the
configurating
and
human
also
It
the
world which
determines
the
strong
in
analysis
Donoso's
background
how
an
social,
each n o v e l
original
profound
is
to
ideologically
interested
validity
in
nor
I
not
the
their
factors
provide
in
in
and
innerworld
of
fiction
The
and
author's
to
us
as
he
of
these
in
the
who o f f e r s
themes
author.
truth.
the
As
of
I
he
don't
field
- 7
of
-
social
of
human
and
which
novels.
have
as
well
path
as
to
relevant
contextual
understanding
m u l t i p l e components
as
with.
believe
in
".
He
.
l i t e r a t u r e is
who
is
. I
believe
their
a
be.
a message or
neither
into
i t presents
r e a l i t y may
us
and
outlined
literary
deals
I
work
are
c r e a t i v e process
Donoso s a i d :
ideas.
of
concept
significance
this
which
vision
four
we
and
links
his
his
the
that
disturbing
novels
believe that
of
a critical
rich
an a u t h o r
oriented
significance
become
general
psychoanalytical,
is
resolve
of
and
personal
coherence
synthesis
r e a l i t y , however
answer
either.
its
writers.
level
thematic
foundation
itself
-
creation
Donoso
an
in
on t h e
philosophical
information
past
the
communicated
author's
the
the key
archetypal,
historical,
other
reality.
Donoso's
the
is
narrative
biographical,
of
narrative
of
of
memories
is
focus
is
in
The
in
language.
elements
reality.
levels
his
and
reality
than
surpasses
imaginary
this
own o r i g i n a l
study
moment
nightmares
into
of
i n Donoso
how
in
obsessions,
interpretation
beings
see
and
transformed
creates
importance
has
not
am
in
an
not
their
permanence,
something
more
oneiric,
of
much more
the
the
themes
author's
that
in
assign
the
to
expresses
meaning
from E l
reading
the
another
raised
of
one,
la
a l l
noche
pajaro
it
de
in
turn
its
on
la
coincided with the
"boom"
recognition,
rereading
1961,
on D o n o s o .
had
(when
already
Latin
Latin
Yanez,
Pedro
Paramo
profundos
by
rios
Carlos
Onetti
virtually
had
unknown
The
:
"My
the
unities
the
t e x t but
as
Emir
I
in
and
we
Rodrigues
sense
experience
believed I
immediately
(or
a stage
a defined
when
was
illegitimate)
of
while
entangled
in
with
as
a t h i r d which
internal ambiguity
Ever
in
the
again
fact
El
obsceno
d i r e c t i o n from
earlier
since
has
that
of
most
new w a v e
a flourishing
El
of
and
in
the p u b l i c a t i o n of
been
appearance
obsceno
the
major
achieved
of
by
Rulfo,
Jose
Maria
already
Hijo
general.
and
-
as
8 -
Al
filo
de h o m b r e by
1
Arguedas,
been
Chile
such
El
published,
i n most
of
de
novels
of
Roa
these
and
Although
by
Foundation
del
agua
Bastos,
a s t i l l e r o by
South
of
pajaro
activity
received the W i l l i a m Faulkner
novels
El
international
critical
literature in
American
in
that
there
a whole
Coronacion
major
poche
a change
American
Award)
la
grasping
been p u b l i s h e d
generating
of
the
noche
works
the
to
c a r r i e d me t o
on D o n o s o .
la
order
aspects
ambiguity".7
critical
noche
of
got
represents
commentaries
obsceno
de
legitimate
emphasis
1
critical
as
analyzing
new
is
d e f i n i t e meaning.
precisely
and w h i c h
Monegal s
de
pajaro
presents
each n o v e l
can g i v e
one
meaning,
in
By
elusiveness
was
was
t h e theme
pajaro
the
work
Donoso and
we
any
obsceno
a
that
previous
texts
novel
Each
dialogue.
them
Monegal
possession
preoccupy
interior
repetitions
can't
subconscious".6
works
America
by
Los
Juan
were
(other
than
in
their
literary
was
countries
innovation
of
that
o r i g i n ) . Therefore,
marked the genesis
as
later
critics
would
devote
c r i t i c s were mainly C h i l e a n s , viewing
The
falls
critical
into
exceptions
two
recent
tend
production
taking
the
Latin
"new"
development
they
of
the
traditional
decadent
Donoso's
to
viewing
point
and
his
social
verisimilitude
of
competence
reproducing
social
with
classes.
the
Donoso
story
his
the
generation
as
in
cuento
referred
a
of 1950
Donoso
narrative
own
as
logically
There
are
some
the main t r e n d s :
of
chileno
9
"China",
published
1)
eighties in
Donoso's
early
of the development of
w e l l as the
production;
novelistic
2) E a r l i e r
critical
e a r l y to m i d - s i x t i e s emphasizing what
narrative
with C h i l e a n
within
the
context
r e a l i s m . These e a r l y c r i t i c s
in accurate
psychological
and
was
tend
p o r t r a y a l of
and
situations, his
to
the
linguistic
different
Donoso's e a r l y a s s o c i a t i o n
which encouraged c r i t i c s
was
included
by
Enrique
to
typecast
short
i n A n t o l o g i a d e l nuevo
Lafourcade i n 1954,
the authors i n t h i s anthology as the
- 9 -
of
sociological
p a r t i c u l a r speech h a b i t s of
it
social
s o c i a l l y o r i e n t e d w r i t e r . His f i r s t p u b l i s h e d
Spanish,
to
readings
characters
Perhaps
context.8
the s e v e n t i e s and
out Donoso's s k i l l
bourgeoisie,
in
of
be Donoso's p r e o c c u p a t i o n
Chilean
constantly
represent
propose
American
fifties
and
on
categories.
categories
early
i t . Donoso's e a r l y
in a Chilean
i n t o account the process
within
perceived
reality
general
to
to
available
commentaries
critics
v/orks
basic
but these two
more
which
bibliography
him
of
of the boom p e r i o d ,
not given as much c r i t i c a l a t t e n t i o n i n the f i f t i e s and
sixties
The
the process
"generacio'n
who
del
50".
In
1959,
title
Cuentos
This
Lafourcade
de
debate
definite
account
Donoso's
and
accompli"
for
referred
to
"generacion
and
of
existing
50"
a
to
the generation
with
a
(Center
both
degree
Personal
of
is
of
of
in
sense
which
of
the
Inter-American
category
own
in
Relations,
much
a
it
to
(largely
became
is
a
"fait
standardly
of
provides
50".
a
The
framework
s i t u a t e Donoso and
a t t e n t i o n on Donoso
this
as
as
an
category
expresses
Spanish
answer
provided
N.Y.
this
American
it
part
l i t e r a r y consciousness
Donoso
Boom
render
who w e r e p r e s e n t e d
his
stimulation.
t r i e d to
generation
importantly,
of
of
Donoso
that
critical
More
new
subject
himself)
and
the
in
with the
characteristics.10
critics
important
38.
articles
Lafourcade
trends
a
of
a
generational
young w r i t e r s
of
History
for
by
amount
group of
itself
spate
this
same a n t h o l o g y
.
was
member
literary
of
with
"a
an u n u s u a l
Donoso
in
subsequent
as
50
generation's
promoted
del
new
a whole
this
the
del
label
inclusion
publicized
focused
generacio'n
generational
critical
of
la
reissued
and
in
his
Literature
1977):
"Nearly
a l l t h e o t h e r C h i l e a n w r i t e r s o f my g e n e r a t i o n
the
so-called
generation
of
50 t h a t i t i s s a i d t o
have
been
invented
by
Enrique
Lafourcade,
who
was
strongly
criticized
for
t h i s i n v e n t i o n , w h i c h g a v e me
my
first
r e a l l i t e r a r y s t i m u l u s and a c o n s c i o u s n e s s
of
what
I
was
able
t o do - w e r e i n t h e same p o s i t i o n a s
I."
( p . 23)
By
1968,
destacada
was
not
y prestigiosa
only
generation,
of
Latin
Cedomil
Goic
de
considered
he was
American
also
referred to
la
generacion
the
major
achieving
literature.
-
-
as
"la
a c t u a l " . By
Chilean
recognition
The
10
Donoso
figura
then,
novelist
in
the
Donoso
of
larger
William Faulkner
mas
his
orbit
Foundation
Prize
was
Carlos
in
New
York
and
in
Spain.
reviews
1966
Wider
and
Times
,
Spectator
,
and
1968,
second
both
emphasized
Subsequently
version
1965.
Barral
,
to
published
Italian
version
novel
D o n o s o v/as m a r k e d
York
,
Supplement
An
was
(due
d i s t r i b u t e d the
of
New
Shprt F i c t i o n
Times
Book
Abroad
by
Review
Review
Saturday
BPPKS
the
In
1968,
In
this
of
a
of
Donoso's
the
author's
Cedomil
article,
as
opposed
canon
of
traditional
concentrates
to
on
to
,
,
, Hispania
,
the
Sarduy
in
article
signals
previous
importance of
on
end
critics.
The
themes
Freudian
in
and
viev;
Donoso
of
the
critic
Donoso's
elements
Goic
published
w h i c h made
earlier
realism.
to
it
an
the
Andres
of
technically
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of
readings
Goic
analysis
of
in
the
used
Coronacion
he
develops
-
11
article
Rodriguez
-
"new"
the
study
of
an
the
term " e x i s t e n c i a
e x i s t e n t i a l i s t aspects
published
innovative
the
his
1968
Coronacion
the novel w i t h i n
in
which
1967
the
constant
lugar
from which to
Abalos
in
El
(English v e r s i o n s
Nuevol2
of
and
novels.
the
refer
domingo
Monegal's
Goic p o i n t e d out
novel
Este
perspective
Rodriguez
Mundo
and
1966
wider
in
Coronacion
inautentica"
in
persistence
world
of
t h i r d novels
Emir
1967
the
14
Seix
the
published
critics
reading
limites
in
recognition
in
and
narrative.
Severo
in
London
1961.
etc.11
"social"
aspects
in
in
in
.13
later
critical
published
structure
English
studies
allowed
narrative
the novel's
Literary
limites
Donoso's
in
London)
Donoso's
1972)
Coronacion
commentaries
(of
observer
sin
to
Fuentes' e f f o r t s )
followed
in
awarded
on E l
Monegal's
which
also
.
luoar
sin
statement
that
"El
mundo
El
travest^ . real o simbolico,
infernal"15.
lugar
sin
aparencia
He w r i t e s
limites
de
inversion
metonimica
de
progresion
narrativa".
mascara
Donoso
puesto
had
of
moved
European
Latin
and
and
explains
new
es
in
exiles.
in
which
the
him
article
what
uses
the
the
contingent
Perhaps
in
the
of
this
in
concepts
Baudry
c o u l d be c a l l e d t h e
Le
partly
the world
and J e a n - L o u i s
of
Spanish
were p u b l i s h e d
newspapers.16
de
Donoso
t h e r e f o r e more p a r t
on
la
(sin
in
to Donoso.
in
la
esa
heroe
interesting
approaches
Barthes,
of
domina
el
(
cadena
y barba:
que
"fashionableness"
Derrida,
decir,
una
w i t h him appeared
Sarduy's
orbit
is
este
"realidad"
included a large
articles
increased
Lacan,
Donoso
ella)
European
criticism.
of
por
Interviews
newspapers,
major
contaminado
article
la
de
l a novela
es
pintadas
es
a n d was
de
en s i :
esa
1967
secreta
transpuestos,
"Cejas
critical
"scene"
inversion
mascara:
Sarduy's
Spain
other
la
clave
travestismo,
desenlaces
una
to
literary
places
todo
Donoso's
theories
es
evolution of
Italian
es
la
significado
el
He c o n c l u d e s :
the
American
Monde
de
(p.73).
literary
"El
que
sexual,
que
que
enuncia"
context
mas
"vuelcos",
enmascarada
limites,
)
that:
es
"Tel
of
and
and
Quel"
clique.
The
Barral
books
publication
in
on
literary
book
El
obsceno
stimulated the
Donoso's
most
Vidal's
(Ediciohes
Jose
novel
with his
Donoso.
Aubi,
completely dedicated to
pajaro
appearance
recent
production beginning
Hernan
instintos
1970
of
of
as
de
numerous
well
earliest
Spain,
studying
Donoso's
12
-
as
noche
y
1972)
by
Seix
articles
his
short
surrealismo
Gerona,
-
la
and
previous
stories.
r e b e l i o n de
was
novels.
the
Vidal
los
first
uses
Jungian
theories
unconscious
is
in
many
another
of
mundo
the
myth
in
,
of
to
interpret
a period
Cornejo
Polar,
1975),
world
is
where
in
the
society
book:
narrative
She
points
psychoanalysis
and
psychoanalytical
1979)
them
his
to
Achugar
Garcia
de
obsceno
the
a
un
Cambeiro
pajaro
a cycle.
of
de
Antonio
development
of
the
to
as
"el
Donoso
Donoso.
cycle
out
the
una
insurreccion
Madrid,
first
rooted
four
own
of
a
very
the
Chilean
debt
complex
development
is
within
enormous
progressively
his
novels
in Donoso's
Donoso's
to
1978)
contra
to
structural
mythical
and
elements.
(Centro
Caracas,
El
To
represented
on t h e c o h e r e n c e
referring
Donoso's
novels
Achugar's
Donoso
work.
destruccion
end o f
and
Ediciones,
of
links
Donoso's
Jose
de
a
Hugo
is
critics
destruccion."
framework
of
La
to
the
importance
novel
Fernando
emphasis
marking
and
view Donoso's
Donoso,
Donoso,
analysis
aspects
as
the
comprehensive
background.
the
published
last
from Coronacion
seen
(Hispanova
of
this
by A n t o n i o
Qu'interos'
realidad
that
to
In
destruction
Isis
from which
clear
analyses
la
was
Donoso.
which
de
burguesas
for
Aires,
Polar
novelista
was
narrative
noche
theme
novelitas
direction
Buenos
Cornejo
Jose
and
characters
perspective
it
(edited
Donoso's
la
Tres
critics
change
la
c o n f l i c t s of
1973,
yet
Ed.,
archetype
transformation.
In
had
of
book:
de
Estudios
analyses
subsequent
concentrates
Ideologia
on
y
Estructuras
Latinoamericanos
Donoso's
novels,
early
short
covering
Donoso's
- 13 -
Narrativas
Romulo
stories
the period
rejection
of
an
en
Gallegos,
and
links
1950-1970.
alienated
society
(as
in
expressed
Este
domingo
George
is
aimed
with
a more
and
Donoso's
particular
and
Monegal,
Ediciones
up
of
unity
development
of
, _JLL
domingo
which
Other
multidisciplinary
group
of
study
(in
sociological
sociological
relationship
including
by
Antonio
(in
1981)
in
Boston
1979)
previous
books
the
of
survey
novelitas
Freudian
of
a l l
of
burguesas
,
elements
and
V i d a l , Achugar,
Quinteros,
the
Cornejo
Emir
have
critics
on
was
Latino
of
text
as
14
paiaro
is
as
society.
it
Este
de
la
representative
of
methodology.
A
Coronacion
1980)
a
of
cycle.
D'Auiourd 'hui
D'Editions,
-
,
by
literary critics.
emphasis
-
found
parallel
Coronacion
analyse
and
literature
the
a narrative
to
Americaine
and
with
obsceno
are
I
and
understanding
critical
used
Generale
El
Donoso
sociologists
ideological
the
viewed
in
useful
fiction.
a better
, and
current
approach
Union
on D o n o s o ' s
conjunction
Rodriguez
Hispanoamericana,
a l l provided
technique
limites
in
reading
in
Polar,
Narrativa
achieving
studies
between
Series,
than
Tres
use
Nueva
narrative
sin
Literature
and
games
straightforward
development
these
Paris,
public
information
historians,
Cerisy,
myths,
elements.
helpful
trends
(Twayne
on D o n o s o ' s
and
recent
different
and
Donoso's
of
,
reading
Shaw
lvigac
a l l
Donoso
fairly
by
and
of
imagination.
Madrid,
insights
thematic
de
to
Donald
particularly
noche
a
i d e o l o g i c a l models
criticism
Catedra,
relevant
them
general
articles
and
the
emphasis
books
the
Jose
existentialist
The
essays
and
presents
fiction
Sartrean
)
McMurray's
at
mentioned
through
good
,
Their
Colloque
with a
strong
example
focusses
a
on
of
a
the
Pamela
Willed
Bacarisse
in
Process
of
Fiction,
Seven
Essays
Academic
Press,
"symbolically
in
systematic
process
lose
by
of
i t .
of
"ontological
fear
"engulfment",
Bacarisse
what
schizophrenic
swallowed
another
up,
Bacarisse
process
work
of
that
obsceno
(p.29).
basic
drowned,
she
supposed
that
is
de
telling
Pamela
outline
significance
of
-
up,
a l l
series
his
story
so
of
approach
than
-
15
-
of
order
typical
-
who
and
or
more
symptoms
says
be
a
of
that
"to
enclosed,
in
or
by
Pamela
originality
in
one
he w i l l
of
reduce
the
lies
might
expect
nature.
says
not
the
exploring
significance.
in
stifled
be
novel
schizophrenia
to
of
patients
to
Bacarisse
explanation
study
Laing
autobiographical
that
defence
consists
of
is
comprehension."17
self-revelation
P.
of
story
smothered,
great
of
internal
identity
life
a
embracing
,
rather
is
be
the
depersonalization"
engulfed,
to
for
schizophrenic
and
Scottish
novel
description
is
noche
a case
his
(p.27).
la
pseudopsychoanalytical
of
Laing's
American
the
a series
insecurity"
is
Bacarisse's
of
us
Donoso's
not
of
noche;
that
basically
Hudito's
eaten
suggests
pajaro
narrator
tells
evasion,
of
which
la
Latin
accounts
terms
R.D.
"El
correctly
claims
in
insecurity",
that
he
person's
she
narrator
ontological
understood
and
de
Bacarisse,
suggests
"petrification
concludes
accurately,
1980),
quotes
pajaro
Salvador
autodestruction
She
cases
obsceno
Contemporary
by
novel
the
El
(in
Edited
the
used
be
Evasion
Edinburgh,
mechanisms
to
essay
autobiographical"
contradictions
not
her
and
novel
other
the
in
In
that
a
El
"The
understood."
follows
uses
to
the
Laing's
one
levels
level
of
Salvador
which
Donoso
their
Bacarisse
states
that
"could
said
reflect
societies,
Yet,
Donoso
least
obvious
does
reflect
current
Latin
American
Dorfman's
American
thesis
90%
de
de
manana"
(p.15)
is
Dorfman
en
que
imposible
que
los
latinoamericano
esta
novels,
of
es
the
violencia
va
danza
la
de
salida
personaje
ya
si
a no
cada
uno
se
y
la
a
siente
No
soporta
."
explanation
destruction
repeatedly
herir
es
de
que
los
los
pequena,
a los
Latin
sin
.
.
."
"en
saber
absurda,
su
y
energia
of
dominance
of
characters.
-
16
-
the
(p.37).
is
In
the
donde
que
en una
thesis
in
personaje
por
bailando:
la
parece
mediocre
Dorfman's
manifested
por
u n mundo
es
alia
American
personajes"
(p.26).
the
mas
.El
hombres
dema's,
fuerza
engendrado
todo
estan
present,
amenazado,
position
culpable
a
in
violencia.
enredado,
saben
agresion
.
y
vivera
of
guerra
que
si
eviten.
la
desatando
interesting
fictional
y
la
untenable
dificil
destruccion.
mismo.
amenaza
la
At
social
mundo
that
issues.19
de
(p.11).
siquiera
un
in
the product
continuo,
reflected
"en
issues
precisely
is
sistema
"autodestruccion
hombre
no
saber
personajes
atando
un
in
social
America
saqueo
por
condenado
says
geografia"
that
characters
sexual,
su
"creada
says
the
cada
un
inevitably
imposiblemente
autolimita,
Latin
de
toda
habitantes
violencia,
Donoso's
en
violence
sus
literature.
that
prolongada,
fratricida
al
is
social
way
way."18
Dorfman
Latin
Donoso's
an
Ariel
y
contra
in
critic,
civil
todo
not
r e a l l y no
current
marxist
violencia
result
to
is
a
Briefly,
"una
at
be
there
y
se
y
la
macabre
buscan
una
cuando
el
se
dirije
offers
an
theme
of
disintegration
of
the
Zunilda
terms:
the
Gertel20
"Myths
are
boundaries
world
ruled,
by
(vertical
axis);
axis)
3)
and
axis).
ambiguity"
formula
of
states
His
some
their
Chronology
numerous
which
his
Different
should
be
although
I
themselves
in
I
and
suggest
this
have
organization
the
is
horizontal
structure,
vertical
resolves
me. A n o t h e r
and
the
Gertel
dissolution
transformational
the
obverse
of
what
particular
a
new
critical
to).
Donoso
misleading
is
most
Personal
us
useful
or
unhelpful
enlightening
History
with
a
of
the
wealth
information
and
amusing.
Boom a s
of
about
when
well
as
biographical
the
context
in
written.
critical
shall
sure
of
at
passage,
a basic
turn
not
are
provide
were
used
am
as
found
opposition
metamorphosis
in
belongs
other
novels
(I
works,
27
and
is
to
are
1)
intermediary
inversion
authors
interviews
background
used
(p.22)
and
algebraic
transformation
process:
ambiguous
continual
in
the balance
Every
ordered
"the
myth
form and
(new p a r a d i g m a t i c
implies
methodology
Although
discussing
"The
of
where
(transit
remains
reverse
transformation"
and
that
it
algebraic
mutation.
mediation
that:
the
this
recurring
but
figures
category;
ending
claims
use
supernature
transformation
(p.23),
these
school
a
2)
Gertel
in
a logical
a never
however,
Donoso's
expressed
of
undergoes
explains
quite
approaches
to
Donoso's
profitably
to
complement
refrain
several
from
algebraic
appropriate
novels
each
equations.
approaches
can
other,
The
which
and
novels
will
be
study.
already
and
mentioned
the
psychoanalytical
-
17
-
importance
elements
in
of
the
archetypal
thematic
development
narrative
been
of
Donoso's
cycle.
The
under
These
moments
as
are
socio-ideological
and
the p h i l o s o p h i c a l
context
are
a l l
of
existing
each
can
be
seems
clear
father
in
influence,
literary
to
Borges).
short
English
the
writer's
us
has
a
also
analysis
like
of
(as
in
literature
workshop
Henry
in
in
James
world
as
of
the
text
and
historical
reach
a
a
clearer
expressed
framework
and
of
his
in
his
already
also
case
Chile
Iowa.
in
in
of
at
a
sixties
was
that
his
Freudian
in
Donoso's
l i t e r a t u r e goes
back
Cortazar
wrote
his
taught
and
first
English
creative writing
often
mentioned
recognizes
it
Chilean
Chronology
Fuentes,
he
of
influences
the
prevalent
taught
and
analysis
read Freud.
Donoso has
- 18 -
in
Princeton,
links
past
generation,
childhood,
and
the
the
early
anglosaxon
studied
of
f i f t i e s and
was
of
in
prevalent
had
the
and
the
major
most
English
English,
specific
the
The
mentions
influence
at
factors
to
forces
the
twenties
learned
in
for
as
period.
existentialism,
Donoso
and
admiration
early
youth
stories
an
between
be d i s c u s s e d .
In
Donoso
m i l i e u . The
Donoso's
in
currents,
the
existentialism
milieu.
like
of
and
will
Donoso,
the
the
enabling
vision
outlined.
by
intellectual
viewed
appearing
relationship
political
traditions
that
influenced
are
elements
some
were w r i t t e n w i t h i n
framework
briefly
products
historical
novels
this
and
elements
and
literacy
novel
The
Donoso's
society
Donoso's
biographical
reflecting
process.
society,
particular
which
particularly relevant
cultural
history
understanding
of
novels
discussion.
novels
in
four
importance
already-mentioned
the novels
first
with
at
his
him.
Both
Emir
Rodriguez
Donoso's
use
and
creation
his
of
discussed
in
interview
with
once
of
i t " . Donoso says
some
day.
Aside
i n Donoso and
to
going
won't
be
once
said:
the
the
to
to
.
express
of
remarks
Monegal,23
so
fine
that
quotes
that
he w o u l d
I
idea
a deeper
ideas
want
them
an
characters
Henry
Donoso,
like
this
I
a novel.
saw
in
an
are not
literature"
useful
in
understanding
and
I
essay.
an
Eliot
of
an
applied
to
symbols
in
and
their
Donoso
p r a c t i c a l ideas
If
be
in
a shadow
similarity lies
express
James
a comment
never
to
will
and m e s s a g e s . To q u o t e
to
in
refer
(this
individual novels).
James,
. If
express
by
from s p e c i f i c s i m i l a r i t y of
novels
".
Quinteros22
s i m i l a r l y used
fictional
had a mind
again:24
not
similar
James:"He
violated
Isis
symbols
Rodriguez
idea
aversion
of
and
Emir
about
characters
specific
the context
made
himself
Monegal
I
am
write a novel,
it
As
(p.39).
Gertrude
The
Stein
influences
I
i
have
mentioned
context
and
in
Finally,
Donoso's
communicates
in
the
the
themes,
The
vital
his
moment
writer
and
significance
novels
personal
he
of
leads
and
to the
narrative
fundamental
of
vision
creates
manipulates
images
study
are
Donoso's
his
situating
assessing
are
his
verbal
own
language.
structures
heart
of
determining
fiction.
- 19 -
words,
Donoso's
and
in
a more
the
writer
an a e s t h e t i c
object
The
of
analysis
dialogue,
how
symbols,
artistic creation.
structure
the
exact
writing.
structures:
and p r o d u c e s
technique
in
Donoso
in
the novels
aesthetic
value
is
and
Chapter
1.
mundo
Cedomil
(Buenos A i r e s :
2.
Philip
Literature
3.
and
exact
1970,
73,
Madrid,
Fall,
Donoso
As
found
Reviews
d e s t r u c t i o n de
Ed,
Nomads.
1975),
Companion
Press,
1978),
be d i s c u s s e d
at
p.
un
124.
to
Spanish
p.
17.
greater
length
provided.
Exiles
Narrative
p.
and
Emigres.
(N.J.London,
The
Rebirth
Scarecrow
Press,
cuentos",
primarily
IlUStradP
Chilean
published
of
,
for
Inter-American
his
La
Nacion
or
p.
in
Santiago,
Indice
, No.
288,
Atenea
(No.
15,
1958),
El
378,
13,
p.
criticism
39.
1957;
published
-
of
19,
El
1957),
La
y
Other
Diario
, Atenea
1958),
"Dos
"Veraneo
-
Coronacio'n
November
to
newspapers.
16,1955.
in
Noticias
Reviews
are
Arrietas:
October
(January
-
Monegal,
N.Y.
Chilean
February
October
20
in
D^as
Early
Mercurio
-
early
Reman
Ultimas
magazines.
in
Relations,
of
were
Las
Rodriguez
38-39.
Santiago,
stories
,
Emir
published
of
Mercurio,
short
newspapers
reviews
pseudonym
Mercurio,
El
by
expected, examples
in
"Alone",
El
Donoso,
Josi
i n t e r v i e w , Monegal,
cuentos",
reviews
Center
be
appeared
72.
with
might
by
(January
will
with Jose'Donoso,
Interview
8.
otros
la
106.
6.
be
Oxford
University
views
American
Interview
7.
The
Oxford
Schwartz,
Donoso,
G a r c i a Cambeiro
ed.,
critics'
Latin
5.
Review
others),
Fernando
(Oxford:
notes
bibliographical references
p.
XXVI,
(and
Ward
Ronald
the
1980)
,
These
4.
of
Goic
one
a l l
were
Ercilla
Gaceta
(March
9,
(March
15,
Este
1958),
1958).
Domingo
mid-sixties,
joined
and
a
June
1959
Donoso
publications
and
talked
about
examples
ocaso
de
Coronacion
9.
una
Fernando
Donoso,
clase"
anthology
included
the
Balmaceda,
Alfonso
Espinosa,
Garcia,
Gloria
generacion
In
"generacion
del
p u b l i s h e d by
following
critics
had
been
American
and
other
review
i n Marcha
i n Sur
, May
commentaries
de
en
to
of
on
La
Chile,Zigzag, s t i l l
con
que
se d e s c r i b i a
literary
element
50
Extremo,
1959,
the
Aguirre,
Guillermo
Edwards,
Mario
,
Zigzag, Santiago
authors:
Blanco,
Jorge
Maria
Yolanda
Montaldo,
Sanbueza.
baptized
the
Fernando A l e g r i a
essential
Guillermo
Ricardo Guerra,
Eugenia
1970,
, Santiago
the
Echeverria,
Pablo
Molleto,
as
by
critical
fuerza realista
in
el
in
.
In t h i s
Lafourcade
"gran
XX
as
reviews
but
Coronacioli
of e a r l y
late
del siglo
the
of
Noticlas
devoting a r t i c l e s
Rosa C h a c e l ' s
o u t s i d e o f C h i l e ) . As
chjlena
novels,
m a g a z i n e s and
review
Ultimas
also carried
of European, North
and
1958
rare
1958), Las
subsequent
newspapers,
Benedetti's
are
literatura
Cesar
Donoso's
March
9,
same p u b l i c a t i o n s
critics
(Mario
Montevideo,
(March
wide spectrum
American
Donoso.
The
Chilean
by
Latin
El Sialo
Gutierrez,
Herbert
a
second
del
50",
following
Armando
Eugenio
-
Guzman,
Chile,
authors
-
Mario
Maria
newly
C u e n t o s de l a
Editorial
d e l Nuevo
were i n c l u d e d : M a r g a r i t a
G a r c i a , Maria
21
Jose
Enrique
dedicated to the
Enrique Lafourcade,
de
Emerich,
M u l l e r , A l b e r t o Rubio,
B l a n c o , Armando C a s s i g o l i ,
Espinosa, Pablo
Cassigoli,
Gertner, Claudio Giaconi,
anthology
Santiago
Chile,
Margarita Aguirre,
Edwards, F e l i x
Elena
de
Jose
Donoso,
Elena Gertner,
Jorge
Luis
A.
Heiremans,
Muller,
Waldo V i l a ,
10.
This
literatura
article
of
Alejandro
Jose
which
existentialism in
11.
is
summarized
Cuadernos
one
Enrique
Molleto,
Herbert
Zanartu.
debate
chilena",
in
Jodorowsky,
of
the
by L a f o u r c a d e
Americanos
,
No.
recurring points
relation to
the generation
N.Y.
Times
Book
Review
, March
14,
N.Y.
Times
Book
Review
, November
in
was
19,
the
of
"La
nueva
1959,
an
importance
1950.
1965,
Section VII,
p.
51.
p.
26,
1967,
Section
VII,
66
Times
-
London
-
L i t e r a r y Supplement,
Saturday
Review
, N.Y.,
Observer
, June
20,
Studies
Books
in
Abroad
Hispania
, No.
sampling
of
1965,
Fiction
, V.
, LIV,
Spectator
A
Short
XLVII,
XVII,
No.
4,
7147,
other
p.
March
1971,
, Winter
December
June
13,
1,
1965,
1965,
p.
563
27
791
, Winter
No.
July
18,
1979,
pp.
55-58
196 8
pp.
957-959
1965
well-known publications
to
comment
on
Donoso:
La
Quinzaine
Litteraire
,
Paris
No.
136,
March
1-15,
July-December
1971,
1972
Paese
Sera
Revista
pp.
, Rome,
January
Iberoamericana
1,
1973
, No.
76-77,
517-536
L e Monde
Punch
12.
Emir
(March
17,
, CC X L V I I I ,
Rodriguez
1969)
June
23,
1965
Monegal,"El
-
22
-
mundo
de J o s e
Donoso",
Mundo
Nuevo
, No.
12,
(Although
of
justified).
in
Monegal
las
novelas
de
que
hasta
habia
lectura
mas
honda
el
Cedomil
Dniversitaria,
14.
Sarduy,
16.
See
p.
Paris,
un
footnote
No.
Laing,
Salvador
Fiction
19.
Ariel
(Santiago:
La
"social
his
position
punto
reflejar
(anda
por
cronicas),
que
esas
novela
ahf
para
ficciones
(p.
chilena
vista
simplemente
encantadores
encumbren
de
un
una
es
un
83).
,
Santiago,
Ed.
Mundo Nuevo
,
No.
72-74.
p.83.
11.
e d i t i o n 1962)(as
,
The D i v i d e d
quoted
Bacarisse,
(Edinburgh:
Dorfman,
by
Self
P.
, Harmondsworth,
Bacarisse's
preface
Scottish
Imaainacion
to
Penguin,
essay)
p.
Contemporary
Academic
Press,
29.
Latin
1980).
y v i o l e n c i a en A m e r i c a
Latina
E d i t o r i a l U n i v e r s i t a r i a , 1970) .
20.
Zunilda Gertel,"Metamorphosis
, Fall,
1973
Isis
,
Emir
"Chronology",
Quinteros,
(Madrid:
as
Metaphor
of
the
World",
N.Y.
Jose''Donoso,
22.
23.
de
pp.
(1st
18.
case
any
163.
R.D.
realidad
desde
Donoso parecen
mundo
17.
21.
"Si
Sarduy,"Escritura/Travestismo",
1968,
15.
Review
in Donoso's
c r o ' n i c a de c o s t u m b r e s
Goic,
1968^
Severo
February
American
criticizes
v i o l e n c i a , de p e s a d i l l a , de t e r r o r . "
13.
1972
77-85
usually
general,
r e a l i d a d f a m i l i a r , una
a m b i t o de
pp.
writes:
critico
20,
1967,
Monegal
literature
superficial
una
July
Rodriguez
reading
is
Paris,
Jose
Kispanova
Rodriguez
Review
Donoso.
de
Monegal,
una
, Fall
1973,
insurreccion
Ediciones,
Mundo Nuevo
N.Y.
contra
la
1978).
, No.
12,
July
1967,
Paris,
p.
78.
24.
Interview,
25.
Review
73
Review
, p.
73
, Fall,
39.
-
24
-
N.Y.,
p.
39.
Chapter
Coronacion
first
novel,
was
published
in
Donoso
published
Veraneo
collection
of
Fiesta
Grande,
en
short
old
houses
appear
in
novels.
The
relations
setting
linked to
rigidly
can
of
result
short
which
stories.
writing
rather
is
not
As
through
disguises
a
process
and masks
reality.
the
the
of
of
will
evocation
of
innocence,
between people
of
in
identities
conformity of
forms
are
the
of
thematic
earliest
published
pointed out,
these
and
Donoso's
obsessions
but
obsessions.
y
will
otros
go
through
many
of
. They
go
changing
of
in
Coronacion
that
is
both
and
a simultaneous
very
25
cuentos
appear
mutations
-
has
a
these
stories
instinctive
from h i s
In
that
of
d e s t r u c t i o n . These
work
,
dilapidated
short
fusion
repressive
description
of
of
a nostalgic
the
this
Tocayos,
Cartas).
repetitions
dependence
to
China,
inevitable loss
of
use
Dos
subsequent
Moixl
i n Veraneo
Donoso's
Prior
cuentos
repeated use
emergence
creation.of
that
(Veraneo,
structures,
and
1957.
otros
thematic
the
Maria
a
in
y
contain
Donoso's
Ana
processes
the
and
chaos
merely
characters
same
and
theme o f
the
mark
a continuous
The
find
from dependence,
in
1955
in Donoso's
social
resulting
obsessions
in
i n Veraneo
and
Chile
Dinamarquero,
domination
classes,
existence,
and
the
stratified
upper
of
a
already
stories
the
stories
E l Guero,
Coronacion
past
that
short
we c a n
as
the
the
six
stories
two
old
-
a
presentation
characters
of
often
two
facets
expresses
this
ambiguous
perception
personality
of
unconscious
l e v e l o f e x p r e s s i o n on top o f t h e i r conscious
and
the two
personality
where
levels
of
In
o l d allows t h e superimposing
appear
and
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y . In t h i s manner, the
the u n r e a l
appear
as
superimposed
and
, E l i s a Grey de Abalos, a s e n i l e o l d woman i n
n i n e t i e s i s s l o w l y dying i n her decaying mansion. Andres, her
lives
grandson i s i n h i s f i f t i e s . He does not have t o work and
a
leisurely
collection
of
grandmother.
life
walking
Andres'
occupied
sticks,
i s an
visit
h i s grandmother,
to
has
never
girl
who
old
woman
fantasies
insights
Andres
really
even
covet
his
life
individual
French
well
o f involvement,
and
visits
and
to h i s
placid
o f emotions. At each
he i s t e r r i f i e d o f death although he
The a r r i v a l o f E s t e l a , a young country
Misia
farther.
history, h i s
ordered
i n t o the d e c r e p i t household
stimulates
into
him
lived.
i s imported
into
obsessed
avoidance
with
politics
superficially
existence
all
reality
i n a process o f d i s i n t e g r a t i o n .
Coronacion
bachelor
quite
of t h e i r
t h e very o l d i n c a r n a t e s Donoso's ambiguous world
the r e a l
interdependent
her
the very
o f r e a l i t y as the decomposing, s e n i l e
The
Elisa's
already
o l d woman's
t o care f o r the
active
maliciously
sexual
obscene
Andre's' repressed d e s i r e f o r E s t e l a g r a d u a l l y prod
an
with
awareness
Estela
as
of
h i s f u t i l e e x i s t e n c e . He becomes
the awareness of h i s wasted l i f e makes
p o s s e s i o n of her as a way o f r e c a p t u r i n g and redeeming
and escaping t h e i n c r e a s i n g l y i n t o l e r a b l e burden o f " h i s
existence.
different
h i s hopes
from
I n e v i t a b l y , E s t e l a ' s needs and d e s i r e s a r e
those of Andres. By the time he has pinned
o f a u t h e n t i c a t i n g , h i s l i f e on p o s s e s s i n g her, she
-
26 -
is
already
Estela's
but
pregnant by Mario, a working c l a s s boy. The r e s u l t o f
rejection
effectively
values
and
the
brother
and
attempt
to
climax
with
of
of
Andres
i s p a r t of the novels e l a b o r a t e l y
contrived
climax.
world
grinding
of
sister-in-law,
Mario,
d r i v e n by the s o r d i d
poverty
agrees
to
he shares with h i s
use
Estela
b u r g l a r i z e M i s i a E l i s a ' s house. The n o v e l reaches i t s
t h e f a i l u r e o f the robbery due t o E s t e l a ' s
rejection
Andres. Andres subsequently f i n d s refuge i n madness and E s t e l a
and
Mario
future.
tragic
flee
from
t h e Abalos
mansion
towards an u n c e r t a i n
The tone o f the climax i s mordant and macabre rather than
as
the
novel
closes
with
t h e grotesque c o r o n a t i o n and
death o f M i s i a E l i s a as madness and d e s t r u c t i o n
In
situating
context
of
initially
Coronacion
i t s time,
received
Coronacion
of
i n order t o
almost
we
i n the
must
triumph.
literary
first
see
and
how
the
the s o c i a l
n o v e l was
and i n t e r p r e t e d . E a r l y readers and c r i t i c s o f
a l l found the same message i n the n o v e l : t h a t
t h e decadence o f the C h i l e a n b o u r g e o i s i e brought about by i t s
own
vices
Donoso
and
recalls
chilena
fue
caught
i n the p r o c e s s of h i s t o r i c a l change2. As
in Historia
cuasi
unanime
retrataba
* l a decadencia
parte
los lectores
de
intencion."3
limitations
realism
ambiguous
surface
a l alabar
de
esa
l a ' r e a l i d a d ' con que yo
l a clase
e r a mi
a l t a ' , ya que para gran
meta,
mi
f i n , y toda mi
In H i s t o r i a P e r s o n a l d e l Boom , Donoso d e s c r i b e s t h e
of
the
Chilean
i n Coronacion
allusions
of
P e r s o n a l d e l Boom : " A s i l a c r i t i c a
,
which
"faithfully
critics
without
the
praised
understanding
novel
depicted
who
develops
reality".
- 27 -
the l a y e r o f
the world
of
p a r a l l e l t o the
When Coronacion was
published
in
1957,
message,
as the
literary
production
most
regionalism
of
habitually
denounced
as
the
the
Dora,
are
dichotomy
of
unjust
not
elements
creative
family,
h i s brother
social class
to
the
their
Rene and
by
into a
and
revolving
servants
and
his sister-in-law
t h i s s t r u c t u r a l dichotomy as a
reduction
of Coronacion to only a
novel's more complex and
process
to
in
only
the
nature
social
important
and
an
aspect
Donoso's
in
in
but
understanding
three
element
narrative
the
also
the
factors in
itself
thematic
provide a
dominance
subsequent n o v e l s ,
in
i s of a
psychoanalytical,
the n o v e l . These key
the
and
(which
writing)
philosophical,
configurating
social
r i c h n e s s . These l e v e l s i n
social
in
present
Coronacic^n
essential
have
aesthetic
biographical,
path
destruction
and
one
c l e a r l y when a c r i t i c a l approach i s used
archetypal
human and
Abalos
interpreted
more
of
we
of
appear
synthesis
that
who
and
accessory
We
" e s c r i t o r comprometido"
significance
encompasses
critical
the
The
secondary,
the
the
p r e s e n t e d i n a l t e r n a t i n g episodes
critics
is
Coronacion
the
based on
exploitation
Mario,
dichotomy.
levels
the
dominated
s o c i a l l e v e l s of the haute b o u r g e o i s i e
of
and
early
social
s o c i a l r e a l i s m t h a t had
from
the
two
lives
acquaintances
that
message
proletariat
around
found i n the novel a
Because the s t r u c t u r a l a x i s of Coronacion d i v i d e s
dichotomy
the
a
and
critics
i n C h i l e s i n c e " c r i o l l i s m o " , was
conveyance
another.
Chilean
of
which i s
Donoso's p e r c e p t i o n
of
u n f a i r advantage over Donoso's e a r l y c r i t i c s
in
reality.
can view Coronacion i n the l i g h t of h i s subsequent novels
as p a r t of emerging l i t e r a r y trends and
-
28
-
changes. When we
view
Coronacion
in
Coronacion
may
process
the
personal
larger
express
in Chile
writer's
la
this
in
.
It
Donoso's
three
society,
but
background
critics
aspects
of
the
socioideological
the 1950's, these aspects a r e a c c e s s o r y t o
world from Coronacion
i s t r u e t h a t Coronacion
following
primarily
novels,
in
the
t o E l obsceno p a j a r o de
, i n the same measure as
i s deeply
particular
rooted i n C h i l e a n
milieu
o f Donoso's
and- of h i s p a s t . The r e a l i s m of Coronacion
lauded, l i e s
obsessive
some
c o n f i n e s o f C h i l e which c o n s t i t u t e the b a s i s o f the
narrative
noche
c o n t e x t , i t becomes c l e a r t h a t while
and
that early
i n Donoso's p e r c e p t i o n and r e c r e a t i o n o f h i s
repetitive
world as he e x o r c i z e s h i s own p a s t . As
I s i s Quinteros e x p l a i n s :
su obra no es una cosmogonia. En e l l a aparece
un
C h i l e p e r s o n a l y c o n f i n a d o : e l C h i l e de Jose Donoso,
cuya
'realidad'
creada,
recreada
y fundida
a la
realidad
multi-facetica
e
insondable
d e l prdprio
e s c r i t o r es l a que c o n f i g u r a toda su n a r r a t i v a . 4
In
this
relevant
to
Coronacion
sense, some s e l e c t i v e b i o g r a p h i c a l background i s as
the
to
genesis
El
socio-historical
of
obsceno
and
the
paiaro
literary
c r e a t i v e process
de
Donoso's
of
past
in
the w r i t e r ' s c r e a t i o n . In Coronacion
clearly
can
ghosts
is vital
recognize
i n t h a t i t p r o v i d e s the f i r s t
this
autobiographical,
undercurrent
and
catharsis
as
i s the
C h i l e - h i s f a m i l y , f r i e n d s , s c h o o l s , c i t y - the web
memories
we
,
background. The p e r s o n a l c o n f i n e s
of
novels
l a noche
l e a d i n g from
of
obsessions
demons
and
which
and i n Donoso's f o l l o w i n g
personal
anecdotal
impulse
element,
form,
i f not i n a
definitely
as
and e v o c a t i o n s and a l l u s i o n s to past
the
novel,
in
an
act
of
personal
l i b e r a t i o n , seeks t o e x o r c i z e . Donoso's w r i t i n g i s
-
29
-
a
continuous
creation
autopsychoanalysis
as
subject
in
these
imagination
language
to
produces
Donoso
He
and
novels
us
obsessions
Donoso,
becomes
communicated
of
and
becomes
the
up
the
of
his
family
lived
grandmother.
Donoso
recalls
creator,
for
as
the presence
the
literary
interpreted
own
and
original
novel.
the
ten years
beyond
being
his
the author's
object, the
in the m i l i e u of
goes
beyond
reality
creation
an a e s t h e t i c
grew
the w r i t e r , goes
imaginary
as
which
"burguesia
with his
of
this
acomodada".
ailing
maternal
woman d u r i n g
his
adolescence:
El
gradual
p r o c e s o de su d e t e r i o r o , e n t r e m e z c l a d o c o n
relampagueantes
destellos
de
memoria
y
de
saber
familiar,
hasta
s u m u e r t e mas d e d i e z a n o s d e s p u e ' s , e s
uno
de
los
episodios
que
mas h a m a r c a d o m i v i d a , n o
porque
yo amara a e s t a a n c i a n a , s i n o p o r q u e su demencia
puso
t a n c r u e l m e n t e en e v i d e n c i a l a s i r o n i a s de l a v i d a
f a m i l i a r y l o s h o r r o r e s de l a v e j e z y l a a g o n i a . 5
Hisia
not
Elisa
a
parody
referring
todo
to
a
as
como p a r a
The
Donosos'
maids,
servants,
in
the
Donoso's
Chilean
dominant
in
,
critics
have
:
demasiado
"estoy
etc.
The
of
four
Donoso
from the past
suggested.
As
Donoso
-
said
metido a l l ' d e n t r o
social
obsceno
talks
and
are
are
novels.
The
and
de
"criada"
and L o u r d e s
pajaro
de
-
30
Teresa
-
t h e masks
another
la
cooks,
masters
constantly
Rosario
about
servants:
between
dependence
systems,
novels,
from
i n c l u d e d many
relationship
mutual
c y c l e of
El
ghost
parodiarlo".6
family household
character
Ponce'
Cronologia
poder
hierarchical
first
Peta
some
roles
Donoso's
a
confrontation with this
Coronacion
eso
gardeners,
wear
is
people
explored
thematic
and
in
link
in
in particular,
is
in
noche
Vergara,
Coronacion
.
the
In
his
"criada"
to
own
of
the
Donoso
family
v/ho
brought
him
hermanas,
hermanos,
primos
cocineros,
jardineros
y doncellas,
mi
familia
dedicated
this
por
to
"Teresa
dedication
comprometiendo,
la
mis
old
the
mansions,
impact
the
in
amidst
also
senile
an
mainly
run
subsequent
in
the
their
of
Donoso
"sin
sido
.
nuestros
con
otros
cuentos
is
and
relation
to
in
saberlo,
me c r i d ' .
"Sus
en s i m b i o s i s
me
tematica. Teresa
senile
of
is
.
estaba
Vergara
, es
la
sick
by
is
between
by
madre
era
de
of
past,
uncles)
to
themes.
In
growing
a
in
disguises
personalities
and
human
the
and
servants,
developed
in
personality.
house
and
theme
as
of
another
relation
the maid
and
symbolic
r e l a t i o n to
In
but
theme
Coronacidn
and
up
household
r e l a t e d to Donoso's
s e l f - i n t e g r a t i o n . The
also
profound
grandmother
in
the
relation
spent
his
costumes
masters
the
only
and
is
its
recurrent
disintegration
for
d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of
mistress
(not
different
search
in
a childhood
servants
marked
Donoso's
important
aunts
of
of
r e l a t i v e s , made a
Donoso's
relatives
process
futile
the
y
leer"
settings
impact
is
of
una
quien
childhood,
theme
of
says
the
various
relationship
theme
the
The
assume
recollection
of
organized
novels
characters
this
bedridden
and
sabe
r e c o l l e c t e d facet of
destruction.
roles
and
assortment
vivido
Veraneo
and
realization
the
han
han
writes:
"8
servants,
Donoso
particular,
fue
characters
the
literary
.
y
y
no
eligiendo
padres
.
que
author
estaba
viejas.
Clearly
Vergara
Donoso
sobrinas,
siglo."7
the
c r i a d a de m i s
todas
of
medio
y
up.
the
to
servant,
says:
Again
human
it's
my
obsession
with
p e r s o n a l i t y . The s e r v a n t i s
the
non-unity of the
another p a r t , another
incarnation,
at a d i f f e r e n t l e v e l , of the mistress.
She
is
both
the
mistress
and
the
s e r v a n t . They a r e two
faces
of
the
same
being.
It's
good
and
bad bound
together.
Because
t h e r e i s a moment w h e n t h e b e a u t i f u l
woman t u r n s i n t o a m o n s t e r 9 .
The
the
complex
domination
relationship
and
the poor
another
that
In
his
the
the
process
by
main
By
published
(1943).
first
as
development
themes
the
e n d o f W o r l d War
La
From
Nausee
the
Within
in
the
(1938),
beginning,
clearly
and
32
Donoso's
should
and
organization
structural basis
of
studied.
(1939)
-
structuring
characterization
archetypal
Jean Paul
was
the
in
framework,
psychoanalysis
fundamental
Mur
concepts
explained.
of
. The
Sartre
-
undergo
framework
conceptual
Sartre
existentialist
Le
to
thematic
intellectual
this
be s u b s e q u e n t l y
II,
one
them.
characters
and F r e u d i a n
a system
the
a
rich
framework
the novel's
understood
in Coronacion
which provides
figure
this
Sartrean
of
of
psychoanalysis.
more
part
will
of
e x i s t e n t i a l i s m and
main
dominant
structure
uses
disintegrates
his
on
symbiotic
attraction for
intellectual
of
a
d i s i n t e g r a t i o n . The
disintegration
theme
in
focus
the precariousness
obsessive
an
be b e t t e r
of
other
uses
Andres.
can
servants
then
components
Donoso
framework
Coronacion
and
e x i s t e n t i a l i s m and
destruction
analysed
Donoso's
the
The
of
to
and
them and
archetypal
psychology
the
thematic
of
Donoso
characterization of
conceptual
be
susceptibility
,
larger
each
theme o f
an u n c o n s c i o u s
particular
Andres'
of
its
of
the
alternately unites
provided
In
develops
have
development.
are
between masters
dependence
Coronacion
organize
within
and
that
personality
and
relations
and
had
emerged
movement.
L'Etre
interested
in
et
He
le
as
had
Neant
psychology
and
especially
Transcendance
d'une
views
the
relevance
easy
postwar
of
range
the
psychoanalysis.
psychoanalytical
are
specific
writings
Briefly,
nature
the
and
and
experience;
emphasizes
future
extreme
and
central
of
anguish
consciousness.
to
said
be
of
was
a diffusion
in
literature
these
are
movements
of
interest
themes
of
of
in
being
the
feelings
experiences
are
viewed
is
of
our
is
as
French
absurd,
the
aid
the
Sartre
of
developed
the
absurdity;
the
of
dread,
own
as
importance
to
every
one
of
day
complacency,
developed
possibility
the
extreme
one's
to
says
there
f
are:
contrast
an
that
are
of
existentialism
human n a t u r e .
experience
in
in
Existentialism
and
stresses
found
50's
role
awareness
anxiety
Existentialism
existence
fact
of
it
us.
and
the
made
influence
existentialism
communication.
continuous
the
to
of
existentialist
which
of
underlying
and
general
the
nature
existentialist
claimed
the
the
understanding
e x i s t e n t i a l i s m has
intentionality;
self-deception.
is
be
in
La
Esquisse
characterization
choice;
which
that
by
his
(
summary o f
of
of
void.
thesis
the
recurrent
exceptional
experiences
conformity,
there
these
basic
significance
and
the
and
(1940),
useful
in
influence
within
systems;
the
death
confronts
covered
influence
concepts
consciousness
incorporation
same m i g h t
While
and
individual
views
The
is
, particularly
most w i d e s p r e a d
writers.
in Donoso's
(1939) . A v e r y
Donoso's
of
of
L'Imaainaire
existentialism
Coronacion
The
for
by
of
structure
(1936) ,
Emotions
expressed
in
particular
l'Ego
des
main
Andre's.
the
de
The'orie
concepts
in
that
freedom
of
the
of
the
choice
feeling
human
In
the
conceal
face
this
freedom, human beings
internal
consciousness
gives
covert
the
and
itself
put
human
duality
thinks
condemns
of
attempt
on
of
consciousness
to
i t s freedom.
by human consciousness
a
as
hopeless
since
while
choice.
a
described
Thus
genuine
logical
by S a r t r e
(being
is
consciousness
precluded
which
makes
content
i t clear
novels,
more
It
of
project
being
the
dramatic
undertaking
of t h e two kinds o f being
negating
creates
for i t s e l f -
aspect
anew
provide
the
dialogue
reality
that
we have, summarized
i n t h e form o f p l a y s and
L'Etre
et
characters
lonely
best
le
Ne^ant
and
of
Daniel
argument.
i n l o n e l i n e s s and doubt
for existentialist
Sartre
human
t r e a t i s e s , i s a form of e x p r e s s i o n
t h a t people l i v i n g
characters
of
the d i s t i n c t i o n s
c o n s i s t e n t with S a r t r e ' s i n t e n t i o n s than d e d u c t i v e
commonplace
an
t o overcome.
r a t h e r than s y s t e m a t i c
is a
are
constituting
i n i t s e l f - en s o i , being
by
beings
hopeless
e x i s t e n t i a l i s t philosophy
that
itself
i s not t h e r e s u l t
of
is a
synthesis
perpetually
such a s y n t h e s i s i s intended
The
the
self-sufficient
soi)
which
Although S a r t r e
human
of
because
ina
l e v e l with t h i n g s , he u l t i m a t e l y sees t h e
f o r their choices, their existence
ontologically
in
to objectify
responsible
their
resulting
i t s e l f as a t h i n g a t the same time t h a t
recognition
enterprise
pour
can attempt t o
i t from themselves by a v a r i e t y o f d e v i c e s
paradoxical
it
of
n o v e l s . Perhaps the
understood and which he focused
developed
and
Roquentin
us
in
in
the
earlier
i s the
on i n
fictional
psychology o f the
individual.
What
interests
-
Coronacion
34
-
is
hov;
Donoso's
characterization
Throughout
solitary
".
y precario
no
Andre's
Coronacicri
person:
absurdo
ya
of
tenia
, Andres
.
con
solo
Andres
bachelor,
a
.
la
la
hasta
an
c h a r a c t e r i z e d as
Ademas,
la
only
child,
solitude
to
his
Estoy
solo
que nunca
antes,
no
senora
only
an
de
la
essentially
el
lazo
osaria
por
todo
living
y
El
confesarse
falleciera."
orphan
mas
existencia.
friend Carlos
excluido
concepts.
an
representaba
emocional
que
his
existentialist
anciana
lazos.
confesses
mas
is
realidad
otros
completamente
is
follows
(p.
alone.
Gros:
de
16)
".
todo."
He
.
.
(p.
131)
Andres
by
repeatedly
experiences
a sensation
of
terror
evoked
death:
Que
uno
moria
era
indudable.
Pero
en
el
f o n d o de
Andres,
en
algun
r i n c o n o c u l t o e i n f a n t i l - q u i z a ' s un
resabio
de
la
fe
r e l i g i o s a que d e s c a r t d ' de una v e z y
para
siempre
al
finalizar
su a d o l e s c e n c i a - , e x i s t i a
una
certeza
fiera,
a r r a i g a d a t e n a z y h o n d a m e n t e en s u s
temores
mas
i n c o n f e s a d o s , que e l jamas m o r i r T a , que l a
m u e r t e e r a p a r a o t r o s , no p a r a e l .
.
. O i r a su a b u e l a h a b l a n d o de l a m u e r t e en l a
forma
mas
n a t u r a l d e l m u n d o , e r a como l e v a n t a r l a t a p a
hacia
u n a s i n i e s t r a p o s i b i l i d a d d e h o r r o r . Ho h a b £ a q u e
ceder
a
l a t e n t a c i o ' n de a s o m a r s e p o r e l r e s q u i c i o , e r a
necesario
m i r a r a o t r a p a r t e , h u i r , h u i r de esa v o z que
queria
obligar
brutalmente
a
Andre's a e n f r e n t a r a l g o
que
s a b i a que a l g u n a v e z i b a a t e n e r que e n f r e n t a r .
(p.
38-39)
Y
ahora,
ique'
e x p e r i e n c i a me q u e d a ? , l a
muerte,
nada
mas.
No
puedo p e n s a r en o t r a c o s a . Y en
ella
no
puedo
pensar
ma's
que
con
t e r r o r porque se
demasiado
b i e n que t o d a s l a s t e o r i a s f i l o s o ' f i c a s , t o d a s
las
satisfacciones
de
v i v i r y toda creencia r e l i g i o s a
son
falsas,
todas
mentiras
para
ahuyentar
el
gran
p c i n i c o de l a e x t i n c i d n . . . ( p . 156)
Andre's
anguish,
novel
in
of
the
has
abandoned
his
confrontation
recurrence
of
catholic
with
a
the
nightmare:
-
35
-
faith
void
and
are
his
feelings
expressed
in
of .
the
Solia
sonar
que i b a a t o d a v e l o c i d a d p o r un l a r g u i s i m o
puente
suspendido
por
un
vacio.
Pero
e l p u e n t e , de
pronto",
terminaba
antes
de
llegar
a la otra o r i l l a ,
dejando
un
trecho
en
q u e n o h a b i a n a d a , n a d a mcis q u e
abismo.
En
su,
veloz
ansiedad
por a l c a n z a r a l a o t r a
orilla,
Andres
cafa
dando
gritos
de
terror
al
precipitarse
en
ese
vacio.
Despertaba transpirando y
sobresaltado.
Ningun
libro,
ni
la
filosofia,
ni la
ciencia
que
t a n t a s d i s c u s i o n e s s u s c i t a b a con C a r l o s
Gros
eran
capaces
de
darle
medios
para
llegar,
material
y
conscientemente,
a
la
otra
o r i l l a . Todo
desembocaba
en
cero,
en
otra
pregunta
ma's,
en
la
i n t e r r o g a n t e de l a m u e r t e .
el
. y en l a n o c h e
d e l p u e n t e , dando
final
Andre's c a i a
alaridos.
por
el
abismo
por
pero
continuaba
s o n a n d o que e l p u e n t e no
llegaba
a
l a o t r a o r i l l a , y se p r e c i p i t a b a a u l l a n d o en
el
fondo
de s u s u e n o , h a s t a p e r d e r s e en e l a b i s m o .
(p.
62-63)
Sartre's
nature.
In
accepting
his
atheism
Coronacio'n
an
the
In
to
awareness
theme
of
of
individual,
The
the
to
its
own
novels.
novels
beliefs
anguish
and
It
society
(religion
in
as
establish
the
of
to
a
ideology
in
and
the
upon
the
framework
of
fear
within
-
36
-
is
link
the
of
of
an
to
caused
by
the
facet
of
the
one
and
in
between
extended
to
traditions,
which
from
according
class
Coronacion
thematic
concepts
life,
linked,
This
to
disintegrating
derives
bourgeois
whole,
particular),
closer
belonging
developed
a
human
consciousness
the
main
on
the
dominant
the
is
existentialist
meanihglessness
so
views
progressively
existentialism
of
his
expressing
disintegration.
is
it
of
this
atheist
of
moves
of
,
disintegration
subsequent
four
capable
awareness
of
the
consequence
Andres
Coronacion
interpretation
Sartre,
a
,
ideology
anguish,
world.
is
Donoso's
the
first
include
the
values
and
society
is
based.
absurdity
of
existence,
death
which
are
used by
Andres'
Donoso
character
is
developed.
of
Andres
repeatedly
expresses
his
sense
of the
absurdity
existence:
Vida
e r a una s o l a , a h o r a l o v e i a
tambien
iba
a morir, y pasarian
de
millones
de
anos,
y
de e l
planeta
seguina
rodando
por
intersiderales
hacia
un d e s t i n o
( p . 76)
con c l a r i d a d . Luego e l
miles, millones, miles
no q u e d a r i a n a d a , y e l
los
negros
espacios
absurdo e i n e x i s t e n t e .
El,
en
cambio
se
hallaba
d e s n u d o b a j o un f i r m a m e n t o
hostil,
que
s6lo p o d i a s e n a l a r l e s u p r o p i a p e q u e n e z , y
l a i n u t i l b r e v e d a d de s u c o n c i e n c i a . ( p . 155)
Andres'
daily
fear
of death prevents
routines
passive
are
him from experiencing
a form of s e l f - d e c e p t i o n , of
a c c e p t a n c e o f h i s own
life
and h i s
resignation,
of
futility:
Rebelarse,
tratar
de
dar
un
significado
a la vida,
hacer
algo,
tener
cualquier
fe
con l a c u a l i n t e n t a r
traspasar
.el
limite
del
actual,
era
estupido,
pretencioso,
pueril,
lo
unico
razonable
era
la
acceptacibn
muda
e i n a c t i v a . Ihe g u s t a b a l e e r h i s t o r i a
de
Francia?
Leeria
historia
de
F r a n c i a . &Le g u s t a b a
pasear
en
las
tardes
por
las
calles
tranquilas?
Pasearia.
Andre's
s i n t i d " p o r p r i m e r a v e z que sus p o b r e s
pes' pisaban
t e r r e n o f i r m e , que l o g r a b a s a l t a r desde e l
extremo
puente
hasta
la
orilla
lejana.
Para otros,
sentir
lo
que
e'l a c a b a b a de s e n t i r q u i z a r e s u l t a r a un
pozo
negro
de
angustia.
P a r a e l , s i n embargo, e r a l a
justificacioVi
de
no
hacer
nada,
de no a v e n t u r a r s e a
nada,
la
l i b e r a c i o n c o m p l e t a de t o d o compromiso c o n l a
v i d a . ( p . 65)
In
foi),
what
Andres,
existence
and
concludes
that
Sartre
would
call
when
faced
when
confronted
madness
is
his
with
an
t h e need
with
only
a c t of bad f a i t h
his
to give
(mauvaise
meaning
own s e n s e
of
to
his
failure,
alternative:
Ojala
me v o l v i e r a
loco
para
a s i no t e n e r que a b o c a r
directamente,
claramente,
a
la
luz
p l e n a y c o n tc^da
conciencia,
e l p r o b l e m a de l a muerte y de l a e x t i n c i o n .
iQu^
m a r a v i l l o s a manera de e s c a m o t e a r s e de l a n e c e s i d a d
de m i r a r de f r e n t e . . . , e s o . . . ! ( p . 133)
el
u n i c o o r d e n es l a l o c u r a , porque l o s l o c o s
son
los
que
se
han dado c u e n t a d e l caos t o t a l , de l a
imposibilidad
de
explicar,
de
r a z o n a r , de a c l a r a r , y
-
37
-
como
no
pueden
hacer
nada ven
llegar
a
la
verdad
es
unirse
157)
At
the
himself,
novel's
to
Sartre's
put
at
the
himself
concept
consciousness
conclusion,
of
in
a
the
which
same t i m e t h a t
on
Andre's
level
attempts
with
paradoxical
consciousness
it
que l a u n i c a manera de
a la locura total,
(p.
covertly
to
things
exemplifying
internal
thinks
of
recognizes
duality
itself
its
objectify
as
a
of
thing
freedom:
El
ya
no
era
un
ser
v i v o , y a no e r a h o m b r e .
Estaba
reducido
a
cosa,
a
m a t e r i a que a g u a r d a e l momento de
integrarse
a
la
nada
donde
no
hay
ni
tiempo
mi
extensidh.
Dentro
de
pocos anos e l i b a a m o r i r , y ese
finalizar
de
su
c o n c i e n c i a i n d i v i d u a l que l o s e p a r a b a
con
una h n e a de c l a r i d a d d e l r e s t o de l o s o b j e t o s , e r a
tambien
el
fin
de
eso que a l g u n o s saben l l a m a r a l m a ,
( p . 212)
The
a
emphasis
literary
previous
in
theme,
is
literary
injustice
and
Coronacion
one
generation.
of
criticizing.
Rather,
in
general
the
this
latter
existentialist
such
as
intellectual.
inner
and
but
The
his
his
surface
de
la
and
of
novel,
so
without
of
while
explores
Andres
the
of
makes
crises
the
literature.
the
the
a
malaise
fetish
Lukacs
the
of
of
Linked
as
the
to
of
critic,
of
the
bourgeois
individual
calls
"le
as
is
surrounding
society
the
he
social
impact
his
the
condition
individualism
fetichisee"10)
view
human
of
as
objective
in particular.
debased
(what
in
shows
individual. A Marxist
the
a symptom
it
from
the primary
assertion
that
incarnated
followers
appearance
say
interiorite
own v a l u e s
many
on
bourgeois
experiences
permanent
find
is
The
the
philosophy
i n d i v i d u a l problems
which Donoso d i f f e r s
Coronacion
is
would
in
does
anguish
theme
Lukacs,
existentialist
area
inequality,
and
on A n d r e s '
carnaval
unable
society.
to
Lukacs
r e a l i t y behind
the
Although
Donoso
intent,
Coronacion
of
author's
the
larger
social
analysis
of
characters
is
does
created
the
the
w i t h any
but
period
of
also
Dorfman,
of
social
confines
tangentially,
he w r o t e
generation
the novels
obvious
nofc<only t h e p e r s o n a l
narrative, Ariel
by
that
writer
experience,
of
Chilean
a
reflect,
social
trends
characteristics
not
i n . In
a
the
marxist
w r i t i n g about
1950,
the p e r i o d have
points
in
the
out
the
common:
El
personaje
no
s e mueve, p o r q u e no t i e n e h a c i a donde
huir;
el
i m p u l s o r e n o v a d o r que d e n u n c i a l a r i g i d e z , se
resuelve
en
la
i n c e r t i d u m b r e , en e l p a r e n t e s i s , en l a
mascara
.
. . rodeado por s o l u c i o n e s f a l s a s , s o c i a l e s ,
futuras,
interiores,
el
hombre
se
hace r a d i c a l m e n t e
ambiguo . . .
11
Donoso,
does
like
reflect
according
to
the
some
other
aspects
Chilean writers
of
the
social
of
his
reality
generation,
they
live
in,
Dorfman:
Enfrentan
el
desahucio
de
la
Utopia
americana,
enfrentan
el
f r a c a s o de un s i s t e m a , e x p r e s a n h a s t a l o s
limites
que
sus
demonios
se
lo
permiten,
que
lo
rebelarse,
lo
grotesco
y
r i d i c u l o l a u n i c a manera de
expresarse,
la
fragmentacidn,
la
manera
de amar, l a
mctscara l a u n i c a c a r a . 1 2
In
Coronacion
irrational
well
as
those
rebelion
de
escalate
The
la
in
briefly
characterization
main
component
the
a l l
r e l i g i o n and
noche
,
emphasis
aspects
against
of
forms
sex.
these
i n t e n s i t y and
basic
see
grotesque
related to
pajaro
been
and
we
on
reality
of
moral taboos
From C o r o n a c i o n
aspects
of
Donoso's
to
as
especially
El
obsceno
fiction
will
scope.
outlined,
in
ambiguous,
and p e r s o n a l i t y
e x i s t e n t i a l c o n c e p t u a l framework
of
the
largely
Andres.
the
in
Psychoanalysis
conceptual
-
39
-
in Coronacion
relation
provides
framework
has
to
the
the
other
developed
in
Coronacion's
system
clearly
present
reading
Freud
Freud's
psychoanalytical
Of
Dream?
,
characterization. Freudian
the n o v e l .
in
the
the
of
illustrated
within
the
in
the
most
the
Pleasure
of
Symptoms
these
aspects
functioning
are
intimately
particularly
sexual
the
result
Freud
in
of
pointed
thinking,
of
the
through
instincts
provoked
and
shawl
for
(this
her
birthday
the
Eao
and
and
and
stated
they
that
,
the
are
evolve
many
development
of
and
conflicts,
anxiety
are
conflict within
of
of
Sexuality
childhood
often
oneself.
instinctual conflict
analysed
processes
both
typical
of
repression.
mores
the
symbolic
image
sexual
of
psychology
mental
significance
Andre's,
and p l e a s u r e .
by
of
was
(1926)].
and Andre's
to
father
the
occurring
defensive
in
dreams,
defense.
Freudian
sexual
,
Freud
are
Interpretation
(1920), The
Freudian
human
phenomena
regression,
cases
neuroses
vital
mental
upbringing
bourgeois
of
related
out
religious
of
of
recognition
Elisa
[ The
and A n x i e t y
Elisa
his
the Theory
.
elements
t h e main body
1926,
c o n f l i c t s . G u i l t , shame and
a f f e c t and
Misia
on
theories.
the
unconscious
function
of
that
complete
theories
important
by
Principle
characters
framework
was
Essays
Three
basic
the
indeed,
theory
(1923), I n h i b i t i o n s .
Many
Donoso mentions
and
20*s
(1900),
Beyond
(1905),
Id. ,
in
of
their
They
which
Freud
repression
images.
results
in
in
For
El
an
-
40
social
class,
repressive
are
classic
of
denounced
inducive
of
early
example,
sin
outburst
-
a
artifice
obsession
luaar
of
i l l u s t r a t e the
from
Misici E l i s a ' s
reappears
products
of
as
chilhood
with
the
limites
of
sexual
sexuality
gift
)
of
from
escalating
a
is
pink
Andres
intensity
and
obscenity
aimed
at
Estela:
Este
chal
t a n l i n d o l e v a a s e n t a r m u c h o mas a l a
Estela.
A e l l a s i l e q u e d a r i a b i e n de v e r a s . M i r a n i n a ,
lo
que
t e t r a j o t u n o v i o , un c h a l c i t o r o s a d o . P a r a que
t e ^ veas
rosadita
cuando
despiertes
a
su l a d o en l a
manana . . . , t o m a , p r u e ' b a t e l o . . .
I Pruebate
tu
chal!
Pruebate
tu chal
rosado,
que
a t i t e l o t r a j o d e r e g a l o ! S i me l o t r a j o
a
mi
seria
un i n s u l t o , p o r q u e es un c h a l de p u t a , s i ,
de
puta,
no
para
una s e n o r a que merece una c o r o n a de
santa
y
reina,
como
yo.
jPruebate tu chal, te digo,
china!
i I n d i a p u t a ! |Las c o s a s m u g r i e n t a s que l e
habeas e n s e n a d o a h a c e r e n l a c a m a !
. . . c o c h i n a , v i c i o s a , . . . ( p p . 5 0 , 5 1 , 52)
Andre's'
rigidly
the
adult
ordered
search
The
for
by
repression
sex
of
one
dominated
His
and
his
scenes
of
example
of
associated
has
cycle of
with
his
in
The
sexual
religious
a
his
by
life.
tenets
to
and
symbolizes
traumatic
basic
episodes
desires.
the
in
been,
behavior
ten canes
Andre's'
several
sexual
sexual
ritual
discipline
illustrates
early
by
c o l l e c t i o n of
character
the
repression
Andre's'
of
Andre's'
determined
is
c o n t r o l , order
with
psychology.
and
routines.
description
encounters
provides
life
childhood
of
Freudian
great
extent,
life
following
desire,
moral
and by
the
quotation
guilt,
fear
strictures
in
youth.
Cuando
Andre's
tuvo
que
confesarse
p a r a p r e p a r a r su
primera
comunio'n, se l o c a l l d ' t o d o , a b s o l u t a m e n t e t o d o ,
lo
de
V e l a r d e y su amigo, l a s p o s t a l e s , sus s u e n o s , e l
sillon
que
s e l l a m a b a L o u r d e s y t o d o l o dema's. C o m u l ^
en
pecado
mortal.
No
fue,
como l e d i j e r o n que d e b i a
ser,
el
dia
ma's
feliz
de
su
vida.
Porque
estaba
condenado,
y
s u c a r n e a r d e r i a en l o s i n f i e r n o s p o r l o s
siglos
de
l o s s i g l o s . S o l o su a b u e l a y Lourdes se ira'n
al
cielo.
^Cuantash veshesh, hiho? - l e preguntaria e l padre
Damian, s i contaba.
/
.
The
. . y
eso
importance
jamais p o d r i a
of
confesarlo.
sexuality
-
41
-
in
(p.
Andre's'
59)
unconscious
is
revealed
palms
de
in
several
(reminiscent
una
persona
Lourdes)
Andres
1
mind,
repressed
his
impulses
palms
mechanisms.
Andre's'
world
own
recurrent
by
of
of
between
repeated
old
obsessions
evolution.
tension
Donoso
Andre's
Andres
conflict.
The
novel's
precarious
balance.
characters
first
balance
encounter
"Don
Andre's
como
el
resto
poco
rosado,
resto
de
como
la piel
de
pink
of
a
Finally,
his
in
an
it
marks
of
of
submerged
follow
this
the steps
momentum a s
and
and
the
an
repetitive
in
the
the
sexual
increasing
shatters
and
of
provokes
routine
palms
and
element
to
them c r e a t e s
compulsion
order
individual
momentum
and
defense
eventually
denouement
augmenting
his
established
ritualized
final
obsessive
a l l
sense
pink
desires.
desires.
an
as
of
for
fascinating
palms
perceives
Andre's
tension
world
as
c o n t r o l . Upon
1
is
his
Andres'
Estela:
observo
de
is
Estela's
between
with
it
with
fixation
Estela,
is
cuerpo
a
impulses,
develops
This
Donoso's
of
pink
layers
sexual
f o r Andre's,
Andres
life
of
that
of
order.
como e l
associates
repressed
destroy
natural
and
attraction
to
Estela's
unconscious
unconscious
intrusion
Estela's
intrusion
typical
a fetish
rosado
the a r t i f i c i a l l y
and
the
motive
of
the
vitality
collapse
Andre's'
erosion
his
of
Andres
the
arousing
become
y
which
penetrates
threatening
The
instinctive
(p.57) ,
instincts,
erupt,
The m o t i v e
"silicon pequeno
gradually
all
his
the
progressively
pink
by
of
desnuda"
Estela's
the
dream sequences.
que
la piel
.
la
.
.
solo
el
l a palma
, como s i
muchacha."
-
42
(p.
-
dorso
era
de
unos
estuviera
17)
l a mano
tohos
ma's
era
mas
cobrizo
clara,
desnuda
que
un
el
Later
on:
Andres
desvio'
la
vista
de
esas
palmas
descubiertas,
p r e s a de i n c o m o d i d a d y de un i n e x p l i c a b l e
pudor;
como
s i h u b i e r a s o r p r e n d i d o a l g u n a i n t i m i d a d de
la
m u c h a c h a . En e s a l i g e r a v a r i a c i o n de c o l o r d e l c o b r e
opaco
del
d o r s o a l r o s a m u l l i d o y s i n duda t i b i o de l a
palma
desnuda,
inconvenientemente
desnuda,
Andre's se
vio
acechado
por
algo i n s t i n c t i v o , algo casi salvaje,
inadmisible
e n s u mundo d o n d e t o d o e r a c i v i l i z a c i o n . .
. (P.40)
Then,
pink
shawl
on
the
provokes
occasion
her
of
outburst
Misia
Elisa's
against
birthday,
when
the
Estela:
Estela
no
se
m o v i o ' . L e v a n t a n d o un p o c o l a s manos
como
quien
pide
a y u d a , m i r a b a a Andre's, que d e s v i o l a
vista
a ver esas palmas, acosado t a n t o por l a presencia,
de
esa
carne
fresca
y
rosa
que
se
le
antojo
descaradamente
indecente,
como
por
la
locura
de su
abuela,
que
de
manera
tan
inconveniente
los
habia
unido.
^Donde
m i r a r , a q u i e n a c u d i r en b u s c a de o r d e n ?
( p . 51)
Estela
s e h a b i a e n v u e l t a en e l c h a l , a p r e t a n d o l o a
su
cuerpo.
Andre's
la
vio
rosada
e n t e r a , como s i l a
desnudez
de
l a p a l m a d e s u s manos s e h u b i e r a e x t e n d i d o
impudicamente
p o r t o d o s u c u e r p o , como s i M i s i c t E l i s i t a
la
h u b i e r a jdesnudado
con
sus
palabras
enloquecidas,
para
e n t r e g a r s e l a . L a mente de Andre's pugnaba p o r e c h a r
mano
de c u a l q u i e r c o s a p a r a c u b r i r o a l e j a r e s a i m a g e n ,
p e r o e r a i n u t i l . ( p . 52)
This
Andres
scene
gives
probably
with
sexuality.
His
Andre's'
sexual
his
in
Estela
and
unconscious
desires
surge
a pink
his
grandmother
fantasies
repressed
particularly
grandmother
influenced
obsession
and
is
rich
in Freudian
shawl
for
choice
his
of
the
Elisa
she
of
connection
attraction for
because
colour
association
makes
forth.
her
suffers
birthday.
by
pink
his
the
shawl
Elisa's
same
is
female
the
understand
from
He
growing
with
between
E s t e l a . Then
can w e l l
psychology.
own
Andre's'
sexual
repressions.
When
Andre's
sees
the palms
-
of
43
Tenchita,
-
the
antique
dealer's
wife
(she
is
wearing
a pink
shawl):
,
.
, En l u g a r de T e n c h i t a y e i a a E s t e l a , e n v u e l t a en
el
chal
que
el
habia
regalado
a
su a b u e l a . . . y
Estela
despertaba
en
el
lecho
junto
a e'l. El calor
joven
de
la
muchacha.
Su c u e r p o l e v e m e n t e h u m e d e c i d o
por
el
s u e n o t i b i o l o t o c a b a . T e n f a v i v o en l a n u c a e l
aliento
de
Estela
al
ayudarlo a ponerse e l abrigo, y
ante
sus
o j o s se h a l l a b a a b i e r t o e l p e l i g r o desnudo de
s u s p a l m a s . . . ( p . 113)
After
desire
this
for
encounter,
Andre's
accepts
the
existence
of
his
Estela:
Deseaba
a E s t e l a . Sus manos e n p u n a d a s en l o s
bolsillos
de
su
abrigo imaginaron l a suavidad
desnuda
de
las
palmas
de
la
muchacha,
y
en l a s r e t i n a s de
Andre's
hirvieron
sus o j o s n e g r o s . La t i b i e z a s u b i t a de
- la
respiracion
de
Estela
al
ayudarlo
a
ponerse su
abrigo
una
noche
hacia
mas
de
un
mes,
r e p i t i o un
aliento
a r d o r o s o en su c u e l l o . S i . D e s e a b a a E s t e l a . L a
deseaba
como c r e y o q u e j a m a ' s i b a a s e r c a p a z d e d e s e a r .
( p . 115)
Then
they
felt
Andres
are
for
in^
porque
era
su
vio
amor,
of
was
si,
This
not
amor
que
and M a r i o
blow
just
no
cuya
becomes
living
Estela
edificio
claro
Andres
of
love.
Estela
"Todo
sees
leads
desire
together
him to
but
and
realizes
believe
that
esperanza
qued^
desecho.
era
s<5lo
lo
sentfa
aware
that
a u t h e n t i c a l l y and
deseo
que
clavaba."
loving
escaping
what
he
love:
de
certeza lo
that
Estela,
(p.117)
Estela
his
por
Desecho,
is
empty
his
and
last
chance
sterile
mode
existence:
El
deseo
no e r a s u f i c i e n t e p a r a l i b e r a r l o de l a n a d a y
de
la
muerte,
de l o s d i a s p i a n o s de su p a s a d o , n i d e l
abismo
f u t u r o que de p r o n t o v i o r o d e a ' n d o l o c o n su f r i o .
s6lo e l amor j o v e n y a r m o n i o s o como e l de e s e p a r p o d i a
r e s c a t a r l o . ( p . 118)
At
efforts
the
of
"El,
end
Mario
dentro
of
the
novel,
and Rene',
appears
de
un
Estela,
to
momento,
-
44
yield
iba
-
a
under
to
the
manipulative
Andre's:
acariciar
esas
palmas
humedas,
el,
El
rosadas,
revelctndole
las
todos
necesitaba,
This
is
marks
the
After
Estela
from
muelles,
last
of
the
ultimately
of
madness.
Cedomil
in
Coronacion
a esas
vision
of
inadequacy,
Goic
iban
su
palmas."
(p.
209)
Estela's
pink
up
poder.
palms
and
motive.
he d e l i b e r a t e l y
escapes
the
of
a
this
alienation
sums
a acariciar
todo
development
r e j e c t s Andre's,
of
lo
entregandole
reiterative
feelings
through
palmas
secretos,
rousing
his
world
esas
determinadamente
the
end
sus
y
and
anguish
process
into
Andres
a
goes
:
De
este
modo c u a n d o e l e n g a n o d e l a m u c h a c h a y e l
sentimiento
de
su
rebajamiento,
d e s u enajenaci6n l o
arrojan
en
la
c o n c i e n c i a d e l absurdo y d e l s i n s e n t i d o
de
todo,
s e p r e c i p i t a r ^ en l a e x i s t e n c i a de l a l o c u r a ,
se
enajenarci
consciente
y l i b r e m e n t e p a r a e v a d i r s e de
la
angustia
atroz
y d e l a c a f d a i n s o p o r t a b l e . De e s t e
modo
la
existencia
i n a u t e V i t i c a m o d i f i c a d a l u e g o en l a
angustiosa
a u t e n t i c i d a d c o n c l u y e p o r d e s e m b o c a r en o t r o
modo
de
existir
en
que
la
conciencia
anulada,
aniquilada,
a b r e l a p o s i b i l i d a d de e s c a p a r p a r a s i e m p r e
a l temor y a l temblor d e l e x i s t i r
consciente.13
Andre's'
on
the
voluntary
brink
existence
of
a total
provoked
(symbolized
the
palms)
reappear
lugar
sin
pajaro
de
and
be
is
la
noche
the
in
into
in
outcome
in
before
madness
the
of
by
the
after
established
primitive
Coronacion
one
explored
limites
change
by
instincts
pink
submersion
forces
Estela
and
in
being
resolved
to
finally
Jose
order
of
the
Promis
Este
his
irrational
motive
domingo
in
been
of
same c o n f l i c t w h i c h
d i f f e r e n t ways
. According
he h a s
El
of
will
and
El
obsceno
Ojeda:
Las
tres
novelas
de
Donoso p l a n t e a n , p u e s , cada una
desde
un
angulo
especifico,
u n m i s m o p r o b l e m a o , m^s
bien
dicho,
una
misma
o b s e s i d ' n : l a p r e c a r i e d a d de l a
existencia.
.
.
en E l o b s c e n o p a j a r o de l a n o c h e , l a
obsesid'n
deja
de
s e r p l a n t e a m i e n t o y s e t r a n s f o r m a en
mundo.
De
aqui
que
afirmemos
que con e s t a n o v e l a se
cierra
y
se
cumple
un
ciclo,
mas
a l i a d e l c u a l no
existe
otra
posibilidad
e x p r e s i v a . Como e n e l c a s o d e
Cien
Anos de S o l e d a d , l a n o v e l a
que
cierra
una
etapa,
despue's
c a m b i a r de
rumbo.14
The
cyclical
basic
related
These
two
areas:
areas
narrative
aspects
have
already
of
and
pertaining
all
and
the
of
the
a
the
the
coherent
human
caste
irrational
disintegration
and
of
elements;
and
the
dominant
of
beliefs
human
roles
systems;
the
upon
on
condition
instinctive
the
in
focus
ambiguous,
by
taboos;
t r a d i t i o n a l values
thematic
Donoso's
personal
author's
narrative
links
masks
and
individual,
which
and
techniques
evolve
away
which
structure
negation
In
as
of
expressing
an
the
the
human
from
traditional realist
objective, concrete
capable
in
society
of
case
of
expressing
El
obsceno
elements
reality.
the
pajaro
The
limits
of
attributes
of
reality,
his
of
towards
questioning
de
la
noche
a
of
,
reality.
Coronacion
presentacion
and
assert
and,
configurating
social
fiction
reality
the
of
verisimilitude
narrative
are
vision
factual
to
moral
of
the precariousness
revealed
hierarchical social
theme
the
techniques.
based.
These
his
order
against
englobing
society
is
to
on
of
two
initiated
out:
aspects
emphasis
part
themes
pointed
and p e r s o n a l i t y ;
established
rebellion
been
e l broche
s6lo cabe
involves
narrative
thematic
metaphysical
reality
and
novels
i n p a r a l l e l as
main
the
four
content
developed
individual;
existence
the
are
and
Donoso's
thematic
The
existentialist
the
of
process.
Coronacic'n
and
nature
de Donoso es
de
la cual
, Donoso uses
"una
univoca
narrative
sublevacid'n
de
la
contra
realidad."15
-
46
-
techniques
The
todo
interior
appropriate
intento
de
reality,
or
the
interior
Andre's,
is
realismo
achieved
de
descriptiva
realidad
el
una
the
the
into
use
del
determined
by
compleja
the
of
of
of
he
se
y
de
as
as:
"la
que
la
particularly
Jitrik
fuera
r e a l i t y of
technique
Noe
psiquico
expresa
each c h a r a c t e r
this
what
rica
interior
characters,
defines
fluir
the narrator
what
example
novel's
which
campo
imagen
omniscience
one
by
conciencia",
en
penetration
is
of
concreta y mensurable,
propone
the
coherence
bien
los
es
una
canales
realidad."16
each
"el
penetracidn
si
de
calls:
character
This
limits
the narrative perspective
is
thinking
applied to
and
y
feeling.
is
Here
Andres:
i Y su a b u e l a ?
<i No p a g a b a p a r a q u e c u i d a b a h a s u a b u e l a a t o d a s
horas
del
d£a
y d e l a n o c h e , como e r a n e c e s a r i o a s u s
anos?
icon
qu6
derecho
esta c h i q u i l l a l a dejaba sola
para
s a l i r a b e s u q u e a r s e c o n un c u a l q u i e r a en l a c a l l e ?
Quizes
este
no
fuera
el
primero,
pero iba a ser e l
ifltimo.
] En s d l o t r e s m e s e s ! S f , s u p o b r e a b u e l a t e n i a
razon,
Estela
e r a una c o r r o m p i d a , c a s i una p r o s t i t u t a .
j
Su
pobre
abuela
no e s t a b a l o c a , e r a n e s t o s j o V e n e s
los l o c o s , los sucios y envenenados!
( p . 118)
Seeing
characters
perfected.
through
a
the
is
story
a
narrative
Suspense,
limited
attempted
through
It
seems
more
of
the
himself
It
is
natural;
and
to
not
only
Coronacic'n
which
is
Elisa
the
and
device
of
it
places
Donoso's
James
created
reader
reader
view of
the
favoured
and
and
filtered
e f f e c t i v e than
in
of
the
the mental
when
story.
v/orld
interpret things
for
story.
use
of
of
evolves
47
of
manipulation
the
the
reminiscent
-
Henry
be more
godlike
makes
she
that
emotion
follow the
setting
limited point
view can
omniscient,
he w a n t s
the
tension,
point
characters
if
through
-
this
Henry
in
is
narrative
James.
The
similar
to
technique
in
character
of
that
of
the
senile
Isis
a
old
woman
Quinteros
symbolic
use
of
that
the
has
Screw
Donoso
of
made
an
,
the
in
in
The
images
James's
and
Jamesian,
and
lives
continent"
of
in
of
period
seemingly
Henry
James'
. Quinteros
states
to
of
Henry
James.
as
Thomas
C.
and The T u r n
of
d e v e l o p e d by
Jamesian
both
as
important
as
Donoso's
approach
internalization
i n f l u e n c e on D o n o s o
accurate
context,
is
to
of
the
useful
v/hich
is
in
larger
critics.
conceptual
framework
of
the
is
particular
into
what
milieu
surface
with
as
Donoso
contradictory perception
-
48
of
-
women
of
sexual
"dark
the
Victorian
inhibitions
the
in
deft
portray
a c u l t u r a l defense
portrays
Ramon;
c a l l e d the
truly
respectability,
operates
and
couples*
couples
in
bourgeois
series
Freud
These
replete
Elisa
a
these
sexuality.
particularly
unattractive
contains
into
turmoil.
characters,
non-ideological
Coronacion
hypocrisy
of
not
insights
bourgeois
where
to
two d i f f e r e n t g e n e r a t i o n s :
female
characteristics
prudery
similar
with
exploration
Adriana.
relationships,
prototype
early
Donoso's
psychoanalytical
a
a more
psychoanalytical
Carlos
in
in
The
sex
.
the house
latent terror
are
anglo-saxon
p e r c e i v e d by
married
Papers
of
between Coronacion
of
Aspern
use
Poynton
psychological
that
in
is
image
James's
Coronacio'n
evidence
Donoso's
of
associations
literature
than
i n The
James.17
with
situating
this
atmosphere
techniques,
The
that
Spoils
owes
identification
novel.
out
association
specific
settings,
Venetian palazzo
the maternal being
certainly
and Henry
The
a
points
image
Donoso
Meehan
also
image
this
in
and
mechanism
problem of
a bourgeois
the
milieu
where,
on
Elisa's
one
power
equilibrium,
or
as
subjection of
hand
of
they
are
feared
engulfment
d i d Ramon women t o
the
and
-
e.g.
her
and,
on t h e
role
of
threat
other
sexless,
El
abuelo
le
t e n i a t a n t o miedo
pura,
que p o r eso se i b a a l c l u b
abuela
a vezes l l o r a b a encerrada
( p . 59)
eCreeras
moral
que
Ram^n,
me
dormiamos
corona
de
en e l c i e l o
Andres
who
to
hand
perceives
his
the
frigid
mental
elevation
angels:
a su m u j e r , porque e r a
todas las noches, y l a
en su d o r m i t o r i o . . .
que
s i e m p r e he s i d o una m u j e r t a n b u e n a , t a n
n u n c a en t o d o s mis anos de c a s a d a p e r m e t i que
mirara
el
cuerpo?
Nunca,
n u n c a , y eso que
en
l a misma c a m a . Ya v e s , dime se no m e r e z c o
santa.
E n f i n , D i o s p r e m i a r a mis s a c r i f i c i o s
, dcindomela a l i a ' , (pp. 149-150)
. t o d o s l o s hombres l o u n i c o que q u e r e n es a b u s a r
con
nosotras.
.
.,
y e l p l a c e r es una c o c h i n a d a , una
inmundicia. i;La
vida
es
un
asco
y
hay
que b u s c a r
refugio
en
la
religion
para
no
verse
obligada
a
d e s c e n d e r h a s t a e s o y c o n t a m i n a r s e ! ( p . 151)
Al
ver
aparecer
a
su m a r i d o , e l g e s t o de A d r i a n a se
paralis^
en
el
aire,
dej6
el
pote
en
el velador,
limpiandose
autom^ticamente
los
dedos
e n ^un
panito
celeste.
No
sentia
miedo
n i r e p u g n a n c i a . E s t e e r a un
deber
como
c u a l q u i e r o t r o , n e c e s a r i o de v e z en c u a n d o ,
aunque
preferia
que
fuera
lo
ma's
de t a r d e en t a r d e
p o s i b l e . ( p . 165)
Adriana
era
capaz
de
quererlo
hasta
como
para
entregarle
su
cuerpo
para
que
lo
usara,
como e s t a
noche,
por
ejemplo.
P e r o C a r l o s y a no t e n i a d e r e c h o a
pedir
que
compartiera
sus
e m o c i o n e s . I F r i a l d a d ? Has
bien
no.
Era
simplemente
un d e s e o de v i v i r t r a n q u i l a
porque
a
su a l t u r a nada e r a p e o r que a b r i r n e c e s i d a d e s
que
se
ahaban
c o m o d a m e n t e s e l l a d a s en un r i n c d n de s u
ser, casi, casi, olvidadas.
(p.166)
A
of
psychohistorian,
female
sexuality
rapid
change
means
exclusive
the
defense
Denial
of
and
and
theory
of
for
values,
female
Freud
sexuality
Peter
fears
uncertain
mechanism
female
s u c h as
male
49
the
frigidity -
thus
-
would
as
the
in
that
a classic
"reaction
fears
a period
dominant
a subconscious
-
argue
dominance
trigger
analysed
is
Gay,
but
of
by
no
example
of
formation".
male attempt
to
reinforce
In
move
his
supremacy
Coronacion
towards
symbolic
,
assuming
present
of
in
treatment
and
dimension
evolve,
of
in
significance
the
Coronacion
archetypal
character
-
who
women
the
and
symbolic
to
us
skeletal
usually
Elisa's
of
as
dimensions
the
of
themes
to
the
universalized
significance
novels.
of
is
As
the
destruction
and
changes
in
the
systems
of
main
female
characters
basic
literary
death;
Estela:
life;
to
the
actions
of
reacting
to
Elisa:
catalysts
constantly
analyse
Donoso d e p i c t s
death.
Elisa
to
These
human e x i s t e n c e
are
myths
represented
Dora:
the
the presence
of
male
of
in
the
their
function.
Let
Elisa.
value
later
parallel
incarnate
Misici
act
are
main
are
roles
They
characters
system
Donoso's
objects
functions.
correspond
This
and
narrative.
, the
women
events
symbolic
which
the
there
symbolic.
The
characters,
representational
in
of
primarily
poverty.
a
events
Coronacion
upheaval.18
and
existence.
disintegration
In
mythic
and
human
and
novel's
assign
objects
dimensions
a time of
the
functions
characters,
in
(in
first
the
Elisa
in
Her
appearance
object.
Donoso
contrast
associated
symbolic
to
with
is
terms
no
often
the
sexual
of
incarnation
that
emphasize
longer
really
associates
the
connotations
Estela) .
incarnation
rostro,
y cierta
archetypal
Here
are
of
her
of
some
the
-
closeness
human,
color
death
she
is
a
white, w i t h
color
examples
pink
of
death:
la
s e n e c t i t u d b a r r i o t o d a i n d i v i d u a c i d n de su
dejando
s o l o l a o s a m e n t a de una n a r i z s o b e r b i a
f i j e z a i n s i s t e n t e en s u s o j o s de l o c a .
(p.19)
A
v e c e s , a l g u n muchacho d e l
con
su
bicicleta
divisaba
-
50
-
Emporio
entre
F o r m i n o que e n t r a b a
l o s v i s i l l o s de una
ventana
del
segundo
piso
el
nonagenaria
que
miraba l a l u z ,
25)
rostro
bianco
de
que m i r a b a e l a i r e .
la
(p.
El
lecho
de
Misia
Elisa
G r e y de A b a l o s e r a una g r a n
embarcacion
de
madera r e l u c i e n t e y o b s c u r a . La a n c i a n a
se
hallaba
incorporada,
blanca entre las sabanas.
Con
un
espejo
en
una
mano t e m b l o r o s a - e r a i n c r e i b l e q u e
esos
ojos
de
p^rpados
como h a r a p o s f u e r a n c a p a c e s de
recoger
su
i m a g e n en e l 6valo m i n d s c u l o de l a l u n a - y
armada
de
una
pinza,
se
e s t a b a s a c a n d o l o s p e l o s de
menton. . .
Ahora
estoy
como l o s ^ c a d a v e r e s , d i c e n que e l
pelo
les
s i g u e c r e c i e n d o d e s p u e s que l o s e n t i e r r a n . .
. ( P . 38)
Dando
dos
que a c a r n e
palmadas de d e l e i t e
. . . ( p . 50)
que
sonaron
mas
a
huesos
La
anciana
seguia
gimoteando.
Sus
fuerzas
cesaron
pronto,
deja'ndola
convertida
en
un
ovillo
insignificante
y
blanquecino
e n t r e l a s s a b a n a s , en e l
que
la
vida
apenas
exist la,
apenas
palpitaba.
Sus
manos,
con
un
rosario
entre
los
dedos,
se
habian
plegado
sobre s u
pecho
como l a s d e un m u e r t o , p e r o s u s
l a b i o s s e m o v i a n . ( p . 53)
.
.
.
Estela
fue
senora,
tan
blancas
h i l a d o . . . ( p . 94)
r e u n i e n d o l a s mechas b l a n c a s de l a
y
t a n t r a n s p a r e n t e s como c r i s t a l
La
luz
d i b u j a b a su n a r i z e s t u p i d a m e n t e a g u i l e n a , f i r m e
aun,
lo
unico
firme
salvado
del
naufragio
de e s t e
rostro
de
escualidas
blanduras,
de
esa
mascara
de
anfractuosidades
s u e l t a s blanqueadas por los anos, todo
e m p e q u e n e c i d o p o r e l t i e m p o ( p . 195)
En
el
silencio
de
la
alcoba
se
escuchaba solo l a
respiracid'n
de
las
viejas
dormidas,
y
una
ultima
levisima
pluma
blanca fue depositada por e l a i r e sobre
la
mano
de
M i s i a E l i s i t a , donde aun c o r r i a un p o c o de
sangre por l a s venas a z u l o s a s .
( p . 203)
From
the beginning
house
she
house
where
similar
la
this
has
Andre's
terms
casa,
house
p.
been
as
48)
like
of
the novel,
confined
grew
up.
to
for
In
fact,
Elisa,
it
is
as
is
a corpse
she
a ghost,
Elisa
more
the
a cadaver
her
of
white
-
51
-
of
is
associated
than
with
the
tv/enty y e a r s ,
the
house
a house
is
described
(el
cadaver
a woman. Dona E l i s a
face
occasionally
in
de
haunts
glimpsed
at
a
window.
of
Elisa
The house
and
non-functional,
is
described
i n terms
that
resume
Andre's,
c o n t r i v e d , w i t h an excess
somber,
useless:
of
the
lives
decorations,
La
casa
donde M i s i a E l i s a G r e y de A b a l o s v i v i a c o n sus
dos
ancianas
c r i a d a s , L o u r d e s y R o s a r i o , e r a un c h a l e t
adornado
con b a l c o n e s , p e r i l l a s y e s c a l i n a t a s , en medio
de
un
v a s t o j a r d i n humedo c o n d o s p a l m e r a s , u n a a c a d a
lado
de
la
entrada.
Adema's
de l o s dos p i s o s , a r r i b a
habia
otro
p i s o o c u l t o p o r m a n s a r d a s c o n f i t a d a s c o n un
sin
fin
de
t o r r e c i t a s almenadas y r e c i r t e s de m a d e r a .
La
c a s a t e n i a un d e f e c t o : e s t a b a o r i e n t a d a c o n t a n p o c o
acierto
que
l a fachada r e c i b i a s o l escasas horas . . .
( p . 13)
quedO o b s e r v a n d o e s a c a s a d e f e n d i d a p o r
de a r b o l e s h u m e d e c i d o s , g o t e a n d o aun despue's
de
la
l l u v i a de l a t a r d e ; e r a una v i s i o n de l o i n u t i l ,
con
sus
adornos
de mala c a l i d a d c o n f u n d i e n d o l a l i n e a
esencial
h a s t a b o r r a r l a a f u e r z a de pequenos
torreones,
mansardas
innecesarias,
terrazas,
balcones
que no se
a b r i a n a p i e z a a l g u n a . ( p . 160)
esqueletos
We
and
have
seen
provokes,
in
se
how E l i s a ' s
him
grandmother's
pervasive
his
is
madness,
identity,
a
feeling
of
to death
anxiety
i n f l u e n c e , which w i l l
embodied
threatening
proximity
in
the
his mental
house
disturbs
and
Andre's
terror.
eventually
lead
and p e n e t r a t e s
His
to
Andres
equilibrium:
Esta
casa,
en c a m b i o , de v i e j a s maderas i m p r e g n a d a s
la
voz
de
la
enferma,
era
la
p e o r amenaza p a r a
c o r d u r a d e A n d r e ' s , ( p . 43)
de
la
A l i i
no
podia
p e r m a n e c e r . Su a b u e l a e s t a b a v i v a en e l
cuarto
de
abajo.
Con
cada
una
de
sus
debiles
respiraciones,
la
nonagenaria
lo
i b a c o c i e n d o mas y
ma's a l a a n g u s t i a d e l o s d i a s a n t e r i o r e s . . . ( p . 1 2 5 )
Tengo
miedo,
s i ,
e s t a c a s a . ( p . 199)
Andres
Both
perceives
represent
obliteration,
engulfment
an
miedo
t h e house
all-engulfing
of death which
i n Coronacio'n
is
de acostarme
and h i s
t h e mouth
-
52
grandmother
maternal
can swallow
-
a dormir
as
a
repression,
him up. Another
which appears
as
a
aqui
en
threat.
a form
of
image
of
symbolic
value
of
female
(Estela)
and
toothless
repulsion
hags,
holes
which
cerro'
los
aun
ojos
desdentada
desdentada
myth
boca
said
e r a de c i e n
Estela
character
function
she,
Elisa,
the
characters
human e x i s t e n c e
Estela,
Elisa
from
in
assumes
instinctual
the
mansion
she
in
of
40).
the
Lourdes
when
help
vio
her
pink
she
care
an
and Dora
(p.
-
124)
cavernous
Mario
cavidad
donde
.
.
are
inmensa.
esa
(p.31)
.
.
.
.
"su
"La
boca
caverna
172).
another
and
presence
basic
literary
this
symbolic
in
a catalyst
moribund,
symbolic
life.
arrives
for
to
the
to
in
the
the
actions
of
dimension
of
por
algo
palms
with
well
are
oligarchic
incarnation of
sexuality,
She
is
17
work
in
the
years
in
Her
Estela
of
casi
a symbolic
which appears
throughout
in
the
fresh
Abalos
presence
Andres:
i n s t i n c t i v o , algo
part
old,
decaying
Elisa.
response
sexuality
as
repressed,
dying
instinctive
pink
and T e n c h i t a as
the
light,
acechado
Estela's
color
as
boca
borrar
(p.
life
attraction
represents.
the
"Andres
-
of
threatening,
incarnates
to
the novel
evokes
(p.
react
to
immediately
se
who
responses,
to
para
forms
Elisa
"Abrio' l a
anos"
acts
contrast
country
up:
as
extraido",
archetypal
male
appear
entreabierta"
that
like
Elisa).
todo,
mal
hallaba
have
of
dente
extreme
and
one
para borrarlo
de su
its
mouths
swallow
el
se
in
(Dora
their
can
sangraba
We
sexuality
.
.
.
salvaje"
association
relation
to
novel:
. . un s i l l o n p e q u e n o y r o s a d o como e l c u e r p o de u n a
persona
desnuda.
Lourdes,
que
ya
engordaba,
debia
p a r e c e r s e a e s e r e c h o n c h o s i l l o n c a p i t o n e . ( p . 57)
. su c u e r p o desnudo b a j o
sin
duda e r a baftado p o r l a l u z
v e l a d o r . ( p . 128)
-
53
-
e l tosco camisdh s u e l t o ,
r o j i z a de a l a m p a r i a d e l
We
have
Andre's'
repressed
associated
sexual
with
how E s t e l a ' s
sexual
the
connotation
attraction
with
seen
(Estela)
Tenchita,
caricature
of
desires.
mouth,
of
colour
Estela's
become
in
in
this
its
(Tenchita).
appears
attraction for
in
a fixation
the. case
presents
pink
repulsion
female s e x u a l i t y
palms
As
Donoso
the
and
pink
of
for
sexuality
image
extreme
When
and
the
forms
of
associated
a grotesque,
repulsive
Andres:
Despues
d e ^ unos
instantes
aparecio Tenchita ataviada
con
un
penador
de s e d a . E r a como un g r a n p a s t e l c o l o r
rosa,
adornado
con
anillos,
prendedores,
aros
de
f a n t a s i a , ( p . 112)
La
fiebre
le
producia
escalofrios,
aseguro,
envolviendose
los
hombros
en
su
chal
de
fina lana
rosada.
.
.
.
Donaldo
me l o t r a j o a n o c h e d e r e g a l o ,
fijese
que
es
a m o r o s o . D i j o que q u e r i a verme r o s a d i t a
entera
c u a n d o me d e s p e r t a r a e n s u l a d o e n l a m a n a n a . .
al
indicar
a
su
marido,
descubrid*
a l o s o j o s de
Andre's
la
palma de su mano, r o s a d a , m u e l l e , c r u d a . (p,
113)
It
is
opposite
of
Interesting
extremes
that
(e.g.
of
Elisa
opposites
within
strength
of
of
a t t r a c t i o n and
inspire
extremes
the
use
same
technique
grotesque
repulsion.
recurs
images
this
that
in
appear
parodies
This
his
in
of
dual
subsequent
Coronacion
shawl).
and Andres
carries
Donoso's
which
frequently using
the pink
note
symbolic
attraction
presentation
novels
of
to
her
belong
the
to
an
o l d , dark,
dying
world.
power
of
youth,
spark
of
the
life
Estela
and
a
will:
Entonces
Mario
la
v i o e n t e r a i l u m i n a d a , como s e f u e r a
el
c e n t r o mismo de l a g r a n l l a m a r a d a a z u l y p e l i g r o s a .
. d e n t r o de e l l a se h a b i a i d o r e s t a n d o l a f a c u l d a d de
entregarse,
manteniendo,
s i n embargo, v i v o y o c u l t o e l
germen
de
su
voluntad
y
de
sus g u s t o s , l o s que una
manera
o
de o t r a y s i n que n a d i e l o s u p i e r a , t e r m i n a b a
p o r c u m p l i r . ( p . 46)
-
54
-
Solo
s u s o j o s , s i e m p r e g a c h o s , p e r m a n e c i a n i g u a l e s : clos
ranuras
hdmedas
y
oblicuas.
Pero
ahora
no e r a r a r o
verlos
a b r i r s e de p r o n t o p a r a m i r a r de f r e n t e , y en e s e
fondo
negrisimo
surgia
subitamente
algo
como
una
i n t e n s a l l a m a r a d a a z u l . ( p . 49)
Estela
life
and
and
Elisa
death
represent
which
symbolically
alternately
frighten
the
and
opposite
attract
poles
of
Andre's:
Erraba
interminablemente
de
h a b i t a c i o n en h a b i t a c i o h ,
vestido
de b a t a y p a n t u f l a s , p e r o s i e m p r e s i n e n t r a r a l
cuarto
de
la
nonagenaria,
y
esquivando
posibles
encuentros
con
Estela.
Su
angustia
se
hallaba
suspendida
entre
esos
dos
extremos,
uno y o t r o e r a n
objetos
de
su
huir
que
lo
m a n t e n i a f l o t a n d o en una
existencia
c r e p u s c u l a r despue's de l a v i d a y a n t e s de l a
m u e r t e . . . ( p . 126)
Estela's
lover,
sexuality
and A n d r e s ,
affects
but
and
also
attracts
not
only
Mario,
her
Carlos:
. en e l momento mismo d e e n t r a r en e s e c u a r t o c o n
olor
a
colcho'n
en
desuso
y
a
armario
vacio,
la
presencia
a n i m a l de E s t e l a t e n d i d a en e l l e c h o l o h a b i a
perturbado.
.
.
.
Con
su
antebrazo,
la
muchacha
defendia
sus o j o s de l a l u z de l a a m p o l l e t a d e s n u d a que
colgaba
en
el
m e d i o d e l t e c h o , d e modo q u e d e b a j o d e
la
blusa
los
tendones de l a a x i l a e r g u i a n sus
pechos.
Carlos
busco'
ese
color
rosado
muelle
de l a s palmas
descrito
con
t a n t a t u r b a c i d ' n p o r Andre's y a l v e r l o , un
violento
deseo
de
p a l p a r a E s t e l a a c o m e t i d * a l medico,
( p . 154)
The
of
girl's
life
world:
and
her
"Desde
mientras
que
producian
otra
The
Estela
she
pregnancy
separation
ese
el
vida
carries
shadowed
inevitable
by
the
de
todo
Estela
completando
spark
within
with
from the
momento
vientre
enduring
escapes
emphasizes
Mario
of
her
is
dos
vidas
and
evoked
at
55
fue
en
of
conjugadas
bellamente
de p e r f e c c i o n . "
(p.
the
will
strength
the
novels
of
towards
of
machismo,
the
and
the
155)
that
conclusion
mansion
-
Andres'
disminucidh,
Abalos
innocence
-
incarnation
sterility
Andre's
ciclo
values
of
archetypal
moribund
para
life
from the
degraded
corruption
un
her
a
as
future
seemingly
descent
into
destruction.
Estela's
the
flicker
only
of triumph at the novel's
finale
is
slightly
optimistic
towards
an u n c e r t a i n , ambiguous f u t u r e :
note
climatic
Donoso
injects
Ella,
como sonimbula,
s i n escuchar
los insultos del
muchacho,
con
las facciones
manchadas de
sangre,
caminaba. Sus
p i e r n a s c a s i no l e obedecian. Pero en e l
fondo
de
las tinieblas
de
su d o l o r f i s i c o habia una
chispa
que podia t r a n s f o r m a r s e en c l a r i d a d , una c e r t e z a
f i e r a de su t r i u n f o . (p. 211)
Dora
also
character
-
described
as
incarnates
another
basic
myth
of
archetypal
she r e p r e s e n t s p o v e r t y , misery, d e g e n e r a t i o n . She i s
a
hag, whining, c r y i n g , i n her d i r t y , c o l d , s m e l l y
h o v e l surrounded by hungry
children:
la
mujer
de
Rene, ahora era un e s p e c t r o . E l
escaso
,pelo
graciento
l e colgaba t i e s o d e t r a s de l a s
o r e j a s . Su
cara era como s i a l g u i e n h u b i e r a abandonado
un
t r a p o l a c i o encima de alambres t o r c i d o s en l a forma
de
sus f a c c i o n e s de antes y e l t r a p o se h u b i e r a quedado
a l i i , un remedo c o l g a n t e de su a n t i g u a c a r a . (p. 30)
La " u l t i m a
vez fue t a l e l asco que l e produjo su mujer,
no
s6lo
su cuerpo
e n v e j e c i d o y mal o l i e n t e , s i n o que
ma's
aun,
esa pas i o n ,
esa s e n s u a l i d a d anhelante y
frustrada,
que permanecid' muchos d i a s s i n i r a su c a s a .
(p. 96)
La Dora
lloraba
todo
e l d i a por su embarazo, y l o s
chiquillos,
con
l o s mocos chorreando,
d e t e n i a n sus
juegos
insoportablemente b u l l i c i o s o s
para, p e d i r
de
comer una y o t r a y o t r a vez. (p. 135)
La m i s e r i a
de
l a c a s a , l a f e a l d a d de l a mujer que l o
reciibid', e l o l o r
a l a comida y a cama s i n hacer y a
ninbs s u c i o s , . . . (p. 183)
embarazada.
rebeldia
Dora's
e
. . .
incomodidad
degeneration
pessimistic
e l embarazo persistio,ha»iendola q u e j a r s e de
durante
and
projection
poverty
towards
horas
that
the
e n t e r a s . " (p. 122)
embodies
future.
Donoso's
It is
most
What i s to prevent
Mario and E s t e l a from becoming the same as Rene and Dora?
Mario's
relationship
with
Estela
- 56 -
is
based
on
the
same
degraded
values
perceives
love
towards
Estela
reassure
his
of
as
machismo
a
and
own p r i d e
trap
a
as
Rene' and
and
he
compulsion
and
sense
relationship.
constantly
to
of
Dora's
feels
humiliate
male
her
He
resentment
in
order
to
superiority:
Era
chica
y
huasa,
y s e l e h a b i a e n t r e g a d o . En o t r a s
mujeres
h a b i a s e n t i d o e l p e l i g r o s o d e s e o de e n v o l v e r l o ,
seducirlo,
vencerlo,
pero
no de e n t r e g a r s e . E s t e l a s e
h a b i a e n t r e g a d o . Por eso todo e r a t a n p e r f e c t o .
" - A y i f d a m e , no se' . . . "
Sdbitamente,
sus
propias
palabras
dichas
en un
momento
de. ardor
confuso r e g r e s a r o n a su memoria p a r a
derribar
el
orgullo.
Mird'
a
esa
mujer
que
cosia
satisfecha,
como
para
d e s t r u i r l a con su r e s e n t i m i e n t o
por
conocerlo
tan
d e b i l y d e s n u d o . I P o r c u l p a de e s a s
malditas
p a l a b r a s que l o a m a r r a b a n , y a no s e r i a p o s i b l e
comentar
nada con sus a m i g o s ! No, no i b a a d e c i r n i una
sola
palabra,
aunque se r i e r a n de e l cuando c o n t e s t a r a
a
l a s p r e g u n t a s c o n e v a s i v a s . En r e a l i d a d , l o m e j o r e r a
no
volver
al
Condor,
i Por
culpa
de
E s t e l a se v e f a
reducido
a
la
suerte
de l o s e n a m o r a d o s ! Una m a r e a de
odio
hacia
ella
l o d e j o ' e s t u p e f a c t o . \ N o , il n o h a b i a
caido
en
el
g a r l i t o ! £ Enamorarse?
\ Eso e r a p a r a l o s
imbeciles
que
no
c o n o c i a n a l a s m u j e r e s ! A h o r a 4l l a s
conocia
bien.
E ' s t a n o e r a ma's q u e u n a e n t r e l a s m u c h a s
mujeres
que
iba
a
seducir,
t o d a s i g u a l e s . ? A c a s o no
sigui6
c a d a uno de l o s p a s o s de l a t a n c o n o c i d a t e c n i c a
de
l a s e d u c c i d n , y e l l a cayo" i g u a l que t o d a s ? S i ,
todas
iguales,
lo
demas
era
cosa
de
imbeciles
. . . (p.
100-101)
Estela's
ultimate
Dora's
pregnancy
female
trap
and
terrifies
he
sees
Mario
his
who
future
perceives
in
terms
of
it
as
Rene'
the
and
situation:
Estela
se
cubrio' e l
ventre
con
l a s m a n o s como p a r a
protegerlo.
Nada
mas.
Y
las
manos
de
Mario
se
suavizaron
apenas
un
segundo
s o b r e l o s hombros de l a
muchacha
al
ver su g e s t o . Pero inmediatamertte, p o s e i d o
de
una
furia
mayor
y mas p e l i g r o s a , s a c u d i d * a E s t e l a
u n a y o t r a v e z , a u n c o n mas v i o l e n c i a :
d'.'Estai
esperando,
jetona
de
mierda? I 'Estai
esperando? ? E s t a i esperando?
Su
voz
t e m b l a b a a l r e p e t i r l a p r e g u n t a de n u e v o y
de
nuevo,
premiosa,
aterrada,
furibunda,
mientras
sacudia
a E s t e l a como s i q u i s i e r a d e s a r m a r l a , m i e m b r o a
miembro.
^
- S i . . . - murmuro
ella.
Entonces,
como
si
t o d a l a f u e r z a de Rene h u b i e r a
-
57
-
poseido
su
cuerpo,
Mario
d i d un g o l p e s a l v a j e c o n l a
mano
abierta
en l a c a r a de E s t e l a , q u e lanscS un g e m i d o
de a n i m a l .
t a m b i e n quleres j o d e r m e , h u e v o n a de m i e r d a ?
Y
huyo ,
dejando
a
Estela
sola,
palpandose
la
m e j i l i a c o n l a p u n t a d e s u s d e d o s . ( p . 13 8)
7
A Estela!
El
ya
no e r a n i n g u n i n c a u t o que s e i b a a
dejar
pescar
por
la
primera
mujer
a quien l e habia
hecho
u n c h i q u i l l o ! No e r a l a p r i m e r a v e z q u e p a s a b a , a
muchos
de
sus
amigos
les
habia
sucedido
y siempre
lograban
esconderse
o
huir.
f'Cualquier
cosa
menos
dejarse
pescar!
Y m e n o s p o r E s t e l a , q u e ademcfs d e t o d o
era
una
l a d r o n a , s i , l a d r o n a , p o r q u e a e l no l e i b a n a
contar
cuentos,
esos
cinco
mil
pesos
eran robados.
J Como
no! ^.Para
q u e ' l a m u j e r l o h i c i e r a t r a b a j a r como
un
caballo,
y e l l a a n d u v i e r a r a b i o s a y quejcindose todo
el
tiempo,
y
despues
del
segundo o t e r c e r c h i q u i l l o
quedara
convertida
en
un
espantap^jaros
asqueroso,
igual
que
la
Dora?
No,
n o . Con r a z o n l o s c a b r o s d e l
club
se
reian
de
^1
porque ahora l o encontraban tan
s e r i o . i J u n t a r s e c o n e l l a ? I P a r a que*? E l m u n d o , y s o b r e
todo
el
mundo
de
Rene',
estaba
l l e n o de m u j e r e s con
quienes
era
facil
pasarlo
bien
sin
necesidad
de
amarrarse.
Porque
el,
a h o r a , no i b a a d e j a r s e a m a r r a r
por n a d i e . (p. 139-40)
Like
Rene,
order
to
feels
insecure
to
Mario
justify
reassure
about
himself
others
with his
courage
-
the
his
needs
to
abusive,
his
about
macho
his
situation
on
a woman
e x p l o i t a t i v e treatment of
own m a s c u l i n i t y
his
male prowess,
classic
blame
his
and
he
virility.
He
strength,
his
her.
constantly
seeks
to
in
He
needs
impress
independence,
his
syndrome:
- I La j e t o n a se l o t r a g d ! - r i d Rene.
Mario
repitid*
la
p a l a b r a , r i e n d o con su hermano,
la
s a b o r e o p r o n u n c i a n d o l a una y o t r a v e z , muchas v e c e s ,
las
mas
veces
que pudo. H a c e r l o quiza's d i s o l v i e r a sus
ultimas
ataduras
c o n E s t e l a , q u i z a s b o r r a r a un t e m b l o r
que
sentfa,
uri
trepidar
que
se
insinuaba
en
sus
visceras,
e n s u s m u s c u l o s , e n s u s n e r v i o s , como s i t o d o
estuviera
nadando
i n g r a v i d o e n s u i n t e r i o r . ApretO l o s
dientes
para
dominar
ese
temblor,
para
hacer algo,
cualquier
cosa
que l o o b l i g a r a a m a n t e n e r su e n t e r e z a ,
porque
ya
era
imposible
e c h a r p i e a t r a s . E s t o no e r a
momento
para
f a l l a r . A l f i n y a l c a b o n i 4l n i t a m b i e ' n
la
Dora
y
los
chiquillos;
y
l a m i s e r i a que l o h a b f a
obligado
a
a b a n d o n a r s u b u e n e m p l e o en e l e m p o r i o p a r a
ir
en
busca
de
Rene;
y
su
reloj
perdido;
y esta
-
58
-
necesidad
ahogadora
de
evadirse
se
su p r o p i a sombra
para
rozar
s i q u i e r a d e s d e l e j o s l a s c o s a s b u e n a s de l a
vida,
e s a s c o s a s que l o s h a b i t a n t e s de l a c a s a que v e i a
en
la
acera
del
frente
d e b i a n t e n e r a manos l l e n a s ;
todo
eso
culpable,
no
e ' l . J Y a u n q u e Rene' y e'l f u e r a n
culpables,
que'
importaba?
L a p o l i c i a y l o s a n o s en l a
carcel
carcomiendole
poco
a
p o c o l o s escombros de su
dignidad,
en
el
fondo
de
una
celda
fetida?
? No
importaba
un b l e d o ! H a b i a que a r r i e s g a r s e , p r o b a r a h o r a
o n u n c a que e r a un h o m b r e ! ( p . 2 0 4 - 1 0 )
In
their
characters
reactions
advance
Carlos
and
social
classes
are
which
the
dichotomy,
feminine
points
actions
of
the
and Rene
interior
of
in
and
exterior
social
the
characters
of
the
male
characters,
will
lugar
sin
with
limites
and
as
a
novels)
once
For
lost
are
characters
a l l
social
caught
up
the
and
text
the
and
by
world
of
the
into
Mario),
by p r o v i d i n g
being
therefore
divides
the
reference
catalysts
determining
a
for
the
the
process
action.
an
some
El
paradise
prevailed
of
narrative
presents
recur,
appears
nostalgia.
also
They
two
decomposition.
the Abalos
male
which
boundaries.
and
the
existential conflicts
the
Coronacion
symetrical positions
novel.
male
a c t i o n . Andre's
male
of
of
of
the main
the
organize
level
in
the
for
narrative
level
structure
world
characters,
A l l
human a n d
archetypes
female
occupy
social
lineal
(the
the
narrative
transcend
the process
While
the
depicted
faced with
chaos
in
Mario
to
and
archetypal
variations,
obsceno
where
this
pajaro
order
past
is
(so
in
de
reduction
Este
la
domingo
noche
important
often
of
evoked
. The
time,
,
El
past
in
Donoso's
in
terms
of
example:
"tPero
esta
paz
era
un
mendrugo
cuando Andres
recordaba
a
s u a b u e l a en o t r o s t i e m p o s ! t'Tan a r m o n i o s a
entonces,
tan
diestra
y
callada!
Toda l a casa h a b i a
respirado
s e r e n i d a d en a q u e l l a e p o c a , l o que t o c a b a i b a
adquiriendo
orden
y
sentido.
iiY
habia
sido
tan
-
59
-
hermosa!"
The
past
is
(p.19).
evoked
in
terms
of
its
serenity,
security
and
beauty:
En
l a s t i e n d a s de c o s a s u s a d a s , en c a m b i o , p o l v o r i e n t a s
y
en
desorden,
atendidas
por
caballeros
un
poco
zarrapastrosos
y d e o r i g e n o s c u r o , como t a m b i i n e n e s o s
objetos
y
volumenes
duenos
de
ma's
h i s t o r i a que e l ,
existfa
un
algo
indefinible
que
le
proporcionaba
apaciguamiento
y
confianza
no
c a r e n t e s de m i s t e r i o ,
como
si
esos
cuartos
r e p l e t o s de t r a s t o s y de l i b r o s
viejos
estuvieron
deliciosamente domesticados, sin las
a r i s t a s de l a s t i e n d a s de o b j e t o s n u e v o s . ( p . 108)
Hallaba
de
su
epocas
109)
una
seguridad
palma
aquellas
y
continentes
Tanto
existencia
viaje
de
imposible
( p . 145)
As
Jose
repitiendo
a trave's
nostalgia
espacio
del
Lourdes
como
e l p a r e c i a n haber o l v i d a d o l a
de
todo
el
mundo, h a b e r s e e m b a r c a d o en un
regreso
a
una
epoca
en que p a r a e l l o s e r a
perderse
porque todo v a l o r les era conocido.
Ojeda
de
has
(p.41)
lost
comments:
las
parafso,
m e t a f f s i c o de
Andres
vida"
Promis
el
la
"ese
from the
unbearable
refuge
in
i t .
Madness
order
with the
los
la
present,
represents
se
va
precisamente,
la
por
que
reencontrar
el
permanencia."19
que
away
motivos
es,
de hombre
y
orden
turns
de
de Donoso
anhelo
felicidad
when Andre's
"Uno
novelas
escapes
associates
c o l m a d o r a a l s e n t i r en e l h u e c o
empunaduras que o t r a s manos, en
d i s t a n t e s , habian e n t i b i a d o . (p.
era
la
from any
he
esencia
hope
chooses
order
for
of
misma
de
a future
madness,
Andre's
he
la
and
takes
and
he
past:
"
. . .
todo
no
es
ma's
que
un
desorden,
una
injusticia,
un
juego
de
l o c u r a d e l C o s m o s . S i h a y un
Dios
que
v e l e por e l d e s t i n o
de l o s h o m b r e s , no puede
ser
sino
un
Dios
l o c o . <f Que' l o c u r a ma's c o m p l e t a q u e
haber
dotado
a
los
hombres
de c o n c i e n c i a p a r a d a r s e
cuenta
del
desorden
y
del
terror,
p e r o no h a b e r l e s
dotado
de
algo
para vencerlos?
. . .
e l ifnico orden
es
la
l o c u r a , p o r q u e l o s l o c o s son l o s que se han dado
cuenta d e l caos t o t a l . "
( p . 157)
-
60
-
Madness
Donoso's
return
to
of
a
form
following
the
nostalgia,
have
is
an
of
novels)
lost
order
and
for
paradise,
infantile
(another
i m p o r t a n t theme
Andres,
to
lost
regression.
madness
innocence,
This
is
the
is
also
a refuge
last
in
image
a
in
we
Andres:
"Quando
Carlos
p a r t i o , Andre's se puso sus g a f a s y
extendi^
el
perio'dico.
Despue's l o p u s o a su l a d o y s e
dirigio'
a
la
b i b l i o t e c a en
b u s c a de un c o r t a p l u m a s .
Corto
el
diario
en
trozos regulares, bien cuadrados,
con
lo
que
fue
h a c i e n d o p a j a r i t a s de p a p e l , como l a s
que
su
abuela
le
habia
ensenado
a h a c e r d u r a n t e un
invierno
muy
lluvioso
y
muy f r £ o q u e e ' l p a s c ^ e n c a m a
enfermo
de
e s c a r l a t i n a , c u a n d o a r e m u y , muy n i f f o . "
(p.
218) .
-
The
on
the
future
ambiguity
actions
Abalos
the
mansion
have
as
is
(as
actions
and
not
some
Consistent
and
Estela's
presented
earlier
their
the
fate
as
same
Rent's
relationship
Estela's
Promis
Ojeda
seems
degraded
w i t h Dora
the
as
critics
of
emphasis
reality
together
away
would have
the
values
based,
believe)
be t h a t
"machismo"
appear
as
of
the
towards
inevitable fall.
to
of
us
these
from
a utopic projection
destined
is
with Donoso's
ambiguous
flight
a temporary postponement
said,
and
human
Mario
Dora
Mario
ambiguous.
of
create,
future
rather
is
As
Rene
upon
but
we
and
which
impediments
to
salvation.
resumes
this
pessimistic
outlook:
"Si
aceptamos
que
la
decadencia
proviene
de
la
vaciedad
de
un
f a l s o o r d e n e s t a b l e c i d o , s i g n i f i c a que
tambien
debemos
suponer
la
c a i d a d e l mundo d e R e n e y
Dora.
Este
s e r i g e a s i m i s m o p o r un f a l s o o r d e n , b a s a d o
fundamentalmente
en e l m a c h i s m o y en e l o d i o , es d e c i r ,
tambieVi
en
valores
degradados.
El
machismo
es,
al
respecto,
el
obstciculo
que
se
tiende
entre Mario y
Estela . . .
Tanto
e l mundo d e A n d r e s c o m o e l d e R e n / s o n ,
pues,
mundos f i n a l e s , d e g r a d a d o s , mundos donde e l o r d e n
precario
que l o s s o s t i e n e e s t a ' a p u n t o de q u e b r a r s e . E l
-
61
-
colapso
inminente
de
ambos
sectores
sociales
se
manifiesta
en
forma
a p a r e n t e m e n t e d i s i m i l , p e r o no se
trata
mas
que
de
sintomas
distintos
de
una
mdtua
solidariedad
en
la
desaparicio'n
y l a m u e r t e . . . Se
trata,
en
el
fondo,
de
m o s t r a r l a c a i d a f i n a l de un
mundo
entero
que
agoniza por haber perdido e l s e n t i d o
ma's p r o f u n d o d e s u s e r " . 2 0
The
Donoso's
of
theme
of
novels
and
destruction
it
orchestrates
act
characters:
Andres,
a symbol
perceive
and-
although
they
of
in
life
these
to
male
them
action.
Rene'and
fall
The
these
from
theme
innocence,
the
the
recurrent
treatment
fall
the
dominates
process
element
of
the
in
themes
said
catalysts
to
the
actions
is
who
a t t r a c t e d by
fears
Elisa
evolution
of
act
as
and
of
Mario,
the
the
feminine
the
youth
and
for
the
continuity
and
Elisa
forces
death
who
in
also
women,
strength
actions
a t t r a c t i o n and
the
main
of
Rene,
see
relationships
Andres
of
they
catalysts
advances
narrative
the
incarnation
engulfment
alternating
that
and
in
disintegration
life-giving
Mario
a t t r a c t e d to
women
the
the
repression;
pov/ers
whose
as
the
Coronaci<5n
of
have
The
and
the
organizes
determines
narrative
of
repulsion
level
of
in Coronacion
is
between Andre's
and
and,
to
a
lesser
Dora.
relationships,
paradise
of
of
maternal
a l l ,
extent,
of
main
We
who
characters
Estela
the
essence
initially
women.
the
is
novel.
the
are
Estela,
In
of
fear
After
by
the
and
largely
provided
and
as
incarnates
as
the
theme
in
archetypes
Estela
fall
disintegration.
archetypal
destruction
and
is
This
that
and
and
the
the
into
fall,
violence
woman f u n c t i o n s
earthly
the
of
chaos
lost
sexuality
-
62
-
and
as
cause
eventual
paradise,
are
the
the
the
old
for
the
destruction.
corruption
biblical
of
myths
which
bourgeois
essential
society
structural
Andres,
who
himself
an
has
has
cultivated
basis
of
abandoned
atheist,
is
and
CoronaciOn
his
Catholic
inescapably
a
.
which p r o v i d e
It i s i r o n i c that
faith
part
the
and
of
proclaims
this
biblical
legacy.
The
culminating
Misia
Elisa
lugar
sin
image,
Misia
by
lfmites
which
Elisa's
triumph
her
point
drunken
the
represents
novel
i s the c o r o n a t i o n
ends with a grotesque,
a d i s i n t e g r a t i n g world. The
coronation
is
of
s e r v a n t s . L i k e Este domingo and E l
, Coronacion
of madness. And
crowning
of
a
death
ritual
symbolic
ceremony of
symbolizing
the
as i n the case of Andres* madness, i n the
of M i s i a E l i s a ' s madness as she l i v e s her death there i s
a sense of refuge, of reaching towards p a r a d i s e :
"Quedaba apenas una
llamita
de
v i d a en l a serfora, .
casi,
c a s i nada de
c o n c i e n c i a . S i n embargo, d i v i s d '
estrellas
a trave's de
los vidrios
llovidos
de
la
ventana, y como ya no era capaz de d i s t i n g u i r d i s t a n c i a
ni
c e r c a n f a , a l ver l u c e s remontando por l o s regueros
de
m o s t a c i l l a s d e l s u e l o h a s t a l o s b r i l l o s de su v e s t i d o
de
gran
aparato,
penso" que tambien eran e s t r e l l a s d e l
firmamento,
y
que
la
envolvian
e n t e r a . Supuso",
entonces, que ya habia muerto, y que iba subiendo entre
tanta
y tanta
estrella,
subiendo muy
suavemente a
camino d i r e c t o d e l c i e l o .
Despue's cerr<5 l o s o j o s .
Estaba
tan
agotada que
no
se d i o cuenta de que
s6lo
en
ese
i n s t a n t e morl'a, y no antes, cuando creyd*
ver a todas l a s c o n s t e l a c i o n e s rodea'ndola". (p. 219)
As
terms
a
novel,
Coronacion
outlined,the f i r s t
i s , i n the thematic
and n a r r a t i v e
s t e p towards the "unsubdued f o r e s t where
the wolf howls and the obscene b i r d of n i g h t
-
63
-
chatters."21
Chapter
All
Edition,
quotes
1969
from
two
Coronacio n
notes
taken
/
1.
Ana
Maria
Moix,
Prdlogo
(Barcelona: Seix B a r r a l , 1971).
to
from Seix
Cuentos
Barral
Second
Jose'
Donoso
,
2.
A
more d e t a i n e d a n a l y s i s o f e a r l i e r ( p r e 1970)
critical
commentaries
of
Coronacion
reveals
a
fairly
wide
range
of
differing
emphasis
and o p i n i o n s ( o f t e n c o n t r a d i c t o r y ) w i t h i n t h e
general
interpretive
framework
of
traditional
realism.
For
example:
Fernando
A l e g r i a ( L a l i t e r a t u r a c h i l e n a d e l s i a l o XX ,
Santiago:
Zig-Zag
2nd
E d . , 1962) p p . 9 3 - 9 4 , s a y s t h a t t h e n o v e l
lacks
profoundness
and
maturity;
Carlos
Rauld
("Jose' Donoso,
Coronacion",
Finis
T e r r a e , No. 17, Y e a r V, 1958, p. 81-82) s a y s
that
the
novel
is
close
to
total
m a t u r i t y and i n c a r n a t e s an
existential
attitude
towards
l i f e ; R i c a r d o Lachman
("Coronacio/n
por
Jose' Donoso", C a r n e t C r i t i c o , Ed. A f a , M o n t e v i d e o , 1962, p.
190-93)
e m p h a s i z e s t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l a s p e c t s o f t h e n o v e l ; Thomas
C.
Meehan ("Jose' D o n o s o , C o r o n a c i o n " , Books A b r o a d , V o l . 4 3 , No.
2,
Spring
1969,
p.
233) s t a t e s t h a t D o n o s o i s t h e s u c c e s s o r
to
Eduardo
Barrio
in
the t r a d i t i o n of Chilean p s y c h o l o g i c a l novel;
Enrique
Lafourcade
("Jose
Donoso,
Coronacion",
Cujtura
Universitaria
,
Caracas,
July-August,
1958)
emphasizes
the
novel's
solid
structure
and
i t s a l t e r n a t i n g b r u t a l r e a l i t y and
poetic
ingenuity;
Hernan
Poblete
Varas
("Novelistas
de H o y " ,
Atenea
,
No.
389,
I 9 6 0 , p. 175-77) m a i n t a i n s t h a t Donoso i s so
limited
by
traditional
realism
that
he
completely
neglects
d e v e l o p i n g f a n t a s y and i m a g i n a t i o n .
3.
Jose
Donoso,
Historia Personal
E d i t o r i a l Anagrama, 1972),
p.36.
4.
realidad
,
(Barcelona:
7,
8.
1973,
Jose
p. 12,
Donoso,
"Cronologfa",
"Chronology",
t r a n s l a t e d by I s i s
Quinteros.
10.
George
Lukacs,
Nagel, C o l l e c t i o n Pens^e,
11.
12.
narrativa
contra
la
Donoso,
"La
n o v e l a como ' h a p p e n i n g ' " ,
Revista
V o l . X X X V I I ( J u l y - December, 1 9 7 1 ) , No. 7 6 - 7 7 ,
9.
Interview
with
JosO
Review , F a l l , 1973, p. 37.
la
"Boom"
Isis
Quinteros,
J o s e ' Donoso. una insurecciOn
( M a d r i d , H i s p a n o v a de E d i c i o n e s , 1 9 7 8 ) ,
p.13.
5.
6.
Jose
Iberoamericana
,
p.519).
Fall,
del
Donoso,
by
Existent ialisme
1948) p. 3 1 .
Review
,
Emir
Rodriguez
Monegal,
ou
Marxisme?
(Paris;,:
Ariel
D o r f m a n , " N o t a s p a r a un a n a l i s i s
raarxista
de
c h i l e n a de l o s u l t i m o s a n o s " , C a s a de l a s A m e r i c a s ,
-
64
-
No.
69,
mundo
de
pp.
13.
,
Year
XII,
p.
75;
p.
35.
Cedomil
G o i c (and o t h e r s ) . D o n o s o ,
l a d e s t r u c c i o n de un
(Buenos A i r e s : F e r n a n d o G a r c i a C a m b e i r o , E d . , 1975)
p.55.
14.
Jose*
u n mundo ,
30-31.
15.
November-December,
Promis
(Buenos
Salvador
O j e d a (and o t h e r s ) , Donoso. l a
A i r e s : Fernando G a r c i a Cambeiro
Elizondo,
El
Grafo'logo
,
(Mexico,
destruccion
Ed., 1975),
n.p.,
1972),
p.67.
16.
NoO
Jitrik,
"Realismo
y
antirealismo"
in
Actual
narrativa
latinoamericana
(Havana:
Centro
de
Investigaciones
L i t e r a r i a s , C a s a de l a s A m e r i c a s , 1 9 7 0 ) , p. 2 5 .
17.
Thomas
Abroad , V o l . 43,
C.
No.
Meehan,
"Jose
2, S p r i n g 1969,
Donoso,
p. 233.
18.
Peter
Gay,
"The
Bourgeois
Freud",
Volume
I,
Education
of
the
University Press,
1983).
19.
sons
) .
20.
Jose
Promis
Ojeda, pp.
Coronacio'n",
Books
Experience:
Victoria
to
Senses
(England:
Oxford
16-17,
21.
Henry
James
Sr.,
e x t r a c t from a l e t t e r w r i t t e n to his
Henry
and W i l l i a m ( P r e f a c e t o E l o b s c e n o p a j a r o de l a n o c h e
-
65
-
Chapter
Este
1966.
domingo
El
lugar
publication
is
sin
of
Jose
volume o f s h o r t s t o r i e s ,
The
Ana
short stories
Maria,
reflect
short
the
of
innocence;
upper
social
systems;
destroy
order.
exorcist
his
of
style
and
pervasive
also
theme
by
evolution
more
and
a
of
thematic
repeatedly
reality
the
more
inevitable
in
hierarchical
madness when
of
previous
s e x u a l i t y of
instincts
that a writer
i s an
launched
self-defining
o f h i s p a s t . The
from
in
unity.
The
a
process
e v o l u t i o n i n form
c h a r a c t e r i z e s and
single
and
most
illuminates
i s that of d e s t r u c t i o n .
are p a r t o f Donoso's n a r r a t i v e
author's
gradual
techniques
complex
-
( E l Hombrecito,
i s implacably
search
another
1960.
repressed
a progressive
strong
narrative
a
the
to exorcize himself
a
in
,
i n Donoso's
Vargas L l o s a once s a i d
on
the
Paseo, S a n t e l i c e s )
dependence
demons. Donoso
Between
theme o f t h e
c a t a c l i s m o f d e a t h and
illustrate
towards
and
in E l Charleston
traditional
realism
domination
which
stories
present
: the
in
dominao
, appeared
paradise;
i s marked by
Donoso's a p p r e h e n s i o n
The
lost
writing
search
of Este
Cerrada,
obsessions
the
own
process
Puerta
published
i n 1966.
in E l Charleston
Coronacion
Mario
earliest
this
the
his
never-ending
of
contained
in
classes;
and
E l Charleston
same t h e m a t i c
and
second novel
a l s o appeared
i n 1957
Charleston,
stories
loss
the
El
Donoso's
limites
CoronaciOn
three
66
and
shift
away f r o m
their
attributes
n a r r a t i v e f o r m where
-
the
of
ambiguity
dominates.
to
a
Donoso moves s t e p
world
different
world
of
versions
whose
needs.
the
is
themes
Este
life
are
emanating
obsessed
from
and
presents
a schizophrenic
driven
by t h e i r
T h e s e c h a r a c t e r s , d r i v e n by t h e i r
perhaps the s h o r t
sterile
vitality.
palms
for
in
own
obsessions,
in
The
dog
a l l her
like
events
and
memories.
Donoso
The
to
i n P a s e o becomes
repressed
). Matilda
, a first
characters
and
I n P a s e o and E s t e
enhances
the
for
innocence
of childhood
aware
the
the
narrator
process
decay,
of
nostalgic
of
poignant
Este
novel
a
seen
in
Donoso
evocation
dominao
is
and
of that
a
different
Este
.
filters
h i s childhood
used
perception
by
of
p o i n t of view a l s o
and t h e n o s t a l g i a
from t h e p o i n t o f view o f a
loss
vital
pink
domingo
frequently
of the past
inevitable
chaos
is
domingo t h e c h i l d ' s
evocation
Estela's
submerged i n h e r
through
children
class
for Matilda, a
subjective narrator
the d e s t r u c t i o n of childhood
violence,
destruction
a
present
reality.
(like
of
as i n c a s e d i n
and Chepa i n E s t e
person,
of
a fetish
instincts
world
on t h e l o w e r
i s an i n d i v i d u a l
of
personality
incarnate
i s depicted
dependent
Andre's i n C o r o n a c i o n
E s t e domingo
resumes many o f
and a n t i c i p a t e s t h e n o v e l i s t i c
routine r i t u a l s ,
Coronacion
obsessions
s t o r y which b e s t
. In Paseo t h e upper c l a s s
of
fixation
the
reality
i n Coronacion
domingp
for
As
environment
u s u a l l y overcome by c h a o s and d e s t r u c t i o n .
Paseo
a
of
from a r e a l i s t i c
f a n t a s y and m y s t e r y . The a u t h o r
characters
unconscious
are
dream,
by s t e p
of that
innocence,
aspect
domingo
of
innocence.
The
the f a l l
into
the
theme
of
i s t h e most s u b t l e and
process.
i s concerned with
- 67 -
t h e same u p p e r
class
Chilean
family
world
mansion,
of
family
providing
hostile
bourgeois
main
wife
alone
in
place
for
a
their
large
their
and
formally
couples
Coronacio'h
grandmother
lives
with
locked
of
Este
rich upperclass
family
children
one
the
psychopathic
in
: a
decaying
(Chepa),
a measure
servants
of
sexual
uncommunicative
of
and
whom
family
domingo
couple
home,
is
cook
are:
in
which
now
and
the
is
and
Alvaro's
Vives
fifties
the
are
Violeta,
mistress;
as
meeting
important
narrator;
abandoned
and
living
Sunday
who
adult
family,
Alvaro
their
grandchildren
c r i m i n a l from a poor
Maya,
a
a child
by
mother.
Alvaro
is
inauthentic
vitality
from
and
the
like
a
.
teniamos
He
white
y
personaje
in
de
point
no
con
farsa
a
useless
seems a l i v e
el
and
traje
muy b i a n c o
como
and
Alvaro's
relationship
Ramon
and
Carlos
and
other
sexually
another
life,
seeking
echaba
juegos
the
him
"la
evoked
Elisa
children
Chepa
68
-
llamabamos
de p o r c e l a n a
(p.
-
similar
in
Coronacidn
has
always
Chepa,
in
he
is
muneca":
la
era
un
muneca
envejecida,
y
17)
is
unsatisfied.
-
resembles
call
polvos."
Adriana
and
when
ridiculamente. entallado,
en n u e s t r o s
and
to
they
Chepa
husband
sterile
-
strangely
view,
se
v/ith each
Andres
of
t e o r f a de que
communicate
to
Violeta. Alvaro,
doll
que
respects
a servant,
longer
e r a muy b i a n c o ,
la
in
porcelain
seco
many
leading
sexuality
child's
"Pequeno
porque
similar
character
Coronacic'n
her
a
sterile
characters
Chepa,
characters
and
masters'
by
in
relationships.
The
his
described
dominated
their
stimulation,
his
ritual
to
that
of
. They
been
like
Elisa
cannot
frigid
Elisa
with
and
Adriana,
her
trapped
in
nearly
bourgeois
counterpart
a contradictory dual
rendered
Alvaro
For
terms
of
the g r a n d c h i l d r e n ,
of
nostalgia
harmony and
of
Coronacidn
r o l e of
impotent
repressive matriarch continually
in
on
a pure sexless
their
seeking
to
wedding
engulf
Chepa and A l v a r o ' s
a lost
paradise.
,
It
angel
who
and a
dominate.
is
represents
been
night
and
house
has
evoked
a bygone
in
era
tranquility:
Aquf
l a i n e s t a b i l i d a d de d e p a r t a m e n t o s y c a l l e s y c a s a s
que
yo
habitaba
c o n mis p a d r e s d u r a n t e un ano o dos y
despue's
abandonabamos
para
mudarnos
a
barrios
distintos,
se
transformaba
en ^ p e r m a n e n c i a y s o l i d e z ,
porque
mis
abuelos
siempre h a b i a n v i v i d o a q u f y nunca
se
cambiarfan.
Era
l a confianza, e l orden:-un trazado
que
reconocer
como
proprio,
un s a b e r donde e n c o n t r a r
los
objetos,
un c a l z a r de d i m e n s i o n e s , un r e c o n o c e r l o
significado
de
los
olores,
de
los
colores
en e s t e
s e c t o r d e l u n i v e r s o que e r a mao. ( p p . 12-13)
This
The
tranquility
hidden
destroys
the
process
is
realization
progression
Alvaro
which
repressed
infernal
world
all
is
aware
evoked
on
one
life.
as
civilized
erupts
of
Este
the
real
Este
the
approaching
represents
domingo
. Chepa
of
As
her
with
) of
Violeta
evidence
d e a t h , Chepa
- 69 -
the
in Coronacion
relationship
Andres,
of
is
this
with
the
h e r breakdown
in.
converges
domingo
is
similar
t h e s l u m s h e has
( Este
cataclism
i n her which c o i n c i d e s
domingo
and
a
basis
desire.
disintegrate.
with
In
ritual-
violently
this
Estela,
with Andres
sexual
Sunday
confronted
his
of
that
aspect
the characters
foretells
like
mental chaos
in
facade
who,
sense
Chepa
provokes
this
of
o r d e r . What p r o v o k e s
Maya
with
becomes
Maya
chaotic,
of
primitive
occurs
gradually
which
behind
the appearance of
instinctive,
The
m a i n t a i n e d by a f a c a d e
sexuality
appearance
with
is
in a
final
is
geometrical
crisis
k i l l e d by
afer
Maya,
a cancerous
growth
reduced to
mental
incoherence
(she
grandchildren
The
world
is
cease
of
virtally
lifeless),
spending
childhood
Sundays
games
in
and
the
the
c h i l d r e n and
grandparents
imagination
has
the
house.
vanished
forever.
Este
domingo
simultaneously.
luoar
In
sin
fact,
Este
The
Isis
comparison
More
reassessed
Este
subtle
is
artistic
merit"
and
"a
Chavez
Antonio
destruction
in Este
approaches
reading
of
these
are
that
granted
to
out
that
several
critics
published
luoar
terms
earlier
critics
as
critics'
habit
content
profoundly
of
sees
the
Cornejo
domingo
its
of
the
of
Este
domingo
of
have
These
McMurray,
away
in
have
as
Este
intensity
and
Monegal,
a more
Coronacion
focussed
in
the novel
a
profound
.3 R a u l
on t h e
Bueno
theme
and
of
analyzed
recent
from the
and
that
Rodrigues
more
.
dismissed
concludes
domingo
El
1.
greater
structuring
shift
accorded to
technical innovations
McMurray
themes
almost
inferior novel
George
Este
parameters.4
an
as
2. E m i r
Polar
as
as
limites
creation
analysis,
critical
earlier
social
novels.
exploration
recreation
of
praise
sin
such
development.
typical
Donoso's
Donoso's
mythical
in
e x p l o r a t i o n of
within
than
than Coronacion
and
it
El
fictional
Freudian
subtle
and
l i m i t e s were p u b l i s h e d
critical
first
critics,
domingo
sin
and
points
was
thematic
domingo
basically
it
Coronacion
recent
lugar
greater
Quinteros
when
to
El
success
l i m i t e s was
domingo
more
and
of
the
of
his
obsessive
swan
song
reducing
his
irritated
relationship with his
themes
of
70
first
-
often
a vanishing
Donoso.
-
was
novels
In
an
in
a
i n t e r p r e t e d by
social
to
past
class.
their
interview with
The
social
Libre
,Donoso commented
at
length
on
this
point:
Nada
me
i r r i t a t a n t o como l o s c r i t i c o s que r e d u c e n m i s
novelas
a
sus e l e m e n t o s s o c i a l e s , e s o s que q u i e r e n que
yo
haya
escrito
el
canto
de
cisne
de
las
clases
sociales
chilenas.
. . . l a s c l a s e s s o c i a l e s , t a l como
las
dibujo
en
m i s l i b r o s s o n i m a g i n a r i a s . Me e x p l i c o :
nacf
en
una f a m i l i a de p o s i c i < 5 n s o c i a l a m b i g u a , c o n un
pie
en
la
oligarquia
y
otro
en l a c l a s e m e d i a p e r o
desterrada
de
ambas;
y
c r e c i en una e p o c a en que l a s
clases
sociales iban perdiendo importancia, los matices
se
c o n f u n d i a n y quedaban s o l o p i n t o r e s c o s r e s f d u o s . Por
razones
psicol<5gicas
personales, neurosis juvenil o lo
que
s e q u i e r a l l a m a r l a e s e m i n i m o m a t i z de d e s t i e r r o a l
que
ya
nadie
daba
importancia
m^s
que
yo
se
fue
hinchando
en
mi
como
un
abceso,
se
hizo doloroso,
cruel,
obsesivo,
y
durante
mucho t i e m p o e s t e d e s f a s e
subjetivisimo
- adem£s de o t r o s d e s f a s e s s u b j e t i v o s que
se
hicieran
abceso
y
deformaron
otras
areas
de mi
personalidad
me
s i r v i d ' de l u p a p a r a m i r a r e l mundo,
magnificando
algo
insignificante.
Sin
embargo
esta
insignificancia
tomo
en
m i l a f o r m a de un s e n t i m i e n t o
de
marginacidn,
vivido
con
tanta
fuerza
en
cierta
epoca,
que
determiner mi
eleccidn
entre
m i l l o n e s de
materiales
posibles,
el
juego
de c l a s e s s o c i a l e s , su
derrumbe,
su
poder, su magia, su s u j e c i d n . A l e s c r i b i r
estilice',
sublime", exagere , condene', d e f e n d i , i d e a l i c e ' .
7
lo
que
h a y en m i s n o v e l a s no es un r e t r a t o de un
mundo
que
tiende
a
desaparecer
dentro
d e l panorama
chileno
actual:
en
la
r e a l i d a d e s e mundo d e s a p a r e c i c f
hace
decenios.
Hay,
en
cambio,
un
retrato
de
mi
relaciOn
con
e s e mundo a p e n a s a t i s b a d o , c a s i p u r a m e n t e
imaginado,
pero
que
por
alguna
razon
produjo
mi
o b s e s i v a r e l a c i o ' n c o n e s e mundo.5
Donoso's
importance
of
his
in
these
comments
largely
of
the
novels
on
his
writing.
Henry
Although
the
Donoso
strong
James
also
revealing
both
factor
the
terms
creative
of
the
genesis
the n a r r a t i v e
process
he
develops
a
critic
accepts
an
author's
without
of
in
in
of
comments
metaphor
process
very
terms
these
the
of
in
fiction
confirm
instance
are
autobiographical
and
novels.
particular,
narrative
comments
the
reservations,
and
"lupa
develops,
ascendance
confined
rarely
his
- 71 -
are
para
Donoso's
i l l u m i n a t e d by
mirar
us
of
James
Henry
fiction
them.
e l mundo"
provides
to
with
in
texts
as
In
the
another
Donoso's
a limited
world
which
he
glass.
analyzed
Although
imaginary
their
human
worlds
they
only
analysis
both
to
domingo
.
CoronaciOn
the
of
under
a
magnifying
Donoso's
aspect
multiple
their
of
or
James'
reality,
through
facets
personal
Each
of
Chilean
society
past
of
as
from
Donoso
the
of
vision
the
and
in
this
of
single
social
and
In
II
a
act
the
genesis
is
of
and
his
transcends
Este
in
Chapter
II).
catharsis
and
mark
Este
the
creation
of
in
personal
attempts
In
Two
rooted
past
his
own d e m o n s .
fictional
in
personal
facets
and
deeply
summarized
of
his
,
Chapter
delineate Donoso's
we o u t l i n e d D o n o s o ' s
in
conceptual
Coronacion
organization
which
Este
framework
to
in
the
to
free
domingo
level
,
of
and
interpretation
an
existentialist
reality.
characterization
of
an
of
his
psychoanalytical
essence
that
we b r i e f l y
surpasses
Chapter
structural
relevant
self-definition
burden
autopsychoanalysis
In
is
outlined
Coronacion
recollected
for
again
imaginary
(which
Donoso
search
himself
equally
, like
novel
writer's
is
domingo
and
liberation
element
Este
aspects
background
of
one
of
create
minutely
confines
reflect
autobiographical
relation
of
limited
and
reality.
The
the
the
exhaustive
aspect,
exhaustively
is
domingo
operates
character's
philosophical
the
in
of
the
eternal
, this
framework
within
the
main
theme
of
in
system
of
of
archetypal
destruction,
the
fall.
subtle
personality.
In
between
-
his
overall
e x i s t e n t i a l i s t and
a more
conversations
use
72
-
f o r m as
an
Coronacion
Andres
and
psychoanalytical
integral
the
Carlos
element
lengthy
in
which
Andre's
of
describes
life
flow.
stand
out
rather
also
hinder
Este
domingo
montage
the
,
the
meaninglessness
obtrusively
and
disrupt
development
of
Donoso
occasionally
explanatory
dreams
advance
the narrative
of
skilfully
and
integrates
the
reality
in
its
destructive nature
characterization
as
on
narrative
fall
El
lugar
and
narrative
into
the
appear
as
a
which
discourse.
structure.
e x i s t e n t i a l and
the
the
In
psychoanalytical
the
converge
absurdity
flashbacks
to
of
and
insights
framework
apprehension
of
of
•psychoanalytical
smooth
existential
comments
the
psychosexual
obvious
method
sense
somewhat
Similarly,
character's
and
his
Donoso's
appears
in
his
psychoanalytical
disintegration
of
the
characters.
In
Este
domingo
as
pajaro
de
la
noche
living
in
an
absurd
possible.
to
Este
the
by
,
In
in
elimination
like
again
in
and
operates
Recurrent
significance
important
of
the
is
a thematic
slight
ray
to Mario.
Coronacion
l i m i t e s and
experience
where
intensity
out
sin
characters
universe
the
reaching
those
loneliness
, the
fact, there
domingo
Estela's
in
no
hope
within
existentialist
of
of
choice
aspects
Donoso's
existentialism
and
the
in
in
futile
of
as
of
of
the
c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n of
Chepa
are
t o t a l l y unable
and
in
provided
Este
domingo
existence,
characterization
conceptual
such
nature
Coronacion
Coronacion
own
system
from
isolation
characters
-
themes
is
of
alienation
an
r e a l communication
escalation
their
obsceno
of
individual
perceive
El
sensation
of
The
the
in
the
framework.
nature
and
communication
are
Chepa
and A l v a r o
in
particular.
Alvaro
and
-
73
-
to
communicate
with
each
other.
There
example,
"Ella
venganza
Ella
miedo
no
when
thinks:
.
is
possibility
Alvaro
sera
elegante,
se
de
quedara
que
There
se
is
la
grandson n a r r a t o r
ultima
si
uno
participar
a
and h i s
his
en s a b e r l o .
quisiera
arrebate."
also
communication
contemplates
la
sin
of
en
(p.
total
cancerous
.
. Que
vengarse.
su
between
no
Pero
muerte.
No
no
es
them.
For
growth,
he
lo
es
sepa.
eso.
venganza.
Una
.
.
Es
32-33)
lack
of
communication
between
the
parents:
.jugaba
cerca
de
ellos
en l a s a l a ,
intentando
atrapar
la
vista
de
mi
p a d r e y m e d i a n t e una
sonrisa
arrancarlo
de
su
universo
para
recordarle
que
yo
existia.
(p.
11);
. . .
y o me c u e l g o d e l c o g o t e d e l a
Antonia,
bescfndola,
h a b l a n d o l e , riendome con e l l a p a r a
que
mi
p a d r e c r e a q u e no l o o i g o y a s i no s e de" c u e n t a
de
que
no t e n g o g a n a s de d e s p e d i r m e de e l , y p a r t e s i n
insistir,
sin
darse
cuenta
de
mi e n o j o . Nunca se da
c u e n t a de n a d a .
A
similar
grandchildren
lack
and
the
of
communication
exists
between
the
grandfather:
Todos
los
sabados,
al
llegar,
pasabamos
por
esta
estricta
ceremonia:
un
estirado
ritual,
siempre
idlntico,
suplantaba
la
relacion
que
mi
abuelo era
incapaz
de t e n e r c o n n o s o t r o s .
. . . d e s p u e s y a c a s i no
nos
miraba
y jamas nos d i r i g i a l a p a l a b r a , n i s i q u i e r a
p a r a r e f t i r n o s . ( p . 18)
Alvaro
of
death,
is
c h a r a c t e r i z e d as
a classic
an
existentialist
isolated
individual,
terrified
character:
Pasaba
poco
t i e m p o en c a s a y a l i i s i e m p r e e n c e r r a d o en
su
e s c r i t o r i o j u g a n d o i n t e r m i n a b l e s p a r t i d a s de a j e d r e z
c o n u n a d v e r s a r i o f a n t a s m a l q u e e r a 4l m i s m o . ( p . 1 8 )
Pienso
en
e l e g o i s m o , en l a i n d i f e r e n c i a de s u v i d a . .
pienso
en
su
v a n i d a d , en e s e t e r r o r s u y o , mudo,
ineficaz,
a n t e l a s o r d e r a y l a v e j e z que a v a n z a b a n .
(o.
21)
Tiene
55
anos - l a decada d e l c a n c e r . C u a t r o d i a s p a r a
hacer
la
b i o p s i a , e s a s c o s a s de b r u j o s que l o s m e d i c o s
llaman
cultivos
.
y
despues
de
ese
breve
aplazamiento
la
caida
a l f o n d o d e l t e r r o r y no d o r m i r
- 74 -
nunca
ma's
hasta
dormirse
definitivamente.
(p.
31)
Cuando
p o r u l t i m o f u i l a A n t o n i a me c o n t d ' q u e l a m u n e c a
lloraba
y
lloraba,
y
g r i t a b a que no q u e r i a m f t r i r s e y
pedia
auxilio
porque
tenia
miedo. . . . siempre supo
que
su
muerte
se
aproximaba
paso
a
p a s o , y con su
meticulosidad
de
s i e m p r e c o n t a b a e s o s p a s o s y g e m i a de
t e r r o r a l c o n t a r l o s . ( p . 205)
Chepa's
to
find
final
salvation
existentialist
of
choice
results
live
human
and
in
death
consumes
his
of
a
Sartrean
her
of
and
the
fear
classic
choice
is
the
central
which
For
Donoso
-
the
Chepa,
she
Alvaro
Again
of
order
a
fall.
.
in
is
experiences
framework
destruction
of
Maya
life
absurdity
the
for
philosophy.
in her
the
life,
of
typical
down
Este
domingo
delineates
and
the
domingo
deftly
in
Coronacion
personalities
aged
search
possibility
doubt
in
relationship
conflicts
y
and
to
to
same t e r r o r
of
uses
the
existence,
the
death,
within
destroys
continues
Donoso
of
this
the
isolated
he
organizes
which
inevitably
overtakes
and
characters.
in
individual
Dios
others
establish
consistently
is
outcome
of
to
Again
middle
an
concepts
process
Este
in
in
meaninglessness
chart
nature
Andres
individual
meaning
the
loneliness
existentialist
choice
-
drags
as
the
and
pattern
factor
herself
conscious
the
of
,
the
using
a
integrated
sabe
que
Alvaro
despue's
fue
todo
into
never
the
comenzo
cerrar
development
the
development
of
experienced
narrative:
los
ojos
75
-
eso
Donoso
human p s y c h e .
Chepa,
en
al
.
to
unconscious
a
In
frigid
satisfaction,
envidio
en mi
in
framework
to
sexual
"No
y pensar
,
disintegration
of
a matar
-
of
mechanisms
psychosexual
Coronacion
psychoanalytical
psychosexual
has
in
course
destructive
v/oman who
as
mes
.
lo
sexual.
de
casados
. Dios,
para
que
termine
Coronacion
and
pronto
,
confronted with
mechanisms.
needs
and
The
(p.
the
sexuality
desires
153)
Like
e r o s i o n of
that
Andre's
her
emerges
p r e c i p i t a t e s madness,
in
control
from
her
destruction
death.
When
becomes
as
is
Chepa
defense
unconscious
and
y ne d e j e t r a n q u i l a . "
Chepa
associated
Andres
sexual
first
in
her
Coronacid'n
attraction
mole w i t h her
in
meets
for
Maya,
the
mind w i t h h i s
associated
h i m , Chepa
own s u b c o n s c i o u s
mole next
to
attraction for
Estela's
associates
pink
his
her.
palms
Maya's
mouth
mouth
Just
with
her
and
the
desires:
Este
si.
Este
es
Maya.
E l lunar tenia las facciones
disueltas
en
su r o s t r o d e s p o j a d o de t e n s i o n e s : s o l o e l
enfasis
de
ese l u n a r t a n o s c u r o e r i z a d o de p e l o s en e l
b o r d e d e l l a b i o s u p e r i o r , ( p . 115)
Y
e s a mancha en e l l a b i o que s e mueve p o c o c u a n d o h a b i a
de
esa
manera
tan
plana
. . . stflo cuando s o n r i e e l
lunar
baila
y
descubre
sus d i e n t e s grandes,
fuertes.
Claro.
Roto
nortino.
C a l c i o . T a n t a m i n a . L a s o n r i s a de
Maya es s e n c i l l a m e n t e e n c a n t a d o r a . ( p . 127)
Maya
esta
e n o j a d o . Come u v a . U n a p e p a s e l e h a q u e d a d o
prendido
en
el
labio.
La
Chepa
e s t i r a l a mano p a r a .
sacarsela.
No
es
pepa.
Es l u n a r . Los o j o s de Maya s e
l l e n a n de l u z a l r e u s e ,
( p . 135)
1
Se
quedo
parado
en
e l u m b r a l s o n r i e n d o como l a C h e p a
jamas
lo
habia
visto
sonreir,
el
labio
superior
flexible,
el
lunar
un a d o r n o i n s i n u a n t e , una c i a r i d a d
nueva,
como
si
h u b i e r a n d e s p e j a d o s u c a r a de una c a p a
de p o l v o p a r d u s c o . ( p . 154)
Estiro'
l a mano p a r a t o m a r l a d e M a y a y s e l a tono e n t r e
las
dos
suas
que
l e . a r d i a n . Me a r d e n o s o l o l a mano
sino
que
la
cara
y
todo
el
cuerpo
y
la.' sangre .
cantahdome
l a s v e n a s . Me l l e v a l a s m a n o s a l a b o c a y me
l a s b e s a . ( p . 155)
out
Both
Emir
that
Chepa
possession.
Rodrigues
Chepa
is
Monegal
attracted
is
more
to
than
-
and
76
Isis
Maya
Quinteros
in
twenty years
-
an
have'
pointed
oedipal desire
older
t h a n Maya
of
and
their
situation
substitute'
child.
Chepa
assumes
for
Maya,
Maya
in
his
an
who
incestuous
was
abandoned
own c o n f u s e d
r e f l e c t s Chepa's
passion
nature.
by
perception
and
maternal
Chepa
his
of
is
a
mother
own m o t h e r
his
as
attraction
a
to
instincts:
Y
cada
vez
que Maya l e p r e g u n t a b a c o n l a b o c a s e c a de
ansiedad:
I Y
quO
ma's?
ella
siente
ese
remezdn
de
placer,
como s i M a y a f u e s e s u g u a g u a y e l l a l e d i e r a s u
seno
r e p l e t o de l e c h e y e l c h u p a r a p o r q u e su hambre e r a
inagotable
y c h u p a r a ma's y m a s , como a e s a m a d r e q u e l e
dijo
a una v e c i n a que l e c u i d a r a a l c h i q u i l l o un p a r de
dfas
mientras
ella
iba
a h a c e r unos t r a m i t e s a. o t r o
pueblo
con
el
minero
con quien estaba v i v i e n d o , y se
subid'
al
a u t o b u s en una nube de p o l v o p o r e l d e s i e r t o .
No
volvio.
Y
una v e z , e s a v e z m a r a v i l l o s a y t e r r i b l e ,
Maya
en
medio
del
verano,
con
e l s o l machacando l a
tierra
seca
del
patio,
Maya l e d i j o que c a d a v e z que
ella
se
alejaba
por
e l p a t i o e r a como e s a v e z c o n l a
nube
de
polvo,
y
temia
que
l o o l v i d a r a y n u n c a ma's
v o l v i e r a . (pp. 136-137)
Chepa
again
embodies
The
image
of
suckling
and
Maya
She
wants
the
expresses
to
the
t a k e Maya
the
dominant
infant
and
symbiotic
over
engulfing
mother
nature
in
of
mother,figure.
r e l a t i o n to
their
Chepa
relationship.
completely:
. . n a d i e e s m i o mas q u e M a y a , q u e n o p o d i a s a l i r y
yo
l o p u s a en l i b e r t a d , que no c o n o c i a l o s a ' r b o l e s , que
me
preguntaba
que
ma's, q u e mas y y o l e c u e n t o y y o s o
sus
ojos
y
sus
oidos
y
su
p i e l y sus suenos y sus
r e c u e r d o s y sus p r o y e c t o s . . .
( p . 155)
The
results
Chepa
in
and
Chepa.
and
Maya's
and
determined
v/hich
destroy
drag
situation
punishment
Once
violence
is
incestuous
the
and
oedipal
again,
Chepa's
is
an
expiation.
passion
as
sexuality,
drama
is
the
eruption
the
s u p e r f i c i a l order
to
-
77
is
of
their
-
expiates
instincts
myth
of
the
needs
the bourgeois
fall.
always
i d e n t i f i e s her
unconscious
of
that
V i o l e t a who
Maya
biblical
the
dov;n
It
primitive
by
characters
a r c h e t y p a l one
In
provoke.
fall
and
with
which
desires
conventions
Chepa's
case,
in
her
search
"Ella
for
sigue
sus
pies
y
tratando
de
perro
quedan
se
Chepa
su
she
se
sacarlos
199)
Maya,
salta
subir
pegados
hunden
herself
literally
just
en
cima
(p.
199)
Again,
provides
the
central basis
a pile
todo
esta
ma's
hasta
que
another
piece
of
garbage:
como
si
no
y
the
ella
theme
for
basura
of
the
Donoso's
no
puede
fuera
and
of
a
garbage:
revuelto
podrida
fall
use
of
tan
la
de
basura."
o bajar,
into
en
ma's
is
sinks
y no
y
y
puede
cae."
(p.
"Un
nino
con
m£s
que
of
otra
destruction
psychoanalytical
framework.
The
more
subtle
characterization
with
elements
domingo
in
Este
structure.
Este
technically
complex
Donoso
abandons
of
his
of
view
first
and
The
specific
down,
and
the
the
central
system
first
day
-
Maya
of
and
a
also
structure
than
Alvaro
aware
a
of
psychoanalytical
real novelty,
that
that
is
of
far
its
more
Coronacion
chronological
points
of
Chepa's
her
of
marriage
sexual
desire
narration
in
axis
moves
time
in
a
the
one
breaks
for
Maya
from
this
counterpoint
the
three
sections
of
the
tv/o
sections
written mainly
and
using
novel's
-
as
sequence
alternating
temporal
and
backwards
on A l v a r o
of
system
flow.
around
and
and
and
novel's
V i o l e t a . The
between
the
s k i l f u l l y handles
day
kills
a
the
conventional
becomes
technique
to
sophisticated
the
focussing
of
has
organized
memories
view
due
temporal
forwards
alternating
Donoso's
is
of
existential
largely
Chepa
point
person
points
the
is
day
person
third
and
a shifting
Sunday
its
dominao
novel
novel
integration
alternating
-
in
Chepa.
event
78
grandson's
in
or
a forwards
superimposed
and
backwards
temporal
flow
evoking
corresponds
to
personality
and
complete
In
and
The
this
perspectives
fragmentation
to
of
apprehend
the
human
an
integrated,
sections
games
bury
but,
devoted
foretell
the
the
grandson's
level
frustrations
intuitively
and
grandmother's
on
tragic
to Alvaro
eventual
character
a double
the
mainly
Chepa's
imaginary
of
between
downfall
Mariola
of
and
in
passions
the
as
Roncafort.
perception
a metaphoric
fate
and
-
of
their
level,
symbolic
the
they
burial
Roncafort.
sections
de
Este
two
unaware
their
Mariola
Charles
the
from d i f f e r e n t
parallel
Donoso p r e s e n t s
are
The
in
the
way,
foretell
symbolic
children's
grandparents
Noche
of
impossibility
a
symbolically
children
of
the
is
narrative
they
vision
events
reality.
There
Chepa.
his
these
titled:
Domingo
Tatum,
domingo
are
the
En
l a Redoma;
narrated
by
child point
Los
Chepa's
of
view
Juegos
Legftimos;
grandson.
serves
According
several
Una
to
functions
:
1)
to
make
a
statement
about
how a s t h e . i n d i v i d u a l
matures,
the
innocent
and f a b u l o u s v/orld of. c h i l d h o o d
slowly
changes
and
becomes
corrupted
2) t o g i v e t h e
reader
a
perspective
on
the a d u l t world seen
through
the
child
narrator's
eyes
3)
to
reveal the Oedipal
relationships
p e r p e t r a t e d b y t h e a d u l t s on t h e c h i l d r e n
and
4)
to
set
a
pattern
which
suggests
a kind of
c y c l i c a l "eterno
retorno".6
Through
in
conveying
tranquility
his
the
the
as
innocence
retrospect
events
use
the
caused
the
and
of
child's
atmosphere
child's
of
point
of
It
is
his
frustration
of
of
only
childhood
and
- 79
v i e w Donoso
apparent
perspective
naivete.
events
by
the
-
c a l m and
reality
as
an
that
repressed
succeeds
superficial
is
limited
by
adult
viewing
in
sequence
of
the
sexuality
become
clear.
The
Alvaro
at
comienza
y
su
of
the
a existir
At
the
end
his
Chepa
the
own
and
lonely
ser
of
fate
his
viejo
concludes:
his
the
will
own
solteron
of
a
tenia
su
edad
adult
of
his
following
out:
in
"El
descendencia."
7
is
ahora
of
awareness
comes a
The
fear
memory
a veiled
-
(p.
aware
this
as
abuelo
tengo
way
a sterile
narrador
As
Charles
of
his
process
of
existence
neverending
mi
absurdo."
pattern.
be
the
su
childhood,
to
points
que
yo
world. With
refers
suggests
en
same age
narrator
he
Vidal
cyclical
y
and
seems
the
que
ancianidad
follow a similar
vivid
is
momento
la
childhood
sin
thus
"El
adults
life
Hernan
"Donoso
characters
of
de
domingo
domingo t h e
remains
existence.
un
al
Este
of
life
Alvaro
pattern
Este
beginning:
junto
facade
the pathetic
in
en mi memoria
nace
shattered
that
narrator
novel's
recuerdo
23)
the
adult
of
to
and
parece
Tatum
fictional
loss
of
innocence".8
When
element
begins
thing
the
of
to
-
now a d u l t
the
narrator
experiential
becomes
world,
discover
that
progress
a conclusion
that
Alvin
and
aware
the
of
the
formerly
disintegration
Greenberg
destructive
naive
are
child
the
same
calls:
the
paradoxical
lesson
of
the world in contemporary
fiction.
.
.
It
is
in
this
sense
of
decay
disintegration,
deterioration,
however
i t is called that,
rooted
in
a c o n t e m p o r a r y a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y human
sense
of
time
and
analogous
to
the
scientific
formulation
of
the
temporal
p r o c e s s as w e l l , a major
development
of
the
modern
novel,
which
may w e l l b e
c a l l e d the novel of d i s i n t e g r a t i o n , is
involved.9
Donoso's
by
the
the
preocupation
passage
physical
of
time
ravages
of
the
is
best
of
age
disintegrative
illustrated
contrasted
youth:
-
SO
-
in
to
his
the
process
wrought
descriptions
former
beauty
of
of
La
V i o l e t a f u e e n v e j e c i e n d o . E s a c a r n e que f u e t a n d u r a
y
tan
blanca
mientras
f u e a c t i v a , a l r e p o s a r se puso
fofa
y
amor a t a d a
y
cualquier
cosa
le
costaba
un
e s f u e r z o t r e m e n d o . ( p . 45)
Las
piernas
l u z ^de
la
deseno sobre
de
l a V i o l e t a e s t a n l l e n a s de v a r i c e s .
calle
a l a t r a v e s a r l o s v i s i l l o s imprime
s u r o s t r o : o t r a s v a r i c e s , ( p . 54)
Tiene
el
trasero
como p o s t e s l l e n a s
La
su
verdaderamente
enorme y l a s p i e r n a s
de m o r e t o n e s y l l a g a s . . . ( p . 56)
Alvaro
espera
antes
de a v a n z a r , c o n t e m p l a n d o desde su
cuarto
la
terrible
destruccidn
de
sus
nalgas
maltratadas
por
la ^celulitis.
Hay
que
esperar:
el
portaligas
e l c o r p i n o , l a s m e d i a s . £ No s e d a c u e n t a d e
q u e e s o b s c e n o ? ( p . 83)
f
Pero
alcanzas
a
ver:
t u s o j o s son demasiado c h i c o s y
juntos,
lo
mas
debil
de
t u r o s t r o , y no l o s q u i e r e s
porque
en
los
ojos
e s d o n d e mas s e t e n o t a n l o s a n o s
que
no
pasan
en v a n o , mi v i e j o , que no p a s a n e l v a n o ,
el
iris
descolorido,
e l p e r f i l de l o s p a r p a d o s
apenas
enrojecido,
escasez
de
pestanas
que
nunca
fueron
abundantes
.
.
.
mira
tus
ojos
que
pueden e s t a r
m u r i e n d o s e . ( p . 32)
The
graphic
cancer
which
example of
the
will
eventually
disintegrative
k i l l
Alvaro
is
another
process:
Como
si
las
m e t a s t a s i s y a s e m b r a d a s en t u h i g a d o y t u
prostata,
en
tu
c e r e b r o , en t u r o d i l l a , en t u v e j i g a ,
h u b i e r o n c h u p a d o t o d o e l v i g o r d e t u o r g a n i s m o . ( p . 32)
Donoso
characters
and decay
also
and
of
accompanies
their
their
the p h y s i c a l
disintegrating
d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of
world with the
the
decrepitude
houses:
Y
todo
ese s i l e n c i o en l a p i e z a , donde l a V i o l e t a e s t a *
poniendo
recipientes jpara
r e c i b i r las goteras a l lado
de
los
muebles, i n c r e i b l e m e n t e d e s t e n i d o s que f u e r o n de
l a s a l i t a de s u m a d r e . ( p . 54)
Sigue
deshabitada:
el
jardin
finmalezado,
las paredes
descolor idas.
La
avidez
de
la
buganvilla
tumbo"
el
b a l c d n de m a d e r a de n u e s t r o m i r a d o r . ( p . 208)
Cuando
puertas
antes.
zocalos
entregan
la
casa a los demoledores abrira'n l a s
y
las
ventanas.
L a l u z v o l v e r a ' a e n t r a r como
Encontraran
la
casa
despojada
de
puertas
y
y jambas y g u a r d a p o l v o s y p a r q u e t s , un c a s c a r o n
-
81
-
que
caera
a
l o s p r i m e r o s g o l p e s de l a p i c o t a hecho
montd'n d e e s c o m b r o s en e l j a r d i n e n m a l e z a d o . ( p .
210)
Alvin
Greenberg
descriptive
well
device
as
pajaro
West.
de
that
may
over
to
chaos
la
of
entropy
he
applies
to
Celine
Donoso's
noche
William
novels
the
tendency
of
an
disorder,
to
from
which
it
may
emerged,
state
that
de
of
development
moving
process
at
best
El
to
a
that
drift
total.
obsceno
system
universe
into
towards
is
Este
an
to
go
original
toward
an
domingo
is
increasingly
culminates
the gradual
The
he
narrator
evokes
retraces
his
an
the
corruption
inclusion
in
the
disintegrative
past,
of
the
human
innocence.
child's
Thus
child's
time
towards
world
gone
death
path
of
is
Donoso,
point
his
inevitable
of
leads
back
final
ambiguous
awareness
recuperating
to
Heller,
entropy,
ordered
is
e q u i l i b r i u m which
represents
a
Joseph
as
in
El
obsceno
elimination
note
and
of
tenuous,
hope
is
of
in
absent
.
adult
as
of
regeneration.
was
domingo
development
equilibrium that
entropic
of
v/hich
the
sink
of
critically
.
this
possibility
As
have
process
noche
of.
from Este
of
state
la
Coronacion
v/hich
concept
a
in particular
Coronacion
of
Part
through
from
i l l u s t r a t e the
as
as
Burroughs,
state
unstructured
any
concept
a
of
pa'iaro
the
Beckett,
be d e f i n e d
unstructured
part
which
Samuel
Nathaniel
uses
un
of
by,
and
the
towards
loss
the
only
using
going
decay.
way
The
to
provides
In
this
his
and
recover
of
the
way,
the
an
eventual
evocation
a
This
innocence,
world
a vision
against
we f o l l o w
adulthood.
of
adult
process.
view,
of
childhood,
of
the
a kind
past
seen
possibility
current
Donoso's
of
of
of
time
use
of
a
specific
liberates
full
of
sense
technique
the
thematic
sensual
of
domestic
manipulating
material.
experiences.
recollection.
details
memories,
evocation
-
we
in
of
find
Este
in
similar
domingo
Este
Proust
life
a
In
The
a child's
past
domingo
fully
a
is
a
of
of
refuge,
there
is
exploited
household.
sense
point
a
viev;
rich
-
and
Proustian
the
minute,
In
the
grandson's
tender
and
nostalgic
:
La
Antonia
me
alcanzo
mientras yo, inclinado bajo e l
ilang-ilang,
estiraba
mis medias y f i j a b a l a s h e b i l l a s
de
mis
pantalones
preparandome
para
una
entrada
triunfal.
A l p r e g u n t a r l e c o m o me v e i a me p a r e ' muy t i e s o
para
que
me
examinara.
La
l u z que quedaba e r a honda
como
la
de
un
e s t a n q u e : s i y o me m o v i a , s i c u a l q u i e r
cosa
se
m o v i a , l o s o b j e t o s que r e p o s a b a n d e n t r o de e s a
luz
fluctuarian
silenciosamente
y
s o l o d e s p u e s de un
instante
recobrarian
la
perfeccion
de
sus
formas
q u i e t a s . ( p . 16)
La
casa
estaba
llena
de
armarios
y
de
alacenas y
subterraneos,
de
p u e r t a s f a l s a s o c u l t a s por c o r t i n a s o
condenadas
con
una
tranca
de p a l o que e r a f a c i l i s i m o
desclavar
de
maletas c u b i e r t a s con e t i q u e t a s
fabulosas
y
batiles
nominalmente
p r o h i b i d o s que a b r i a m o s con una
horquilla
retorcida
para
disfrazarnos
con
sus
contenidos,
de
posibilidades
de
que o t r a s sombras se
desprendieran
de
l a s s o m b r a s , y p a s o s de l a o s c u r i d a d ,
y
aranas
de
los
t e c h o s y de p r o n t o e l d e l e i t e de una
ventana
abierta
de p a r en p a r s o b r e e l j a r d i n donde l a
l u z a m a r i l l e a b a e n t r e l a s h o j a s . ( p . 25)
Y
en l a noche d e l sabado - l a v e n t a n a a b i e r t a a l j a r d i n
en
el
verano,
las
escamas
p u r p u r a s de l a b u g a n v i l l a
formando
un d r a g o n f a s c i n a d o que s e asomaba a l b a l c d h esperctbamos
los
t r e s p r i m o s , L u i s , A l b e r t o y yo que mi
abuelo
y
mi a b u e l a s e q u e d a r a n d o r m i d o s y e n t o n c e s , en
silencio,
las
dos
primas,
Marta
y Magdalena,
subian
hasta
el
cuarto
del
mirador
y
comenzaban
nuestros
j u e g o s . ( p . 26)
Proust's
association
also
echoed
which
the
sensual
of
in
the
the
"empanadas"
imagination
sensual
in
s t i m u l a t i o n of
passages
provide
and
describing
t h e mnemonic
-
83
-
the
particular
smell
"olor
stimulus:
his
w i t h memory
is
a domingo"
in
En
un i n s t a n t e e l a u t o e n t e r o s e l l e n a d e l f e s t i v o o l o r
de
las
empanadas
calientes
.
. . de l o s d o m i n g o s de
toda
la
vida
. . . este olor dorado, t i b i o . . . este
olor
a
domingo
que
llena
e l a u t o , a domingo, a este
domingo
.
.
.
este
domingo,
e s t e o l o r a domingo, a
domingo
en
la
m a n a n a p e r o n o muy t e r a p r a n o , c u a n d o l a s
sirvientes
est^n
atareadas
en
la
c a s a p e r o en o t r a s
partes
de
l a c a s a , una l i m p i a n d o e l s a l o n c o n un t r a p o
amarrado
en l a c a b e z a , o t r a a t e n d i e n d o a mi m a d r e , o t r a
vistiendo
a
mi hermano menor, o t r a regando l a s p l a n t a s
de
la
g a l e r f a , otra canturreando l a cocina a l destapar
el
h o r n o p a r a v e r como e s t c i n l a s e m p a n a d a s , y e n t o n c e s ,
en
ese
momento,
e s t e o l o r a domingo en l a manana p e r o
no
muy
temprano
se
pone a c i r c u l a r l e n t a m e n t e por l a
casa
desde
e l f o n d o d e l p a t i o de l a c o c i n a , g a l e r i a s y
corredores,
escurriendose
por
los i n t e r s t i c i o s debajo
de
las
puertas para entrar a las habitaciones cerradas
donde
aun
no
terminamos
de
d e s p e r t a r - se c u e l a por
debajo
de mi p u e r t a h a s t a mi d o r m i t o r i o p a l d e a d o p o r l a
manana
de
verano, cerradas las persianas, corridas las
cortinas
l a sabana c a s i tapandome l a c a b e z a y e l o l o r a
masa
apenas
dorcfndose
vence
a
los
dem^s
olores
calientes
de
mi
c u a r t o y l l e g a a mi n a r i z e desde a h i
manda
c o m u n i c a c i o n e s h a s t a e l fondo de mi sueno t i b i o .
. . (pp. 56-107)
Este
aspects.
past
domingo
is
' the
reader
As
in
Este
alternating
forwards
points
his
of
of
the
fall
preestablished,
that
is
not
view,
in
to
the
only
forms
Donoso,
like
of
counts
are
several
in
one
temporal axis
Faulkner,
links
With
act
the
techniques
i n t e r i o r monologue,
The
the
in
immersion
the n a r r a t i v e
obsessions.
inevitable.
Faulkner
characters
of
time around
their
is
what
reminiscent
follows
it
Faulkner.
characters
Faulkner,
of
,
and backwards
reminiscent
of
domingo
also
moving
which
the
Donoso,
of
are
destiny
as
with
of
the
downfall
is
antecedents
and
the
process
in
Chepa's
fall.
There
desperate
is
and
also
a
very
disastrous
strong
search
always
presents
his
characters
their
infernal
and
tortuous
for
as
flavour
Maya.
Kafka,
totally
descent
- 84 -
of
alone,
into
Kafka
unlike
Faulkner,
w i t h no G o d ,
hell
through
in
the
labyrinth
of
their
These
often
it
a
Donoso
more
a
Vargas
break
and
the
his
The
which
alternate
from
narrator
who
Alvaro.
largely
of
Este
domingo
titled
interior
point
on
Although
the
action
of
is
view
the
world
"primera
of
of
and
the
and
Cortazar,
Borges,
of
writers
modern
omniscient
narrator
techniques
adults,
and
as
uses
subtle
broader
nature
able
of
"segunda
to
human
as
are
omniscient
mainly
on
Chepa
"segunda p a r t e "
in
to
parte"
sections
apparently
character's
are
viewed
several
and
an
parte"
Donoso
situate
in
narrative
of
has
reality.
parte"
techniques
varied
the
using
Donoso,
the
This
the' fragmented
of
rather
c r i t i c s who
efforts
grandson's
into
-
recognizable
of
nature
narrations,
penetration
reality,
is
the
"primera
the
focusses
, the
of
ambiguous
with
the
earlier
(Fuentes,
following
vision
the
t h i r d person
form
of
of
domingo
literary context.
authors
unity
personal
and
than
unilateral vision
of
sections
written
and
the
in
w h i c h Donoso h i m s e l f
Este
literary affiliation
Donoso,
with
personality
Chilean
Latinamerican
concept
express
no way d i m i n i s h
narrow
Llosa).
some o f
l i t e r a r y context
cosmopolitan
major
influences,
in
larger
in
other
to
literary
mentioned,
in
obsessions.
Coronacion
interior
,uses
reality.
achieve
he
are
the
In
sense
manipulates
a
of
points
view.
In
the
narrative
thinking
perspective
and
conciencia."10
third
"primera
person
parte",
is
which
often
determined
feeling,
what
Noe
Donoso
uses
indirect
narration,
direct
focusses
Jitrik
calls
interior
interior
- 85 -
by
on
Alvaro,
what
"el
Alvaro
is
realismo
de
monologues
monologues
the
in
in
a
first
person
narration,
narration
examples
and
of
direct
interior
which
interior
monologues
monologues
in
in
second
first
person
person
narration,
follow:
Se
mira
en
el
v i d r i o d e l mayor de sus a n a q u e l e s . No.
Asi
no.
Doblado
s o b r e su b r a z o e l c u e l l o de su a b r i g o
no
debe
caer
junto
al
ruedo,
es
necesaria
una
diferencia,
el
cuello
a
la
altura
del
Stendhal
empastado
en
tela
verde
flordelisada,
el
r u e d o mas
abajo,
s o b r e e l C a r l y l e en una p a s t a b a s t a n t e o r d i n a r i a
que t a n t o s d e s e o s t i e n e de c a m b i a r . ( p . 31)
Estoy
pensando
en
a l g u i e n , a l g u i e n que c o n o z c o p o c o y
me
desagrada,
p e r o que ha e s t a d o a q u i en mi c a s a y que
tiene
un
lunar
como
la
s a l t a d u r a de l a t e t e r a en l a
arista
del
labio.
A l g u i e n . . . q u i e n s e r a : e n f i n , no
importa.
Lo
que
i m p o r t a es que a v e c e s l o s nombres s e
me
quedan
a t a s c a d o s en l o s r e p l i e g u e s d e l c e r e b r o . ( p .
29)
Y
si
n o , mi v i e j o , t e c o n f o r m a s con l a p a s t a c o r r i e n t e
que
tienes
y
te
pasas
la
tarde
encerrado
en
tu
escritorio
leyendo
On
H e r o e s and H e r o W o r s h i p , que a l
fin
y
al
cabo
no es m a l a p r e p a r a c i d n p a r a l a m u e r t e .
(p.-32)
These
are
reader
in
favorite
the
These
William
Jamesian
character's
interior
Faulkner,
instantaneous
mental
are
not
insight
into
such
as
reflect
the
characters
interior
monologues
state
thoughts
of
analyzes
are
and
a
Donoso
great
human
egocentricity.
For
an
those
attempt
the
to
mental
psychic
which place
of
Henry
r e c r e a t e an
chaos
of
style
and
flow.
the
In
Donoso's
their
avoids
of
doubts,
Joyce's
their
prolific
plausibility.
relationships
example,
reconstructing
from
we u n d e r s t a n d
-
86
-
the
the
exact
the
and
spelling
characters'
the
original
characters'
their
verisimilitude
his
or
characters
anguish,
Donoso,
inside
James
even
a l i t e r a r y r e e l a b o r a t i o n of
feelings.
deal
like
a t t e m p t e d , where
conscience,
egocentrism,
achieves
Joyce
devices
world.
monologues,
thoughts
chaotic
narrative
like
but
James,
characters'
resentment
and
hostility
charity
Alvaro
projects
feels
towards
during
the
C h e p a who
week
is
always
and w i t h her
busy w i t h
her
grandchildren
on
weekends:
La
Chepa
s a l e tercprano y l l e g a t a r d e t o d o s l o s d i a s de
la
semana.
Lo
d e j a s o l o en l a c a s a s i n nada que h a c e r
ahora
que ha j u b i l a d o , s i n p r e g u n t a r l e s i q u i e r a c u a l es
su
programa
para
el
dia,
si
quiere
que hagan a l g o
juntos
como
los
demas
matrimonios
de
su
edad
y
posicion,
ir
al
c i n e , o a l g u n a v i s i t a de f a m i l i a o de
pesame.
E l l a se v a . Q u i e n sabe donde. A h , s i . Donde sus
pulguientos.
Y
en
l a n o c h e r e g r e s a d e s p e n a d a . Con l o s
zapatos
embarrados,
con
olor
a p a r a f i n a o a f u e g o de
l e r f a en l a r o p a . ( p . 36)
Although
Chepa's
these
activities
absolute
lack
of
Chepa's
activities
Later
on,
see
nature
of
her
socially
interest
view,
we
are
from
are
in Alvaro
merely
Chepa's
charitable
laudable,
a
point
and
from h i s
form of
of
they
cover
point
of
r e j e c t i n g him.
view the
compensatory
activities:
iPero
que voy a h a c e r ? Con l a m i s e r i a puedo v e r m e l a s . Y
con' l a
mugre.
Eso e s t a a mi a l c a n c e p o r q u e yo soy una
pobre
mujer
i g n o r a n t e : l a i n s t i t u t r i z n o me ensenO ma's
que
a
l e e r y a e s c r i b i r y a s a c a r c u e n t a s . En e l p i a n o
nunca
pase
del
Czerny
mas
s i m p l e y e l f r a n c o s s e me
olvido
todo.
Pero
a e l l o s l o s p o b r e s l e s doy a l g o que
se,
cuando
les
e n s e n o que no d e b e n s e g u i r v i v i e n d o en
la
mugre,
cuando
l e s empapelo l a p i e z a con p a p e l e s de
diario
porque
s i no l o hago yo misma e l l o s no l o h a c e n
y
el
viento
d e l i n v i e r n o t r a e l a s p u l m o n i a s , s i yo se
a y u d a r l o s , d e j e n m e a y u d a r l o s . . . ( p . 119)
The
alternating
underlines
Another
the ambivalence
factor
ambivalence
and
Polar
the
each
calls
of
in
Este
c h a r a c t e r can
third
person.
In
which
implies
a
the
is
narrative
reality
that
the
that
points
is
being
increases
use
of
into
another,
domingo
questioning
there
of
-
87
human
-
at
is
of
sense
what A n t o n i o
least
a system
to
in
of
i d e n t i t y and
view
narrated.
the
substituci6'n"ll. According
change
Este
of
domingo
ambiguity
" l e y de
different
this
of
Cornejo
"lav;",
t h e mind
of
a
substitution
actions.
This
system
sin
is
limites
obsceno
This
pajaro
which
de
is
the
making
bourgeois
which Donoso v / i l l
and
system
between
when
one
la
reaches
noche
most
characters
love
girls
of
to V i o l e t a
he
its
which
clearly
continue
to
develop
ultimate
t o t a l l y negates
displayed
Este
in
domingo
imagines
in
her
the
. For
place
in
El
conclusion
human
lugar
in
El
identity.
sexual
relations
example,
Alvaro,
the pure
virgin
knows:
e n t o n c e s , de n o c h e , t a r d e , l l e n o de d e s e o p o r
la
Alicia
o
la
Pola,
a q u i e n e s ha dado s a c r a t i s i m o s
besos,
entra
a
la
p i e z a de l a V i o l e t a que s i e m p r e l o
ac'epta
y
rueda
con
ella
por
la
cama, t r a t a n d o de
conjurar
de
ese
cuerpo
c a l i e n t e y r o l l i z o y l l e n o de
deseo,
la
finura
de
l o s b r a z o s de l a P o l a , e l c u e l l o
largo
y
la
cabeza
pequena
de
la
A l i c i a , l o s senos
jovenes
apenas
insinuados
de l a S o f i a , e r e s l a S o f i a ,
si,
e r e s l a S o f i a y manana sera" l a A l i c i a y o t r o d i a l a
Pola,
t o d a s , p o s e o a t o d a s e s a s muchachas i m p o s i b l e s en
t u c a r n e r o l l i z a y c a l i e n t e . ( p . 74)
Violeta
participates
sexually
satisfy
in
this,
charade
of
identities
in
order
to
Alvaro:
. cuando r e g r e s a b a d e s p u e s de p a s e a r con l a P o l a
y
se
metia
en
su
cuarto
para
revolcarse
con e l l a
dicie'ndole
Pola,
mi
linda,
aprie'tame
Pola
que
te
quiero,
apretame
y
l a c a r n e g o r d a de l a V i o l e t a se
transformaba
en
la
carne
glacial
de l a P o l a , en l o s
pechos
apenas^insinuados
y dolorosamente deseados, pero
que
solo
p o d i a t b c a r y g o z a r en l o s p e c h o s i n m e n s o s de
la
V i o l e t a , que l e d e c i a , s i , s i , s o y l a P o l a , su P o l a ,
mijito
.
.
.
Ella
era
todas. La P o l a , l a Laura, l a
Alicia,
sus
primas
. . . todas. Tambien era l a Chepa.
( p . 78)
On
his
imagining
wedding
that
she
night,
is
Alvaro
can
only
make
love
to
Chepa
by
Violeta.
No
es
la
Chepa
la
que
se
estremece
en s u s
brazos
esperando,
es
la
V i o l e t a . A c a r i c i a una a x i l a , s i , s i ,
es
la
axila
de
la
Violeta
y
se
es l a a x i l a de l a
Violeta
es l a V i o l e t a e n t e r a , V i o l e t a , m i j i t a , V i o l e t a ,
conte
asi",
tocame
por
acit,
ahora
actui
mijita.
Y
cerrando
los
ojos . . . s i , s i puedo, s i puedo, y duro
ahora
y
s e g u r o h i z o e l amor c o n l a V i o l e t a en l a c a r n e
i g n o r a n t e d e l a C h e p a . ( p . 88)
-
88
-
Violeta
makes
love
hornetown
boyfriend:
to
Alvaro,
pretending
that
he
is
Marin,
her
. . me v o l v i a l o c a e s e v e r a n o p e n s a n d o e n e"l t o d o e l
tiempo
sola
en
la
cama
a q u i e n l a c i u d a d , me v o l v i a
loca,
h a s t a que l o e n c o n t r e ' a u s t e d p u e s , don A l v a r i t o ,
y
cuando
u s t e d me t o c a y me h a c e d e t o d o p i e n s o e n e\L.
U s t e d es e " l , e l h u a s o M a r i n , ( p . 76)
Maya
imagines
porque
y
siempre
me
besa
como
that
la
Marujita
e s t / acordahdose
en
la
cama,
cerra
si
yo
fuera
usted.")
Violeta,
he
feels
that
with
Violeta:
controlarlo,
comenzo'
v
each
always
.
.
ambiguous
sexual
.
."
person
perception
El
.
of
identity
las
y
que
Each
a
and
-
which
the
world
una
se
is
esta
and
when M a y a
whom h e
como
me
-
emphasis
the
identity anticipates
is
based
of
the
on
y
entonces
to
the
este
another
reality
another
on
kills
tragarlo,
dejd"
concrete
covering
nombre,
identifies
comerlo,
a dejar
solos
borracho
d i j o su
transferable
another
mask
estamos
vez
iba
mire
act
constant
sexual
cuando
queriamos
e l no
and
limites
roles
dos
into
only
y
y
187-188)
Chepa,
172)
r e a l i t y . This
sin
and
que
Misia
(p.
ojos
("Nunca
k i l l i n g Chepa,
dissolves
relationships
luoar
.
pegarme,
sinverguenza
and
"
los
is
Chepa
de u s t e d ,
(pp.
he
deshacerlo,
a
is
is
possible
ambiguity
of
the
of
reversal
world
of
" t r a v e s t i " , whether
sexual
real
or
symbolic.
So
are
which
far
integrated
is
what
destruction,
out
we
relevant
the
have
into
o u t l i n e d key
the
organizes
essence
elements
novel's
and
of
overall
best
which
biographical,
is
the
89
-
Este
domingo
archetypal
reveals
existential
-
in
the
fall.
and
which
structure
main
We h a v e
theme
of
pointed
psychoanalytical
elements
in
the
integration
perception
We
which
of
of
system
narrative
mentioned
brings
us
to
component
elements
archetypal
analysis
focus
In
of
to
literary
the
the
of
the
Este
a
Este
represents
house
was
the
the
child's
point
paradise
towards
less
of
this
y
of
and
and
the
through
future
innocence.
The
In
of
Eden.
The
a
grammar
provides
creation
are'
a
to
organized
la
reduction
the past
past
The
For
filtering
appears
as
evoked
in
is
grandson
the
orden."
(p.
el
the past
the
longing
through
for
a metaphysical
this
sense,
the
child
the
state
of
innocence
of
civilization.
suggests
Este
-
The
a cyclical
domingo
of
grandparents'
the
confianza,
recapture
domingo
90
from
and b e a u t y .
to
restore
-
the
with both
myth,
this
expresses
in
of
basis.
archetypal
Donoso
child
domingo
a l l
the main
patterns
of
attempt
Este
as
device
the process
in
provide
. Again,
solidez,
permanence.
to
structural
a similar
Garden
view,
Este
imagery.
security
lost
in
us
p r e v a i l e d and
narrative
archetype
the
the
author's
provideo
extending
Coronacidn
" l a permanencia
collectively
the
structure.
mythical
find
serenity,
Through
an
express
as
complete
Bible,
demonic
we
where
13)
as
well
synthesizing
the B i b l e
structure
order
happiness
as
the pact
overall
The
paradise
house
an
in
in
its
whole
dQmJlngp
and
that*expressed
of
of
a
domingo's
domingo
terms
lost
of
Este
by a p o c a l y p t i c and
lost
necessity
archetypes.
apocalypse.
as
of
symbols
archetypal
In
which
importance
into
synthesizing
time
techniques
the novel
Donoso,
largely
characterization
reality.
have
central
of
begins
the
space
functions
lost
projection
process
his
of
memories
at
about
madre
the
me
como
yo
a
was
in
sure
nunca,
of
ir
this,
grandfather
he
of
explico
iba
writes
age
en
que
al
ano
the
child's
and
in
would
como
he b e g i n s
gente
proximo
is
nada,
before
la
he
he
loneliness
six,
his
ignorante
.
.
never
isolation,
(p.
fifties,
memory.
e'l."
."
(p.
he
go
to
que ho
99).
the
like
22)
The
cut
al
When t h e
same
Alvaro:
narrator
off
school:
iba
narrator
as
was
"Yo
no
a
his
child,
iba
projects
from his
"Mi
colegio
age
When t h e n a r r a t o r
be
is
to
hacer
an
aura
family:
dSon
ellos
o s o y yo q u i e n s e ha quedado a i s l a d o
de
los
medallones
fabulosos
de
la
alfombra
g a l l e t a d e l mirador?
( p . 204)
en uno
color
Ahora,
mi a b u e l o y mi a b u e l a e s t a n muertos y mis p a d r e s
y
mis
tios
son
c a s i a n c i a n o s . Y m i s p r i m o s . . j, que"
ser^
de
e l l o s ? I D6nde e s t a r a h , q u e e s t a r a n h a c i e n d o ?
.
. d e p r o n t o me d o y c u e n t a d e q u e n i s i q u i e r a s e s i l a
Marta
t i e n e h i j o s , y s e l o s t i e n e , n o s e cOmo s e l l a m a n
y
ni
que
a p e l l i d o l l e v a n , n i s i se van a a l m o r z a r
los
d o m i n g o s a una c a s a que yo no c o n o z c o . ( p p . 2 0 6 - 2 0 7 )
This
similarity
suggests
of
a
the
Elisa
death.
porcelain
doll
to
with
in
he
will
is
is
loneliness
retorno".
narrator
appearance
extremidades
Elisa
the
"eterno
Coronacion
His
belongs
Alvaro's
cyclical
cycle
in
with
no
longer
and
another
species,
"talvez
Coronacion
y
sus
,
the
gestos
Donoso
often
represents
reach
-
children
el
de
los
angulosos".
associates
which
the
end
death.
Like
incarnation
r e a l l y human,
muneca),
:
a pattern
archetypal
(la
flacas
Alvaro
eventually
another
sets
he
think
is
the
white
perhaps
insectos
(p.
a
22)
con
As
colour
of
he
sus
with
white
Alvaro:
b a j o , s u s p a n t a l o n e s p l a n c h a d o s como c u c h i l l o s
colgaban
unos c o r d o n e s b l a n c o s , completamente r i d i c u l o s
con
ios
que
ataba
a
sus
canillas
los calzoncillas
largos
que
nunca
n i e n e l v e r a n o ma's t o r r i d o , d e j a b a n
de p r o t e g e r l a f r a g i l i d d a d de s u c u e r p o . ( p . 2 0 - 2 1 )
-
91
-
los
como
livianas
montones de c a m i s a s de mi a b u e l o
e s p u m a . . . ( p . 25)
blancas
. . jamas l o h a b i a n o t a d o h a s t a que empezo
a o s c u r e c e r sobre su p e l b l a n q u f s i m a . . . (p.
Alvaro
even
gelatinas
depicts
eats
white
blanquizcas
Alvaro
food:
"Como
en f o r m a de
several
times
as
postre
estrella
a
.
solo
.
."
reflection in
a crecer,
30)
comia
(p.
y
18)
unas
Donoso
the mirror,
for
example:
Llegamos
a
darnos
c u e n t a de que e s c u d r i n a b a s u p r o p i o
reflejo
en
los
cristales
de
sus a r m a r i o s de l i b r o s ,
arreglandose
inecesariamente
el
nudo
de
la corbata,
pascfndose
la
mano
sobre
el- cuidadoso
peinado
que
parecia
p i n t a d o s o b r e su c a b e z a , v i g i l a n d o y t i r o n e a n d o
su
chaleco
de
modo q u e n o h i c i e r a n i u n a s o l a a r r u g a ,
como
si
en e s o s c r i s t a l e s f u e r a a e n c o n t r a r una imagen
perfecta
de
si
mismo
destacada
sobre
el crepusculo
r i q u i s i m o d e l o s e m p a s t e s . ( p . 20)
This
the
is
archetypal
like
Elisa,
mannequin.
Manuela
in
this
his
his
Latent
lugar
Tha
of
is
El
also
sin
on
the
limites
. 12
his
is
is
not
, but
lack
as
sexual
duality
of
The
feels
duality
is
92
an
of
-
in
in
is
a
Emir
prototype
of
muneca"
sexually
passive
c a s t r a t e d by
Chepa's
is
vain,
front
Este
obsessed
with
he
love
of
is
the
domingo
nonetheless
important
the
corpse,
"la
Narcissus,
hours
obvious
unity
-
Like
to
Alvaro,
character.
nickname
a true narcisist,
spends
a living
a masked
i d e n t i t y . He
appearance.
He
is
inherent
writing.
ambivalent
that Alvaro
sexual
He
image.
limites
character,
sexually
sin
quality
in Donoso's
w i t h V i o l e t a and
masculine-feminine
emphasis
a
ambiguous
bisexuality
the p l a s t i c
ghostly
suggests
and
own
a
lugar
of
significance
truly
nature.
clothes
with
example
relationship
domineering
his
level
Monegal
suggests
in
good
* is
He
Rodriguez
la
a
aspect
in
mirror.
as
in
El
suggested.
of
Donoso's
human p e r s o n a l i t y ,
its
fragmentation
and,
dissolution
dualities
and
in
the
cas.e
obliteration.
within
exploited,
as
the
human
destroyer
female.
As
Joseph
ultimate
mythogenetic
and
Chepa,
Donoso
mind
-
creator,
Campbell
of
has
its
apocalyptic
constantly
emphasizes
good and
madness
stated,
evil,
and
the
exploiter
reason,
and
male
human m i n d
and
is
the
zone:
For
the
human
mind
in
its
p o l a r i t y o f t h e male and
female's
modes
of
experience,
in
its
passages from
infancy
to
a d u l t h o o d and o l d age, i n i t s t o u g h n e s s and
tenderness,
and
in
its
continuing
dialogue with the
world,
is
t h e u l t i m a t e m y t h o g e n e t i c zone - t h e c r e a t o r
and
d e s t r o y e r , t h e s l a v e and y e t t h e m a s t e r , of a l l t h e
gods.13
Chepa,
in
an
contrast
view
is
archetypal
life,
the b o u n t i f u l
to
Alvaro,
from the
incarnation
of
children's
life.
She
is
the
point
of
tree
of
cornucopia:
Nos
trepctaamos
a
ella
como
a un a r b o l c u a n d o e r a m o s
pequeffos,
exigiendole
cuentos
y
dulces
y caricias y
preferencias
y
regalos,
como
a
una
cornucopia
inagotable.
Mas
tarde,
ya
crecidos,
no
podiamos
treparnos
a
su
cuerpo
p e r o e s t a r en s u c a s a e r a como
seguir
pegados
a
ella
fisicamente,
y
la
c a s a como
extencio'n
del
cuerpo
de
mi
abuela,
configuraba
la
cornucopia:
era
como
inventada
por
mi
abuela
para
n u e s t r o d e l e i t e . ( p . 26)
Chepa,
as
the
This
emerges
with
fire.
become
ser
a
more
domingo
life,
clearly
miraculous
and
in her
animita:
milagrosa
(p.
is part
of
99)
is
The
endowed
lo
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with Chepa's
era
prolongaciOn
cuerpo
en
el
centralizes
mother
93
-
was
estaba
image
also
and
to
destinada
llenos
action
significance
but
house
destined
colegio,
the
earth
structure,
with the
Chepa
mi a b u e l a
de mi a b u e l a " )
-
apocalyptic
that
with a special
its
del
"Que
contamos
house
the
association
grandchildren believe
The
animita
orgullo."
t r e e of
not
("esa
in
de
Este
only
casa
because
a
it
in
que
is
a
refuge,
a sanctuary
children
("un
continuation
gusta
que
asilo
of
the
estos
del
derramandose
todavJfa."
the
as
he
imagines
vital
forces
se
en su
memoria".
words
Este
domingo
beauty,
death
and
of
in
reaching
she
is
Northrop
Frye
has
symbolism
apocalyptic
world.
in
fire
the
in
Bible,
w o r l d midway
who
identified
the
is
animita of
The
are
part
McMurray
empanadas
another
of
has
regeneration
"una
are
the
on h e r
out
the
of
incarnates:
esa
casa
la
the
the
t r e e of
sense
the
the
window
fire
heaven
with
is
Elisa's
with
the
Pentecost,
the
lyric
heaven.
surrounding
and
final
of
through
at
future
gigantesca
stars
to
life
the
in
"fire
human
assumes
we f i n d
to
era
cornucopia
animita
same
a
"Me
que
house
association
fire
210),
that
passage
street
the n a r r a t o r ' s
way
the
descending
a
the
seraphim
the
coal
of
spiritual
or
divine."
also
of
in
14
Chepa,
a burning
tree,
occultism.
the
apocalyptic
also
suggested
proves
sees
and
the
apocalyptic
as
convey
associate
garden,
symbolizes
for
(p.
aun:
sense,
they
imagery
v/ith t h e
paradisal
this
These
the
between
popular
se
viviera
paradise
dead
and
mouth
Chepa
como
210)
she
flames
angelic
In
pointed
The
the
Isaiah's
(p.
when
apocalyptic
life
ahi,
house
and
already
later
a m y t h i c a l p r o j e c t i o n tov/ards
tov/ards
Coronacion
thinks
210)
burning
encendida
in
of
refugian
(p.
and
vagabundos")
de mi a b u e l a
mind,
the
grandchildren
ninos
cuerpo
narrator's
the
de
ninos
prolongacid'n
in
for
the
of
structure
that
the
regenerative
image.15
to
tree
be
In
illusory
-
94
-
life,
in
the
imagery
Este
domingo
Sunday
ritual
power
of
Este
domingo
as
Violeta's
the
, the
of
.
fire
George
of
the
Eucharist,
concept
d e a t h marks
of
the
end
of
the
paradisal
hubo
Sunday
world
fin."
n i mas a l m u e r z o s
and
"Como
also
the
end o f t h e
murio' l a V i o l e t a , y a no
dominicales.
Fue e l p r i n c i p i o
( p . 206)
The
counterpart
presentation
of
confusion,
the
conclusion
-
The
ritual
o f t h e grandmother:
ma's e m p a n a d a s
del
empanada
demonic
the
this
world
of
labyrinth
the
into
apocalyptic
nightmare
imagery,
of the slum,
the
Chepa
imagery
feels
is
terror,
falls
at. t h e n o v e l ' s
the Eucharist
of
that
the
pain and
r e p l e t e w i t h demonic
o f t h e empanadas,
is
symbolism
and
w h i c h Chepa
existential hell
counterpart
apocalyptic
labyrinth
to
imagery.
symbol
cannibalism.
she i s i n danger
In
of
of
the
being
devoured:
Esa
sensacion
que a veces t i e n e con l o s pbbres de su
poblacio'n:
son voraces,
quieren
devorarla,
sacarle
pedazos
de carne
para
a l i m e n t a r s e de e l l o s . . . ( p .
192)
Senor,
como
llamar
para
q u e me s a l v e n
de
estos
chiquillos
que q u i e r e n d e s c u a r t i z a r m e y devorarme. (p..
195)
These
the
grotesque
entropic
personal
process
identity,
world
into
false
facade,
falls
into
controls
has
stated
a
chaos.
an
is
and
destructive,
scenes
and
depict
the
disintegrative
Chaos
has always
illusion
the
are visual
result
conventions
instinctual
of
imaginary
obliteration
process
been
order.
bourgeois
elements
of
which
there,
of
of
Chepa's
throws h e r
hidden
The grotesque
of the erosion
of
projections
behind
chaos
and undermining
civilization
h e r own s e x u a l i t y .
a
Chepa
of the
by
the
Donoso
that:
Uno
de l o s
destrucci6"n,
reduccic'n
a
grandes
terrores
mios es e l t e r r o r de l a
de l a a b y e c c i d n de l a no e x i s t e n c i a , de l a
nada,
d e l s e r que se e l i m i n a ,
de l a
-
95 -
explotacion
del
s e r humano p o r e l s e r humano, en t o d o s
los
p i a n o s d e l a d e s t r u c c i d h . E l t e m a n o me i n t e r e s a e n
el
s e n t i d o s o c i a l ; me i n t e r e s a e l s e r h u m a n o e x p l o t a d o ,
destructor y
destruido.16
Chepa
represents
nurturing
a
mother
castrating,
channeled
passion
it.
marriage
and
of
her
and
most
the
erotic
slum
is
a
of
vitality
negative
frustrated
becomes
consumes
common
the
one
form
of
relations
and
incest
Chepa's
disintegration
passion
also
whose
projection,
incestuous
The
and
positive
as
a
destruction
as
sexual
energy
is
relationship.
expiation.
the
of
relation
the
moral
punishment
and
as
and
female
erotic
destroys
is
a
figure
incestuous
demonic
Incest
slum
an
that
assume
earth
duality
engulfing
into
The
a
of
for
her
a
fierce
that
the
seeks
a
agony
in
personality
f u l f i l l
parody
demonic
crime
the
to
demonic
biblical
is
destructive
of
imagery
followed
labyrinth
is
the
by
of
the
expiation
Maya.
labyrinth:
. . un l a b e r i n t o de a d o b e s y p i e d r a s y e s c o m b r o s ,
de
latas
y
tablas
y
calaminas
hacinados
de
cualquier
manera, s i n orden . . . (p.
183)
Pero
aqui
no hay p e r i f e r i a : a l
e s t a b l e c e e l caos y se i n i c i a e l
p"i£ m i s m o d e l a c o s t a
l a b e r i n t o ( p . 184)
se
Va
cruzando
l a , c a n c h a de f u t b o l c e r c a d a p o r e l m o n s t r o
de
la
poblacion
que
se
extiende
y
crece,
por ese
laberinto
de
covachas
que d i b u j a su l i n e a a'spera b a j o
la
tapa
del
cielo:
tiene
que e n t r a r en e l l a b e r i n t o
para
p o d e r s a l i r . No s a b e p o r d o n d e n i h a c i a d o n d e .
(p.
189)
In
contrast
demonic
labyrinth
a
negro
.
to
algo
.
."
Chepa's
a
(p.
the
is
light
in
and
fire
darkness:
cualquier
cosa
".
.
contar
of
celestial
. s i
de
solo
salir
imagery,
pudiera
de
este
the
llegar
.
laberinto
196).
anguished wandering
-
96
in
-
the
slum
is
the
demonic
image
of
lost
the
direction,
apocalyptic
Isaiah.
Chepa's
the
way,
the
final
biblical
identification
Donoso's
integration
by
imagination
infuses
i s the
straight
collapse
of
in
filth
road
the
with
demonic c o u n t e r p a r t
creates
the
element
a visual
f o l l o w i n g quotes
impact
God
to
prophesied
garbage
evil;
of the monstruous nature
h i s w r i t i n g with
G o y a as t h e
labyrinth
of
hell
of
heap
of
by
follows
is a foul p i t .
reality
deformed
"esperpOntico"
reminiscent
which
of B u n u e l
or
illustrate:
Huye.
Siguen
abriOndose
alveolos
irregulares,
multiplicandose
los
muros
hechos
con d e s p e r d i c i o s de
construccion,
de l a t a , madera y a d o b e , una p a r e d con un
umbral
s i n puerta
y
nada detra"s, v e n t a n a s m i n u s c u l a s
sin
vidrios,
una a m p o l l e t a que c a s i no i l u m i n a r o d e a d a
de
seis
c a r a s que comen, humo de f r i t a n g a , e l b a l b u c e o
demente
de
una
radio,
un
boliche
que vende p a p a s y
v o l a n t i n e s d e l ano p a s a d o y c o c a c o l a . (p. 1 8 9 )
Pero
no
hay
nadie.
T o d a s l a s p u e r t a s s e han c e r r a d o .
Todas
las
ampolletas
extinguido,
y l a C h e p a camina a
ciegas
entre
f o r m a s i r r e g u l a r e s como r o c a s , que a p e n a s
l e d e j a n e s p a c i o p a r a p a s a r . (p. 1 9 0 )
Unas
narices
chorreando,
un
cogote
flaco,
y luego,
cuando
la
comienzan
a
empujar, a t o c a r , l o s a l i e n t o s
fetidos,
las
manos
pegajosas
de mugre . . . S e q u i t a
las
m a r t a s y l a s t i r a p o r e l a i r e a l medio d e l g r u p o de
chiquillos:
r u g e n a l s a l t a r p a r a t r a p a r l a s p i e l e s y se
lanzan
al
suelo
gritando,
mordiel-idose,
esa
masa de
c u e r p o s v i o l e n t o s que l a o l v i d a n . (p. 1 9 5 )
El
suelo
esta
blando,
y
alia',
al
otro
lado,
las
siluetas
de l o s g a s o g e n o s con l u c e s que se p r e n d e n y se
apagan:
rojas,
amarillas, y
el
c i e l o c h a t o como una
tapa
de
nubes
.
E l g r u p o se d i l u y e , d i s t r a i " d o s ,
jugando
en e l b a s u r a l a l a l u z de l a l u n a que l a s nubes
de
pronto
descubren
en
su
vuelo
y
luego vuelven a
cubrir:
encuentran
zapatos
y
se
los
prueban,
otro
desentierra
una
escupidera
y
o r i n a en e l l a e n t r e l a s
risas
de
los
dema's, y g r i t a n a s u s p e r r o s . . .
sus
pies
se quedan q u e d a d o s en l a b a s u r a p o d r i d a y no puede
sacarlos
y
se
hunden mas y ma's h a s t a que no p u e d e , no
puede y c a e . (p. 1 9 7 )
In
t h e g r e a t e s t moments o f D o n o s o ' s w r i t i n g ,
climactic
finales
which
characterize
-
97
-
his f i r s t
i n the
grotesque
four novels,
we
have
a sense
moved
our
into
a
center
literary
centre,
total,
provides
endless
of
of
in
self
essence
and
of
is
center
the
words
about.
thematic
This
design
create
the
a
mythical
destruction
and
is
and
the
total
apocalypse
fall.
there
the generic
which
otherwise
associations
as
what
of
illuminates
novels
seen
analysis
and
of
and
have
Unless
archetypal
vortex
analogies
and
we
would never
events
and
inevitable
Donoso's
been
and
c r e a t i o n and
the
of
archetypes
the
Donoso's
of
feeling that
with the p r i n c i p l e of
suggestive
terms
of
While
us
it
understanding
treated
use
the
order
has
characters
necessary
series
to
of
time,
the
Donoso's
experience
provides
nature
perception
of
structure.
novels
recurrent
significance,
Donoso's
complete
Donoso's
inner
converging
the
whole
such
us
of
and
forms.
leads
Life
is
awakening
of
the
eternal fall
is
the
of
destruction
and
functions
the
disintegration.
In
cause
Este'
for
the
destruction.
clear
cut
from paradise
of
El
e a r t h l y chaos
Este
domingo
do n o t
assume
Elisa',
Estela
and Dora
eventual
such
in
some
of
the p o s i t i v e
well
some
of
the maternal .repressive
as
Alvaro
This
which
as
and
as
embodies
while
death.
ambiguity
world
as
Elisa,
of
in
, woman
into
incarnations
Chepa
Estela
of
i n Coronacio'n
characters
Thus
of
incarnation
the
The
.
elements
sexual
fall
, as
archetypal
Coronacion
elements
domingo
is
lugar
duality
suggested
sin
Perhaps
as
Northrop
Frye
writers
in
g e n e r a l , Donoso
ressembles
of
in
l i m i t e s and
has
is
-
El
suggested
resistant
98
-
Elisa
i d e n t i t y as
Este
to
domingo
Paiaro
in
in
well
as
his
the
, anticipate
de
regard
having
lifegiving
his
la
to
Noche
.
modern
archetypes
"spotted",
so
versatile
as
to
speak,
due
possible
to
a natural
and
not
anxiety
limited
to
to
keep
one
them
as
exclusive
interpretation.17
However,
myths
that
essential
we
structural
basis
and
bourgeois
He
accomplishes
is
of
regeneration.
communication
bleak
as
Yet,
El
than
Este
as
an
Instead
and
the
pessimistic
to preclude
lugar
man
redemption.
love
sin
domingo
an
myths.
and
In
best
a false
illusion
archetypal
The
perception
surrounded
domingo
the
of
possibility
far
.
-
99
is
-
hell
by
of
order.
b a s e d on
on
earth,
solitude
with
, Donoso d e s t r o y s
support
the
of
superficiality
structure
present
novel's
theme
create
of
a
the
the
emphasizes
is
reveal
biblical
the
exposes
Este
isolation
old
Donoso
existential
limites
domingo the
cultivated provide
is
he
any
Este
and
which
using
Christian
inevitable
of
This
this
in
has
disintegration.
conventions
of
possibility
concept
how
society
of
fall
seen
bourgeois
destruction
inversion
have
and
a
the
the
no
the
possible
impossibility
of
individual.
the
of
human c o n d i t i o n
presenting
worse
and
total
seems
a darker
hell
on
so
view.
earth
Chapter
Three
All
quotes
from
E s t e domingo
Joaquin Mortiz, Mexico, 1968.
Notes
refer t o e d i t i o n published by
1.
Isis
Quinteros,
Jose Donoso. una i n s u r r e c c i o n c o n t r a l a
realidad
,
(Madrid:
Hispanova
de E d i c i o n e s ,
1978) p. 1 1 4 . As
examples
of early
negative
criticisms
o f E s t e domingo , I s i s
Quinteros
quotes
two reviews w r i t t e n i n 1966: " . . . Coronacion l o
colocd'
en e l p r i m e r p i a n o de l a n o v e l a c h i l e n a . R e c i b i o e l o g i o s
dentro
y
fuera
del pais.
Tuvo
premios
y
traducciones y fue
convirtiOndose e n u n g r a n
compromiso
para e l f u t u r o . M i l e s de
entusiastas
esperaban
e l nuevo paso que d a r f a e l a u t o r . Ahora l o
ha
dado
y
e s , en g r a n p a r t e , un p a s o f a l s o . " G u i l l e r m o B l a n c o ,
Ercilla
,
(December
2 1 , 1966); ^ S i Este cominoo
fuese e l l i b r o
de ^ a l g u i e n
muy j o v e n r e p r e s e n t a r i a s i n d u d a b u e n o s m e r i t o s ; p e r o
Jose
Donoso,
segun
l a s o l a p a , c u e n t a c o n 42 a n o s d e e d a d y u n a
publica
carrera
de e s c r i t o r ,
cosas
ambas q u e n o s c o n f i e r e n e l
derecho
a
exigir
una obra
significativa
de nuestro
acervo
literario
. . . E s t e domingo
es un l i b r o a s a z m a l o g r a c o . " M . C . G . ,
( P . E . C . , No. 2 0 9 , December 3 0 , 1 9 6 6 ) .
2.
George
P u b l i s h e r s , 1979),
Nuevo
McMurray,
p. 72.
Jose'
,
(Boston:
3.
Emir
R o d r i g u e z M o n e g a l , " E l mundo d e Jose"Donoso",
, No. 1 2 , V o l .1 2 , June 1967, p p . 79-85. *
4.
Raul
Bueno
Chavez,
Donoso,
l a destrucci6*n
de
Garcfa Cambeiro, 1975).
",
Donoso
5.
Libre
Antonio
u n mundo
Twayne
Mundo
Cornejo
P o l a r and o t h e r s ,
, (Buenos A i r e s : Fernando
" E n t r e v i s t a a p r o p o s i t o de E l o b s c e n o p a j a r o de l a noche
, N o . 1 , S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r / N o v e m b e r 1 9 7 1 , p p . 13-16.
6.
Charles
Tatum,"The
Child's
Point
of View i n Donoso's
Fiction",
Journal
of Spanish Studies Twentieth Century , Spring
1973', V o l . 1 , N o . 1 , p . 1 8 8 .
7.
Hernan
Vidal,
S u r r e a l i s m o y rebelicfn de l o s i n s t i n t o s
(Barcelona: Ediciones A u b i , 1972), p. 111.
8.
,
Tatum, p. 195.
9.
Alvin
Greenberg,
"The
Novel
of
Disintegration;
paradoxical
impossibility
i n contemporary
fiction",
wisconsin
Studies
i n Contemporary L i t e r a t u r e , W i n t e r - S p r i n g 1 9 6 6 , V o l . 1,
No. 1 , p . 1 0 3 .
10.
narrativa
Noe" J i t r i k ,
"Realismo
latinoamericana
(Havana:
-
100 -
y
antirealismo"
in Actual
Centro
de
Investigaciones
Literarias,
Casa
de
las
Ame'ricas,
1970),
p.
25.
11.
Antonio
Cornejo
P o l a r , " J o s e ' Donoso y l o s p r o b l e m a s de
la
nueva
narrativa
hispanoamericana",
Acta L i t e r a r i a Academiae
S c i e n t i a r i u m H u n o a r i c a e , T o m u s 17 ( 1 2 ) , 1 9 7 5 , p . 2 2 1 .
12.
Rodriguez
Monegal,
p.
80.
13.
(England:
J o s e p h C a m p b e l l , The Masks of God. P r i m i t i v e M y t h o l o g y
Penguin Books, 1976), p. 476.
14.
Atheneum,
Northrop
1967) , p.
15.
McMurray,
Frye,
145.
p.
Frye,
p.
of
Criticism
,
(New
York:
84.
16.
Quoted
by
Emir
novela
como
happening",
76-77, July-December 1971,
17.
Anatomy
,
Rodriguez
Monegal i n "Jose'Donoso;
la
Revista
Iberoaroericana
, V o l . 38, No.
p. 521.
102.
-
101
-
Chapter
El
1966.
lugar
It
sin
was
written
Carlos
Fuentes'
Carlos
Fuentes
as
shift
in
marks
a
lugar
sin
cycle
which
paiaro
which
to
la
most
that
Coronacion
insanity
to
noche
are,
.
roles,
Este
El
The
lugar
latter
interview
of
in
originated
as
obsceno
pajaro
la
de
transformee
qui,
pages.
en
un
sin
J'en
roman
The
depicted
system,
unlike
of
and
obsceno
is.the
Este
novel
domingo
characters
w h i c h Donoso
El
obsceno
to
de
of
i l l u s t r a t e the
In
the m a t e r i a l destined
to
become
qui
devait
de
des
milliers
je
l ' a i
etre El
lugar
la
sexual
inevitable fall.
out
and
lugar
une,
of
continues
pajaro
inversion
decay
man's
"J'avais
El
narrative
El
:
it
,
that
pris
urban
in
.The
and
d e s t r o y e d by death
points
ai
in
domingo
v/ith E l
limites
travesty,
Donoso
une page
the
sin
were
atrophy
noche
est
feudal
human
Este
ends
l a noche
that
use
and
Coronaci6n a n d
l i m i t e s and
part
en s u b s t a n c e ,
society
de
d e s t r u c t i o n and
limites
milliers
lucar
were
Although
the n o v e l i s t i c
entropic process
France,
de
El
pajaro
both
affection.
and
the world of
s p i r i t u a l and p h y s i c a l
process
of
wife
in
dedicated to Rita
from Coronacion
fact,
the
is
g r a t i t u d e and
domingo
of
The book
Coronacion
. In
t h i r d novel, published
where Donoso and h i s
integral part
obsceno
part
in
inexorable
1972
El
of
with
noche
and
depict
an
clearly links
of
Mexico
setting
begins
Donoso's
guests.
a sign
is
is
in
house
limites
de
limites
Four
a
sin
El
et
des
agrandie
et
sin
limites
,
"1'Oiseau"".1
El
lugar
m i l i e u of
- 102 -
sin
the
limites
"haute
is
under
a
bourgeoisie"
in
Donoso's
small
rural
Estacion
el
en
two
novels.
town
the
central
e l pueblo
miedo"(p.
cuando
heredo'
Olivo
para
The
decay:
entre
one
The
day
virgin,
Alejo's
the
and
Hace
que
q u i e r e . Todos
lo
a l l powerful:
Y tanto poder:
hizo
construir
y
a
Chile,
is
siglo
The
se
Don
la
le
Alejo,
Estacio'n
llevara
sus
i m m i n e n t doom
and
La
the
hombrazo
grandote
aqui"(p.
58).
one
que
un p o t r e r o c r u z a d o p o r
is
run
par
de
es
mas
que
l a g e o m e t r i a de
las
vinas
of
Vega
la
La
woman
as
a sort
(la
of
on t h e
the
four
a n d Don
Manuela's
one
Japonesa
pornographic
who
dances
supermacho,
la
no
Manuela
Pancho
26);
and
- 103 -
la
town's
eucaliptos
un
desorden
que van
brothel
a
and
main c h a r a c t e r s :
an a g i n g
and
only
grande),
and
act
la
Vega,
mas
la Japonesita
of
sexual
for
Don
produced.la
the-customers,
a truck
hombre
year
pathetic
staged
peep-show,
flamenco for
"El
y
Alejo..
l a Manuela,
y bigotudo"(p.
Both
del
Japonesita, a f r i g i d eighteen
father,
a
local
debajo
life
by
of
de c o n c r e t o , r e s q u e b r a j a d o
"El Olivo
Pancho
Manuela,
attracts
mas
is
action centers
the
tranvestite.
benefit
era
20);
her
with
no
town
s i t i a d o por
in
and
Japonesita.
of
who
d e t u v i e r a a h i mismo
hinojos
l a Manuela,
intercourse
region
is
Alejo -
i n v a l i d o , un anden
46)
brothel
homosexual
in
"Ahora
ruinosas
Japonesita,
old
t r e n se
the novel
by a w e a l t h y l a n d owner
plata.
de m e d i o
..."(p.
tragarselo."(p.
depicts
"Tanta
los
estrafalarios,
casas
Don
of
92).
un s e m a ' f o r o
tumbado
de
el
-
setting
interior
como un D i o s .
74);
que
The
founded
Cruz
es
atmosphere
inevitable
was
h a c e mas
productos"(p.
linea,
It
Alejandro
tienen
el
in
Olivo.
politician,
"Aqui
previous
driver:
macho
are
de
"Ese
por
similarly
afraid
of
of
and a t t r a c t e d t o Pancho
Pancho
Vega's
Vega
latent
es
tocarlo y
...
allcf
que
the b r o t h e l signals
homosexuality
increfblemente
desea
to
fiesta,
e l v i e j o maricdn
es
como
triggers
an
explosion
iba
to
a
"Echarjfa
barro
aba j o
donde
Alejo
will
die
todos
sus
alone
to
the
death.
their
old
of
unattractive
seductive,
para
avanza
atraves
puerta,
la
luz
and
le
que
y
mientras
borrarfa
los
esa
El
leads
tries
homosexual
se
by
dancer:
de
l a Manuela,
de
for
calles
los
whom h e
the
La
le
asperas
de
a
and
de e l
Japonesita
asaran
"No
town:
paredones
despues
y
126)]
good:
destroy
to
have
la
Don
porque
is
left
e l arado
"
overcome
yo,
como
- 104 -
el
escucha
las
to
one
la
is
por
overtaken
destruction
his
rebel
last
ser
...
vestido.
against
t i m e as
voy
la
a ir
...
artistas
an
a
a
Manuela
o c u i t a detra's
grandes
and
s i t u a t i o n as
Manuela
como d e b e
entallandose
entrar
limites
tried
appearing
alegre
persigna
sin
inevitably to
Manuela
antes
solo
deja bailar
t i e r r a . " ( p . 69),
que
lugar
characters
patio
que
anhelando" (p.
las
adobes
"Hasta
in
which
sea
e l , e l sabe
137)
everyone
todo
que
e'l se
Alejo will
the main
del
el y
quedaref nada
death:
Pancho
y
then disappears
araria
"no
climax.
r e t o r c e r s e no s e a
fracasaron."(115)
await
irresistible
bailar
ese
para
against
Don
casas,
surjieron y
entropic process
condition:
hasta
las
volveria a unir
and
que
Pancho
el pueblo."(p.
Three
bailando
kills.
137).
awaited a r r i v a l
the n o v e l ' s
que b a i l a p a r a
m£s"(p.
proyectos
Everything
by
esta
violence
himself
slowly
long
increiblemente asqueroso
of
todas
de
encima a todo
eso
The
e'l, tambien, estuviera
and
nunca
y bonigas,
tierra
se
pulp
a volver
["Eso
a c a r i c i a r l o , desea
...
beats
Vega.
avanza
de
la
antes
de
salir
a
la
virginity
quien
su
luz."(pp.
and
eres
escape
pesado
de
sonando
pegaba,
que
adentro
de
who
may
in
sin
tener
to
que
hasten
the
The
make
of
lfmites
the
was
is
of
apprehension
traditional
including
undergoing
'an'
of
to
Donoso,
but
such
as
vaya,
que
quedara
"
of
authority
...
la
to
of
algo
anb
que
38)
ella
frio
del
the
rebel
Don
Alejo,
All
not
la
de
libertad, el
escape
aspirations,
el
de
Un
sufrir,
veneer
role
saber
calor
Pancho.
nadie."(p.
El
lugar
granted
was
to
enormous
a
sin
solo
of
their
their
final
only
period
to
fail
but
that
of
period
more
commonly
of
Cortazar,
Vargas
resulted
in
a
literary
criticism
focusing
on
Latinamerican
-
significant
1957.
By
lugar
sin
attempts
express
literary
eventually
105
El
reality,
Marques,
-
to
associated
in
a
Latinamerican
conscious
language,
This
represents
renovation.
question
Fuentes,
limites
Coronacidri
evident
renovate
reality,
realism.
authors
to
it.
of
ese
her
world.
sixties,
writers
"Para
hacia
the
chaos,
their
from that
part
con
plays
of
life:
y
lose
v i o l e n c i a , debajo
father:
out
to
hoy
la
algo
a
wants
mano
se
"Pero
esa
cuentas
their
esa
patriarchal
real
her
el
que
en
who
reaction
clearly
Latinamerican
aunque
pero
f u l f i l l
evolution
literature
famous
to
critical
end
his
order
collapse
substantial
the
be
of
sabres y
121);
the
rendirle
disintegration,
lo
encontraba
defy
Japonesita
monotony
Sonando
Pancho,
fact
to
el.
violentaba,
58)
wants
ahora
noche."(p.
ella,
Lucifer,
cold
entonces,
con
la
invierno."(p.
efforts
y
esta
llevaba
o
the
Japonesita,
cuerpo
siquiera
127-128);. La
to
a
by
new
reject
renovation,
with the
Llosa,
most
Garcia
evolution
in
literature
in
general
and Donoso
Although
by
the
with
some
emergence
literary
values,
the
approaches
such
Dorfman,
available
comparison
and
artistic
this
for
new
various
forms,
structuralist,
of
Sarduy,
Emir
Quinteros,
Fernando
r e f e r e n c e t o Donoso
to
the
limited
critical
from the
critical
the
new
methodological
explore
Turner,
in
The
methodology,
the
and
"boom".
Monegal,
Ariel
Hugo A c h u g a r
analysing
bibliography
mid-sixties
material
new
faced
archetypal
to
approaches
varied
of
critical
Rodriguez
Moreno
when
phenomenon.2
marxist,
Severo
enormously
most,
success
literary
posed
formulated
appropriate
schools
methodological
the problem
which
international
searched
of
works
avenues
.3 A n
in
and
ignore
ample
different
limites
and
to
provided
as
Isis
continued
authors
methods
burgeoning
psychoanalytical
sin
of
examine
particular
these
critics
narrative,
to
continued
Critics
particular.
national
Latinamerican
in
in
El
use
lugar
becomes
onwards,
previously
in
in
existence.
The
"nueva
Fuentes,
in
genealogy
for
a
Fuentes
La
of
valid
the
the process
the
novela"
nueva
novela
"nueva
critical
searching
novela"
task
for
a
"nueva
critica".
hispanoamericana
approach
fundamental
of
required
and
to
of
and
outlines
, 1969,
his
understanding
Carlos
presents
basic
a
criteria
i t . According
to
t h e new L a t i n a m e r i c a n w r i t e r
is
elaborating
a new
language:
La
nueva
novela
h i s p a n o a m e r i c a n a s e p r e s e n t a como u n a
nueva
fundaciOn d e l l e n g u a j e c o n t r a l o s
prolongamientos
calcificados
de
nuestra
falsa
y
f e u d a l fundacidh de
origen
y
su
lenguaje
igualmente
falso y anacrdhico.
...nuestra
literatura
es v e r d a d e r a m e n t e r e v o l u c i o n a r i a
en
cuanto
le
n i e g a a l o r d e n e s t a b l e c i d o e l l e x i c o que
este
quisiera
y
l e opone e l l e n g u a j e de l a a l a r m a , l a
renovacidn,
el
desorden
y
el
h u m o r . E l l e n g u a j e , en
suma,
de
la
ambiguidad:
de
significados,
de
la
constelacioh
apertura.4
Fuentes's
limites
which
,
comments
which
are
a
ambiguous
reality.
of
organization
biblical
whose
addressing
limites
En
de
ese
del
is
inversiones:
surrealistas.
travestismo,
de e s t a s
es
decir,
en
desenlaces
transpuestos,
lugar
limites
reshaping
cycle
of
Donoso's
two
si:
Isis
El
authors'
la
una
is
of
sin
of
the
malignant
deity.6
la
of
the
first
points
limites
of
themes
Fernando
of
out
descent
into
d e s t r u c t i o n , the
Moreno
Turner
los
que
racfs
sexual,
es
el
la
'vuelcos',
de
narrativa."5
El
restating
and
the
narrative
their
thematic
similarities
Pedro
novela.
asiduidad
v/hich g i v e
the
la
tradicion mitica
ongoing
and R u l f o ' s
the
una
de
novels
critica"
desencadena
inversion
four
Severo
sin
de
progresio'n
of
lugar
novela,
Donoso's
parody
El
con
metonlmica
forms
Donoso's
"nueva
la
m y t h i c a l themes
treatment
treatment
apariencia
part
la
sin
archetypal
estructura
continua
de
cadena
Quinteros
lugar
l a Manuela,
practicaron
domina
recurrent
comprised
coherence.
. que
s i g n i f icado
inversion
sin
limites
of
in
de
la
a multiple,
the
the
out,
la
sin
and
b e l i e f s . As
of
de
sucesion
into
is
Christian
points
lugar
on a d e m o n i c
a good example
r e v e l s ' ,
El
of
based
central, la
lugar
al
is
El
element
reality
novela",
inversion
'mundo
structural
inversion
"nueva
El
main
to
techniques
to penetrate
ambiguous
article
sentido
language,
Donoso
novel which
an
the
"la
The
the
myths,
Sarduy,
for
an
of
p a r t i c u l a r l y relevant
a novelistic
vehicle
presentation
se'rie
has
are
la
pluralidad
de a l u s i o n e s : de
Paramo
hell,
the
between
in
these
mythical
lost
paradise,
the
and D o n a l d
Shaw f i n d
the
treatment
in
51
senor
In
lugar
is
to
view,
in
an
a
lugar
reality
escalation
El
lugar
of
The
which
and
dimensions.8
By
opposing
without
as
one
identity.
old
or
luoar
the
sin
is
many
in
already
and
Este
and
into
what
alternates points
of
El
lugar
Just
very
found
as
physical
as
process
only
l i m i t e s he
Manuela's
uses
a continuation
and
the grotesque
of
destruction
but
a world of
of
v i e w as
the
Donoso
de
o s c i l l a t e s between
by
refuge
and
his
or
of
Este
own
is
ambiguity
security
view of
in
the
domingo
transvestite to
la
two
female, l a Manuela
destroyed
a homosexual
the
grotesque
lenguaje
Coronacion
and
are
calls
"el
in
psychic
aberrations,
point
and
In
and
reality,
male
- IOC -
grotesque
surrounding
a permanent
in
limites
fragmented.
physical
of
.
decrepitude
, but
Donoso used the p o i n t
young
sin
d i s t o r t i o n . The
of
the
of
domingo
d i s t o r t e d and
a
are
Este
consciousness
eventually
flashbacks
r e l a t i o n to
,
Fuentes
Alternately
and
central
narrative
destroyers
penetration
having
found
same
domingo
not
la
and
that
the
constant
includes
l a Manuela's
torn
ever
novel
grotesque
presenting
realities.
constantly
, the
uses
describes
creating
ambiguicad",
domingo
domingo
of
creators
dominant
in
Este
characters, with their psychic
participants
succeeds
to
The
Three
remains
Coronacidn
disintegration
novel's
which
limites
similar
a Sunday,
l i m i t e s the atmosphere
sin
reality.
, and
Este
deterioration
deity
in
day,
present.
in Chapter
to
, as
one
escalation
sin
tangible
in
domingo
compared
reflects
limites
the
Este
discussed
represents
El
sin
illuminate
However,
a malignant
Asturias.7
encapsulated
as
devices
t h e theme o f
p r e s i d e n t e ""by
El
action
used
of
,
any
very
in
EI
incarnate
and
present
and
an
the
ambiguous
unreal
p e r c e p t i o n of
appear
as
reality,
superimposed
where
in
a
the
real
process
of
disintegration.
In
El
lugar
exceptionally
sin
and
rarely
pervasive.
The
characters
integrity
limites
.
further
lucar
of
female
Alejo's
godlike
malevolence.
reveals
the
In
El
fictional
Manuela
sin
form
material
only
a
and
thematic
filtered
Pancho
their
of
hours,
beginning
10:00
A.M.:
"La
action
with
la
the
Vega
is
in
El
succession
of
" b a i l a r i n a " is
Manuela
masks
-
109
-
a
which
a subtle
The
a
frigid
Don
and
never
presentation
each
of
la
presenting
objective
lapse
a
ambiguity
reality.
of
nineteen
on S u n d a y
dificultad
of
individual
a pervasive
awakening
con
integration
consciousness
within a time
despego'
is
benevolence
isolates
creates
Manuela's
sin
and
a l i e n a t i o n , and t h r o u g h
occurs
lugar
ambiguity.
a u n i l a t e r a l p e r c e p t i o n of
novel's
the
between
content.
through
the
a l a t e n t homosexual,
game
underlying
p e r c e p t i o n s , Donoso
undermines
is
of
Coronacio'n
whorehouse
l i m i t e s Donoso a c h i e v e s
emphasizing
of
macho,
becomes
terms
El
only
psychological
a constant
the
,
new p r o p o r t i o n s
roles:
of
in
and
in
, assumes
alternates
l a J a p o n e s i t a or
multiplicity
The
madam
local
domingo
begins
changing
domingo
amplified in
presents
manipulates
face,
lugar
character,
novel
the
the
Este
which appears
Este
substitutions
domingo
playing
and
is
which
character
real
or
of
. The
Vega,
in
identity
Este
Donoso
narrative
which
in
impersonator,
Pancho
of
of
characters
virgin,
found
identity
lfmites
ambiguous
Coronacion
system
developed
sin
in
ambiguity
The
transferences
l i m i t e s the grotesque,
sus
around
ojos
laganosos,
se
donde
doumia
Cinco
para
estiro
la
diez.
...
and
ending
11),
Japonesita
goes
"
hicieron
...
cerca
la
de
las
siempre
se
Manuela's
are
their
encounter.
centered
Don
la
la
on
the
Manuela
Alejo's
Manuela
in
antes
de
siquiera
The
these
The
Chapter
and
six
when
middle
of
which
five
seven,
development,
la
McMurray
which
the
El
lugar
climax
of
Coronacion
sin
of
Andres's
limites
v i o l e n c e and
and C h e p a ' s
and
Este
are
driven
domingo
by
psychosexual
110
la
chapters
outcome
the
of
are
arrival
celebration
seduction
resulted
"Thus,
to
of
zigzags
in
except
both
of
plot
la
for
and
forwards,
e m o t i o n a l momentum,
and
chapters."9
-
, Donoso's
their
d e s t r u c t i o n . As
-
into
seventh,
Grande's
action
final
in
of
essential
the
As
and
the
heightening
the
sixth
the
part
accumulating
of
and
y
159)
five
namely
climactic events,
impact
last
events,
postponing
pieza
c e n t e r e d on
A l e j o , which
central
(p.
ser
Nelly
p e r f e c t l y fused
summarizes:
are
la
are
Japonesa
w i t h Don
Deben
Nelly y
are
la
link:
vela."
the
as
...
E n t r o ' en su
meeting
past
el Olivo
George
la
the
chal
a unifying
una
return,
chapters,
a bet
a
chapters
two c h a r a c t e r s
Estacidn
birth.
day
encender
r e c o l l e c t i o n of
part
the next
madrugada.
Vega's
electoral victory,
as
A.M.
rosado.
de
reloj.
el
llorar
la
first
Pancho
Japonesita's
thematic
oye
el
con
chal
porque
tomar
hombros
en su
unit.
on
5:00
twelve chapters
awaiting
centered
at
opuesto
los
arrebozarse
cama s i n
symmetrical
cubrio'
lado
para
providing
m e t i d ' en su
has
Se
mano
el
shawl
cinco
novel
alargo'la
hacia
the pink
un p o c o
one
of
to bed,
llora
The
y volcandose
Japonesita,
las
rosado."(p.
apenas
characters
own o b s e s s i o n s
Donoso p l o t t e d t h e
development
and
the
into
in
a
course
erosion
of
their
control
El
lugar
sin
la
Manuela's
mechanisms
limites
by
, Donoso
emotional
their
own
emerging
carefully plots
development
towards
sexuality,
Pancho
their
Vega's
final
in
and
climactic
encounter.
The
narrative
begins
gradually,
in
the
refers
the
characters'
to
estaria
tocando,
first
ronca
(p.12);
"Sin
enojara,
incline'
de
estropajo.
no,
Mejor
parece
que
componerlo."
stance
the
and
then
the
character.
monologues
sympathy
often
The
,
identification
trago
-
Yo
-
Pero
Era
of
irony."10
focuses
"Y
tone
in
which
in
of
on
para
focus
to
to
el
an
c i e r t o . Mejor
no
-
I l l
the
...
sobaco
...
el
narrative
the
no
them,
to
narrator's
..."
as
interior
matter
how
narrated
attitudes
same t e c h n i q u e
interior
mind
identification
"But
narrator
ahora
-
corpino
objective
surrounds
no.
acordarse
Un
a certain
uses
el
abrio.
to
character:
y
la
person
characters
plata
se
a first
agregar:
me d e b e s
no
hija
with
no.
tu
a
figural
t h i r d person
and
escote,
loca
l a Manuela's
that
commit
novel
the
maleta y
Conn comments:
text
su
tocc'. Alzo' e l
with
narrator
the
the
narrator
lo
begins
Dorr i t
tend
domingo
Pero
la
seguidos
volver
que
but
monologue
minutos
para
para
estropeado,
the
As
sacd'
narrated
cinco
como
ruido
alternates
themselves
or
hacer
the
commits
form of
insistente,
tan
narrator
the
"Casi
Donoso
narrows
This
thoughts:
nuevo,
esta
t r a d i t i o n a l t h i r d person
a
tocarlo.
14)
t h i r d person
'impersonal'
Este
no
(p.
monologue.
with
ni
the
chapter,
e
cualquiera."
se
in
found
point
thoughts
of
of
in
view
in
an
This
third
describe
an
observer
voz
Manuela,
time, place
who
assumes
"Es
and
first
provide
psychological
greater
Throughout
Manuela,
first
person
who,
as
novel
Vega,
interior
Japonesita
and
la
Don
is
It
is
shape
the
interior
the
view
flow of
of
o lo
and
diria
(p.
136)
the present
narrative
with
provide
the
events
and
the
novel
and
stimuli.
lo
La
r e a l i t y but
the
narration
unstable,
e l bracero
They
to
becomes
doubt
sintio'."
their
point
of
of
and
from the
characters'
impenetrable
undoubtedly
la
the
the
of
Grande.
from
la
often
and
view
seen
view
Japonesita,
monologues,
Japonesa
never
unscrutable,
the
thoughts
point
mythic,
sobre
of
previously,
the
him
lo
sensorial
the
Japonesita,
point
past,
into
la
interior
from
Alejo
the
with
monologues.
temporal
or
mentioned
characters'
the
sometimes
is
as
the
The
they
their
future
frequent
also
gives
it
between
la
agility.
the
Pancho
Japonesita
into
dialogue
f l u i d i t y and
la
ella
function
expresses
inclinado
interior
towards
of
y
with a varied
f l u i d i t y to
incorporation*
la
event
and
dijo
pensara
insights
flows
se
Cespedes
person
only
characters,
viewing
Don
Vega
and
identification
luna,
Pancho
whose g e n e r a l
described
hay
lo
orientation
seen
cue
solo
not
through
being
o talvez
direct
other
an
talvez
narration
also
situate
alta,
o
their
to
situation
hesitation:
diria
narrator,
and
ambiguous
en
person
la
Japonesa
third
Grande
person
identifies
situation.
Manuela,
Unlike
within
alternates
the
and
different
narrator
with
the
Don
Alejo
is
Pancho
Vega,
la
latter
characters,
Donoso's
angles
using
method
of
reinforces
his
which
the
role.
Manuela's
- 112 -
character
is
central
focus
of
the
Manuela's
consciousness
awareness
of
It
is
the
partly
identity,
through
the
in
permeated
flamenco
Manuela's
consciousness
cohesive
unit.
novel
sixteen
aspirations
At
and
(p.
of
A
explained:
"A
Japonesita
y
ambiguity
role
no,
tu"
no,
"
eres
bajando
los
queden
desnudos
estoy
haciendo
gozar
(p.
the
novel
elements,
unifying
and
link
and
a
symbol
the
reader
is
sexual
novel
like
threads
the
and
Olivo.
the whole
-
novel,
the
character
name
this
me
text
la
of
la
into
a
throughout
of
of
voy
sexual
erotic
in
la
the
Manuela's
te
yo
yo
soy
124)
-
113
bien
(p.
is
-
an
a
soy
female,
..."
el
negated
The
assumes
sosten
(p.
l a macha y
and
a
la
sexual
merely
la
Manuela
a
passive
role:
ves
para
"
como
que
123);
"
tu
hembra
la
the
cualquiera."
12)
macha,
la
not
of
c a r r i e d beyond
la
to
montadas,
a c t i v e male
quito
goza'rtelos
porque
be
because
loca
l a Manuela
Grande
como
must
r e l a t i o n s h i p between
mujer Manuela,
y
presented
identity is
..."
roles
v/hich
Japonesa
volver
a montar
papa
is
also
feminine
las
del
y yo
but
como p a r a
later
calzones
pechos
that
the
of
el
Manuela's
constantly
the
la
terms,
part
Estacion
la
are
...
dos
la
of
la
information
referred to
Grande
and
of
Other
the
inversion
Japonesa
and p e o p l e
feminine
in
gains
is
maricon
terms
feminine
estoy
al
and
linguistic
la
the
las
reader
through-
seduction.
of
paragraph
largely
ambiguity.
i m m e d i a t e l y assumes
attitude:
12)
and
times
feminine
because
narrative
the
is
ambiguity
in
dress
the beginning
Manuela
only
to
dress,
The
It
linguistic
with
Manuela's
-
that
characteristics
expressed
becomes
narration.
...
yo
...
te
tus
te
..."
La
anos
Japonesita's
bien
tocaba
her
un
cumplidos
ni
hombre
salia
su
cama
hija
como
para
le
el.
...
papa'."
146) ;
"Y
hombres
todos
que
ambivalence
[
con
que
"...
y no
venga
el
centro
desde
deja bailar
alia
y
que
estuviera
anhelando.
nadie
6\4
se
quisiera
agitaridose
en
alternatingly
Que
cuenta.
agarrarla
no
Alejo.i*Que
"Lo
conocia
seria
demasiado
El
asi,
de
and
la
tiempo
para
-
114
de
no
-
este
ir
"El
y
es
sepa.
No
que
los
rien
y
me
su
unico
sexual
mi
esa
de
la
loca
sea
que
desea
solo
alia"
deja mirar
para
si
e l ,
el
y
lo
soba
cuerpo
144)],
Don
role
["Y
Estacidn
sin
el?"
que
y
el
tambien,
de' c u e n t a .
l a Manuela
cuenta
el
e l mib
divine
darse
de
en
se
ese
me
(p.
sabe
se
no
a dormir
baila
como
maricdh
Vega's
no
Pancho
...
papa''."
corazon,
que
139);
(p.
la
Mi
Pancho
quebrarla,
benevolent
gente
del
"
entonces
se
de
..."
un
pegan y
es
comprar
16);
le
porque
hasta
of
de
No.
retorcerse
no
ambiguity
aqui,
(p.
baile
brazos
malevolent
Don
risa
la
hombres
maricoV q u e
Octavio
asi,
sus
viejo
Pero
(p.
divertirme,
piel,
...
los
a tener
ese
dieciccho
queria
hija
mama.
158)],
..."
que
da
...
ser
hijita
quiero
su
el
the
suya."
destino
(p.
voy
quiero,
ya
su
sus
todavia
siquiera
tu
que
que
sin
noche
...
con
25)],
la
porque
y dice
contra
en
soy
de
malos
a salvarnos
sino
una
nunca."
esta
["Ni
Claro,
el
abandone
...
c h i q u i l l a de m i e r d a ,
y . a c a r i c i a r l o , desea
acariciar
se
lo
de
(p.
verguenza
cancicn
llora
seria
mi mujer
Manuela,
en
"-
son
no
tocarlo
57);
paps'
daba
bueno,
a l l / , que
mi
cada
["
llegaba
father
le
la
que
casa
que
le
corriendo"
dormir
bueno,
(p.
regla
her
con
que
apoyo,
poder
ambiguity
la
despue's
entonces
dice
with
grito'
digas
y
y
relationship
otra
sexual
Que
y
el
olisco
Alejo's
tan
bueno
(p.
algo
20) ;
estaba
tramando.
turbios
all
Siempre
de
que
central
habia
lo
which
overall
archetypal
inversion
of
sustains
sense,
is
the
structured
of
and
(p.
of
an
of
the
57)]
norm.
beliefs
and
the
its
structure.
in
with
its
The
reveals
narrative
and
archetypal
are
ambiguous
limites
the
limites
negocios
sin
psychoanalytical
to
esos
lugar
inversion
social,
sin
inversion
El
de
politicos."
perspective
an
of
myths
accessories
lugar
enemigos
by
analysis
novel's
El
sus
p i l l a r l o en uno
Donoso's
principle
are
provides
to
Christian
this
contexts
acusaban
aspects
reality
querido
an
form
In
this
existential
structure
essential
which
level
of
limites
is
dominated
by
significance.
Like
Donoso's
previous
structured
by
Donoso's
the
of
destruction
theme
limites
is
supposed to
hell
on
use
earth,
become.
As
novels,
of
biblical
and
the
a demonic
George
El
lugar
imagery
eternal
parody
McMurray
has
sin
and
fall.
of
El
lugar
the paradise
pointed
it
sin
was
out:
In
Hell
H a s No L i m i t s D o n o s o r e i n t e r p r e t s b i b l i c a l a n d
classical
myths
a s a means o f p u t t i n g human s i t u a t i o n s
and
m e t a p h y s i c a l c o n c e p t s i n t o new p e r s p e c t i v e .
Indeed,
the
symbolic
allusions
to
the
biblical
myth of t h e
creation
and
the
fall
p r o v i d e a p o e t i c framework f o r
the
d e p i c t i o n o f an a b s u r d w o r l d b a s e d a t l e a s t i n p a r t
on e x i s t e n t i a l i s t p r i n c i p l e s . i l
The
schematic
corruption,
analysing
the
the
archetypal
task
of
lost
of
of
rendering
of
while
the
the
of
paradise,
structure
outline,
development
reflection
relations
it
novel,
overall
the
El
biblical
the
is
fall
lugar
explains
not
themes:
sin
the
play
sheer
-
plastic
115
-
a vital
limites
. A
structure
necessarily
l i t e r a r y experience
quality
of
of
innocence,
the
role
in
schematic
and
thematic
an
accurate
reader.
Donoso's
The
writing
is
more d i f f i c u l t .
reader
it
aware
helps
of
to
integration
El
to
the
By
Donoso
always,
using
powerful
and
the
opportunity
Donoso's
center
of
characters
are
consumed
chaos:
by
whole
caught
is
and
is
a novel
that
Vega,
these
at
in
techniques
in
the
although
and
their
grotesque
themes
Donoso
is
on t h e t h e m e s
of
his
magnificent
experience of
the
vortex
artistic
consequently
in
of
of
distortions
Japonesita -
statements
most
themes
p e r f e c t l y to
are
la
which the
virtuosity
its
literary
make
writing provides
lend themselves
Pancho
necessarily
content.
greatest
up
not
narrative
imaginative
fall
for
of
characters
language
our
use
limites
fall
does
Donoso's
thematic
Don A l e j o ,
make
destruction
sin
and
Manuela,
able
the
the novel's
lugar
presentation.
la
the pleasure
illuminate his
to
destruction
Textual analysis
provide
writing.
and
the novel
As
becomes
when
destruction
his
and
No
la
a l c a n z o ' a m o v e r s e a n t e s que l o s hombres b r o t a d o s de
zarzamora
s e a b a l a n z a r o n s o b r e e ' l como h a m b r i e n t o s .
talvez
no
f u e r o n e l l o s s i n o o t r o s hombres que
penetraron
l a mora y l o e n c o n t r a r o n y se l a n z a r o n s o b r e
e'l
y
lo
patearon
y
lo
pegaron
y
lo
retorcieron,
jadeando
sobre
e'l, los cuerpos c a l i e n t e s .retorcie'ndose.
sobre
l a M a n u e l a que y a no p o d f a n i g r i t a r , l o s c u e r p o s
pesados,
rigidos,
los
tres
una
sola
masa
viscosa
retorcie'ndose
como u n a n i m a l f a n t S s t i c o d e t r e s c a b e z a s
y
multiples
extremidades
heridas
e h i r i e n t e s , unidos
los
t r e s p o r e l v d m i t o y e l c a l o r y e l d o l o r a l l f en e l
pasto,
buscando
quien
es
el
culpable, castigandolo,
castig^hdola,
c a s t i g ^ h d o s e d e l e i t a d o s h a s t a en e l f o n d o
de
la
confusidn
dolorosa,
el
cuerpo
endeble
de l a
Manuela
que
y a no r e s i s t e , q u i e b r a b a j o e l p e s o , y a no
puede
ni
aullar
de
dolor,
bocas
calientes,
manos
calientes,
cuerpos babientos y duros h i r i e n d o e l s u y o y
que
r i e n y que i n s u l t a n y que b u s c a n romper y q u e b r a r y
destrozar
y
reconocer
ese
m o n s t r u o de
tres
cuerpos
retorciendose,
hasta
que y a no q u e d a n a d a y l a M a n u e l a
aoenas
v e , a p e n a s o y e , a p e n a s s i e n t e , v e , n o , no ve . .
." (pp. 150-151)
v
As
in Coronacion
and
Este
-
domingo
116
-
,
in
El
lugar
sin
limites
it
is
feminine
precipitates
the
Manuela's
fall
expiation
of
destruction
acto
and
his
al
deseo,
asumir
macho
-
Pancho
and
ese
Octavio
their
attack
described
como
in
an
1
en
aura
el
babientos
La
imagen
of
la
with
jadeando
sus
hiriendo
variety
of
instead
presenting
in
from
limits
a very
of
an
Manuela's
explicit
Jamesian
Donoso,
in
la
terms
of
mismo
vuelve
y
points
su
is
con
le
("Se
e*l; unidos
calientos
to
propio
impone,
el
possession
rape
the
tres;
and
is
violence
abalanzaron
los
"El
verdugo."12
a
and
and
Octavio
su
physical
similar
her
the
out,
secuaz
que e s t e
for
of
Vega's
inquisidor,
violence
final
sobre
el
deleitados
retorciendose;
cuerpos
suyo.")
that
of
a
homosexual
psychological
a
linear
interior
phenomena
sequence
reality
psychological
transvestite,
of
thus
v/hich
straight
Donoso,
realism,
transcending
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of
the
character,
characteristic.
like
the
Pancho
La
an
limites
de a f r o n t a r s e
sensuality
sobre
"case",
sin
erotic connotations
el
a
views
se
cuerpos
illustrates
of
si
of
Manuela's
Sarduy
Pancho
Manuela
sadistic
fondo;
Manuela's
-
substitute
of
y duros
de
revels
a language
hambrientos;
hasta
perpetran
v/hich
destruction.
expiation
lugar
Severo
l a p o s e s iOn. I n c a p a z
la
La
stimulates
As
a man -
character
Chepa's
SI
in
and
the
nature.
In
act.
que
travesti* al
and
•assumes
de
assumes
Manuela
sadistic
substituye
de
la
present
violence
than
Maya.
of
final,
case,
against
terrible
for
sexuality
saclico
this
cataclysm of
crime
more
final
in
destruction
passion
Octavio's
-
final
is
incestuous
feminine
sexuality
James
and F a u l k n e r ,
experience
of
-
several
117
-
presents
a given
participants
-
an
situation
objective
recapitulation
deviates
of
difference
and
the
In
a
assorted
Manuela's
in
particular,
between
is
la
tragedy
Donoso's
the
we
Manuela
and
reflect
character
interior
on
both
an
an
being
level
levels
obliterated
sin limites
misbegotten
of
experiencing
of sexual
which
interior
nature
axis
to express
novel's
but
and i d e n t i t y .
this
Manuela
dissolves
grotesque,
la
the
in the
Manuela,
of r e a l i t y
-
on an e x t e r i o r a n d
of the character
is literally
into
In
duality
reveals
in
h i s concept
perceived
their
a t t r a c t i o n and
which
on t h e d e s t r u c t i o n
La
and h i s p e r s o n a l i t y
But i n l a
o f r e a l i t y . The c h a r a c t e r s
duality
is
story
We f e e l
o f a mask,
dimension
simultaneously
action.
as a
of the
reflects
is that
ambivalent
- converges
of
character
,
outsider
of view
passions.
feel t h e power
a
t o an
appears
heroism.
as
inevitably
sin limites
point
desperate
dimension
use of a double
an
and
may a p p e a r
the characters
E l luoar
as i t
In E l lugar
s e a r c h i n g for a s e n s e o f s e c u r i t y
o f t h e ambiguous
a l l
as t h e y
through
kind
pain,
an e x t e r i o r
"esperpentico"
novel
a
impossible
intention.
l a Japonesita*s a c t u a l
and
agony
seen
perversions
there
i s thus
events
synopsis,
and
confusion
the
between
same e v e n t s
crucial.
events
story
from t h e n o v e l i s t ' s
the
of
the
physically
uncertainty:
La
Manuela t e r m i n g de a r r e g l a r e l p e l o de l a J a p o n e s i t a
en
la
forma
de una colmena. M u j e r . E r a mujer. E l l a se
iba
a
quedar
con Pancho.
E l e r a h o m b r e . Y v i e j o . Un
maricdn
pobre
y
viejo.
Una l o c a
aficionada
a las
fiestas
y
al
vino y a l o s trapos y a l o s hombres. E r a
facil
olvidarlo
a q u f , p r o t e g i d o en e l p u e b l o , s f , t i e n e
razcin,
mejor quedarnos. Pero de pronto l a J a p o n e s i t a l e
decia
esa palabra
y
su
p r o p r i a imagen s e b o r r o n e a b a
como
s i
hubiera
caido
encima
una gota de agua y e l
entonces,
se
perdia
de v i s t a
a
s f misma, mismo, yo
misma
n o s4, 4l n o s a b e
ni
v e a l a M a n u e l a , y no
quedaba
nada,
esta
pena,
e s t a i n c a p a c i d a d , nada mas,
e s t e g r a n b o r r d n d e a g u a e n q u e n a u f r a g a . ( p . 52)
- 118 -
In
use
than
Este
of "point
in
The
provided
in
of
the
interior
reality
characterization
unity
existential
as
and
archetypal
asthetic
destruction.
integration
the
Each
narrative
metaphor
perception
integrated
exemplify
narrative
in
of
characters'
and
their
psychoanalytical
of the novel's
content,
narrative
elements
unique
form
are
fused
hell
on e a r t h
and
in
a
in a
myths.
of E l lugar
and
sin limites
psychoanalytical
unified
by
the
integrates
elements
thematic
i n t o an
emphasis
o f D o n o s o ' s shows an i n c r e a s i n g l y
psychoanalytical
structure
and
o f human e x i s t e n c e
of
that
, are integrated
experience
i s part
later
system
s i n l i m i t e s . The
framework w h i c h d e p i c t s
novel
a
domingo
human
of a
concepts
Donoso's
integrates
thematic
existential
of
of
structure
synthesis
for
and E s t e
psychoanalytical
mytho-poetic
novel's
framework
which
the
are part
t h e view o f s o c i e t y
psychoanalytical
i n E l lugar
demonic p a r o d y o f b i b l i c a l
the
and
absurdity
to
portrayed
p e r s o n a l i t y , a s i n James'
Coronacion
framework
experience
The
s i n l i m i t e s , the increased
for limiting
characters
intellectual
a poetic
cohesive
allows
existential
an
aesthetic
E l lugar
the aspects being
This
the
characterization
into
,
vision.
heightening
novels.
and
o f v i e w " means a l e s s d i r e c t p o r t r a i t u r e o f s o c i e t y
Coronacion
character's
but
domingo
and e x i s t e n t i a l
content.
i n E l lugar
The
absurd
sin limites
on
subtle
framework t o
becomes
a
and Donoso's
t h e ambiguous and d e s t r u c t i v e n a t u r e o f r e a l i t y i s
the
ambiguity
characterization
and
of
the
characters
who
a n n i h i l a t e hope as t h e y a l l c o n v e r g e i n
disintegration.
-
119
-
Donoso
set
up
the
limites
a
uses
basis
. The
unified
structure
myths.
creation
of
the
la
machismo
is
resigns
es
de s i e m p r e ,
The
in
novel's
is
the
faustico"14.
indirectly
brothel.
image
as
La
with
La
echarla,
Don
Manuela
porque
de
tantas
que
Voy
".
la
a
a
est^n
casas
from
that
in
to
find
y
asi',
seria
de p u t a s
-
120
Japonesita
and
downfall of
a l l
imminent
Pancho
emerges
Vega's
hope
of
que
no
concluyendose.
Lo
las
cosas
a volver
.
.
Mephistopheles's
used
part
of
the
represented
in
the
of
with
to
la
of
"hombre
Japonesa
Grande,
propietaria,
porque
se
co-ov/ner
of
nadie
mandar.
ponia
la
the
and p e a c e
Podria
concludes
connotations,
become
security
as
which
incarnation
suya.
-
the
w i t h no
of
system
order
with
la
connotations
made a p a c t
on
156)
, also
inverted
begins
. voy
the place
this
In
reveals
and
y
.
sin
facing
death
.
lugar
El
mainly
death,
one
Faustus
hell.
Alejo,
casa
(p.
of
.
is
siempre
a Talca
a system
hoped
to
living
ir
taken
has
Alejo
to
based
la
the
t e r m i n a n dan paz
a twisted,
Manuela
arrangement:
to
Doctor
of
core
and
imagery
limites
imagery
beaten
de s i e m p r e . "
for
sin
the b i r t h of
and
in
latent homosexuality
indicates
basis
appears
his
title,
epigraphl3,
Manuela
echado
. lo
and
e n d , Don
concluirse,
Marlowe's
the mythical
this
savagely
as
lugar
disintegration
is
cosas
.
and
novel's
esperanza.
.
El
universe
structural
the
a
novel's
speeches
in
"Las
la
Olivo
herself
comienzan
terrible
novel
At
destroyed
regeneration:
cambian
biblical
town's
Manuela
Japonesita
.lo
the
of
narrative
el
narrative
mythological
analysis
of
Estacion
with
from b i b l i c a l
the
This
characters.
death,
of
archetypal
biblical
concludes
elements
tan
of
mind
the
in
podria
La
habian
loca
cuando
comenzaba
la
signified
for
inverted
Olivo,
a
(p.
nunca
para
107);
he
sinking
down
casa
tanto
.
Lucifer
tengo
y
apisonarlo
(p.
21)
myth
as
.
arrives,
it
death.
and
nature
continuing
which
of
of
is
In
in
El
of
the
itself
and
the
itself
are
c o m p l e t e d as
its
in which
of
the
only
ashes.
-
121
-
hell:
el
baile
of
of
of
v/ho
brings
rebel
Vega
angel
Alejo's.
the grotesque
development
El
angel
myth,
and
an
evolution
in
of
the
of
in
imagination
r e a l i t y and
the
him
Pancho
p a r a l l e l e d by
de
brought
Vega
Don
que
talvez
awaited
case,
.
The
into
inversion
the
.
yo
limites
consciousness
una
128)
para
only
el
literally
salon,
Pancho
sin
creative
inner
(p.
fact
ultimate conclusion
the
luz,
descent
del
long
this
and
de
in
i n t e n s i f i c a t i o n of
r e a l i t y are
destruction
is
has
a biblical
in
era
c e r t a i n elements
form of
lugar
Estacioh
en un c a l a b o z o
sirviera
pact
which
already
s e n t £ que
structural
his
the
designs,
reaches
noche
the
when
exploration
de
to
la
and
que
uses
Manuela's
inversion
evolution
para
part
his
me e n g a n a r o n . "
of
pact,
in
un p o c o
rundown,
Donoso
La
darkness
ambiguous
burnt
porque
sumiendo.
pajaro
is
a ver
e l piso
estaba
another
destruction
siempre
. . .
the
who o p p o s e s G o d ' s
Donoso's
que
image
and
The
. claro
.
derecho
hoyo,
of
remain
a clear
and
incarnates
".
this
he must
y meterme p a r a
este
limites
agony
that
earth,
Faustus
deliverance
is
of
inversion
into
Doctor
failure
total
and
se
sin
result
decrepit
bajando."
the
de
The
present,
siguio'
him
. yo
rocillarlo
lugar
a
freedom:
apresarme
".
87)
Manuela
of
salido
at
(p.
nature,
loss
brothel
"La
la
sexual
traici<5n
."
fiesta."
of
left
the
in
theme
El
obsceno
eliminates
narrative
the
novel
In
of
El
the
as
it
The
it
sustained
based
beliefs
terms
and
benevolent
as
he
the
biblical
earth,
hell
unity
on
the
of
a demonic
the
downfall
Estacion
to
become,
and
central archetypal
el
parody
promised
El
their
the
of
land
lugar
the
they
Cruz,
town's
name)
of
to
attempt
prays
as
Don
to
of
d e v i l w i t h whom h e made
Their
faith
in
symbolic
in
a pact
in
as
dominates
deity.
Pancho
God
a style
a
and
from t h a t
a malignant
A l e j o both
in
assumptions
a p o w e r f u l God
from
structure
live
obviously
escape
t o Don
recur
coherence.
Alejo shifts
that
images
limites
hold
is
wine,
unifying
novel's
sin
structure
images:
These
e x i s t e n t i a l concerns.
perception
fervently
of
the
name,
deity
concrete
darkness.
themselves,
(whose
is
light,
which provide
from t h e i r
as
recurrent
clearly part
in
desperate
Octavio,
of
myths
paternal
Manuela's
into
of
are
universe
Cruz
novel
and
they
developed
biblical
only
destruction
dogs,
characters
Alejo
the
body
black
on b i b l i c a l
mythological
Don
a
four
The
not
the physical
supposed
aesthetic
by
that
, we w i t n e s s
Alejo.
novel's
often
but
was
by Don
vineyards,
limites
degenerates
paradise
prophesied
so
sin
a l l the characters
Olivo
is
lugar
of
In
Vega
the
a
la
and
father
reminiscent
psalms:
. . d e f i e n d a m e d e l m i e d o , u s t e d me p r o m e t i d * q u e n u n c a
me
iba
a
pasar
n a d a , q u e s i e m p r e me i b a a p r o t e g e r y
por
eso
me
quede
en
ese
pueblo
y
a h o r a t i e n e que
cumplir
su
promesa
de
defenderme
y
sanarme
y
consolarme,
nunca
antes se l o h a b i a p e d i d o n i l e h a b i a
cobrado
su
palabra
pero
ahora
si,
sd'lo u s t e d , s o l o
usted
.
. . no s e h a g a e l s o r d o , Don A l e j o . . . u s t e d
es e l s e n b r y l o p u e d e t o d o . ( p . 149)
Don
Olivo
the
Alejo
Cruz
"promised
has
land"
promised
the
inhabitants
with electricity
• -
122
-
bringing
of
Estacion
new v i g o r
el
and
energy
to
town,
a
light
and
town:
he
of
wine
is
also
has
I
the
the
Lord
do
the
in
la
Don
chaos
these
In
A l e j o . As
the
order
El
Don
the
the
Alejo
ye
are
Northrop
Frye
brought
the
the
maker
the branches"
through
the
B i b l e , Don
or
I
or
make p e a c e ,
limites
and
,
linked
has
create
to
power
Donoso's
which
la.Manuela
as
the
darkness:
character
and
and
has
45:7) . D i v i n e
sin
an
is
is
also
actively
p a t e r n a l God.
this
pointed
in
Eucharist
Alejo
lightness
of
Vega
is
the
founded
vineyards,
a benevolent
fall
to
creation
he a l t e r n a t e l y a p p e a r s
and
light
identified with Christ
lugar
Pancho
bring
God's
(Isaiah
duality
destroys
of
in
things"
evil.
as
vine,
darkness;
Japonesita,
theme
of
Christ
or
ambivalent
the
Don
owner
with
a l l
Alejo
terms.
to
darkness.
am t h e
create
who
of
"I
and
power
novel,
and
the Creator
either
light,
in
malevolent
perception
said
to
t h e power
symbolically
associated
of
presented
embodied
are
p o t e n t i a l t o be
perception
the
Jesus
create
the
chaos
l a n d l o r d , the
Similar
to
has
in b i b l i c a l
(vineyards
as
form
evil:
to
the
Bible,
Alejo
power
order
is
ritual).
power
t o w n . Don
divine
the wine
the
"I
the
In
ambivalent
out:
It
is
with
the
" f a l l " t h a t the l e g a l metaphor
begins
that
persists
a l l
t h r o u g h t h e B i b l e , o f human l i f e a s
subject
to
a t r i a l and judgement, w i t h p r o s e c u t o r s
and
defenders.
In
this
metaphor
Jesus is the counsel f o r
the
defense,
and
t h e p r i m a r y a c c u s e r i s S a t a n . . ..In
the
e m o t i o n a l response t o C h r i s t i a n i t y a t any r a t e , t h e
role
of
God as F a t h e r , h o w e v e r d e f i n e d i n dogma, k e e p s
shifting
from
the benevolent to the d i a b o l i c a l , from a
being
genuinely
concerned
for
man
t o an e s s e n t i a l l y
malicious
being
compounded
o f w r a t h and c o n d e m n a t i o n .
One
consequence
of having a c r e a t i o n myth, w i t h a f a l l
myth
inseparable
from
i t , has been t h e sense of b e i n g
objective
to
God,
or,
more
specifically,
of
being
constantly
watched
and
observed,
by an a l l - s e i n g eye
that is always p o t e n t i a l l y h o s t i l e . 1 5
Don
Alejo
condemns
Estacidn
-
123
el Olivo
-
to
disintegration.
He
has
no
to
i n t e n t i o n of
incorporate
buying
has
out
town
is
earth,
place
the
a l l
bypassed
which
is
As
the
"Podria
decirse
se
la
de
the
que
en
el
and
vineyards
the
their
Olivo
biblical
ruins
parody
and
The
Don
Alejo's
image
the
four
black
The
four
a
the
of
made
of
a
into
dogs
of
black
narrative
Don
out,
an
is
no
highway
future.
it
is
The
hell
on
sterile,
misery
in
plans
slowly
the
and/or
of
he
El
going
lugar
absolute
personal
o
a
on
sin
value:
grupal,
especificidad historica,
categoria
absoluta:
destino."16
been
and
a l l
the
c o n d e m n e d b y Don
l a n d l o r d emerge
with
harvest
to
the
as
Jesus
and
that
slums
dogs,
harvest
food
points
cierta
l a b y r i n t h of
black
is
aging
un d e s t i n o
Manuela
similar
four
is
is
on
is
are
l i m i t e s en una
el
the
places
into
Manuela
and
have
wasteland
transformed
es
la
of
sin
and
paradise,
becomes
fue
t o w n as
doomed,
nothingness,
a una
association
b i b l i c a l . imagery
demonic
que
lugar
d e s t r u c c i o n , entonces
Estacion
of
is
there
earthly
inhabitants
manera
Japonesita,
left,
destruction
lo
51
have
the
vineyards
town
Cornejo Polar
of
to
i n t o more
the
abyss
alguna
convierte
La
by
of
human
theme
site
youth
Antonio
limites
referido
the
only
electricity
i n h a b i t a n t s . The
opposite
and t h e
endlessly.
town
the
i t ,
the
bringing
vintage
where
the
A l e j o to
the
in
Este
Chepa
endless
vintage
t o be consumed
by
darkness
ideal
i n . This
of
domingo
-
of
.
The
collapses
are
is
wrath
death
of
world
context
vineyards
in which l a Manuela
and
of
a demonic parody
and
found
inhabitants
haunted
destroyed.
in which
la
symbolized
by
Alejo.
dogs
accompany
level
Don
they provide
-
124
-
A l e j o everywhere
along
with la
he
goes
Manuela's
flamenco
dress,
another
mentioned
constantly
In
like
fact,
times.
On
Don
endemoniados"
sounds
novel's
who
will
dogs
Moro,
paradox
of
church
with
interesting
evil
limites
.,
Alejo's
This
Cana):
the
parody
is
in
(which
is
a
se
.
the
. todos
Cruz
that
y
trataba
wine
is
of
the
drunk
the
sabian
sabian
una
the
death.
beasts
(p.
world
the
dogs
into
is
"djinns",
with
El
blood,
luaar
sin
celebrating
Don
wedding
at
Cana.
a l i n g u i s t i c parody
e l e c t o r a l v i c t o r y c e l e b r a t i o n of'
que
c a r i c a t u r e of
iban
donde
fiesta
-
125
a festejar
y como
lo
en h o n o r
-
the
festejar.
d e l Senor
y
of
the
celebration
e l t r i u n f o de
iban a
At
XVIII).
In
feast
at
133),
Islam
the
(Koran,
the
o f t e n p a r a l l e l e d by
the
the
with
Eucharist.
at
(p.
illustrate
identified
new w i n e
grotesque
de
is
four
barking
Muslim
the Koran,
dogs
the
el Olivo
the
to
"perros
inferno
Estacion
association
black
of
Alejo brings
t r a d i t i o n of
rite
his
literally
Don
The
form of
parodies
as
".
46).
the
t h e new w i n e
They
sixteen
dogs*
galloping
with
novel.
are
of
messengers
for
the
are
contribute
the
unleashes
death
raisa".
Bible,
style
Alejandro
porque
in
through
demonic
brothel
(p.
of
associated
la
assume t h e
election
biblical
en
him
Throughout
and
dogs
parody
of
they
mentioned
novel,
sounds
Alejo
Sultan).
moros
because
particularly
Don
names
Negus,
genies
the
destruction
have
"hay
the
as
d e i t y . They
demonic
In
with
are
black
malignant
manifest
conclusion,
(Otelo,
a
four
thread,
throughout
they
thematic association
announce
The
intervals
the
apocalypse.
their
the
or
a
associated
reinforcing
155).
are
the
are
as
unifying
dress,
level,
Alejo
and
of
regular
flamenco
thematic
establishing
horsemen
at
the
a
important,
at
Don
Pero
cualquier
cosa que se r e l a c i o n a r a con e l Senor e r a buena, . . . " (p. 75)
Donoso
demonic
parody
beliefs;
In
symbol
of
them
consistently
of
Christian
theological
the
uses
life
biblical
myths,
an
imagery
present a
i n v e r s i o n of C h r i s t i a n
terms the v i n e y a r d s
of the Lord are the
g i v i n g f a i t h and t o be allowed
i s a s i g n of grace. In E l lugar s i n l i m i t e s
to c u l t i v a t e
, the vineyards
are
a
the
highway
the
a n t i t y p e o f the s t r a i g h t way, t h e path o f redemption so v i t a l
to
sign
to
o f d e s t r u c t i o n as they take over t h e town. The t w i s t
has taken, t h e r e f o r e bypassing
C h r i s t i a n i t y . I s a i a h a s s o c i a t e s the b u i l d i n g of a path
the
desert
bringing
Este
into
the
domingo
apocalyptic
sin
a
straight
,
Donoso
straight
nothingness
no
redemption
of
limites
absent
i n E l l u g a r s i n l i m i t e s as i n
a
demonic . c o u n t e r p a r t
to the
moves
and
in
a
single
direction
towards
death. As i n Este domingo there i s
or r e g e n e r a t i o n . However i n E l lugar s i n
t h e refuge
i n the r i c h t e x t u r e of c h i l h o o d memories i s
and the tender
e v o c a t i o n of domestic l i f e which marks Este
domingo
i s eliminated i n E l lugar s i n l i m i t e s .
In
the
last
two
chapters
of
E l lugar s i n l i m i t e s
, when
i s no p o s s i b i l i t y o f s a l v a t i o n f o r the c h a r a c t e r s , there i s
an
desperate
is
imagery of
we do not f i n d the g e n t l e v i s t a open t o t h e past of one's
childhood,
there
presents
with f e r t i l i t y
through
way - l o s t d i r e c t i o n , dead end. In E l lugar
l i m i t e s . everything
hope
highway
d e s e r t to l i f e . Again
destruction,
also
Estacion e l Olivo, i s
in
absence
as
sharp
characters
of
the
memory.
The p r e s e n t , which i s as bleak and
f u t u r e , dominates the novel's
c o n t r a s t t o the p r e c e d i n g
live
t e n chapters
i n an i n t e r i o r v/orld f i l l e d
- 126 -
conclusion. This
i n v/hich the
by past memories and
illusions
for
characters'
illusions
As
in
archetypal
novel's
structure
demonic
twist.
memory.
La
La
of
The
the
for
the
and
Este
novel
progresses,
future are
with
a l l
f r u s t r a t e d and
past
and
la
Vega.
For
lugar
reduction
Manuela
and
Vega
la
in
of
the
remember
remembers
Japonesa
sin
the
their
limites
consistent
consistently
Pancho
Manuela
better days.
this
appears
, El
t i m e , but
inversion,
Pancho
la
domingo
reduction of
Japonesita
Japonesita,
town's
As
demolished.
Coronacion
an
encounter
future.
aspirations
are
presents
the
with
t i m e has
a
characters'
their
his
Grande
the
previous
childhood.
remember
the
example:
La
Japonesa
Grande
recordaba,
h a c i a e l f i n a l , que en
otra
epoca
la
misa
de d o c e en e l v e r a n o a t r a i a a l o s
bracks
y
a l a s v i c t o r i a s mas e n c o p e t a d o s d e l a r e g i d h ,
y
l a j u v e n t u d e l e g a n t e . . . se r e u n i a a l a t a r d e c e r , en
caballos
e s c o j i d o s , a l a p u e r t a d e l c o r r e o que t r a i a e l
tren.
Los
muchachos,
tan
comedidos
de
dia
como
acompanantes
de sus h e r m a n a s , p r i m a s o n o v i a s , de noche
se ' s o l t a b a n
el
p e l o en l a c a s a de l a J a p o n e s a , que no
c e r r a b a nunca. (p.
45)
This
present
."
is
lost
paradise
("Ahora
(p.
the
consuming
the
e r a ma's
However,
20).
past
no
in
contrasts
which
town and
que
this
are
its
strongly
un p o t r e r o
lost
found
cruzado por
paradise
the
la
evoked w i t h
roots
i n h a b i t a n t s . As
with the void
of
the
Fernando
evil
of
the
linea
.
nostalgia
which
Moreno
is
Turner
summarizes:
Este
paraiso
que
se
anbra
nostalgicamente,
que
se
recrea
para
e v a d i r e l p r e s e n t e , no es t a l s i n e m b a r g o .
La
inversion
u n a v e z mas h a c e d e l a s s u y a s . E n e f e c t o ,
el
t i e m p o p r e t e " r i t o no e s t a e x e n t o de c u l p a , e l p a r a i s o
no
es p u r o ; en r e a l i d a d es en e l p a s a d o d o n d e e s t a ' n l a s
raices
del
mal
que
aquejan
al
presente.
Son
esas
celebraciones,
esos
ritos
donde se r i n d e j p l e i t e s i a . a l
Dios
satcfnico,
las
que
provocan
la
caida.
En e s a s
fiestas,
donde
la
Japonesa
Grande
viene
a
s e r ^ un
equivalente
de
la
sacerdotisa
del
gran
senor,
- 127 -
encontramos
el presente
Time
is
destroys:
".
engullirlos
the
the
only
.
siempre
134).
hell
El
a
and
el
."
(p.
in
to
sin
limites
of
the
in
four
novel
cuatro
that
eternal
announcing
escape
the
destructive
a l l
are
of
held
and
gives
is
the
the
and
of
novel
igual
forces
captive
What
its
mytho-poetic
destruction.
.
.
. . . "
biblical
destruction.
inexorable.
queria
deterioration
Alejandro
use
and
are
de Don
, Donoso's
en
death
perros
which
fall
que
siempre
by
significance
dogs
vivo
Otelo
limites
what
y
que
advances
Moro,
destruction
and
inexorably
peligroso
The
Sultan,
sin
which
inevitable destiny
their
of
143).
dominated
limits
their
richness,
the process
lugar
tiempo
the
los
v/orld
preordained,
lugar
.
.
"Negus,
without
succumb
.
perfectos
In
creates
eternal destroyer
constant
destruction:
e l fundamento d e l u n i v e r s o degradado
ha l l e g a d o a su p u n t o c u l m i n a n t e . 1 7
of
(p.
myths
evil,
until
Their
.
a
they
fall
is
in
El
counts
aesthetic
unity
presentation
of
Chapter
All
published
four
notes
quotes
from
El
lugar
sin
limites
by E d i t o r i a l E u r o s , B a r c e l o n a , 1975.
1.
H.
Biancotti,
S.
Sarduy,
Instrument
pour
se
connaitre",
Q u i n z a i n e L i t t d r a i r e , No. 136, March
refer
to
edition
"Jose' Donoso:
Le roman?
interview
published
in
1 9 7 8 , p. 8.
Un
La
2.
Good
examples
of
these
a p p r o a c h e s a r e t o be f o u n d i n :
Roberto
Fernandez
Retamar,
"Para
una
teoria
de l a l i t e r a t u r a
hispanoamericana",
Casa
de
las
A m e r i c a s , No. 80, 1973;
Carlos
RincOn,
"Sobre
critica
e
historia
de
la
literatura
hoy
en
Latinoamerica",
Casa
de
las
Ame'ricas
,
No.
80,
1973;
Kurt
Schnelle,
"Acerca
del
p r o b l e m a de l a n o v e l a l a t i n o a m e r i c a n a " i n
E l e n s a y o y l a c r f t i c a l i t e r a r i a en I b e r o a m e r i c a , T o r o n t o ,
1970.
3.
S e v e r o S a r d u y , " E s c r i t u r a / t r a v e s t i s m o " , Mundo Nuevo , N o .
20,
February
1968,
p p . 7 2 - 7 4 ; E m i r R o d r i g u e z M o n e g a l , " E l mundo
de
J o s e ' D o n o s o " , Mundo Nuevo , No. 1 2 , J u n e 1 9 6 7 , p p . 7 9 - 8 5 ;
Isis
Quinteros,
Jos/
Donoso,
una
insur reccidh
contra
la
realidad
(Madrid:
Hispanova
de
Ediciones,
1978);
Ariel
Dorfman,
Imaginacidh
y
violencia
en
America Latina (Santiago: E d i t o r i a l
Universitaria,
1970);
F e r n a n d o M o r e n o T u r n e r , " L a i n v e r s i o n como
norma
a
p r o p d s i t o de E l L u g a r S i n L i m i t e s " i n Jose^ Donoso, l a
destruccidh
de
un
mundo ( B u e n o s A i r e s : F e r n a n d o G a r c i a C a m b e i r o
Editorial,
1975);
Hugo . A c h u g a r ,
Ideologfa
y
estructuras
narrativas
en
Jose
Donoso
(Caracas:
Centro
de
Estudios
L a t i n o a m e r i c a n o s Rdmulo G a l l e g o s ,
1979).
4.
C a r l o s F u e n t e s , La nueva n o v e l a
E d i t o r i a l J o a q u i n M o r t i z , 1969), p. 32.
5.
Sarduy,
p.
72.
6.
Quinteros,
pp.
7.
Moreno
hispanoamericana
hispanoamericana
(Mexico:
146-151.
Turner,
(Madrid:
p.
100;
Ediciones
Donald
Shaw,
Nueva n a r r a t i v a
C a t e d r a , 1 9 8 1 ) , p. 146.
8.
An
interesting
a r t i c l e on t h e g r o t e s q u e d i m e n s i o n i n E l
lugar
sin
limites
is
by K i r s t e n N i g r o , "From C r i o l l i s m o t o the
Grotesque:
approaches
to
J o s e Donoso" i n T r a d i t i o n and R e n e w a l ,
Essays
on T w e n t i e t h C e n t u r y L a t i n - A m e r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e and C u l t u r e
,
Centre
for
Latin-America
and
Caribbean
Studies,
No.
2,
U n i v e r s i t y of I l l i n o i s Press,
1975.
9.
George
McMurray,
J o s / Donoso
-
12S
-
(Boston:
Twayne
Publishers,
1979),
pp.
102-103.
10.
Dorritt
Cohn,
Transparent
Minds,
Narrative
Presenting
Consciousness
in
Fiction
(Princeton:
U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 7 8 ) , p. 117.
11.
McMurray,
12.
Sarduy,
13.
To D r . F a u s t u s
question:
" T e l l me, w h e r e i s t h e p l a c e
Mephistopheles
replies:
"Under the heavens.
p.
p.
Modes f o r
Princeton
90.
74.
1
•
•
that
men c a l l
hell?"
•
W i t h i n the bowels of these elements
W h e r e we a r e t o r t u r e d , a n d r e m a i n f o r e v e r .
H e l l h a t h no l i m i t s , n o r i s c i r c u m s c r i b e d
I n o n e s e l f p l a c e ; b u t w h e r e we a r e i s h e l l ,
A n d w h e r e h e l l i s , t h e r e m u s t we e v e r b e . .
."
14.
The
similarities
between
El
lugar
sin
limites
and
Marlowe's
Doctor
Faustus
are
p o i n t e d o u t by an a r t i c l e by J o s e
Promis:
" E l mundo i n f e r n a l d e l n o v e l i s t a J o s e D o n o s o " i n T i e r r a y
mundo
en l a n o v e l a h i s p a n o a m e r i c a n a , E d i c i o n e s de l a U n i v e r s i d a d
d e l N o r t e , A n t o f a g a s t a , C h i l e , 1969.
15.
(Toronto:
Northrop
Academic
F r y e , The G r e a t Code, t h e B i b l e
P r e s s C a n a d a , 1 9 8 2 ) , p . 11.0.
16.
Antonio
Cornejo
P o l a r , "Jose
la
nueva
narrativa
hispanoamericana",
S c i e n t i a r i u m H u n g a r i c a e , T o m u s 17 ( 1 2 ) ,
17.
Moreno
Turner,
p.
96.
-
130
-
and
Literature
D o n o s o y l o s p r o b l e m a s de
Acta L i t e r a r i a Academiae
1S75, p.
220.
Chapter
El
obsceno
Donoso's
fourth
by
critics.
most
eight
in
years
terms
novel.
describes
novel
It
on
of
In
pajaro
la
and
it
a
long
is
noche
is
,
considered
book,
544
i t . Some b i o g r a p h i c a l
the
an
de
five
circumstances
interview
a period
of
with
complete
published
in
to
masterpiece
pages,
and Donoso
the
Rodriguez
insanity
his
information
surrounding
Emir
be
which
he
1970,
is
is
worked
interesting
writing
Monegal,
of
the
Donoso
suffered:
. . t u v e o t r a h e m o r r a g i a d e u ' l c e r a y me t u v i e r o n q u e
hacer
una
operacidh
de
emergencia.
A
causa
de
mi
intolerancia
a
la
morfina,
pase
va'rios
dias
enloquecido,
con
alucinaciones,
doble
personalidad,
paranoia
e
i n t e n t o s s u i c i d a s . . . l o s e f e c t o s de e s t a
locura
demoraron
un p a r de a n o s a d e s a p a r e c e r . . .
En
un
esfuerzo
sin
pausa
durante
ocho
meses,
todavia
sufriendo
de p e s a d i l l a s y p a r a n o i a , empece a r e e s c r i b i r
desde
el
principio
E l o b s c e n o p a j a r o de l a noche . E l
recuerdo
de
los
m i l e s de p a g i n a s que y a h a b i a e s c r i t o
dio
al
material
una
organizacidn quiza redescubierta
t r l f s mi e x p e r i e n c i a con l a
locura.1
Donoso
of
the
also
novel
discussed
with
after
experience
his
another
interviewer
with
the
reorganization
insanity:
Empece^ l a n o v e l a " d a c a p o " , e s d e c i r i n t e g r a l m e n t e c o m o
si
nunca
l a h u b i e r a comenzado, e l t r a b a j o de ocho anos
como
que
lo
ingeri
y
a
t r a v e l d e e s t a l o c u r a s e me
ordend'
en
l a forma que a p a r e c e a h o r a . Lo e s c r i b i * desde
el
15
de
marzo
hasta
e l 15 d e o c t u b r e d e l m i s m o aftb
(1969)
incorporando
t o d o e l m a t e r i a l de l o s ocho a n o s ,
p e r o d a n d o l e e l o r d e n q u e me h a b i a s u g e r i d o l a l o c u r a . 2
We
know
mansion,
servants.
doubt
has
that
filled
The
as
Donoso,
with
fictional
its
as
senile,
world
genesis
child,
eccentric old
of
many
-
a
El
obsceno
elements
131
-
of
lived
in
a large,
relatives
pajaro
the
de
and
old
run
by
l a noche
no
author's
personal
background
familiar
and
the
socio-histor ical
context
the
v/riter
is
with.
Donoso,
as
the
in
initial
an a r t i c l e
element
of
he
the
wrote,
novel's
describes
what
conception
in
he
perceives
1960:
. cuando de p r o n t o v i que s e d e t u v o j u s t o d e l a n t e
de
nosotros
un
gran
coche
oscuro,
lujosisimo,
con
chofer
con
librea
de
l o s que no s e v e i a n - y s u p o n g o
que
ahora
tampoco
s e vera'n en S a n t i a g o . E l c h o f e r e r a
rubio,
de
ojos
azules,
e l e ' c t r i c o s , buen mozo, con l a
barbilla
partida,
como l o s A z c o i t f a e n m i n o v e l a . P e r o
esta
p r e s e n c i a no h u b i e r a b a s t a d o p a r a s u g e r i r n a d a : en
el
asiento
de
atra"s,
e l e g a n t i s i m o , s o l i t a r i o , i b a un
monstruo,
un n i n o c o n l a c a r a c o s i d a ^ y z u r c i d a , e n a n o y
con
j o r o b a . Iba a l l a m a r l e l a a t e n c i o n a Fernando
sobre
esta
vision
y e s t e c o n t r a s t e -I
C u a l de l o s dos e r a e l
triunfante? i Cual
de
los
dos e l h u m i l l a d o ? - , cuando
cambiaron
las l u c e s , e l coche partid", y l a conversacidn
nos
l l e v d * c a s i i n m e d i a t a n e n t e a c o s a s t a n l e j a n a s de l a
reciente
v i s i o n no c o m p a r t i d a , que p o r e n t o n c e s no d e j o "
ninguna
h u e l l a en mi i m a g i n a c i d h y p a r e c i d " b o r r a r s e p o r
c o m p l e t o de mi m e m o r i a . 3
Donoso
of
the
finally
concludes,
referring
to
the
material at
the
origin
novel:
Los
resultados
han
sido,
casi siempre, infinitamente
distintos
a
l o s p r i n c i p i o s , s e m i l l a y no p l a n t a , p i a n o
azul
y
no
casa,
de
modo
que
no
solo
nadie
se
"reconoce",
lo
que
seria
imposible,
p u e s t o que c a d a
personaje
y
cada
situacidn
esta'n
compuestos
de
i n f i n i t a s , c a p a s de t i e m p o y s e n s a c i o n e s y e m o c i o n e s que
necesariamente
deforman
e l o r i g i n a l , s i es que l o hubo
claro
y
unrvoco;
si
no
tampoco
n a d i e sabe que e s t a ^
unido
al
comienzo
mismo
de
la
e s p i n a d o r s a l - como
testigo,
como
i l u m i n a d o s o j o s que m i r a n y por l o t a n t o
que t a m b i e n m o d i f i c a n - de l o que he e s c r i t o . 4
With
pointless
creative
in
any
to
ghosts.
try
process.
Donoso's
writer's
literary
to
Donoso's
it
retrace a l l the
In
previous
past,.an
creation
the
case
of
novels,
exercise
statements
in
the
elements
obsceno
novel
exorcism,
are
-
El
is
-
at
impossible
the
origin
pajaro
de
is
search
a
in
and
of
the
l a noche
for
a confrontation with
fascinating
132
both
terms, of
what
as
the
past
they
reveal
of
h i s p e r s o n a l i t y and psychology but not deeply
relevant
in
terms of a p r o d u c t i v e r e a d i n g of E l obsceno pcTjaro de l a noche
on
the
do
illuminate
of
practical narrative l e v e l .
the
some aspects of the c r e a t i v e process
novel
throughout
However, the a u t h o r ' s
and
the
as
such,
deserve
note,
comments
at the o r i g i n
particularly
novel we f i n d echoes of the c r e a t i v e process
Donoso has r e f e r r e d to i n the
as
that
interviews:
l e c o n f e s d a Don Jerdnimo que no pudo d e j a r de
admirar
al
artista,
no sabxa c u a l era l a r e a l i d a d , l a
de adentro o l a de a f u e r a , s i habia inventado. l o que
pensaba
o lo
que pensaba habia inventado l o que sus
ojos
veian.
E r a un mundo s e l l a d o , ahogante, como v i v i r
adentro de un s a c o ,
tratando de morder e l yute para
buscar
una s a l i d a o d a r l e una entrada a l a i r e y ver s i
era
afuera
o adentro
o en o t r a p a r t e donde estaba su
destino,
beber
un poco de a i r e f r e s c o no confinado por
sus
obsesiones,
donde comenzaba a ser d l y dejaba de
ser l o s dem£s . . . (p. 245)
Humberto no t e n i a
l a vocacidn de l a s e n c i l l e z . Sentia.
necesidad
de
retorcer
lo
normal,
una e s p e c i e
de
compulsion por vengarse
o d e s t r u i r y fue t a n t o l o que
complied' y deformd' su proyecto i n i c i a l que es como s i
il
mismo
se
h u b i e r a p e r d i d o para
siempre
en
el
laberinto
que
iba
inventando
lleno
de o s c u r i d a d y
terrores
con mas c o n s i s t e n c i a
que il mismo y que sus
demas p e r s o n a j e s ,
siempre gaseosos, f l u c t u a n t e s , jama's
un ser
humano, siempre d i s f r a c e s , a c t o r e s , m a q u i l l a j e s
que se
disolvfan
.
.
. s f , eran ma's importantes sus
obsesiones
y sus
odios
que l a
r e a l i d a d que l e era
n e c e s a r i o negar . . . (p. 488)
One
could
say
overexposure.
analysing
There
it.5
sociological,
that
is
an
thematic,
readers
surprising
fact
that
of
pleasure
abundance
suffers
of
Donoso's
his
from
articles
critical
and reviews
for so much m o r a l ,
symbolical, structural, psychoanalytical
that
to
novel
The novel has been the occasion
analysis,
justice
this
the
may
miss
the
simple
and
apparently
book i s very enjoyable to r e a d . To do
w r i t i n g , to convey the q u a l i t y and q u a n t i t y
work can p r o v i d e i s
- 133 -
especially d i f f i c u l t
i n the
case
of
of
El
obsceno
trying
to
impoverishment
critic
of
El
represent
novel
what
obsceno
that
read
,
la
once
has
and
the
inevitable
their
the
the
inadequacy
context,
problem
richness
of
the
how
to
of
Donoso's
the
critics'
tedious.
novel
the
most
of
novel
differ
elusive.
meaningless
. One
Coleman:
"The
have
in
quite
noche
you
that
happens
interpretation
de
and
from
noche
scope
from the
of
the
only
finished
in
more
The
the
traditional
context
honest
fact
you
can
reading
it,
is
rendering
of
El
comments
is
assert
that
about
you
have
it."6
The
a
text
of
mental
functions
Mudito
El
obsceno
to
e l Mudito.
invent
of
a
Humberto
invent
of
usual
family
el
the
sense.
the
is
name
Mudito?
nothing
is
what
obsceno
essential
except
or
de
la
possibility
134
clearly
"I"
-
which
the
of
one
Does
confers
authorship?
invent
is
of
factual.
which
the
Does
himself?
psychological
The
in
transformations,
atmosphere
noche
structure
monologue
undergo
bizarre
the
hallucinations
i d e n t i t y of
an
appears
-
and
c e r t a i n l y not
in
the
has
interior
e l Mudito
is
pajaro
noche
other
characters
fact
El
the
characters
neutrality.
In
the
Does
hallucinations
identity.
certain
and
substitutions,
In
la
a long
Penaloza,
The
de
obsessions
Nothing
Humberto
identity
definition
pajaro
delirium, basically
according
character,
the
novel
la
the
complex
Alexander
Bird
de
v e r i s i m i l i t u d e are
pajaro
of
The
of
. Apart
separated
actually
comprehensive
principles
of
a
noche
the
pajaro
magnitude,
such
of
la
passages
becoming
is
accounts
any
of
the
de
summarize
obsceno
without
It
pajaro
of
plausible
defined
individual
norm
is
change.
the
El
mask,
obsceno
pcnaro
only
see
de
la
narrative
nosotros",
narrator
a l l
the
the
mode
to
character
assortment
reveals
that
there
what
is
in
an
decipher
goes
of
lies
behind
the
mask,
we
emptiness.
alternates
interwoven
reader
as
bewildering
tell
never
the p o s s i b i l i t y
The
forces
noche
from
often
the
"tu,
usted,
ambiguous
mutations
through
of
context
el,
that
identity.
transformation
i d e n t i t i e s as
yo,
and
The
adopts
a
he-she-it-we-you-they-I
story:
. . .
soy^la septima v i e j a ,
t o d o s l o s d i a s . ( p . 130)
Yo,
para
e s t a c o r t e z a que
n a d a . ( p . 217)
Las
119)
siete
Yo
soy
viejas
e l padre
es
impudor
Humberto
tendemos
del hijo
tu
de
• So£. e l
Mudito.
A
vezes
muneco de l a I r i s . ( p . 431)
a
la
soy
me l o
Penaloza,
la
Iris
Iris.
(p.
otra
en
demuestra
no
le
la
cama.
nacer.
( p . 448)
Una
manana
amaneci
(p.
94)
vieja
mas.
Soy
el
no
no
es
te
cama de
la
No
existe
Humberto
Penaloza,
es una invenci<5n,
una
p e r s o n a s i n o un p e r s o n a j e . . . M u d o , M u d i t o ,
v a y a s , no d e s a p a r e z c a s . . . ( p . 447)
Tengo
que
Iris . . .
servia
en
la
Tu
cuarto
esta*
oscuro.
N u e s t r o c u a r t o . . . . tomo t u
mano
dormida
y
c o n e l l a r c z o m i c u e r p o . Me t i e n e s q u e
reconocer,
Inls,
acceptame
si
q u i e r a a h o r a , t a l como
soy,
sea
quien
sea,
Humberto, M u d i t o , ^ v i e j a , guagua,
idiota,
.
.
. line's! D e s p i e r t a s . - Jeronimo . . . (p.
465)
Ahora
me e l i m i n a r e ' ' y o p a r a q u e t e d e s p l o m e s y t e p a r t a s
en
mil
fragmentos
a l c a e r y p o n d r a n l o s f r a g m e n t o s en
el
c a r r o d e l M u d i t o y e l M u d i t o l o s a r r a s t r a r a h a s t a su
patio
para
que
la
lluvia
y e l tiempo y e l viento te
corrompan
y t e e l i m i n e n . Tengo muchas p a g i n a s en b i a n c o
esperando
que
yo
escriba
tu
f i n , t e n g o mucho t i e m p o
para
i n v e n , t a r t e e l f i n mas a b y e c t o p o r q u e a h o r a e s t o y a
salvo
aqui
en
la
Casa
.
. . n o s o t r a s y a no tememos
n a d a , y o y a no temo a P e t a P o n c e . . . ( p p . 4 7 1 - 4 7 2 )
-
135
-
As
John H a s s e t t
comments
on e l M u d i t o ' s
narration:
Central
t o M u d i t o ' s . n a r r a t i o n i s t h e u s e o f an i n t e r i o r
monologue
which
from
one
moment t o t h e n e x t s u d d e n l y
externalizes
itself
by
r e p r e s e n t i n g the c o n v e r s a t i o n s
of
all
the
other
c h a r a c t e r s . As a k i n d o f r o v i n g eye
limited
by n e i t h e r t i m e n o r s p a c e , M u d i t o has t h e power
not
only
to
record
the c o n v e r s a t i o n s of those around
him,
b u t t o r e p r o d u c e c o n v e r s a t i o n s t h a t may or may n o t
have
taken
p l a c e . . . B e c a u s e t h e r e i s no d i s t i n c t i o n
made
between
what a p e r s o n t h i n k s and what he a c t u a l l y
verbalizes,
dialogues
become
embedded w i t h i n M u d i t o ' s
continuous
monologue.
Such
a
blending
of
the
presentational
forms
o f n a r r a t i o n i n t o t h e body o f t h e
text
results
from
Donoso's
refusal
to d i f f e r e n t i a t e
between
a
character
and t h e i d e a o f t h a t c h a r a c t e r i n
h i s n a r r a t o r ' s mind.7
The
narrative
traditional
time
notion
and s p a c e ,
importance
fiction
voice
of
is
the
narrative.
As
an
blending
the
one
considers
of
past
the
question
chronology
integrated
of
clearest
of
character
and p r e s e n t ,
manipulation
of
he
destroys
the
fusing
point
Jamesian
point
of
of
and d e s t r o y s
as
it
drifts
characters.
view
in
in
The
Donoso's
influences.
v i e w as
the
Donoso
vital
to
his
comments:
Mi
posibilidad
de
d e s t r u i r l a c a p a r a z o h c l a s i c a de l a
novela
se
presenta
no b a j o l a f o r m a d e l i d i o m a l u j o s o
como
el
de
Garcia
Mcfrquez,
por
e j e m p l o , no b a j o l a
forma
de
una
ideoiogla
o
un p l a n t e a m i e n t o de V a r g a s
Llosa;
se
plantea
b a j o e l modo d e l p u n t o de v i s t a . E l
punto
de
vista
es
el
gran
elemento para e x p l o r a r y
hacer
y
r e h a c e r y d e s h a c e r l a ^ e s c r i t u r a de una n o v e l a .
En
mis
primeros
ensayos
tenia
que
u s a r e l p u n t o de
vista
mas
proximo:
el
Yo,
del
a u t o r . Se u n i f i c a l a
literatura
con
la
autobiograffa.
Es
un c o m i e n z o . De
Oste,
ochocientas
m i l formas. Del yo, primera persona,
puedo
construir
l a s mas i n c r e i b l e s v a r i e d a d e s de p u n t o
de
vista.
La
ultima
novela,
S I o b s c e n o pa/jaro de l a
noche
, es un e j e r c i c i o en p u n t o de v i s t a ; es e l metodo
de
una
cosa
ya
c o m p l e t a m e n t e b a r r o c a . Es e l p u n t o de
vista
desarrollado,
exacerbado,
ldcido,
implicado,
j u g a n d o en t o d a s l a s
posibilidades.8
Henry
portrayal
James
of
saw
the
the devious
novelist
elusiveness
- 136 -
as
of
a
poet
and i n
el Mudito's
Donoso's
m i n d , we
find
the
delight
in
imagination
to
methods
El
in
intractable
v?ith
of
-
total
unusual
obsceno
and
the
creative
Hudito's
consciousness
structure
of
place
one
labyrinthine
El
psychofiction
can
at
the
and
the
concretely
metaphor
In
an
point
the
of
of
to
that
is
The
life
the
of
inextricably
tied
relationships
narrative
la
in
noche
of
his
the
structure
four
main
the
on
la
of
the
maze
of
labyrinth
the
of
el
narrative
sense
of
narrative
Chimba
is
the
and becomes
the
novel.
interior
narrative
verge
between
Chilean
de
the
dealing
the
the
novel
collage
is
. Donoso's
Encarnacidn
in
artistic
express
interior
point
aspects
biographical
the
of
Azcoitia
relationship
Ine's-Peta;
de
la
create
a basic
Penaloza,
of
the
the
monologue
bases
which
memories,
v/hich
we
are
dreams,
the
reader
follow.
There
Mudito.
relationship
kaleidoscopic
v/hich
to
m a t e r i a l he
c l a r i f y e l Mudito's
his
able
the
element
are
Donoso's
schizophrenic
focal
de
are
the
and
labyrinthine
there
of
uses
the
Casa
out
that
noche
inspires
aging
pajaro
described
the
an
v/hich
invention.
la
central
to
hallucinations,
Humberto
as
attempt
origin
attempts
de
Casa
obsceno
of
of
character
Donoso
and
main
p^iaro
mental d e l i r i u m of
decrepit
most
flight
elusive
collapse.
is
exploration
first
and
second
There
are
and
servant:
by
- 137
the
-
life
of
becoming
el
base
v/hich
a series
is
of
is
with
the
equally
symbiotic
Ines-Humberto;
e t c . The
offshoot
the
inextricably
narrative
Azcoitia
Humberto-Jerdnimo,
constituted
before
intertwined
Ine*s
master.
describing
e l Mudito
The
Peta Ponce.
between
is
is
family.
Peta-Humberto;
block
of
Humberto
Jerdnimo
to
"I"
thread
of
third
this
basic
symbiotic
master-servant
created
for
thread
is
asylum
for
interweaving,
him
the
few
It
hallucination
milagroso".
a
full
live
These
the
of
the
to
become
has
Casa
with
had
a l l
restrospect
These
an
its
and
the
t i m e . So
narrative
so
of
the
many
is
up
at
crones
the
the
Mudito
and
which
what
the
him or
to
or
of
by
The
at
have
the
"el
its
Ine*s
at
the
bags
and
a creature
that
From
this
perspective
of
conclusion.
mentioned
is
for
burlap
novel's
to
servants
and
witches).
believes
nino
complete
novel
book
is
themselves
reject
the
former
the
imbunche
shut
What
creates
and
the
into
reader
accept
are
sewn
or
the
de A z c o i t i a comes
is
we
her.
Ines
of
evident
else
Mudito
an
of
i n t e r r e l a t e d and
length
past.
Chimba,
servants
Gigante
who
(the
his
el
world
narrative
Encarnacion
beginning
sewn
someone
to
critics
is
attention
no
taken
visible
then
are
the
basic
ancient
el
and
are
or
someone
really
amazing
is
what
they
that
the
themselves
else
happens
the
see
in
at
the
insistence
as
the
facts
novel.
What
and
is
has
evokes
characters
sometimes
same
old
orifices
only
the
that
blocks
"imbunche"
e l Mudito
is
Casa
the
el
and
Boy
fourth
la
aristocratic
P e t a was
into
confinement
of
It
de
Mateluna,
the
conclusion,
transformed
the
The
Casa
orphans
narrative
when
what
the
Iris
aristocracy.
novel's
of
in
about
monstruous
Rinconada.
stray
is
circle
at
la
story
a
aristocracy.
in
the
point
Donoso
subplots,
also
is
amazing
held
in
trying
incorporates
each
one
long
in
capable
is
the
after
to
it
has
become
figure
out
what
the
of
fact
novel
creating
- 13G
-
a
reader's
obvious
is
really
number
a sense
of
of
interest
that
there
happening.
fascinating
anticipation
of
discovery:
has
the
sexual
Gigante;
the
the
world
of
whose
flair
old
her;
priest
who
and
man who w i l l
who
pov/erful
her
legend
of
wanders
and
in
mask
"nina
bruja
through
the
Ine's and
el
girl's
to
keep
creates
illiterate
millionaire
who
of
this
determined
the
a
the
of
the
p o l i t i c i a n who
naked
marriage
are
son;
makes
wear
believe
b i r t h and
monstruous
the
L o l l o b r i g i d a orphan
a
servant
and
whose
santa";
the
convent;
the
Jeronimo
and
many,
period
from
more.
narrative
approximately
Allende).
The
last
of
year
funeral
and
funeral).
really
I
to
of
the
1970
(based
actual
or
and
to
him
to
useful
insights
into Donoso's
Coronacion
El
motives,
, Este
takes
chapter
events
Donoso.
be
authors.
e f f o r t but
familiar
first
one
his
the process
to
requires
of
events
to Verdun
in
begins
year
past
of
place
and
the
and
the
with
after
the
a
this
novel
retrospective
memory.
contemporary
reader
a
references
reimagines
of
noche
The
the
refers
partial
consider
of
the
deformation
covers
on t h e
(as
e l Mudito
p r o j e c t i o n of
rewarding
life
subsequently
clearly
novel
narration
e l Mudito's
the
am
written
1915
Humberto
delirious
the
any
virgin
business
for
the Gina
women
his
courtship
The
is
and
for
for
v/orks
ritualized
many
old
wealthy
freaks
mistress
Iris,
with
senile
conception
secret;
senile
of
intercourse
immaculate
it
story
domingo
also
one
of
narrative
-
139
-
everything
he
has
fascinating
and
obsceno
panaro
de
la
as
well
as
finds
many
of
pleasure
development.
pajaro
lugar
El
sheer
characters
, El
like
t h e most
Reading
provides
obsceno
I
de
and
sin
la
noche
language
limites
, and
that
El
make
obsceno
pajaro
de
la
narrative
deca'y
and
cycle.
and
a
Donoso's
whose
de
la
desdentadas"
enfermas,
noche
en
de
is
peopled
no
"ojos
esta
confunden
In
each
world
by
se
is
(page
condenada,
quejan y
the
El
de
of
obsceno
familiar
"entre
"bocas
estas
viejas
imbeciles,
de v e r d u g o s
frio
one
characters
portrayed.
rodeada
tienen
linguistic
pathetic
24)
de a b a n d o n a d a s ,
and
consistently
aging,
graphically
leganbsos"
Casa
y
is
thematic
e x c e p t i o n . We f i n d
miserables,
se
cohesive
fictional
decrepitude
and
decrepitas,
que
such
disintegration
places
pajaro
noche
y
y hambre
de
victimas
. . . "
(p.
29)
that
of
the
symbiotic
and
novel
rich
and p o o r ,
relationships.
develops
Ines,
we h a v e
this
Jeronimb,
seen
that
El
of
masters
obsceno
persistent
Humberto,
the presentation
Peta
and
p/jaro
motive
two
servants
de
again,
of
la
worlds,
and
noche
their
explores
particularly in
the
symbiosis:
Usted
sabe
que
l o s s i r v i e n t e s se quedan con una p a r t e
de
sus
patrones,
s i s a b e , como no l o v a a s a b e r s i y o
me
quede'
con
l o p r i n c i p a l s u y o c u a n d o u s t e d me t u v o a
sueldo
como
t e s t i g o de su d i c h a . . . .
No e r a n c a p a c e s
de
vivir
sin
la
presencia
de
mi
mirada
envidiosa
c r e a n d o s u f e l i c i d a d . . . ( p . 84)
. . jama's, p o r n i n g u n m o t i v o , l a i b a a s e p a r a r de l a
Peta
Ponce.
Desde
e s a n o c h e J e r o n i m o e Ine*s j a m a s h a n
e s t a d o s o l o s en e l l e c h o c o n y u g a l . ( p p . 1 8 6 - 1 8 7 )
The
motive
of
consistently
through
de
and
the
la
la
noche
demonic
mascara
demonio,
motive
its
men w e a r
descomunal,
.
Donoso's
and
Donoso's
reaches
mask
muneco
in
masks
.
fiction
height
to
(p.
fiction,
-
make
the
love
to
pecosa,
89)],
the
140
dominates
in
colorada,
.
disguises
El
subplot
Iris
de
emphasizing
substitution
-
which
also
runs
obsceno
of
el
p/jaro
Gigante,
Mateluna
[
payaso,
titere,
another
frequent
of
.
identity
.
.
in
sexual
relationships.
de
noche
la
attraction
are
to
Sexual
based
the
relationships
on
the
in
El
substitution
obsceno
of
pajaro
identity,
the
mask:
. . en e s a s t i n i e b l a s y o p u e d o no h a b e r dado m i amor
a
Ines
sino
a
otra
a
la
P e t a , a l a P e t a P o n c e que
sustituyo
a
Ines
por
ser
ella
la
pareja
que
me
corresponde
. . .
en e l momento d e l o r g a s m o e l l a g r i t d ' :
J e r d h i m o . Y y o g r i t e * : I n e ' s . ( p . 224)
Masks
are
one
obsceno
pajaro
defined
autonomous
encuentra
from
dura
Coleman
el
Ifmites
,
signs
their
of
The
they
identity:
".
.
yo
terrifying
pajaro
mutually
is
archetypal
devil,
the
manana
uno
es
la
noche
identity.
In
what
aspects
one
one
of
a
no
me
que
es
reveal
the
Alexander
the
world
dualities
of
virgin-prostitutes,
a n o t h e r , v/hich
another.
travesty
the
El
characters
doubleness",
presents
of
lo
fictional
de
of
in
illusion
y
porque
saint-witch,
demonic
imagery
again
present
in
obsceno
is
recurrent
\'le f i n d
the
yo
Donoso's
noche
v/orld o f
destruction
As
where
in
El
coexist
lugar
sin
" a l l objects
are
opposites",9
significance
myths.
hoy
pa'jaro
excluding
the
level
overall
la
interrelated
this
of
de
.
confusion
male-female,
novels
body
155)
personal
previous
a
(p.
of
destroy
me e n c u e n t r o
of
recurrent
of
mismo
nature
as
than
as
disfraz."
"a
theme
noche
obsceno
master-servant,
rather
the
El
obsceno
God-devil,
of
to
calls
El
la
ni
Coronacion
fragmentary
of
de
nadie
mientras
aspect
the
El
demonic
v / h i c h v/e o u t l i n e d
and
structure
of
four
dogs,
labyrinth,
141
which
the
sterility
-
to
the
p a j a r o de l a n o c h e
imagery
black
vital
novel
a demonic
and
-
is
in
Donoso's
archetypal
. There
clearly part
based
on
of
the
biblical
yellow bitch,
impotence,
is
darkness
a
she
and
night,
the
perhaps
"nino
the
milagroso".
demonic
image
associations
together
into
epigraph
of
the book.
In
portrays
the b i r d
James
Sr's
image
in
of
terms
the
eroticism,
malevolence
death.
obsceno
El
Bosch's
woman
hell
of
the
"Garden
is
on
the
characterizes
the
for
the
de
links
the
unit
of
as
l a noche"
of
which
la
night
fall
is
noche
is
In
a modern
both
s a l v a t i o n . The
El
rich
painting,
demonic.
obsceno
in
a
For
title
and
use
a constant
from paradise
of
of
the
resumes
of
the
Eenry
aura
of
reminder
of
version
of
world,
earthly
chaos,
exuberant
archetypal
Bosch
artists'
into
pajaro
is
series
Earthly Delights",
Delights".
infuses
quality
to
bird
de
hope
p/jaro
l a s c i v i t y and D o n o s o ' s
obscene
the
Bosch's
erotic allied
"Garden
of
Earthly
writing
plastic
his
best
cohesive
and n i g h t
e a r t h , w i t h no
Donoso's
same
cause
"obsceno
that
a
pajaro
of
The
de
la
lyricism
noche
symbolism
with
that
supernatural presentation
of
example:
quedamos
en
la
o s c u r i d a d t o t a l , q u i z a * n o ha
habido
nunca
ojos
contemplandonos
y
todo
haya s i d o
siempre
oscuro,
no,
a h i estah l o s ojos a m a r i l l o s , soy
yo
o t r a v e z , t e d e s e o mas q u e n u n c a a h o r a p o r q u e s e * q u e
esta's
cansada
y
porque
yo
estoy
cansado, esos ojos
amarillos
y
legalfdsos
ven
como
te
penetro,
como
revives,
l o s o j o s l e g a * n o s o s c e r c a d e l o s n u e s t r o s , ma's,
mas,
h a s t a q u e Trie's l a n z d e l g r i t o f i n a l , M a d r e B e n i t a ,
que
no
fue
solo
un
grito
de p l a c e r s i n o tambie'n un
grito
de
terror,
porque a l a b r i r los ojos para ver l a
constelacidh
de
miradas
relucientes
de
los testigos
alrededor
del
rostro
de
Jerdnimo,
vio
a
la
perra
amarilla
que se a c e r c d ' a h u s m e a r l o s o a l a m e r l o s j u g o s
que
sus
cuerpos
dejaron
sobre
las
hojas:
la perra
amarilla,
acezante,
babosa,
cubierta
de
granos
y
verrugas,
el
hambre i n s c r i t a en l a m i r a d a , e l l a , d u e n a
d e l poder p a r a p r o v o c a r e l g r i t o . (pp. 193-194)
As
Martin
Stabb
summarizes:
. for him the e r o t i c i s a dark f o r c e , t i n g e d w i t h
the
satanic
and l e a d i n g o n l y t o o b s e s s i v e d e s i r e and a
fruitless
quest
f o r p l e a s u r e or r e l e a s e . . . .
we k n o w
that
b e h i n d t h e masks o f e v e r y d a y e x i s t e n c e t h e r e l u r k s
-
142
-
a
world
of
elemental
f e a r , of implacable d e s t r u c t i v e
power,
of
crippling
impotence
and
of
gnawing,
unsatisfied
lust.
In
short,
the
erotic is clearly a
defining
characteristic
of t h a t obscene n i g h t b i r d . .
. 10
Donoso's
aristocracy
real
illustrates
emotions
description
marriage
the
the
(e.g.
narrator
system
and
should
be
as
and
a
-
The
Sacred
should
seen
and
which
the
ritualized
to
aware
should
see
it
is
of
each
requires
Donoso
uses
For
an
As
in
subtleties
in
this
other
use
that
of
of
the
and
treatment
Henry
of
accepted
of
James's
element
the
constantly
the
for
courtship
ritualized
as
the
the
essential
the
the
is
his
of
example,
imaginative
aristocracy.
),
world
camouflage
Chile,
Donoso's
the
Fount
social
surface.
participants
always
image
of
of
be
the
the
return
typical
routines
that
game
cover
is
the
elaborate
below
Jeronimo's
Ines
rituals
of
the
lurking
of
to
fiction
in
descriptions
that
social
society
involved
appearances
"medallon":
Las
reglas
y
las
formulas,
e l r i t u a l tan f i j o y tan
estilizado
como
l o s s i m b o l o s de l a h e r a l d i c a , que i b a n
regulando
e l p r o c e s o d e l n o v i a z g o , i n s c r i b i a n su p r o p i a
figura
y
la
d e I n e ' s , e n t r e l a z a d a s como i b a n d e b a j o de
los
arboles
cargados
de f r u t a , como en un m e d a l l o h de
piedra:
este
medallon
no
era
mas
que una e t a p a d e l
friso
e t e r n o c o m p u e s t o s p o r muchos m e d a l l o n e s , y e l l o s ,
los
novios,
encarnaciones
momentaneas
de
designios
mucho
ma's
vastos
que
los
d e t a l l e s de sus
sicologias
individuales.
El
cuerpo
y
e l a l m a de Ine's, i n t a c t o s ,
esperaban
que
e'l l a a n i m a r a p a r a s a c a r l a de ese p r i m e r
medallon
y
hacerla
ingresar
en
la
suntuosidad
del
m e d a l l d n s i g u i e n t e . ( p . 179)
Routines
acceptable
and
pattern
raw e m o t i o n s
of
underneath
Donoso's
moments
rituals
where
writing
the
in
decorum
which
superficial
in
plastic
El
the
is
- 143 -
an
elaborate
provide
cover
an
for
the
noche
has
appearance.
obsceno
visual
aristocracy
paiaro
impact
is
de
on
la
a poetic,
lyric,
sensual
level
reminiscent
of
Proustian
passages:
Un
diamante
azul
se e n c i e n d e e n t r e l o s m a t o r r a l e s d e l
parque,
s e a p a g a y v u e l v e a e n c e n d e r s e d o r a d o ma's a l i a " ,
titila
ma's a c c f y s e a p a g a o t r a v e z y e n t r e e s o s m a c i z o s
de
plantas
oscuras
nacen
mas
f u l g o r e s que nos e s t a l i
mirando
a
t i
y
a
mi que d e s a p a r e c e n , j o y a s ,
astros,
ojos,
f u l g o r que d i s i m u l a n l a s h o j a s , v u e l v e a a p a r e c e r
multiplicandose,
desvanecidndose,
pasecfhdose e n t r e l o s
arbustos
oscuros,
no
al
a c e c h o s i n o que v i g i l a " h d o n o s
porque
son
los
ojos
de
mis p e r r o s vagando e n t r e l a s
hortensias,
lentos
ahora, rojo, rosa, atentos, a l i a " s e
extinguieron
esos
dos
ojos
de
acero
que
ahora
se
encienden
ma's
cerca . aqui, entre los matorrales a l pie
mismo
del
corredor
donde
tii y
yo estamos
tendidos,
centellas
fixas
en
la
l i n e a d e c l a r i d a d f i n a como e l
canto
de
una
h o j a que i n s i n u a t u p e r f i l p e r f e c t o . (p.
191)
In
a
the
novel,
different
context)
multifaceted
:
In
El
exaustive
obsceno
obliterated.
magnifying
a
glass
demonic
structural
system
similar
in
It
for
to
previous
alienation
of
individual
are
El
paiaro
obsceno
"lupa"
(in
detailed
apreciar
de
la
la
and
noche
suntuosidad
noche
we w i t n e s s
of
a detailed
r e a l i t y being
the n a r r a t i v e
that
and
the
seen
distorts,
is
which provides
negated,
narrator
through
the
the
and
the
culmination
archetypal
novel.
this
and
archetypal
El
obsceno
The
Donoso's
- 144 -
the
system
Donoso
pajaro
elements
absurdity
consciousness,
to
structure,
psychoanalytical
novels.
human
basic
the
process
characterization in
existential
the
la
grotesquely
the
the
210)
negated,
a
of
describes
the process
is
metaphor
para
apocalyptic obsession
basis
of
de
of
which
Subordinate
his
(p.
pajaro
i d e n t i t y being
in
lupa
detalles."
presentation
individual
being
sus
con
the
best
richness
mirarlas
de
uses
which
linguistic
"
maniatica
of
e l Mudito
of
de
as
la
in
noche
those
existence,
loneliness
of
uses
of
,
found
the
the
characterization,
while
psychoanalysis
unconscious
images,
of
layers
dreams,
of
of
Biographical,
integrated
into
structure
incorporated
interior
repressed
obsceno
in
the
r e a l i t y , the
desires
existential
El
which
is
exploration
subterranean
and m o r b i d
de
reveals
organizes
and
best
writing,
as
we
la
elements
noche's
the
flow
of
fantasies.
and p s y c h o a n a l y t i c a l
pajaro
of
are
archetypal
dominant
theme
of
destruction.
In
Donoso's
Bible
as
provide
myth,
the
provides
from c r e a t i o n ' to
In
El
biblical
of
archetypal
myths
pa'jaro
again
de
the
de
la
fulfills
la
noche
archetypal
noche
an
is
a
structure,
i n man's
as
Donoso's
we a r e
v/hich
in
the
the
v/orld
of
The
perception
reality
la
of
confusion,
la
muerte.
is
woman
incarnated
Mudito's
.
who
in
.
of
The
el
the
Bible,
extending
Peta
essence
eternal f a l l .
constantly
terms
of
In
the
of
self d e s t r u c t i o n o f
symbolized
desorden,
cause
del
of
the
the
by
una
the
145
fall.
of
161)].
The
archetypal
-
of
which
the
image
novel
death,
images
of
the
grotesque
infernal
Boy
["
Once
of
.
peor
again
the
o l d v/oman i s ,
destruction
is
an
forma d i s t i n t a pero
(p.
imagery
forest"
monstruous
chaos"
element
-
those
the
El
group, of
"unsubdued
are
role.
faced with
chaos,
images
of
demonic
the
Ponce,
consciousness,
where
the
thematic
parody
structural
to
versidn
the
demonic
leads
demonic
. esta
is
In
novel
caricature.il
era
ones
destruction.
we f i n d
epigraph,
preceding
the
novel
apocalyptic destruction
decrepitude,
symbols
structure
essential
again
'in
the
l i t e r a r y archetypes.
a synthesizing
obsceno
underscores
grammar
seen,
apocalypse.
pajaro
obsceno
main
have
behind
.
.
que
it
witch
in
el
every
event
[
".
.
implacable,
.
la
puedo
confundir
dejas
en p a s "
as
in
"
cercania
de
224);
.
que
".
encontrarcf
oire'
y
.
el
la
muerte
que
. l a
P e t a no
ha
.
.
but
In
cyclical
of
is
parallel
the
past.
alternance
owner
of
the
la
engulfing,
ha
venido
the
Humberto
of
me
no
of
order
castrating
sexo
nuevo"
porque
l a Peta
no
rabia
despue's
de
cerrarme
sinister
is
(p.
lo
de
mother
la .
en m f
rugido
witch.
which
que
agusanado por
is
que
no
los
not
the
Peta
Ponce,
the
the
novel.
Peta
throughout
the
la
a buscar
archetypal
eternal
ma's
porque
destroyer
vieja,
parte
The
Casa,
to
is
with
lugar
between
de
la
a
sin
noche
within
it
"mundo
the
del
very
is
de
la
already
his
revel",
essence
of
mythic
noche
black
as
is
dogs,
is
and
presents
malevolent
and
benevolent
creator
-
146
of
the
La Rinconada,
-
circular
on
of
to
lost
earth.
reminiscent
same
of
ambiguous
d e i t y . Be
the
of ,
and
parallel
a novel
hell
the
perception
the present
limites
the
emphasizes
r e p e t i t i v e and
present
four
Donoso
a
the present,
pajaro
future
Jeronimo,
the
otra
destroyer,
obsceno
El
an
t r a g a r a ^ su
generations
future
in
se
pajaro
the
Alejo
the
despertare^
irrationality
the
Don
no
299) .
is
Don
as
lasciva
la
novel.
nature
and
de d i s t i n g u i r
. vieja
as
robar,
(p.
obsceno
El
.
peligrosa,
d e v o r d ' mi m a r a v i l l o s o
a
Time
illusions
de
buscar
haunts
of
the
El
sexo
eternal sorcerer
embodiment
in
and
Yo
definitely
the
.
novels
noche
."
witch,
is
existence
a
mas
dificil
vieja
quiere
buscado.
La
mas
la
Woman f u n c t i o n s
previous
ira'
archetypal
Ponce
84)].
la
fue
se
virgin
time.
cualquier
nada.
pantalones
the
con
.
siempre
Ponce,
feroz,
(p.
.
Peta
ma's
Donoso's
menace:
la
is
employer
the
of
Humberto
Penaloza,
politician.
"As
for
creates
whom h e
where
only
In
,
the
_E_1
this
God
their
as
nuestro
milagroso
obliteration
the
culmination
courses
of
Mudito
moves
to
of
of
nothingness.
It
full
with
circle
to
Coronaciori
Madness
and
fragile
noche
is
novel
moves
total
w i t h no
El
of
Donoso's
narrative
novels
as
El
to
if
to
illusion
order
pcTjaro de
obsessions.
cycle
of
thematic
of
la
of
cielo
no
.
of
.
."
of
la
is
in
the
the
state
Casa
.
.
128)].
novel
la
noche
the
el
total
reduced
has
completed
and
to
the
v/hich A n d r e s
the
cosmic
in
madness.
alternatives
entropic
a
only
that
of
is
is
obsceno
.
characters'
de
noche
only
El
["
the
destruction,
de
of
the
(p.
fictional
narrative
hope
Jesus
pajaro
collapses.
unstructural
-
iTmites
sin
crones
substance
are
of
lugar
character
join
chaos
apotheosis
possibility
old
obsceno
as
La Rinconada
leaves
previous
pajaro
follow:
an
El
parody
destruction
to
final
in
the
main
son
enter.
as
Donoso's
obsceno
of
can
ultimate
inexorable
towards
obsceno
El
abdication
the
the
consciousness
escape
chose
of
as
-
llevara'al
the
seems
paradise
twisted
nos
In
towards
of
that
Donoso's
destruction.
disintegration
solution
of
a
powerful
a monstruous
organization
baby
a
produced
l a noche
is
ashes
landowner,
has
parody
de
que
a l l
he
monsters
The
Saviour
The
wealthy
archetypal
redemption.
hijo
a
Father"
p/iaro
demonic
await
the
"noble"
obsceno
or
is
a demonic
most
salvation
the
he
pajaro
process
equilibrium
when
de
as
la
the
that
is
regeneration.
noche
is,
in
a way,
a summation
It
constitutes
a
grand
fiction
constituted
by
Donoso's
development
and
- 147
-
narrative
finale
technique
of
all
to
the
first
evolve
four
in
conjunction
violence,
in
a
its
great
to
we
final
ashes,
lyrical
of
and
have
are
destruction.
in
El
apocalyptic
reduced
dust
beauty
grotesque
followed
resolution
biblical
the narrator
"ashes
decay
v/hich
typically
and
crescendo
death,
destruction
reaches
a
and
to
to
dust"
-
The
main
throughout
obsceno
climax
ashes
distortion,
and
another
pajaro
theme
Donoso's
de
la
i n v/hich t h e
dispersed
Donosian
madness,
in
of
work
noche
in
narrative
the wind
final
scene
of
intensity:
El
viento
dispersa
e l humo y l o s o l o r e s y l a v i e j a s e
acurruca
sobre
las
p i e d r a s p a r a d o r m i r . E l fuego arde
un
rato
j u n t o a l a f i g u r a a b a n d o n a d a como o t r o p a q u e t e
ma's
de
harapos, luego comienza a apagarse, e l rescoldo
a
atenuarse
y
se
agota
cubriehdose
de
ceniza
muy
liviana,
que
el
viento
dispersa.
En
unos
cuantos
minutos
n o q u e d a n a d a d e b a j o d e l p u e n t e . S<5io l a m a n c h a
negra
que
el
fuego
dejd*
en
las
p i e d r a s y un t a r r o
negruzco
con
asa
de
alambres.
El
viento lo vuelca,
r u e d a p o r l a s p i e d r a s y c a e a l r f o . ( p . 543)
-
148
-
Chapter
All
quotes
edition published
1.
de
Emir
Revista
1971, p .
Five
Motes
from
El
obsceno
pa-jaro
by S e i x B a r r a l , B a r c e l o n a ,
de
la
1970.
noche
refer
to
"JosO
D o n o s o : L a n o v e l a como ' h a p p e n i n g ' . Una e n t r e v i s t a
R o d r i g u e z M o n e g a l s o b r e E l o b s c e n o p a j a r o de l a n o c h e " ,
Iberoamericana
,
No.
76-77,
P i t t s b u r g h , July-December
530.
2.
Luis
Llosa,
"Una v i s i o n e n f e r m a d e l mundo.
novelista
chileno
Josi
Donoso",
El
Comercio
,
N o v e m b e r 19, 1970, p . 40.
3.
Jose D o n o s o ,
2, S a n t i a g o , N o v e m b e r
4. D o n o s o ,
"Del
"Del monstruo a l
1972, p p . 3-4.
monstruo
al
pajaro",
pajaro",
p.
Reportage a l
Lima,
Peru,
Ouinta
Rueda
,
No.
3-4.
5.
For
example:
Pamela B a c a r i s s e , " E l obsceno p a j a r o de l a
noche:
A W i l l e d Process of Evasion" i n Contemporary L a t i n a m e r i c a n
Fiction
(Edinburgh:
Scottish
A c a d e m i c P r e s s , 1 9 8 0 ) , p p . 18-32;
Alicia
Borinsky,
"Repeticiones
y m a s c a r a s : E l o b s c e n o p c t j a r o de
la
noche",
Modern
Language
Notes
, 88, N o . 2, M a r c h 1973, p p .
281-293;
John
C a v i g l i a , " T r a d i t i o n and M o n s t r o s i t y i n E l o b s c e n o
pa'jaro
de
l a n o c h e " , PMLA , 93, J a n u a r y 1978, p p . 33-45; A n t o n i o
Cornejo
Polar,
" E l o b s c e n o p a j a r o de l a n o c h e : l a r e v e r s i b i l i d a d
de
la
metcffora",
in
Jose
Donoso.
la
d e s t r u c c i o n de un mundo
(Buenos
Aires:
Fernando
Garcia
Cambeiro,
1975)
pp.
101-112;
Eduardo
Chamorro,
"Del
e s f u e r z o i m a g i n a t i v o a l a s t r a i c i o n e s de
las
transcripciones:
El
obsceno
p a j a r o de l a n o c h e " , T r i u n f o ,
No.
456,
February
27,
1961;
Ariel
Dorfman,
"Hotas
para^. un
analisis
marxista
de
l a n a r r a t i v a c h i l e n a de l o s u l t i m o s
anbs",
Casa
d e las
A m e r i c a s , N o . 69, N o v e m b e r - D e c e m b e r 1961, p p . 65-83;
Zunilda
Gertel,
"Metamorphosis
as
a
Metaphor
of
the W o r l d " ,
Review
,
Fall
1973, p p . 20-23; C e d o m i l G o i c , " E l n a r r a d o r e n e l
laberinto",
in
J o s e f D o n o s o , l a d e s t r u c c i d n d e u n mundo , ( B u e n o s
Aires:
F e r n a n d o G a r c f a C a m b e i r o , 1975) p p . 113-124; A n i t a M u l l e r ,
"La
diale'ctica
de l a r e a l i d a d en E l o b s c e n o p a ' j a r o de l a n o c h e " ,
Nueva
Narrativa
Hipanoamericana
, I, H o . 2, S e p t e m b e r 1971, p p .
133-138;
Charles
Tatum,
"El
obsceno
pajaro
d e , l a n o c h e : The
Demise
o f F e u d a l S o c i e t y " , L a t i n a m e r i c a n L i t e r a r y R e v i e w , I,
No.
2,
Spring
1973,
pp.
99-103;
F r a n c e s W e b e r , " L a dinefmica de l a
alegorfa:
El
obsceno
pajaro
de
la
noche
de
Jose
Donoso",
H i s p a m e r i c a , I V , N o s . 11-12, 1975, p p . 23-31.
6.
Alexander
Coleman,
- 149
"Some
-
Thoughts
on
Donoso's
Traditionalism",
157.
Fall
7.
John
1973, p.
Studies
Hasset,
28.
in
Short
"The
Fiction
Obscure
Bird
, VIII,
of
the
Winter
Night",
1971,
p.
Review
,
8.
Guillermo
Castillo,
" A r t i s t s and A u t h o r s : J o s e ' D o n o s o y
su
ultima
novela
(Extractos
de
una e n t r e v i s t a a Jose''Donoso a
fines
de d i c i e m b r e de 1 9 7 0 , en V a l l v i d r e r a ) " , H i s p a n l a , L I V ,
No.
4, December 1 9 7 1 , p.
959.
9.
Coleman,
p.
158;
Hasset,
p.
29.
10.
Martin
Stabb, "The E r o t i c Mask:
New N o v e l " , S y m p o s f u m , X X X , N o . 3 , Summer
Notes
1976,
on Donoso
p . 17 8 .
and
the
11.
"Every
man
who h a s r e a c h e d e v e n h i s i n t e l l e c t u a l t e e n s
begins
to
suspect
t h a t l i f e i s no f a r c e ; t h a t i t i s n o t g e n t e e l
comedy
even;
that
i t f l o w e r s and f r u c t i f i e s on t h e c o n t r a r y o u t
of
t h e p r o f o u n d e s t t r a g i c d e p t h s o f t h e e s s e n t i a l d e a r t h i n v/hich
its
subject's
roots
are
plunged.
The
natural
i n h e r i t a n c e of
everyone
v/ho
i s c a p a b l e o f s p i r i t u a l l i f e i s an unsubdued
forest
where
the
wolf
howls
and
the obscene b i r d of night c h a t t e r s . "
Henry
James
Sr,.
v / r i t i n g t o h i s s o n s Henry and W i l l i a m , e p i g r a p h
t o E l o b s c e n o p a j a r o de l a n o c h e
-
150
-
Conclus ion
The
clear
four
novels
influences
Donoso's
of
Donoso
from
Faulkner,
cosmopolitan,
style
which
noche
impossible
Chilean.
evolves
Yet
representative
authors,
a
that
wide
from
v/e h a v e
Proust,
ranging
Coronacion
categorize
as
these
influences
and
some o f
group
to
the
to
El
have
James
obsceno
literary
Donoso
revealed
and
influences
Kafka.
make
pajaro
authentically
greatest
which
Joyce,
literary
to
of
studied
and
the
de
uniquely
ascendences
contemporary
la
are
Latinamerican
d e f i n i t e l y belongs.
Donoso's
r
education
at
European
He
for
avoided
any
develop
He h a s
r e a l i t y and
of
the
approach
his
of
valid
has
used
flights
and
satire,
own
disintegration.
to
his
the
his
use
total
novels
of
where
level.
he
has
consistently
involvement
well-defined
world which
talent
and
archetypal
version
four
destruction
studied,
a
imagination,
particular
first
ideological
with
current
is
the
or
and
starting
fiction..
great
of
Donoso's
towards
the
tv/enty y e a r s .
or
and
literary
Europe
man
is
life
in
a
his
inexorably
past
exile
however,
any
surrealism
self-imposed
the
nomadic
international
He
point
spectacular
an
intellectual
vision
Donoso
of
in
h i m on
his
direct
original
for
school,
place
remains
most
affiliation.
In
English
residency
presently
lived
an
and
v/e h a v e
- 151 -
his
affinity
demonic
of
novels
creativity,
the
portray
his
with
structure
literature
a world
to
of
moving
chaos.
seen
a series
of
characters
whose
lives
are
destroyed
sexuality
present
bourgeois
society.
rigid
under
and
when
repressed
the
are
unable
to
repressive
psychic
Donoso's
communicate,
which
condemned
to
by
the
is
largely
fall
structural
as
of
and D o n o s o ' s
element
Donoso's
the
language
at
personal
obsessions
Of
clearly
the
the
Donoso's
theme
of
previous
novels
is
dissolution
glory
great
and
of
of
These
Donoso
man
v/e h a v e
for
is
and
destroyed
society
the
which
novels
is
myth,
of
past
it
essential
undoubtedly
people.
bleak
Yet
his
imagination
and
r e a l i z a t i o n v/hich c r e a t e s
his
a
studied.
most
consciousness,
is
myths
is
a
inexorably
bourgeois
myths
by
portrays
is
biblical
these
and
characters
spiritual
and
cycle
masks
a
disintegration
civilization
depressing
a transformation
experiences
the
of
and
his
inner
reality.
ambitious,
destruction
into
of
of
emotional,
This
the
in
stifled
v/hich
of
evolve
isolated,
human c o n d i t i o n
studied,
resolved
erupt.
emotion.
aesthetic
into
most
order
Christian
the
novels
in
narrative
imaginative
four
mental,
inversion
centre
dominant
the
the
the
of
Donoso's
into
false
and p r o b a b l y
affirms
sensation.
of
view
pessimistic
sensations
by
a play
to
and
conventional
that
condemned
are
and
instincts
sustained
are
but
disintegration.
man
the
are
they
and
violence
conformist,
instincts
suffer
alienates
emergence
cultivates
prose
They
fragmentation
society
and
characters
of
of
the
relationships
system
forces
society.
emotions,
surface
complex
social
disguises
the
the
The
hierarchical
by
in
El
obsceno
complex
v/hich
El
nothingness,
- 152
and
-
pajaro
ashes
de
la
successful
Donoso
obsceno
the
pajaro
of
book.
explores
de
the
la
noche
is
The
in
the
noche
with
fire
that
the
wind
silently
all
of
Donoso's
fictional
El
world
coherent
pa'jaro
novelistic
earlier.
increase
in
It
complexity
Donoso's
point
El
obsceno
appear
construction
noche
.
pajaro
fully
increased
use
of
chronology,
the
multiple
narrators
develops
in
obsceno
,• a
pajaro
change
of
subsequent
unrelated
la
literary
to
to
El
the
reality.
the
culmination
v/hich n a r r a t i v e
in
design.
la
with
from the
, the
three
increasingly
completed
in
El
obsceno
points
incorporation
narrative
of
noche
particular
is
de
Chilean
and
scenario
of
la
the
Donoso
ambiguity.
noche
de
ambiguity
which
after
inevitable.
la
complex
view,
the
completed,
becomes
pcfjaro
myth,
vantage
pajaro
of
elements
complexity
a cycle
expression
of
the
preceding
an
shifting
the
techniques
of
of
of
thirteen
conjunction
Viev/ed
noche
of
complete
elements
are
obsceno
realization
enclosed,
inner
is
in
de
progression
de
self
creativity
thematic
is
literary
began w i t h C o r o n a c i o n
process
formulative
which
The
abolition
of
as
a
noche
which
and
the
ambiguous
la
a
is
into
but
de
is
of
novels
novel
process
expansion
of
The
obsessions
of
obsceno
creative
years
disperses.
With
El
v/hich
a
The
novels
explore
themes
the
four
novels
studied.
We
used
have
in
studied
Donoso's
psychoanalytical
structure
largely
of
fiction.
concepts
elements
The
the
development
determine
the
great
oniric
c y c l e . We h a v e
elements,
of
seen
the
of
unity
repeated
-
an
consistently
existential
overall
persistent
penetration
- 153
of
into
thematic
the
v/hich a r e
use
integrated
involve
narrative
the
a series
and
archetypal
motives
in Donoso's
which
Chilean
use
and
development
into
the
minds'
of
psychic
flow,
the
of
loss
of
the
eruption
alienation
the
and
archetypal
of
innocence
The
theme
of
primitive
existential
engulfing
and
of
the
cycle.
is
revealed
by
novels
destruction,
pajaro
de
of
la
Donoso's
resonance
who
and
once
y
realidad:
para
como
It
in
succeeded.
achieved
His
this
que
an
si
del
female,
masks,
of
individuals,
the
archetypal
is
this
In
myth
that
su
of
and
it
each
of
novel.
inexorable
sense
provide
Bl
obsceno
novels
Marquez
"una
novela
su
contenido
penetracidh
la
with
Garcia
be
por
de
de v o l t e a r
his
by
would
inquiete
poder
in
v/ork.
achieved
novel
solo
capaz
otro
structure
fall.
and
link
each . n a r r a t i v e
doom,
ideal
es
of
important
impending
to
por
latter
of
isolated
most
apocalyptic
no
sino
creation
recognition
axis
of
the
aun
es
the
archetypal
similar
libre,
mostrar
the
archetype
that
y mejor
is
of
social,
is
eternal
truly
scope
said
absolutamente
politico
is
use
is
books
man's
noche
It
the
are
of
castrating
destruction
narrative
Donoso's
anguish
v/hich d e s t r o y
fall.
Donoso's
best
and
forces
realidad
al
en
la
r eves'
lado."l
part
that
profoundly
universal
original
stature.
>
- 154
Donoso has
-
most
and
has
brilliantly
deservedly
Conclusion
notes
1.
Cited
by
M.
Fernandez
Braso,
Ma^rguez ( M e x i c o : n . p . 1 9 7 1 ) p . 3 5 1 .
-
155
La
-
soledad
de G a b r i e l
Garcia
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