EEVAVA LLUNAUNA

MMagicagic R Realismealism

The genre of magic realism moves The genre of magic realism moves between the cultural and political between the cultural and political positions of "inherited" codes and positions of "inherited" codes and "imagined" codes, creating an interplay "imagined" codes, creating an interplay which undermines the fixity of borders which undermines the fixity of borders between them. Each term invades the between them. Each term invades the other, eroding its absolute nature and other, eroding its absolute nature and addressing the gaps that fixed systems addressing the gaps that fixed systems inevitably create.inevitably create.

The eroding of fixed The eroding of fixed systems in the narrative systems in the narrative of of Eva LunaEva Luna

Typical binaries in postcolonial texts:Typical binaries in postcolonial texts: Centre / peripheryCentre / periphery Masculine / feminineMasculine / feminine Dominant / subservientDominant / subservient Authoritative / transgressiveAuthoritative / transgressive

become areas of shifting signs in the novelbecome areas of shifting signs in the novel the space between such poles is negotiated the space between such poles is negotiated

in the narrative rather than organizing itin the narrative rather than organizing it

Not a singular and linear Not a singular and linear narrative, but a web of narrative, but a web of stories within stories stories within stories

Born into poverty of a servant mother and Born into poverty of a servant mother and an Indian father, Eva is a child of the an Indian father, Eva is a child of the shadows; yet this is not so much shadows; yet this is not so much disabling for her as it is the source of disabling for her as it is the source of creative possibility. Eva's position, rather creative possibility. Eva's position, rather than reinscribing the centre / margin than reinscribing the centre / margin binary with its attendant attributes, binary with its attendant attributes, instead provides camouflage from which, instead provides camouflage from which, as storyteller, she can occupy any space. as storyteller, she can occupy any space.

Not a singular and linear Not a singular and linear narrative, but a web of narrative, but a web of stories within stories stories within stories

Although Eva’s world is "bounded by the iron Although Eva’s world is "bounded by the iron railings of the garden," she finds that "[w]ithin railings of the garden," she finds that "[w]ithin them, time [is] ruled by caprice . . . Light and them, time [is] ruled by caprice . . . Light and shadow create fundamental changes in the shadow create fundamental changes in the nature of objects . . . Space expand[s] and nature of objects . . . Space expand[s] and contract[s] according to my will" (pp.23-24). contract[s] according to my will" (pp.23-24).

As "a prolongation of [the] shadow[s]," she is As "a prolongation of [the] shadow[s]," she is "transformed into a multifaceted being, "transformed into a multifaceted being, reproduced to infinity, seeing my own reflection reproduced to infinity, seeing my own reflection in multiple mirrors . . . speaking with many in multiple mirrors . . . speaking with many voices" (p.263). voices" (p.263).

What do authoritarian What do authoritarian regimes want?regimes want?

Control over "the truth"Control over "the truth" So any totalitarian system only survives, So any totalitarian system only survives,

after all, on a suspension of disbelief. after all, on a suspension of disbelief. Information and disinformation dissolve into Information and disinformation dissolve into one another; a story of stability sustains a one another; a story of stability sustains a society in which dissidents who are existent society in which dissidents who are existent one day are non-existent the next. In order one day are non-existent the next. In order to keep the "official truth" intact, in effect, a to keep the "official truth" intact, in effect, a lot of narrative invention has to be done. lot of narrative invention has to be done.

What can the magic What can the magic realist do?realist do?

Not so much go beyond the reality of the Not so much go beyond the reality of the social world as challenge the regime's social world as challenge the regime's restricted version of that world by restricted version of that world by drawing upon its own narrative strategiesdrawing upon its own narrative strategies

Eva's reinventions of the "official truth" Eva's reinventions of the "official truth" implies, therefore, an unsettling of the implies, therefore, an unsettling of the polarized relationship between authority polarized relationship between authority and transgression and transgression

Room for Manoeuvre Room for Manoeuvre

Eva’s oppositional practice is to ‘manoeuvre’ within the Eva’s oppositional practice is to ‘manoeuvre’ within the 'room' that opens up between the two poles of authority 'room' that opens up between the two poles of authority and transgressionand transgression

When General Rodríguez asks her “how does one When General Rodríguez asks her “how does one write”, she tells him:write”, she tells him: Reality is a jumble we can’t always measure or decipher, Reality is a jumble we can’t always measure or decipher,

because everything is happening at the same time. While you because everything is happening at the same time. While you and I are speaking here, behind your back Christopher and I are speaking here, behind your back Christopher Columbus is inventing America, and the same Indians that Columbus is inventing America, and the same Indians that welcome him in the stained-glass window are still naked in a welcome him in the stained-glass window are still naked in a jungle a few hours from this office, and will be there a hundred jungle a few hours from this office, and will be there a hundred years from now. I try to open a path through that maze, to put years from now. I try to open a path through that maze, to put a little order in that chaos, to make life more bearable. When I a little order in that chaos, to make life more bearable. When I write, I describe life as I would like it to be. (p.266)write, I describe life as I would like it to be. (p.266)

Eva's peculiar status as …Eva's peculiar status as …

a woman living in the shadows of an a woman living in the shadows of an authoritarian patriarchyauthoritarian patriarchy

a (maternal) child of the oppressive a (maternal) child of the oppressive colonizing culture colonizing culture

a (paternal) child of the oppressed native a (paternal) child of the oppressed native cultureculture

Female sexuality’s Female sexuality’s manoeuvring powermanoeuvring power

The women in the novel are the keepers, The women in the novel are the keepers, by matrilineal inheritance, of a life-giving by matrilineal inheritance, of a life-giving and ongoing energy which can be and ongoing energy which can be pitched against the various violences of a pitched against the various violences of a masculinist and militant culture.masculinist and militant culture.

This women-shared energy is rooted in This women-shared energy is rooted in the image of a the image of a radicalised radicalised mother love mother love

The reinvented "mother" The reinvented "mother"

Mother figures are prevalent in the novel Mother figures are prevalent in the novel as the holders of a capacity to heal and as the holders of a capacity to heal and to create, manifested in ways which to create, manifested in ways which disrupt and reinvent the traditionally disrupt and reinvent the traditionally valorised (and thereby depoliticized) valorised (and thereby depoliticized) signification of “mother” signification of “mother”

Eva's life is guided and Eva's life is guided and protected by characters protected by characters like…like…

The The ghostlyghostly presence of her dead mother Consuelo, presence of her dead mother Consuelo, who in parenthood compounded illegitimacy with who in parenthood compounded illegitimacy with miscegenation and was herself the most miscegenation and was herself the most unconventional orphan;unconventional orphan;

Elvira: the shrivelled “grandmother” who never was a Elvira: the shrivelled “grandmother” who never was a mother;mother;

The madrina: the tough and sassy alcoholic whose only The madrina: the tough and sassy alcoholic whose only child was born with two heads, presumably as child was born with two heads, presumably as punishment for her various sins;punishment for her various sins;

La Señora: the painted brothel owner who knows how La Señora: the painted brothel owner who knows how to care for her “girls”to care for her “girls”

Recuperating female Recuperating female identity…identity…

Yet although the most familiar meanings of Yet although the most familiar meanings of “mother” are refused in the novel, Allende’s “mother” are refused in the novel, Allende’s focus on female solidarity looks a lot like the focus on female solidarity looks a lot like the western feminist tradition of a separate and western feminist tradition of a separate and unproblematic women's identity. unproblematic women's identity.

However, presenting female power as nurturing However, presenting female power as nurturing and cyclical and male energy as culturally and cyclical and male energy as culturally based and destructive must be understood based and destructive must be understood within a powerful socio-political context, both within a powerful socio-political context, both past and present, of colonial, capitalist and past and present, of colonial, capitalist and patriarchal violences. patriarchal violences.

… … or dismantling gender?or dismantling gender?

The “ambiguous” figure of Melisio / Mimi, a transvestite who becomes The “ambiguous” figure of Melisio / Mimi, a transvestite who becomes biologically female, is both a “fictional woman” and “the absolute female” biologically female, is both a “fictional woman” and “the absolute female” (p.227). (p.227).

When Melisio / Mimi attends the Carnival Ball dressed as a man (p.198) When Melisio / Mimi attends the Carnival Ball dressed as a man (p.198) the result, says Eva, “is unsettling, to say the least” (p.189). the result, says Eva, “is unsettling, to say the least” (p.189).

Melisio / Mimi works both on the stage, in the art of role playing, and at Melisio / Mimi works both on the stage, in the art of role playing, and at the language institute, in the translation (and transformation) of meanings. the language institute, in the translation (and transformation) of meanings. Her life becomes a “suspended” (p.189) exercise of transformation, in Her life becomes a “suspended” (p.189) exercise of transformation, in which identity is only, and always, provisional. which identity is only, and always, provisional.

In the house which Eva shares with Melisio / Mimi and La SeIn the house which Eva shares with Melisio / Mimi and La Seññora, life is ora, life is lived “in a forest of ambiguities”:lived “in a forest of ambiguities”: In that house day and night were reversed, you lived at night and slept during In that house day and night were reversed, you lived at night and slept during

the day; the girls became entirely different creatures once they put on their the day; the girls became entirely different creatures once they put on their makeup; [La Se–ora] was a tangle of contradictions; Melisio was without sex makeup; [La Se–ora] was a tangle of contradictions; Melisio was without sex or age . . . [all was] profusion and total disorder. (p.113) or age . . . [all was] profusion and total disorder. (p.113)

Dismantling space Dismantling space (through setting)(through setting)

The urban domestic space of La SeThe urban domestic space of La Seññora is “a forest of ambiguities” ora is “a forest of ambiguities” (p.113)(p.113)

The nation’s assumed centre of power is not defined by an exterior The nation’s assumed centre of power is not defined by an exterior space characterised as general and undifferentiated, but by its own space characterised as general and undifferentiated, but by its own “interior” (p.68) “interior” (p.68)

Thus the “centre” is undermined by a variable hinterland of Thus the “centre” is undermined by a variable hinterland of “exuberant” and “immoderate geography” (p.67 & p.158)“exuberant” and “immoderate geography” (p.67 & p.158) Running through this “most hallucinatory land on earth” is a river of “opalescent Running through this “most hallucinatory land on earth” is a river of “opalescent

waters whose banks evaporated in the reverberating light,” whose current carries waters whose banks evaporated in the reverberating light,” whose current carries an incongruous diversity of “garbage, carcasses of dogs and rats, and inexplicable an incongruous diversity of “garbage, carcasses of dogs and rats, and inexplicable white blossoms [along with] images, smells, colours, and myths” (p.5). white blossoms [along with] images, smells, colours, and myths” (p.5).

By contrast, the now centreless “centre” of authority is described in By contrast, the now centreless “centre” of authority is described in ways which render it flat, caricatured, inanimate against the multiple ways which render it flat, caricatured, inanimate against the multiple worlds of the interior.worlds of the interior.

Dismantling place Dismantling place (through migration)(through migration)

The immigrant space of La Colonia, “a foreign colony with its own The immigrant space of La Colonia, “a foreign colony with its own laws and customs”, is a satire of cultural authenticity, evolving into laws and customs”, is a satire of cultural authenticity, evolving into an exotic tourist Mecca that is both organic and contrived (p.80-1)an exotic tourist Mecca that is both organic and contrived (p.80-1) The aphrodisiac environment of Rupert and Burgel parodies in its The aphrodisiac environment of Rupert and Burgel parodies in its

fecundity the sterile morality of Latin American Catholicism and fecundity the sterile morality of Latin American Catholicism and simultaneously ‘cures’ Rolf Carlsimultaneously ‘cures’ Rolf Carlé’s Freudian holocaust traumaé’s Freudian holocaust trauma

Riad HalabRiad Halabí’s Pearl of the Orient in the rural backwater of Agua í’s Pearl of the Orient in the rural backwater of Agua Santa [Holy Water] Santa [Holy Water] is an inverted parody of the nation’s dreams of is an inverted parody of the nation’s dreams of modernising the interior; where Halabmodernising the interior; where Halabí instead imports his ancient í instead imports his ancient Arabic “sense of hospitality and passion for water” Arabic “sense of hospitality and passion for water” (p.126). (p.126). Alluding to the other conquistador myth of Ponce de LAlluding to the other conquistador myth of Ponce de Lééon’s Fountain on’s Fountain

of Youth, of Youth, Agua Santa becomes the place where Eva becomes a Agua Santa becomes the place where Eva becomes a woman and learns the mysteries of sex & story telling, like woman and learns the mysteries of sex & story telling, like Scheherazade.Scheherazade.