Elena Chiavazza Prieto, Grade 12
UWCEA (Arusha)
When I think of Rayuela, I don't just think of a novel; I think of it more as an "anti-novel". Whenever I have to describe it, I find it a bit complex, so I prefer to simply use the words of its creator, Julio Cortazar: "In some way, it is the experience of a lifetime and the attempt to put it into writing."
What makes Rayuela an exciting story is not its plot itself, but rather how it is built. There are four different ways to read this book: through traditional reading, beginning in chapter 1 and reading linearly through chapter 155; following the direction board made by Cortazar, in which the author made an alternation of the chapters that the reader must follow; read it in the way that "the reader wants"; and lastly, in the "traditional" way of Cortazar: starting with chapter 1 and following linearly until chapter 56, ignoring the next 99 chapters. However, it is said that reading the novel in a "linear" way takes away all its essence and meaning and that there is not a good understanding of the characters and the relationships that are woven between them.
This "anti-novel" is divided into three parts: "Del lado de allá" ("From the side of over there," "Del lado de acá" ("From this side"), and "De otros lados" ("From other sides"). The first part takes place in Paris, and tells the story of Horacio Oliveira, focusing on his love with an Uruguayan woman named Lucia, but better known as "La Maga". Horacio is an intellectual who spends his time smoking and having deep philosophical discussions with his friends. Personally, this is my favorite part of the book, since it is narrated in a lyrical tone that I find totally fascinating. In turn, it is very interesting how Cortázar shows the role of Latin American characters in a fairly European environment. The conversations that take place throughout this first part are written in a very "Argentine" way since typical words and expressions of the country are used.
The second part takes place in Argentina and begins with the story of Traveler, who is married to Talita, a couple that apparently has developed a balanced and healthy relationship. Traveler is an old friend of Horacio Oliveira and receives him at his home when he arrives from Paris. Horacio sees his love "La Maga" reflected in Talita, his friend's wife. At this point, the Argentine culture can be clearly reflected. Therefore, it is undoubtedly the part of the book that generates a lot of nostalgia in me, since the description of landscapes and customs reminds me enormously of my country, Argentina.
Finally, the third part is made up of "expendable chapters", basically chapters that the reader can ignore, and this one shows different newspaper clippings, book quotes, and other types of things that help to understand in greater depth the characters of the novel.
It could be said that Rayuela is the story of a man who does not know where he comes from or where he is going, that does not know what he has or what he wants, and who does not fully understand the world around him. As the plot progresses, it is apparent that Horacio is looking for something, but that "something" isn't very clear. He is an extremely cold and calculating person, with a somewhat strong and mature character, but who is wandering around different parts of the world. I think that is something that generates so much passion about this book, that it is very easy to be able to relate with the main character, to identify with that feeling of emptiness when we think about what we want for our lives, and why we want to achieve success or fame. After having read this novel, Cortazar undoubtedly became my favorite writer, since every time I read it, it feels as though I see a small part of Argentina reflected in each of his sentences and phrases.
As I mentioned in the beginning, Rayuela is defined as an anti-novel, since it breaks with all the canons that had been established of how literature should be treated and how stories should be told. It was an extremely innovative book, because of the flexibility it offers to the reader, and the fact that it offers so many different endings is a fact that also makes it extremely unique.
I feel that this is a book that I would totally recommend as it gives people a fresh new perspective on what literature is, it makes readers completely change their view of how stories should be told, and it also provokes deep reflections on the reader. This novel is very important to me, not only because it represents an important part of my country and culture, but also because I feel that it was what made me love creative writing, which made me think about what I am looking for and want in my life, and the one that made me have a different vision of literature in general.
What makes Rayuela an exciting story is not its plot itself, but rather how it is built. There are four different ways to read this book: through traditional reading, beginning in chapter 1 and reading linearly through chapter 155; following the direction board made by Cortazar, in which the author made an alternation of the chapters that the reader must follow; read it in the way that "the reader wants"; and lastly, in the "traditional" way of Cortazar: starting with chapter 1 and following linearly until chapter 56, ignoring the next 99 chapters. However, it is said that reading the novel in a "linear" way takes away all its essence and meaning and that there is not a good understanding of the characters and the relationships that are woven between them.
This "anti-novel" is divided into three parts: "Del lado de allá" ("From the side of over there," "Del lado de acá" ("From this side"), and "De otros lados" ("From other sides"). The first part takes place in Paris, and tells the story of Horacio Oliveira, focusing on his love with an Uruguayan woman named Lucia, but better known as "La Maga". Horacio is an intellectual who spends his time smoking and having deep philosophical discussions with his friends. Personally, this is my favorite part of the book, since it is narrated in a lyrical tone that I find totally fascinating. In turn, it is very interesting how Cortázar shows the role of Latin American characters in a fairly European environment. The conversations that take place throughout this first part are written in a very "Argentine" way since typical words and expressions of the country are used.
The second part takes place in Argentina and begins with the story of Traveler, who is married to Talita, a couple that apparently has developed a balanced and healthy relationship. Traveler is an old friend of Horacio Oliveira and receives him at his home when he arrives from Paris. Horacio sees his love "La Maga" reflected in Talita, his friend's wife. At this point, the Argentine culture can be clearly reflected. Therefore, it is undoubtedly the part of the book that generates a lot of nostalgia in me, since the description of landscapes and customs reminds me enormously of my country, Argentina.
Finally, the third part is made up of "expendable chapters", basically chapters that the reader can ignore, and this one shows different newspaper clippings, book quotes, and other types of things that help to understand in greater depth the characters of the novel.
It could be said that Rayuela is the story of a man who does not know where he comes from or where he is going, that does not know what he has or what he wants, and who does not fully understand the world around him. As the plot progresses, it is apparent that Horacio is looking for something, but that "something" isn't very clear. He is an extremely cold and calculating person, with a somewhat strong and mature character, but who is wandering around different parts of the world. I think that is something that generates so much passion about this book, that it is very easy to be able to relate with the main character, to identify with that feeling of emptiness when we think about what we want for our lives, and why we want to achieve success or fame. After having read this novel, Cortazar undoubtedly became my favorite writer, since every time I read it, it feels as though I see a small part of Argentina reflected in each of his sentences and phrases.
As I mentioned in the beginning, Rayuela is defined as an anti-novel, since it breaks with all the canons that had been established of how literature should be treated and how stories should be told. It was an extremely innovative book, because of the flexibility it offers to the reader, and the fact that it offers so many different endings is a fact that also makes it extremely unique.
I feel that this is a book that I would totally recommend as it gives people a fresh new perspective on what literature is, it makes readers completely change their view of how stories should be told, and it also provokes deep reflections on the reader. This novel is very important to me, not only because it represents an important part of my country and culture, but also because I feel that it was what made me love creative writing, which made me think about what I am looking for and want in my life, and the one that made me have a different vision of literature in general.
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