The most important systems displayed in the book Aura, by Carlos Fuentes are the binaries between present and past, as well as young and elderly. These devices are fused together by the use of cyclical time in the novel and are represented in many forms. These devices infuse the novel with a sense of magical realism. The first use of the present and past device is when Felipe goes to Consuelo’s house and has trouble finding it because many of these old houses have been redone and their house numbers have been changed. This represents the ancient culture of Mexico that has changed over the years but always keeps its same beliefs and ideals. This sense of cyclical time is displayed in how Aura & Felipe are seen as the reincarnation of Consuelo and General Llorente.
Consuelo uses magic to control what Aura does and it seems to me as though this same magic was used in order to find Felipe using that ad in the newspaper and have him come to the house to discover his past life as General Llorente and his new love in Aura. This magic was also displayed when Felipe found Aura skinning an animal in the kitchen, then very soon after saw Consuelo waving her arms in the same motion that Aura was displaying in the kitchen as if she was controlling when and how Aura moves. Knowing this gave Aura a feeling of mystery because you never really knew whether what she was saying or doing was through her own power, or whether it was Consuelo who was saying and doing these things. In a sense, when Felipe made love to Aura and told her he loved her forever and always, it was as if General Llorente was making love to Consuelo in their past life and the love they shared was reincarnated through Felipe and Aura. This everlasting love is a representation of Mexico’s traditional ways and culture where love actually is meaningful and the love shared between a husband and wife will last forever unlike in America where nearly 1/3 of marriages end in divorce. At first Felip does not like Consuelo and actually tries to escape with Aura on the day that Consuelo is out of the house, but on that same day he discoveries the man he once was and embraces his past and love for Consuelo by kissing and feeling Consuelo under the moonlight that night.
In the book Aura, by Carlos Fuentes consistently used the two binaries of present and past, as well as young and old in order to support the magical realism system in the novel. The device of cyclical time is also present and fuses together the two separate lives of Felipe & General Llorente as well as Consuelo and Aura. These devices infuse the novel with a sense of magical realism. The present and past device is seen very early in the book when Felipe goes to Consuelo’s house and has trouble finding it because many of these old houses have been redone and their house numbers have been changed. Many of the houses have both a new house number and still the old house number out front which is blending together the past and present spirit of these houses. This is similar to the culture of Mexico that over the years has changed, but always keeps its same foundation of beliefs and ideals.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Aura & Felipe are seen as the reincarnation of Consuelo and General Llorente is another important use of the past vs. the present. Consuelo displays the power of control over her reincarnation, Aura, and it seems to me as though this same power was used in order to find Felipe using that ad in the newspaper and have him come to the house to discover his past life as General Llorente and his new love in Aura. An example of this control is when Felipe found Aura skinning an animal in the kitchen, then very soon after saw Consuelo in her room waving her arms in the air, doing the same motion as Aura in the kitchen as if she was controlling when and how Aura moves. Knowing this gave Aura a feeling of mystery because you never really knew whether what she was saying or doing was through her own power, or whether it was Consuelo who was saying and doing these things. In a sense, when Felipe made love to Aura and told her he loved her forever and always, it was as if General Llorente was making love to Consuelo in their past life and the love they shared was reincarnated through Felipe and Aura.
This everlasting love is a representation of Mexico’s traditional ways and culture where the love shared between a couple actually is meaningful and in many cases will last forever. In America this is not the case where nearly 1/3 of marriages end in divorce. At first Felip does not like Consuelo and actually tries to escape with Aura on the day that Consuelo is out of the house, but on that same day he discovers the man he once was and embraces his past and love for Consuelo by kissing and feeling Consuelo under the moonlight that night. This love they share is everlasting, starting with Consuelo and the General and now continuing with Aura and Felipe.