Treatment of Disturbed Individuals in "The Word for the World is Forest"

           The concept of the psychopathic or insane individual is examined in a unique manner in Ursula le Guin's "The Word for the World is Forest". The concept of a deranged individual is explored implicitly in the character of Davidson, and more explicitly in the discussion between Selver and the other Athsheans. In this way, Le Guin can present a character who, while not classically asocial, is definitely considered a violent and malignant force among humans and Athsheans alike.
         Davidson's character exhibits a mixture of extreme determination, anthropocentrism and flexible or nonexistent morality which makes him the driving force of the beginning of the novel. There is a very strong implication that, in spite of all his pride in humanity, a person like Davidson could only exist on New Tahiti, away from the restrictions of society. In this environment, Davidson's casual brutality and callousness are allowed full reign, cloaked in the guise of good intentions. The other humans have a complex relationship with Davidson, but none of them can be said to have more than a guarded respect for him. The fact that most seem to have a negative opinion of Davidson is overshadowed by the tremendously self-congradualtory tone of his internal monologue. It is Davidson's own complacency which makes him at all tolerable as a character, since it masks the more reprehensible aspects of his personality, which only appear at intervals. However, there can be little doubt that his character is conceited, bigoted, and pathologically devoid of empathy. From the human perspective, Davidson is a dangerous individual for who the only place is the "wild" frontier of an alien world.
         To the Athsheans, Davidson seems to exemplify all that is wrong or "insane" in humanity. The notion that Davidson is the archetype for the worst of humanity is implied by the fact that nearly every negative quality of humans that Selver describes can be seen in the thoughts or actions of Davidson. The continual refrain of the Athsheans is that the "yumans" must be insane to kill one another as though they were not sentient. identical beings. To the Athsheans, it is insane for humans to possess the capacity to murder one another, whether or not they act it. In this case, Davidson best represents the impulses of all humans that Athsehans find so repugnant.
         Finally, it is interesting to note that on a fundamental level the human's and Athsheans agree on the best way to deal with deranged or psychopathic individuals such as Davidson. According to Major Lyubov, the Athsheans abandon psychotics on isolated islands, and in a similar manner, the Terran government has sent Davidson to New Tahiti. However, while other humans see Davidson as a anomaly, the Athsheans see all humans, by virtue of their violent destructive impulses, as insane in some degree.
              

The Word for World is Forest

After reading, I found myself identifying with Captain Lyubov who has "...so strong a sense of his own humiliation and self-sacrifice [come] over him that tears rose to his eyes" (87). But really, who would admit that they identify themselves with Davidson? Then I wondered what I would do if I happened to be one of the loggers in New Tahiti, specifically in New Java.  Would I be one of the ten who went off into the woods to play? It is easier to say that I wouldn't be, but the probability of me being lured into Davidson's scheme is much higher than the probability of me choosing to follow Major Muhamed's orders. This is because Davidson is such an imposing figure; you cannot help but be swayed. He is handsome and communicates effectively. But the most frightening and frustrating aspect of Davidson's character is his self-righteousness. He is thoroughly convinced that he is fighting for the right cause, and that others, such as Captain Lyubov must be shown the light, or exterminated. 

Past and Present in Aura

Conflicts play a large role in Aura, particularly that between past and present. The tone of the story is set even before Felipe enters Senora Consuelo's house, he wonders the city's colonial district- the sight of a new storefronts clinging tenuously on the foundations of old edifices. There is a sense of permanence to these old buildings, looming aloof over contemporary hustle and bustle of a modern city. This is an element that figures greatly into the rest of the story- The past dominates Senora Consuelo’s house, and comes to define Felipe’s stay there. As he translates the memoirs of the General Lllorante, he discovers how actions committed in Consuelo’s past control her present. The past, ultimately, conquers the present, as represented by Senora Consuelo’s inability to retain her lost youth.

Honey Pie - The Earthquake Man

After reading “honey pie” by Haruki Murakumi I was left contemplating the use of The Earthquake Man. He is only seen or experienced through the child, Sala, and seems to prevent her from sleeping at night. The Earthquake Man is mentioned at the beginning of the story, Sala claims that he “tries to put her in a little box – way too little for everyone to fit into,” (119).  The Earthquake Man is mentioned again at the end of the story by Sala to Junpei, “He said he has the box ready for everybody. He said he’s waiting with the lid open,” (145). Who is this man and what does his box reference? My interpretation is that he could represent Takatsuki who seems to have planned out all of their lives in a way that suits him. Or the Earthquake Man could represent society and his box represents society’s ideals and plans for what one’s life should be. It would make sense that Sala feels anxiety about this character because she has her life ahead of her to decide what to be. Junpei is able to subdue her fears because he himself did not give in to the pressures of his family and society to become a business man and followed his passion of writing instead.

Aura

The core of Aura lies in it second person narrative style. Fuentes uses this to entrap the reader in the story and have the reader become another person; much like how Consuelo entraps Felipe in in the story within the memoirs of her husband. This second person narrative style however seems to be a cheap gimmick that covers up Fuentes' lack for any strong character development or interesting elements besides in being an exercise in the in the writings of the supernatural.

Aura

Aura was interesting in that it isn't particularly interesting; that is, it creates a dreamlike, somewhat supernatural atmosphere that is just barely "off" enough to give the reader a sense of unease. It takes place in a mansion hidden within a city, only protected by a gated garden. Nothing too extraordinary, despite the strange occurences happening inside. Aside from the seemingly nonexistent housekeeper Aura, nothing about the house in Aura seems awry enough for anyone to question. This sets up a uniquely surreal scenario where the slightest oddity in language or behavior stands out against the backdrop of normalcy, like a supernatural pin dropping.

Fear of Imagination

A quote that really struck me from Haruki Murakami's "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" is when frog is discussing what is truly frightening to men. He quotes the author Joseph Conrad who said, "True terror is the kind that men feel toward their imagination." This highlights the very important human fear of things that are not in the realm of our control. We fear our imaginations because we are consciously aware of it but unable to completely control it. It is our conscious realization of our subconscious. Once our brains come up with something, we can attempt to reason and argue with our thoughts but they are still present. All the reasoning in the world cannot completely stop our minds from fixating on ideas that may not seem reasonable. In this story, Katagiri is wrestling with something that seems like it should be a figment of his imagination but also is very real to him. By the end of the tale he seems to completely accepted the occurrence as something that happened even though others will claim it was simply a manifestation of an overactive imagination. Katagiri has overcome his fear of his imagination so completely that it has become real for him.

Aura by Carlos Fuentes

            In Aura the magical transformation of Felipe into General Llorente appears to be one done by the trick of the mind.  Felipe's job is to edit the memoirs of the late General by the wife Consuelo.  By submersing himself in the writing of the man's life, and trying to copy another person's writing style, Felipe's mind subconsciously takes on the role of the General.  This is done by the mind so that he can easily edit and finish writing the memoirs of another being.  The fact that he is writing this for a man that has already left this world, makes it easy for his mind to assume the role the General.  This coupled with the fact that he is constantly reading about the man's life, the person memories of another, allows for him to drift into another reality, one in which he  lives as the General.  This illusion of the mind continues on, seemingly even after the end of the story.

The magic of second-person

In his novel Aura, Carlos Fuentes does something that few other writers can do and uses the second person to tell his magical-realistic story, resulting in a deeper connection to the text and deeper reflection on it by the reader.  While most writers avoid the second -person out of complications of its use, or because it doesn't fit the kind of narrative they are using, Fuentes embraces it and uses it to not only put the reader in the characters situation, but also to limit information and give the reader the same circumstances as the character in the book.  The first part, a deeper connection to the reader, is created through the repeated use of "you" as the term referring to the main character, which avoids giving him a name that would distinguish him from the reader.  In addition, the character is never really expanded upon, there is no information as to what he looks like, his race or specific age, or anything of the sort, and this creates a universal character that people of all different nationalities and cultures can connect to.  Secondly, because the second person lacks omission or any extraneous information outside of what the character thinks or is told, the reader and the character end up with the same amount, or lack thereof, of information and explanation, and both are left to come to conclusions on their own.  This works extremely well with magical realism, as it restricts the readers perspective  and thus makes these magical events stand out more, or in some cases, blend in with the rest of the world.

Magical Realism

“Aura” was an enjoyable read that really captured a reader's attention. In its own way, magical realism seems to really involve its audience. Even though Felipe was introduced later, the second person approach to telling the story makes it sound as if “Aura” was a story being retold to the reader. It is interesting how immediately a personal connection is created between the story and its reader. As for the examples in class, they still create a personal connection with their audience because the world presented seems to be within the realms of our reasoning or the strange events are acceptable because an emotional connection has been created. The surrealism that accompanies the magical realism, while bizarre, still intrigues us and sometimes it feels as if we desire to feel the effects of that strange world.

Aura

I have never been exposed to magical realism before and thought it was very interesting. I liked how Felipe didn't think think much of the weird things that were happening in the house like the extreme darkness of the house, the many rats in the corner of Consuelo's room, and the creepy symbols of ressurection. I also liked the way the author wrote it in a metafiction style because it makes me hyper aware of everything that's happening tp o Felipe. It allowed myself to concentrate more on the events happening in the house and enjoy the reading more than other texts.

Was it all a dream? 

In “Aura,” Carlos Fuentes is able to create a dreamlike and magical setting through his use of point of view and symbolism. The book is written in a second-person perspective and its effect on the reader is important in that it makes the reader feel part of the environment in which the novel is set. The reader almost feels as if they are in a dream, feeling out of control and forced to watch every action unfold. In a dream, the dreamer is usually passive and performs actions involuntarily and denies their own reason and morality, such as Felipe watching Aura cut up a human child, as described later in the book. In a dream, the dreamer wonders how they got to a certain place and why they are there, just like Felipe is lost in Consuela’s house. Fuentes is also able to create a tone of mystery and magic through his use of symbolism. The house is always dark and obscure, leaving the reader, as well as the narrator, in a state of confusion and wonder. Also, Felipe mentions seeing many black cats, a classic symbol of mystery. In addition, Felipe repeatedly mentions Aura’s green eyes, which sparkle, but at the same time, often don’t show any sense of life inside.  Fuentes’ use of a dreamlike and magical setting causes the reader to question if the actions that took place in the story are indeed real, or if it’s all just in Felipe’s head, just like a dream. 

The novel, Aura, demonstrates magical realism through the use of cyclical time and binaries such as past and present, light and dark, and old and young. The use of light and dark conceals Aura's identity as she and Senora Consueo are one and the same.  The darkness of the house makes it hard for Felipe to come to this distinction.  Senora Consuelo is 109 years old and she seeks out Felipe in hopes of Felipe and Aura to be a couple . This relationship is similar to Senora Consuelo and General Llorente. In fact, later one Felipe finds out that he resembles the late General.

"Aura" by Carlos Fuentes

"Aura" by Carlos Fuentes is one of those books that make the reader confused in the end and rethink the hidden messages throughout the text. The thing that made this book creepy for me was the fact that it was in second person point of view and that little questionable incidents. By writing in second person point of view, Fuentes situates and pulls the reader into the story to make them feel like they are actually experiencing the storyline as well. There were some strange and questionable events that occur throughout the book. The first noticeable event is how the ad seems to be directed towards Felipe as if it is specifically asking him to do the job. Another strange event is how Felipe hears cats screaming which we later learn is Consuelo's way of making their love favorable since she isn't able to have kids.  Overall, I think "Aura" is more frightening than "The Haunting of Hill House" because it directly addresses the reader and the magical realism adds anxiety to readers because the characters don't seemed frightened by strange events. 

-Alice Lee

Aura by Carlos Fuentes

The book Aura really surprised me because I didn't expect a second person address being the reader and the first person narrator being Felipe Montero. I think Carlos Fuentes choose this style in the book in order to really connect the reader to Felipe. As the reader reads about Felipe's time with Aura and Señora Consuelo the point of view would change in the book and the reader would become Felipe. This connection between the reader and Felipe lessen the tensions of Felipe working for an old women in a dark house with crying cats outside the windows. The reader being Felipe in some parts of the book allows the reader to know that Felipe is not scared of the gothic surroundings, therefore the reader feels that there is no tension in the book. The magical realism used in the book leaves the reader questioning whether Aura is really Señora Consuelo because as Felipe did not act surprised nor devastated to see Señora Consuelo in bed with him rather than Aura at the end of the book. Regardless, the magical realism used in the book allows the reader to not think of gothic as horror or supernatural but to think of it as normal.

Aura- Carlos Fuentes

I enjoyed the examples of magical realism we saw in class because they made it easier for me to understand the style of writing. The videos “Amelie” and “Big Fish” showed the same kind of rushed perception of the world found in Carlos Fuentes’ “Aura”.  Fuentes’ opening where Felipe is reading the advertisement and traveling to the location includes an extensive amount of detail, which also occurred in the movie clips.  The sentences are also a little choppy and often short, which mimics the main character’s thought process.  Fuentes use of magical realism is different from the Gothic books earlier in the course in that there is less perceived danger or threat. The reader can see these techniques because the novel’s 3^rd person perspective which also manages to put us inside of the main character’s head and addressing us as if we are actually in the story.

Aura by Carlos Fuentes

Aura, by Carlos Fuentes, explores our deep struggles against time. Consuelo associates aging with loss. Limbs that were once graceful and beautiful are overcome by aches and pains. Smooth skin is now worn parchment. Consuelo is no longer the beautiful maiden General Llorente fell for. She is adamant about maintaining her beauty, and turns to darker forces to ensure that she is forever young. What’s interesting is that Consuelo is clearly aware of her actions, while Felipe fails to associate himself with General Llorente until much later in the novel. From the ad’s description, it is clear that Consuelo has gone through this process of luring Felipe back to 815 several times. Felipe, however, only has faint sensations of familiarity—which escalate as the novel progresses, noting that it felt that the ad was written specifically for him, all it failed to do was explicitly name him. Why is Consuelo conscious of the fact that she is going against natural forces while General Llorente must be slowly reintroduced to their unique circumstances? Is this Consuelo’s doing, possibly the results of witchcraft? Or does General Llorente refuse to recognize his role in her actions?

Aura- Magical Realism

Aura by Carlos Fuentes signifies the idea of magical realism, of which the fact that Felipe does not stress that something is strange or supernatural.  The text focuses on Felipe and him entering into a dark, unknown realm.  It is unsettling to us to see that Felipe walks in the space not bothered by all the spiritual and supernatural happenings that he may or may have not seen.  In a sense, it makes us sit on edge of the face that the main character is not effected by such cases.  With the magical realism touch, when the Felipe is not so worried, it ends to have us think more about what he just saw or what we just read.  It creates the question of whether he’s been in such a situation before and why he is so used to these strange appearances of rats and cats.  With the ending, it reveals that Felipe turns into Conseulo’s husband.  It all makes sense towards the conclusion, maybe Felipe has already been through such occurrences enough that it does not phase his everyday activities.  I found it very surprising at the end and I did not really understand why he had turned into Conseulo’s husband at first, but I realized that Felipe might have always been the husband by the way he reacted to strange events.

Aura: Language

When first reading Aura, I was very confused about the whole thing with the cats. At first I thought cats may be symbolic of something but never figured out what the cats were symbolic of. I only understood the importance of cats when, in lecture, the translation of the French portions of the book were discussed. I found it odd that the author did not incorporate the translations into the text, so the reader could more fully understand what is going on. However, thinking more about it, had author Carlos Fuentes written the novel so that the narrator translated the French for the benefit of the reader, would have completely destroyed the effect of the second person narration used in this novel.

This type of narration assumes that the reader knows all that the narrator, in this case the main character Felipe, knows as it is written in a way that tells you what you have seen and are doing as if you are actually there narrating the story to yourself for your own benefit. Put in this position makes the reader much more involved in the story as the reader becomes the main character, who is supposed to be fluent in French, explaining why the author did not translate the French parts of his book. Translating these parts of the novel would have omitted the effect of the second person narration as it would have acknowledged the that the reader and the narrator are not, in reality, the same person.

However, I also wonder if perhaps the French was not translated just to keep the reader as much in the dark as Felipe is kept in the dark (literally and metaphorically) throughout the novel. Even though the narration makes the reader feel more involved in the story, the reader can still have a more objective point of view and different insights into the story then the narrator himself, making the French a way in which to ensure the narrator and reader maintain the same level of confusion throughout the duration of the text.

Or do most people in South America speak French and Spanish? That is definitely a reason why the author would not feel a need to translate the French, but regardless in not doing so the second person point of view remains intact.