Cortazar's Writing

The writing of Cortazar is complicated.  There are many underlying messages that the reader must discover when reading his stories.  When you first read his stories, you can get a literal understanding or sense of what the text is trying to convey.  However, when you begin to analyze the text, you come to find that Cortazar inserts many metaphorical messages or meanings.  Cortazar transforms literal reading into metaphorical reading in an effective way that challenges the reader.  Some great examples of his classic style are "The Continuity of Parks", "Our Demeanor at Wakes", and "Axolotl".

After reading the "The Continuity of Parks" I was asking myself the question of "what the heck just happened?"  I was thoroughly confused on how easily Cortazar was able to turn the man reading the story into the man who was about to be killed in the story he was reading.  Furthermore, Cortazar was also able to turn me, as the reader, into the stalker of the man who was about to be killed.  This was my first experience with Cortazar's style and I was intrigued. It challenged every normal, literal understanding of a story that I had ever experienced or understood.  He proved that art is transformative.  Reading is real and as you read, you can become apart of the story.  Cortazar interacts with his reader in this particular story and he is able to manipulate his readers.  He "messes with you" within his writing.  He was able to manipulate me!  

In "Our Demeanor at Wakes", Cortazar proves that hypocrisy is bad.  In my world, just like Cortazar's, hypocrisy IS bad.  Believing in something you don't believe in is a crime.  You shouldn't make yourself believe in something that you truly don't agree with or feel passionate about.  An example of this within the story is in regards to the funeral.  The author proves that if one works on being sad, you can actually become sad even if you aren't.  This reminds me of actors.  Sometimes actors think about sad things on set just to make themselves cry.  Is this okay?  It's questionable.  A little more random if you ask me.  I mean thinking about your dead grandma just to MAKE yourself cry is well...weird to me.  But, Cortazar also proves within this story that once you begin telling so many lies that you begin believing in your own lies.  Then, your lies become your reality.  This also isn't okay.  This is an example of that friend that you have that lies about everything just to make themselves look "cool" or better.  Liars normally don't do too well in life because lying is a bad, bad habit.  In the end, this story brings up many relatable topics to its readers which makes this story even more interesting to read and to understand the underlying messages.

Finally, "Axolotl" is more than just a cute story about salamanders.  It explains the suffering of those who are silent.  Isolation, one of the major themes within "Axolotl", is portrayed through the axolotls.  They have the ability to think, but they don't have the ability to communicate and they are trapped inside of an aquarium.  I feel strongly for the axolotls, and further, those who can't speak.  Being isolated, or alone is a tragedy.  I feel that no one should experience loneliness or isolation. The axolotls are very comparable to those who are deaf.  They can't speak, but they are able to think.  It is like they are trapped inside their own bodies because they can think, but they can't communicate and express themselves.  Their voice can't be heard, just like the axolotls.  On the flip side, isolation can be alleviated through art.  You hear all the time about the guys who are exiled but they write the most amazing novels.  That's because they are able to express themselves through art to help ease the pain of being alone.  This piece of literature makes you stop and truly think about those around who are alone.  Take time out of your day to say hi to someone you don't know because they might need it; they might be alone.