Aura, Dali, and Gonsalves: Reality or Imagination?

           Aura, written by Carlos Fuentes, is a riveting novel that contrasts the horror and beauty invoked by the genre, magical realism. Although magical realism may not be characterized as a genre but simply labeled as a literary mode, it seeks to challenge the union of complete opposites. It usually entails two conflicting perspectives, one being a mundane view of reality and the other being a supernatural, yet ordinary, idea of reality. What makes magical realism simply enticing is that the supernatural is usually presented in a normal setting, containing modern humans and a modern society. Furthermore, the detachment of the supernatural from reality makes the novel hard to understand, or even conclude. Although it may seem unconventional to write a novel that leaves the reader utterly puzzled, magical realism allows the reader to unveil the hidden meanings that the supernatural holds.

            Despite the fact that there is a sinister looking black cat on the cover of the book, the novel begins quite ordinary. A man by the name of Felipe Montero is reading the newspaper when he is immediately drawn into an advertisement. Although it is ordinary to respond to advertisements, the one that Felipe responded towards was mysterious and vague stating: “Wanted: young historian, conscientious, neat. Perfect knowledge of colloquial French” (Pg 5). As Felipe seeks out the job, he will step from a rational view of reality into a supernatural distortion of reality upon entering the home of his employer. Senora Consuelo, Felipe’s employer, instructs Felipe that he must publish the memoirs of her dead husband, General Llorente. As Felipe is drawn in closer and closer to the dark, enclosed house, he becomes overwhelmed with feelings for Aura, the niece.

Towards the end of the novel, all that is apparent is that Felipe is sexually drawn towards Aura. One night, overcome by lust and desire, Felipe lays next to Aura who begins to immediately wither away and transform into Consuelo, who is 109 years old. Upset and horrified by the situation, Consuelo promises Felipe that she will bring Aura back. This short novel of only seventy-two pages is enough to make your head spin. Furthermore, it is hard to judge the meaning of this story. It leaves the reader with so many different thoughts, ideas, and interpretations because it is such a psychological reading. Throughout the novel, which is written in second person narration, the reader embarks on this psychological quest towards understanding if Aura is an actual person or if she is simply a character of ones imagination. Frankly, the reader really loses ones sense of reality. Perhaps that is just the idea that the author is trying to achieve by writing from a magical realist perspective.

In search of a better understanding, it may be beneficial to aesthetical look at something. Magical realism does not only take the form of literary works, but it also applies to art. Just like readers become psychologically challenged by a text, art viewers are also challenged by aesthetic pieces of art that are challenging to the naked eye. Magical realism as it applies to art came right after the surrealism movement of the 1920s. Surrealist works present a mode of expression that released the subconscious imagination. Branching off this basis, magical realism sought to express the same modes of the imagination but by incorporating everyday objects or people. For instance, take a close look at Rob Gonsalves’ painting, “The Sun Sets Sail.” Are you looking at a series of columns descending from the distance or are you looking at a series of boats descending from the distance? Now ask yourself what it is you are actually looking at. Is it reality or is it an interpretation of reality that combines imagination?

The Sun Set Sail, by Rob Gonsalves

Another example can come from Salvador Dali’s, “Metamorphosis of Narcissus.” Dali printed the same image in two different hues, thus producing two different visual illusions. When you first look at it, you see an individual sitting in a pond. Yet that same image projected again, shows a hand coming out of the ground holding an egg. What is the reality of the painting? What is the imaginative interpretation?

Metamorphosis of Narcissus, by Salvador Dali

By looking at different forms of magical realism, a great question emerges: What is reality and what is fantasy/magic? These are the two realms that both authors and artist move through. Furthermore, I thought that it was important to bring up this idea that magical realism presents because it was an idea that I held throughout the reading of the novel. I could not pin point an idea as to what the author wanted us to think. I constantly questioned the author’s motive: whether I was supposed to come to my own personal conclusion or if there was a universal conclusion. I also questioned my imagination throughout the novel since I always imagined Aura in the story as a tangible human being, but towards the end that notion was challenged and almost completely unjustifiable. Just like in the paintings by Dali and Gonsalves, who knows what it is you are supposed to be looking at. Who knows what Felipe was supposed to believe? It will forever be a mystery.