The Works of Julio Cortazar

I have a new fascination, magical realism. I did not really know what this was before I came to class and read Julio Cortazar's short stories. Its a complicated way of writing, but for me I felt it was somewhat easy to understand. In the first piece I read, "The Continuity of Parks," I reread the story a couple times, not because I did not understand what was happening, but because I loved it. The way the story flows is just amazing. I felt almost like I was being tricked. The transition of one story to the second was unnoticeable until you realize the guy reading the book actually became the victim in the story he was reading. I shared this story with several people! I was just so astonished by the twists and turns Cortazar planted so slyly into the text that I could not wait to read the next piece.


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 "Our Demeanor at Wakes" was actually much more difficult for me to understand. The text was clear to me. A family of hypocrisy hating people take over funerals and turn them into their own gathering by out doing other mourners. What I did not understand why was I was snickering at the things these people were doing, the over exaggerated crying or the dismissal of the family from their loved one's funeral. It wasn't until class that I realized it was okay to be laughing. When taking a deeper look at the text I found that the hilarious things these crazy people were doing was actually their reality. When you focus on something and put your whole heart into it, it becomes real. In the text the sister stood at the end of the coffin weeping, thinking of her saddest memories she started the cry harder. As her tears became real she started bawling her eyes out. During the class discussion an example came to mind. My friend's cousin, who was five at the time, loved the Harry Potter movies and books. He always put on his Harry Potter school uniform that he wore for Halloween the previous year. He really thought he could be a wizard. His mother woke him up on his first day of kindergarten. Of course, he wanted to wear his Harry Potter school uniform. She tried to explain to him that he was going to a big boy school and he would have a lot of fun and make new friends. Michael refused to leave the house, he wanted to go to Hogwarts! He truly believed that was where he belonged. After a long fuss, her aunt allowed him to wear the wizard school uniform and they referred to kindergarten as "Hogwarts." This fantasy land became this little boy's reality. In Cortazar's piece, the family convinced themselves their mourning was reality. Michael and Cortazar have this in common, they fake it til they make it!
 The third piece I read by Cortazar was "Axolotl." I loved this piece. I loved the confusion! Am I the narrator who loves the Axolotl or am I an Axolotl? The pronoun use was always alternating but fascinating! The first time I read "our body" I had to reread! I agree with Professor Benander in saying the writing was a dreamy flow. I know there are many ways to read this piece. After reading through a couple times keeping different angles in mind, I like to think I am the Narrator writing from the Axolotl's view, hoping someone would write a story of the suffering, lonely, still life of the Axolotl.
Cortazar was beautiful to read. I never knew what I was getting into, but I always knew it was going to be quite a ride!