Aura Blog

Aura by Carlos Fuentes brings in the concept of Magical realism by using several binaries such as past and present, light and dark, youth and old age, and the reader and the protagonist. The book first starts with the word “You’re” (Pg. 3), using a second person narrative to merge the reader and protagonist together. This use of binary allows the reader to imagine he/she is actually part of the story, as if he/she is actually Felipe. By merging these ideas of real and imaginary life Fuentes book is encompassed around the idea of Magical Realism.
Senor Felipe Montero is hired by the elderly woman, Senora Consuelo, to organize her deceased husband’s memoirs. Senora Consuelo lives in the house with her niece, Aura, who is a young and beautiful girl. Felipe is immediately taken by her presence. As Felipe stands in Senora Consuelo’s room for the first time she reaches out as if she were trying to touch someone (Pg. 25). She is trying to reach for a hand and as Felipe looks up he sees beautiful women. Senora says, "I told you she'd come back...Aura. My companion. My niece." This is the first time you see how Aura and Senora are a whole but two separate people at the same time. There is a binary between youth and old age relating specifically throughout the book to Aura and Senora Consuelo.
The house itself represents the idea of Magical Realism by showing the binary between light and dark. Felipe is used to seeing the world through light, as most of us are but the only room in the house that is lighted is his own room. As he walks through the hallways, they are always dark. As he says on page 35, "This house will always be in darkness, and you've got to learn it and relearn it by touch." This quote shows the idea of Magical Realism because he is viewing the house in a different perspective than he normally would.
The house being dark also symbolizes death and that is how Senora has been living her life. She lives in exile, just like her husband until they can rejoin each other in the bright lights in heaven. A part of her will always be missing until she is reconnected with her husband. On page 49 Senora Consuelo is praying in front of her wall of religious objects. She is so weak and skinny. As she prays she says, "Come, City of God!" Gabriel, sound your trumpet! Ah, how long the world takes to die!" It seems almost as if Senora is stuck between these two worlds. The day her husband died, it is like her soul was taken with him, but her body remains on this earth. She knows it is almost time for her body to rejoin her soul, so she can be as one. Since Aura and Senora depend on each other so much, it is as if Aura is actually the temporary soul of Senora's. As the novel progresses it becomes apparent that she may have other plans to rejoining her soul and her body.
On Page 87 Felipe says, "Always dressed in green. Always beautiful, even after a hundred years." This quote describes Senora Consuela. On Page 103 when Felipe goes to meet Aura he says, "Aura is dressed in green, in a green taffeta robe from which, as she approaches, her moon pale thighs reveal themselves." Once again the novel shows the binary between Senora Consuelo and Aura and between youth and old age. During Aura and Felipe’s intimate time he says, "Then you fall on Aura's naked body, you fall on her naked arms, which are stretched out from one side of the bed to the other like the arms of the crucifix hanging on the wall, the black Christ with that scarlet silk wrapped around his things...Aura opens up like an altar." This symbolizes Aura's and Senora Consuela's souls finally opening up, and Senora has finally gotten out of the exile she has been in since the death of her husband. Aura rises from the bed, only to show that Senora Consuela has been sitting in the dark corner the entire time. They both make the same movements at the same time, smiling, thanking Felipe, and leaving the room at the same time. This truly shows that Aura and Senora Consuela are connected.
Felipe looks through old photographs of Senora Consuelo's and on the third photograph there is picture of Aura and an old gentleman (the General). After looking at the General he covers up the beard, only to find himself in the picture. On Page 123 Aura says, "You have to die before you can be reborn...No, you don't understand, forget about it, Felipe. Just have faith in me." This quote doesn't make completely sense until the ending of the novel when Felipe gets into Senora Consuelo's bed with Aura. He begins to lie down next to her and once again she is wearing her green robe. As he kisses Aura, he suddenly notices in the moonlight that it is not Aura, it is Senora Consuelo. On Page 145 it says, "You love her, you too have come back..." symbolizing that General Llorente has come back to be with Senora Consuelo. It now becomes apparent that Felipe is now the General, married to Senora Consuelo. They will bring Aura back into the world as their baby, just as the quote explained that Aura had to die to be reborn. Aura is the representation of youth and life.