Carlos Fuentes uses many binaries throughout Aura to create an engaging and realistic, yet supernatural storyline. The use of these binaries illustrates the importance of the country of Mexico to the characters in this novel and ultimately the importance of General Llorente to Senora Consuelo.
One of the most apparent binaries of Aura was the use of light and dark. On page 43, Felipe mentions the two elements that make up the room: “the compact circle of light around the candelabra… and the larger circle of darkness surrounding it.” I believe this is in reference to our lives, inferring that we are comfortable and knowledgeable of very little in this world, and there is so much left unknown and untold. He also mentions that the evening light is blinding compared to the darkness of the house (31). On the night Aura slept with Felipe, all he could see was her figure in the shadows. When he rolled over to touch in the morning, she was gone. Throughout the book, Felipe is allowed to live his dreams and desires through the darkness, only to be brought back to reality when exposed to the light.
Another binary I noticed was that of silence and sound. There are multiple references to this binary throughout the story, with Aura often opening her mouth in silence as if she were talking and silently laughing. It seems as though this binary is closely related to that of light and dark: When the characters are exposed to light, they are silent, when in darkness, they speak. This allows the characters to remain in between reality and fantasy, never reaching too far to either extreme.
I noticed while reading Aura that colors were of somewhat significance throughout the story. However, I had much trouble deciphering the true meaning this binary. There are multiple references to the colors red and green throughout the story, including Aura’s green eyes and her green taffeta and veil. Felipe mentions the green paste in his toothbrush and the desk covered in green leather in Senora Consueolo’s bedroom. The family has the same dinner every night consisting of liver, thick, red wine and broiled tomatoes (all red objects). He notices the red wool rug, a chair covered in red velvet, the red drapes over the windows, and the worn out red silk of Senora Consuelo’s pillows. There is also reference to the color of the three ribbons that bound the General’s memoirs: Yellow, blue, and red. I searched the book for connections to these three colors and had much trouble making any connections. It is possible that they are related to the Oaxaca coat of arms, where the General lived at an estate. These colors could also refer to the General’s association with Mexico (green, white, red) and the exile later in his life to France (blue, white, red).
Carlos Fuentes uses many binaries throughout Aura to create an engaging and realistic, yet supernatural storyline. The use of these binaries illustrates the importance of the country of Mexico to the characters in this novel and ultimately the importance of General Llorente to Senora Consuelo.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most apparent binaries used throughout Aura was that of light and dark. On page 43, Felipe mentions two elements that make up the room: “the compact circle of light around the candelabra… and the larger circle of darkness surrounding it.” I believe this is in reference to our lives, inferring that we are comfortable and knowledgeable of our own personal world, yet there is so much left unknown and untold. He also mentions that the evening light is blinding compared to the darkness of the house (31).
On the night Aura slept with Felipe, all he could see was her figure in the shadows. When he rolled over to touch in the morning, she was gone. Throughout the book, Felipe is allowed to live his dreams and desires through the darkness, only to be brought back to reality when exposed to the light.
Another binary I noticed was that of silence and sound. There are multiple references to this binary throughout the story. There is many times where Aura opens her mouth in silence as if she were talking and silently laughing. It seems as though this binary is closely related to that of light and dark: When the characters are exposed to light, they are silent, when in darkness, they speak. This allows the characters to remain in between reality and fantasy, never reaching too far to either extreme.
I noticed while reading Aura that colors were of somewhat significance throughout the story. However, I had much trouble deciphering the true meaning this binary. There are multiple references to the colors red and green throughout the story, including Aura’s green eyes and her green taffeta and veil. Felipe mentions the green paste in his toothbrush and the desk covered in green leather in Senora Consueolo’s bedroom. The family has the same dinner every night consisting of liver, thick, red wine and broiled tomatoes (all red objects). He notices the red wool rug, a chair covered in red velvet, the red drapes over the windows, and the worn out red silk of Senora Consuelo’s pillows. There is also reference to the color of the three ribbons that bound the General’s memoirs: Yellow, blue, and red. I searched the book for connections to these three colors and had much trouble making any connections. It is possible that they are related to the Oaxaca coat of arms, where the General lived at an estate. These colors could also refer to the General’s association with Mexico (green, white, red) and the exile later in his life to France (blue, white, red).