MEXICO CITY.
The bell by Carlos Fuentes (1928-2012), the only novel in his series Romantic time, “It is a gateway to the plurality of our origins, to the diversity from which the nations of Latin America are formed,” says researcher Jovany Hurtado García.
This work, published in 1990, allows us to see the similarities and differences between the independence struggles of various Latin American countries and the doubts of their leaders, say the editors of Alfaguara; for which they have just launched a commemorative edition, three decades after its writing and in the year of the bicentennial of the consummation of Mexican Independence.
It has an absolute validity. The commemorations serve to rewrite and rethink the history of our America, which we seem to still not understand. Fuentes presents in his novel a precise outline of the problems that united our countries in the 19th century and starts from the premise that these inequalities and injustices are still present and are deepening, taking root in our time with atrocious violence ”, comments Hurtado García .
In an interview with Excelsior, the specialist in Fuentes’ work adds that we continue to look for utopias such as equality, identity and independence, evoked by the Mexican narrator and essayist in The bell.
At the chaotic origin is the difficulty of constructing the answers to achieve these utopias; But these are also the ideals that have not yet been reached, which is why we see the various movements that are taking place in Latin America.
I think of the strength of feminist mobilizations, which demand respect for the body of women and their rights. At the origin of their demands are the indicated utopias, which were pursued in the same way by the character, for me the main character of the novel, Ofelia Salamanca, revolutionary heroine ”, he adds.
In the story, Baltasar Bustos, a law student and employee of the Audiencia of Buenos Aires, enters the chamber of the president of that Court and replaces his newborn son with a black boy, the son of a sick prostitute. Hours later, the building catches fire, leaving the black boy’s body unrecognizable. The legitimate son is given to slaves.
Jovany Hurtado, researcher
For Jovany Hurtado, this exchange could be called The Fortune, an idea of Machiavelli, the main author of Fuentes. “The son of the black prostitute is burned to death, he is the sacrifice of a people: death in exchange for freedom; On the other hand, the son of the viceroy remembers that the constant of revolutions is that one elite dies and another is born, and it is the one that is closest to power.
The Creoles prevailed over the peninsular and, once in power, they forgot many of the ideals for which they fought and despised the indigenous people, with whom the debt is still in force, “he says.
The author’s biographer of The most transparent region Y Aura highlights that it makes use of the knowledge it had of history to present a proposal that allows understanding the independence movements of Latin America.
It seems to me that the narrative change occurs in the Territory. Fuentes builds his novel on a wider terrain, Latin America, and ends up reaching the center of his concerns: Mexico. Through the narrative we travel the south of the continent with the singularities of each territory ”, he indicates.
One of the few researchers who has had access to the personal file of the also diplomat says that he did not finish his trilogy Romantic time, which started with The bellDue to lack of time, he was a very disciplined intellectual.
The centennial dance, the second work, he would begin to write it the morning he died; behind his desk was the outline of the chapters and a green folder with his notes. From The dead bride, the third part, I have not found any work notes.
The same thing happens with Emiliano in Chinameca, The texas road Y Prometheus or the price of freedom, other works that he contemplated. Fortunately, there is a lot of unpublished essay material left, ”he says.
Jovany Hurtado concludes that the reissue of The bell “It opens an opportunity to reread Carlos Fuentes correctly, who has more works than his classic books.”
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