“Amulet” by Roberto Bolaño

Amulet by Roberto Bolaño was a very fascinating novel. I have always enjoyed books that blur the line between fantasy and reality, and I think Auxilio Lacouture’s recount does precisely that. In the violent context of the Tlatelolco massacre in 1968, the main character hides in a bathroom of the UNAM during its occupation and embarks on a mental journey that we get to read about in the novel. Auxilio tells her story about her life as the “mother of Mexican poetry” in a melancholic dream-like stream of consciousness. She tells about her work at the university, her relationships with other intellectuals, her love for poetry, and overall creates an escape to the brutality of what goes on beyond the bathroom walls. 

At the same time, though, the woman’s stories seem to be greater than the concept of time. Auxilio predicts future events like Arturo’s return to Mexico in 1974 that emphasize the narrator’s omniscient and almost mystical presence in the novel. The distorted concept of time in the novel makes the recount slightly hard to follow at first and points to the potential unreliability of Auxilio’s narration. As I kept reading, however, I found myself sympathizing with and trusting the narrator more and more. Even though she often forgets details and contradicts herself, Auxilio shows her awareness by doubting her own credibility and always seems to search for the truth in her story. This creates a sincere relationship between her and the reader that I really appreciated.

One theme I found particularly interesting in the novel is the one of womanhood – or lack thereof. We are told the story of a woman from Uruguay with mysterious origins and an adventurous past. However, Auxilio is not described as a feminine woman. At the beginning of the novel, we are told the narrator is missing some teeth. She says: “it was strange to be thinking about my teeth, because in a sense I didn’t care that I had lost the four most important teeth in a woman’s mouth” (32-33). We then understand that Auxilio is old and wise in some ways, but she also has a childish way of thinking that makes her even more interesting. She says “But one thing stopped me from going crazy: I never lost my sense of humor. I could laugh at my skirts, my stovepipe trousers, my stripy tights, my white socks, my page-boy hair going whiter by the day […]” (43). Her lack of femininity, old age, and childish way of thinking make her characterization peculiar and almost make her seem like the character of a fairy tale. Her mystical nature elevates her story of what is ultimately a significant political and historical setting.

My question for the class is: how do you think Auxilio’s peculiar characterization contributes to the narration of her story?

– Bianca