Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato
Abstract
In the literary works of Carlos Fuentes, transcendence of spatial-temporal reality is driven by the protagonists\u27 desires. As a result, a multifaceted perspective of love is presented in the midst of moral conflicts and ambiguous endings. This study examines the roles of love and the instances of transcendence in nine of Fuentes\u27 stories. In doing so, it establishes the connection between love and transcendence in these works, considers the implications of these connections, and identifies distinctions between six modes of transcendence that Fuentes employs. This research begins by presenting an overview of the multifaceted nature of love, as well as its connection with societal norms through a historical lense. It then focuses on the fantastic as a literary genre, arguing that it is the very employment of transcendence that situates Fuentes\u27 works within the fantastic genre, due to the effect that they have on the reader. Upon examining nature of transcendence utilized within these works, this study analyzes their connection with love, arguing that love is both a principal cause and the overarching goal of each instance. Finally, this study explores Fuentes\u27 notion of el mal, which is assimilated to the consequence(s) and counterpart(s) of love. Many examples of el mal are presented within his stories, following the central themes of jealousy, abuse, and moral conflicts.
After analyzing the manifestations of love within Fuentian literature, the research concludes that the author presents a multifaceted perspective of love, which at times conflicts with traditional ideology. Through the use of transcendence, love and el mal guide the courses of Fuentes\u27 stories. In essence, this study shows that the power of love is embodied through transcendence in Fuentian narrative