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La traición de Rita Hayworth
En un lenguaje de inigualable precisión y fidelidad al habla cotidiana, Manuel Puig narra la frustración esencial de los habitantes de un pueblo que no es sino una narración ficticia de su pueblo natal y de una infancia que también fue la suya. Sobre unos y otros planea en la pantalla plateada la amenaza de una Rita Hayworth tan mítica como traicionera con los adoradores incautos.
318 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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About the author
Manuel Puig
54 books591 followersManuel Puig (born Juan Manuel Puig Delledonne) was an Argentinian author. Among his best known novels are La traición de Rita Hayworth (1968) (Betrayed by Rita Hayworth), Boquitas pintadas (1969) (Heartbreak Tango), and El beso de la mujer araña (1976) (Kiss of the Spider Woman), which was made into a film by the Argentine-Brazilian Director, Héctor Babenco and in 1993 into a Broadway musical.
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January 19, 2023
Betrayed by Rita Hayworth is a rather experimental coming-of-age novel and it is psychologically deep. It is written as if Manuel Puig eavesdropped talks and thoughts of his personages – all those who surround the main character. And in this way the author follows the life of a boy since his infancy and till his teens.
Mita, a boy’s mother, is a somewhat idealistic woman preferring to live in her romantic dreams… And Toto is his mama’s boy… She is all into romantic movies so pop-culture films become the main passion of her son who is growing in a certain social isolation… And the little kid is full of fears and fantasies…
Time passes but the boy seems to remain outside the real world and the distance between him and society becomes wider… And The Great Waltz – the tastelessly schmaltzy and witlessly unrealistic rendering of Johann Strauss’s life – is his favourite movie.
What makes one to be a man apart? And what do outsiders feel about their lives?
– No, that’s not the main thing, I don’t agree with you Mita, pardon me. She has to be interesting! and you mustn’t forget the eye shadow.
– No, but it’s more interesting as if she were hiding a past. Where do those women get the courage to lead that kind of life? The jewel thieves, or the spies. Or even the smugglers. But they have another kind of life. More interesting. Because that’s the main thing, that people see her pass by and say “what an interesting woman… who can she be…?”
Mita, a boy’s mother, is a somewhat idealistic woman preferring to live in her romantic dreams… And Toto is his mama’s boy… She is all into romantic movies so pop-culture films become the main passion of her son who is growing in a certain social isolation… And the little kid is full of fears and fantasies…
And you have to pray even if it isn’t the end of the world, because in the morning Mom and Dad might be dead, they die sleeping. The end of the world begins with a storm, while everybody’s sleeping and you hear some faraway thunder. And there’s a flash of lightning but nobody sees it because all the windows are closed. Then rain begins to fall. And the thunder is a little louder, like a storm, but nothing else.
Time passes but the boy seems to remain outside the real world and the distance between him and society becomes wider… And The Great Waltz – the tastelessly schmaltzy and witlessly unrealistic rendering of Johann Strauss’s life – is his favourite movie.
“I’m glad I’m breaking up with you, because I’m sick of your crazy talk… trying to court big girls and comparing yourself with Adhemar, and you have the nerve to criticize your cousin who’s so good to you,” and he tried to stop me but I went on “You think you’re a big shot and you’re just a little faggy sissy sticking to the girls all day long and what’s all this talk about Adhemar? are you in love with him or something? well get it into your head that you’ll never be like Adhemar, because all you are is a phony little fag.”
What makes one to be a man apart? And what do outsiders feel about their lives?
July 31, 2024
IL MONDO TRA LE CREPE DEI SOGNI
Rita Hayworth in “Sangue e Arena – Blood and Sand” del 1941.
Romanzo di formazione che segna l’esordio letterario di Manuel Puig e paga subito tributo alla sua passione sconfinata: il cinema. Sin dal titolo, con quel nome di una stella di Hollywood di quelle che non tramontano, Rita Hayworth, il legame tra la narrativa di Puig e il mondo della celluloide è chiaro e palese.
Il libro uscito nel 1968 ebbe successo, fu tradotto in una trentina di paesi, per quanto finto romanzo d’appendice, finta letteratura rosa, sembra quanto di più lontano si possa immaginare dai fermenti di quel mitico anno.
E fu anche il mio primo incontro con questo che è tuttora lo scrittore sudamericano che preferisco.
Rita Hayworth e Tyrone Power in “Sangue e Arena – Blood and Sand” diretto da Rouben Mamoulian.
Nella provincia argentina il piccolo Toto non ha difficoltà a preferire la realtà che vede sullo schermo a quella che lo circonda quotidianamente: il mondo gli appare triste, deprimente, suo padre è assente e gli suscita sentimento contrastato, amore e odio, a scuola è bullizzato, Toto è troppo sensibile per essere un vero maschio latino.
Invece sullo schermo i sogni sembrano realizzarsi, le storie sono più scintillanti, la vita appare più bella (fotogenica). Che importa se le storie che si svolgono sullo schermo sono finte? Sono comunque più belle, e misteriose e affascinanti di quanto succede ogni giorno a Toto e intorno.
Rita Hayworth, Tyrone Power e Anthony Quinnn.
In un’intervista David Foster Wallace nomina Puig come uno degli autori che più lo ha influenzato: per esempio, dice di essersi ispirato allo scrittore argentino nell’uso delle note a piè di pagina.
Sono rimasto a bocca aperta, perché è difficile pensare a due scrittori più diversi: mai pensato che DFW potesse essere attratto dal melodramma.
Ma forse quello che a DFW piaceva tanto di Puig era il tentativo di portare il romanzo verso mete fino ad allora sconosciute. Di innovare. E, di farlo senza teorizzarlo, come se sgorgasse naturale, come se fosse puro istinto. Come se fosse spinto da un robusto vento di libertà.
Anche se la struttura narrativa di Puig è quanto di più costruito, volendo artificiale, si possa immaginare. Non per niente, rimanda al musical, genere cinematografico tutt’altro che definibile ‘naturale’, ‘realistico’.
Il film del 1941 è un remake dell’omonimo film del 1922 con Rodolfo Valentino.
Immagino che Puig sia cresciuto davanti a uno schermo cinematografico: anni Quaranta, paesello di provincia nel mezzo della pampa argentina, la capitale è a cinquecento chilometri, la madre consenziente e incoraggiante, quando può lo accompagna, il padre molto meno - classico macho argentino che preferiva un figlio morto a uno gay (la madre lo lasciò a ottanta anni e andò a vivere in Brasile accanto al figlio che le comprò un appartamentino di fronte al suo) – immagino che Manuel passasse interi pomeriggi, più volte a settimana, a vedere uno e più film, possibilmente americani, possibilmente con le dive, per uscire con la testa tra le nuvole, portandosi dietro, e dentro, quelle storie d’amore, di gelosia e tradimento, di passione. Quello struggimento. Quel sogno.
Sogno che Puig cercò di perseguire: all’inizio degli anni Sessanta approda a Roma per studiare cinema al CSC: ma in quel periodo in Italia regna Zavattini e il suo realismo.
Puig cerca e sogna altro.
Dopo l’eterna (poco) casalinga disperata Emma Bovary, con lui la categoria fa il balzo: donne che non riescono ad accettare l’oppressione della loro vita reale, la gabbia del matrimonio, della maternità, il dominio del maschio, sono donne che s’inventano un immaginario modellato su quello delle pellicole hollywoodiane, con quei colori e quelle canzoni. Via dal mondo quotidiano di sessualità repressa, di uomini cafoni che mettono incinte le donne e provano dolci desideri per i colleghi di lavoro.
E quindi, sì, certo, Toto c’est moi.
E allora che fa Manuel? Inizia a scrivere, romanzi, scrivendoli e costruendoli come un film: usa il montaggio, mischia pezzi e materiali diversi, in apparenza eterogenei (dialoghi, monologhi, verbali di polizia, brani teatrali, di radiodrammi e telenovelas, cartoline, canzoni, boleri, tanghi, poesie, articoli di giornale, stampa scandalistica…).
I suoi romanzi sono polizieschi in cui il lettore è il detective. Puig rompe la realtà e ce ne regala i frammenti affinché noi li rimontiamo come possiamo. Porta nella letteratura le tecniche del montaggio cinematografico, ed è il lettore che deve riempire i vuoti e capire le motivazioni dei personaggi.
Rita Hayworth in “Sangue e Arena – Blood and Sand” del 1941.
Romanzo di formazione che segna l’esordio letterario di Manuel Puig e paga subito tributo alla sua passione sconfinata: il cinema. Sin dal titolo, con quel nome di una stella di Hollywood di quelle che non tramontano, Rita Hayworth, il legame tra la narrativa di Puig e il mondo della celluloide è chiaro e palese.
Il libro uscito nel 1968 ebbe successo, fu tradotto in una trentina di paesi, per quanto finto romanzo d’appendice, finta letteratura rosa, sembra quanto di più lontano si possa immaginare dai fermenti di quel mitico anno.
E fu anche il mio primo incontro con questo che è tuttora lo scrittore sudamericano che preferisco.
Rita Hayworth e Tyrone Power in “Sangue e Arena – Blood and Sand” diretto da Rouben Mamoulian.
Nella provincia argentina il piccolo Toto non ha difficoltà a preferire la realtà che vede sullo schermo a quella che lo circonda quotidianamente: il mondo gli appare triste, deprimente, suo padre è assente e gli suscita sentimento contrastato, amore e odio, a scuola è bullizzato, Toto è troppo sensibile per essere un vero maschio latino.
Invece sullo schermo i sogni sembrano realizzarsi, le storie sono più scintillanti, la vita appare più bella (fotogenica). Che importa se le storie che si svolgono sullo schermo sono finte? Sono comunque più belle, e misteriose e affascinanti di quanto succede ogni giorno a Toto e intorno.
Rita Hayworth, Tyrone Power e Anthony Quinnn.
In un’intervista David Foster Wallace nomina Puig come uno degli autori che più lo ha influenzato: per esempio, dice di essersi ispirato allo scrittore argentino nell’uso delle note a piè di pagina.
Sono rimasto a bocca aperta, perché è difficile pensare a due scrittori più diversi: mai pensato che DFW potesse essere attratto dal melodramma.
Ma forse quello che a DFW piaceva tanto di Puig era il tentativo di portare il romanzo verso mete fino ad allora sconosciute. Di innovare. E, di farlo senza teorizzarlo, come se sgorgasse naturale, come se fosse puro istinto. Come se fosse spinto da un robusto vento di libertà.
Anche se la struttura narrativa di Puig è quanto di più costruito, volendo artificiale, si possa immaginare. Non per niente, rimanda al musical, genere cinematografico tutt’altro che definibile ‘naturale’, ‘realistico’.
Il film del 1941 è un remake dell’omonimo film del 1922 con Rodolfo Valentino.
Immagino che Puig sia cresciuto davanti a uno schermo cinematografico: anni Quaranta, paesello di provincia nel mezzo della pampa argentina, la capitale è a cinquecento chilometri, la madre consenziente e incoraggiante, quando può lo accompagna, il padre molto meno - classico macho argentino che preferiva un figlio morto a uno gay (la madre lo lasciò a ottanta anni e andò a vivere in Brasile accanto al figlio che le comprò un appartamentino di fronte al suo) – immagino che Manuel passasse interi pomeriggi, più volte a settimana, a vedere uno e più film, possibilmente americani, possibilmente con le dive, per uscire con la testa tra le nuvole, portandosi dietro, e dentro, quelle storie d’amore, di gelosia e tradimento, di passione. Quello struggimento. Quel sogno.
Sogno che Puig cercò di perseguire: all’inizio degli anni Sessanta approda a Roma per studiare cinema al CSC: ma in quel periodo in Italia regna Zavattini e il suo realismo.
Puig cerca e sogna altro.
Dopo l’eterna (poco) casalinga disperata Emma Bovary, con lui la categoria fa il balzo: donne che non riescono ad accettare l’oppressione della loro vita reale, la gabbia del matrimonio, della maternità, il dominio del maschio, sono donne che s’inventano un immaginario modellato su quello delle pellicole hollywoodiane, con quei colori e quelle canzoni. Via dal mondo quotidiano di sessualità repressa, di uomini cafoni che mettono incinte le donne e provano dolci desideri per i colleghi di lavoro.
E quindi, sì, certo, Toto c’est moi.
E allora che fa Manuel? Inizia a scrivere, romanzi, scrivendoli e costruendoli come un film: usa il montaggio, mischia pezzi e materiali diversi, in apparenza eterogenei (dialoghi, monologhi, verbali di polizia, brani teatrali, di radiodrammi e telenovelas, cartoline, canzoni, boleri, tanghi, poesie, articoli di giornale, stampa scandalistica…).
I suoi romanzi sono polizieschi in cui il lettore è il detective. Puig rompe la realtà e ce ne regala i frammenti affinché noi li rimontiamo come possiamo. Porta nella letteratura le tecniche del montaggio cinematografico, ed è il lettore che deve riempire i vuoti e capire le motivazioni dei personaggi.
January 29, 2023
Удивителен талант Мануэля Пуига, который написал этот дебютный роман сразу в таком сложно структурированном построении, где главы – потоки сознания героев, диалоги без указания кто что сказал, и один диалог, в котором приводятся высказывания только одного из собеседников, дневниковые записи и даже сочинение по литературе– все эти формы изложения причудливо переплетаются. Хорошо, хоть главы с названиями есть, только по ним и догадываешься. Из неясного хаоса фраз постепенно вырисовывается сюжет. Это роман взросления, хотя на мой взгляд, слишком много внимания уделяется детскому и подростковому познанию сексуальности, с довольно большим упором на гомосексуальные отношения. Поскольку Тото Казальс – альтер эго писателя, то детско-юношеские части романа могут быть интересны исследователям-биографам. Надо отметить, что этот роман – гимн кинематографу, поскольку почти в каждой главе герои обязательно или идут в кино с обязательным упоминанием, какое именно кино, или обсуждают сам фильм или актрис. Это сразу выдает в авторе страстного киномана. Само название возникло именно из этой страсти к кино. В восприятии Тото, неумевшем разделять актрису и роль, Рита Хейворт «была предательской», потому что в «Крови и песке» предала хорошего парня, в то время как его отец считал ее лучшей актрисой. Пуиг патриотичен, и наряду со старыми голливудскими звездами, обессмертил имена аргентинских актеров Карлоса Палау и Наряду с кино, в книге много футбола (как же без него в Аргентине!) и танцев. И все же, на мой взгляд, Пуиг преследовал цель нарисовать коллективный портрет провинциальных нравов, что-то наподобие Чехова, только в пост-модернистком исполнении – может совсем неслучайно он пересказывает Палату №6. Этот роман полон социальной критики патриархальных устоев провинциального городка, их консерватизм, насилие, сексизм, навязывание социальных ролей, бедность и неравенство. Здесь целая галерея характеров, - «дрянь» Поча, фармацевт, служивший до Миты, вечно жадничал, как будто вата и перекись водорода были его собственные, а не больничные, Эктор, озабоченный сексуальными переживаниями, предпочитающий нормальной речи жаргон и не желающий сходить на кладбище на могилу своей матери, турок-Джамиль – добряк каких мало, школьные подруги Эстер – Лаурита и Грасиела, ходящие на высоких каблуках, с высокими прическами и в узких юбках, старая дева Эрминья, вынужденная бросить музыкальную карьеру из-за астмы и променявшую столицу на провинцию из-за здорового воздуха, ну и конечно несчастные безымянные служанки.
Этот роман не лишен философских размышлений: 35-летняя Эрминья в 1948 году пишет в тетради свои мысли, на которые ее натолкнули жизнь и смерть Перволй леди Америки Мэри Тодд Линкольн и своя жизнь – что же лучше: жить в сиянии ярких огней, хоть и недолго, или как в ее безотрадном случае старой девы – едва различать огонек, вспыхнуший в пору ее юности и теперь угасающий.
Густав Хансен говорит о том, как необъятно материальное, а духовное, напротив, ничтожно.
Этот вывод он делает, основываясь на впечатлениях от своей поездки к алаорийцам, туземному племени Полинезии. Там его проводили к священному жилищу, где хранился нетронутый кусок хлеба, вождь племени отрезал хлеб за миг до того, как выбежал из дома, спасаясь от землетрясения, которое полностью разрушило деревню и засыпало указанный дом, и лишь через много веков его обнаружил один алаориец. Все сохранилось с поразительной точностью. Как провожатй отвернулся, он оставил отпечаток зубов и процарапал ногтем. И подумал, эмоции от созерцания руин пройдут, а отпечаток от зубов и ногтей сохра��ятся на долгие века.
Она мысленно возражает Хансену, что ее жизнь навсегда изменило созерцание крови на клавишах и платье, когда она закашлялась. Отпечаток этого пятна навсегда запечатлелся в ее памяти, хотя он был стерт почти сразу. Чем это не торжество духовного начала?
Эрминья описывает свою дискуссию с Тото о счастье.
«Тото начал с того, что заговорил о простом человеке, трудяге, который даже не догадывается о нелепости собственной жизни, он ест и спит, чтобы работать с утра до ночи, и работает, чтобы платить за пищу и дом, в котором спит, и таким образом порочный круг замыкается. Я впервые собралась с духом и сказала ему, что охотно вышла бы замуж за такого человека, ибо простота — основа счастья, и жить лучше всего рядом с тем, кто счастлив.
Это его не убедило, и тогда я добавила, что, на мой скромный взгляд, сила заключается в том, чтобы жить не думая. Он спросил, почему же я сама не перестану думать, и пришлось ответить, что, к сожалению, это от меня не зависит и что простота в человеке — благословение свыше, которое не всем нам даровано.»
Дневник Эрминьи настолько интересен, что сложно его как-то урезать.
«Его следующим доводом было, что сильный и простой — разные вещи. Не моргнув глазом, он заявил следующее:
«Я сильный, сильнее глупца, потому что мыслю», ведь силен тот, кто мыслит и умеет за себя постоять.
Я возразила, что чем больше человек думает, тем больше слабеет, его мучают вопросы без ответа, и в итоге он кончает жизнь самоубийством, как философ Шопенгауэр и другие.
На это он несколько минут не мог ничего ответить, заметался, точно раненый зверь, хотя и старался не показывать виду. Он все молчал, и я стала говорить дальше, особенно о том, как трудно живется на свете умному человеку, окруженному массой загадок, для глупца же, благословенного Богом, все очень просто: работать, есть, спать и размножаться. Да и женщине легче, она выходит замуж за глупца и укрывается за его спиной….
Тото снова перешел в атаку и спросил, с чего я взяла, будто Бог благословляет глупцов, а главное — почему я так уверена в существовании Бога….
В ответ я привела католический аргумент, а именно что бытие Бога открывается нам в акте веры, которая слепа и чужда рациональному…
Тогда он спросил, что бы я делала, потеряв веру в Бога, и я ответила, что в этом случае лишила бы себя жизни. Тут он заключил, что мысль о Боге нужна мне, чтобы отметать мысль о самоубийстве. В ответ я сказала, что вера есть интуитивное постижение Бога, а интуиция необъяснима….
Тото спросил, что я думаю о главном герое. Я ответила, что он чудовище. А он сказал, что не такое уж чудовище по сравнению с Богом. Я чуть не придушила его, но сдержалась и спросила почему….
Он ответил, что феодал воспользовался невинностью малолетних и одурманил их земными ядами, а затем, когда те выросли и обрели право на свободу выбора, подверг испытаниям, превосходящим их силы. Пусть кто-то и выстоял, но большинство не совладало с искушениями, и жизнь их окончилась возмездием, то есть страданиями. А ничего бы этого не было, если бы воинов оградили от тлетворного влияния. Если бы феодал изгнал зло из своего замка, ничего бы не случилось.
В ответ я привела католический аргумент, а именно что человек наделен свободой воли, и если он согрешил, то это его вина. Тото сказал тогда, что человека толкает к греху его собственная глупость и порочность, но никто сам себе не желает гибели, и если б люди не рождались глупыми и уязвимыми для порока, ад стал бы не нужен, ибо каждый сумел бы от него уберечься….
В итоге Тото выдвинул тезис, что Бог допустил существование зла и сотворил несовершенных людей, а значит, и сам не может быть совершенным, более того, возможно, Бог — это садистская сила, радостно созерцающая страдание. Поэтому Тото предпочитает не думать о существовании какого-то Бога, ведь несовершенный Бог представлял бы собой общественную опасность номер один….
Поэтому я не перестаю повторять, что красота горных вершин, прозрачный ручей, колокольный звон, музыка Шопена и бедного Шуберта — все это есть на свете, так же как есть, несомненно, и женщины, спокойно спящие ночами, положив голову на плечо мужа, который утром встанет и пойдет на работу, чтобы обеспечить семью всем необходимым. Может, я чересчур идеализирую, все замужние женщины жалуются на свою жизнь, но я, как обычно, ничего не могу сказать, ибо не знаю, что такое прожить всю жизнь с мужчиной. Так и умру, ничего не узнав о жизни."
Конец грустен – герой (Берто) пишет письмо, которое не будет отправлено, к брату, вторгнувшемуся в его жизнь и оторвавшего его от учебы, и бросившего его и не проявляющего к нему никакого интереса, потому что тот беден. Он беден, но он счастлив, и кто знает, может гораздо счастливее. Вот это итог исканий Пуига, что же есть счастье.
Согласитесь, это роман не может не заставить нас размышлять.
Этот роман не лишен философских размышлений: 35-летняя Эрминья в 1948 году пишет в тетради свои мысли, на которые ее натолкнули жизнь и смерть Перволй леди Америки Мэри Тодд Линкольн и своя жизнь – что же лучше: жить в сиянии ярких огней, хоть и недолго, или как в ее безотрадном случае старой девы – едва различать огонек, вспыхнуший в пору ее юности и теперь угасающий.
Густав Хансен говорит о том, как необъятно материальное, а духовное, напротив, ничтожно.
Этот вывод он делает, основываясь на впечатлениях от своей поездки к алаорийцам, туземному племени Полинезии. Там его проводили к священному жилищу, где хранился нетронутый кусок хлеба, вождь племени отрезал хлеб за миг до того, как выбежал из дома, спасаясь от землетрясения, которое полностью разрушило деревню и засыпало указанный дом, и лишь через много веков его обнаружил один алаориец. Все сохранилось с поразительной точностью. Как провожатй отвернулся, он оставил отпечаток зубов и процарапал ногтем. И подумал, эмоции от созерцания руин пройдут, а отпечаток от зубов и ногтей сохра��ятся на долгие века.
Она мысленно возражает Хансену, что ее жизнь навсегда изменило созерцание крови на клавишах и платье, когда она закашлялась. Отпечаток этого пятна навсегда запечатлелся в ее памяти, хотя он был стерт почти сразу. Чем это не торжество духовного начала?
Эрминья описывает свою дискуссию с Тото о счастье.
«Тото начал с того, что заговорил о простом человеке, трудяге, который даже не догадывается о нелепости собственной жизни, он ест и спит, чтобы работать с утра до ночи, и работает, чтобы платить за пищу и дом, в котором спит, и таким образом порочный круг замыкается. Я впервые собралась с духом и сказала ему, что охотно вышла бы замуж за такого человека, ибо простота — основа счастья, и жить лучше всего рядом с тем, кто счастлив.
Это его не убедило, и тогда я добавила, что, на мой скромный взгляд, сила заключается в том, чтобы жить не думая. Он спросил, почему же я сама не перестану думать, и пришлось ответить, что, к сожалению, это от меня не зависит и что простота в человеке — благословение свыше, которое не всем нам даровано.»
Дневник Эрминьи настолько интересен, что сложно его как-то урезать.
«Его следующим доводом было, что сильный и простой — разные вещи. Не моргнув глазом, он заявил следующее:
«Я сильный, сильнее глупца, потому что мыслю», ведь силен тот, кто мыслит и умеет за себя постоять.
Я возразила, что чем больше человек думает, тем больше слабеет, его мучают вопросы без ответа, и в итоге он кончает жизнь самоубийством, как философ Шопенгауэр и другие.
На это он несколько минут не мог ничего ответить, заметался, точно раненый зверь, хотя и старался не показывать виду. Он все молчал, и я стала говорить дальше, особенно о том, как трудно живется на свете умному человеку, окруженному массой загадок, для глупца же, благословенного Богом, все очень просто: работать, есть, спать и размножаться. Да и женщине легче, она выходит замуж за глупца и укрывается за его спиной….
Тото снова перешел в атаку и спросил, с чего я взяла, будто Бог благословляет глупцов, а главное — почему я так уверена в существовании Бога….
В ответ я привела католический аргумент, а именно что бытие Бога открывается нам в акте веры, которая слепа и чужда рациональному…
Тогда он спросил, что бы я делала, потеряв веру в Бога, и я ответила, что в этом случае лишила бы себя жизни. Тут он заключил, что мысль о Боге нужна мне, чтобы отметать мысль о самоубийстве. В ответ я сказала, что вера есть интуитивное постижение Бога, а интуиция необъяснима….
Тото спросил, что я думаю о главном герое. Я ответила, что он чудовище. А он сказал, что не такое уж чудовище по сравнению с Богом. Я чуть не придушила его, но сдержалась и спросила почему….
Он ответил, что феодал воспользовался невинностью малолетних и одурманил их земными ядами, а затем, когда те выросли и обрели право на свободу выбора, подверг испытаниям, превосходящим их силы. Пусть кто-то и выстоял, но большинство не совладало с искушениями, и жизнь их окончилась возмездием, то есть страданиями. А ничего бы этого не было, если бы воинов оградили от тлетворного влияния. Если бы феодал изгнал зло из своего замка, ничего бы не случилось.
В ответ я привела католический аргумент, а именно что человек наделен свободой воли, и если он согрешил, то это его вина. Тото сказал тогда, что человека толкает к греху его собственная глупость и порочность, но никто сам себе не желает гибели, и если б люди не рождались глупыми и уязвимыми для порока, ад стал бы не нужен, ибо каждый сумел бы от него уберечься….
В итоге Тото выдвинул тезис, что Бог допустил существование зла и сотворил несовершенных людей, а значит, и сам не может быть совершенным, более того, возможно, Бог — это садистская сила, радостно созерцающая страдание. Поэтому Тото предпочитает не думать о существовании какого-то Бога, ведь несовершенный Бог представлял бы собой общественную опасность номер один….
Поэтому я не перестаю повторять, что красота горных вершин, прозрачный ручей, колокольный звон, музыка Шопена и бедного Шуберта — все это есть на свете, так же как есть, несомненно, и женщины, спокойно спящие ночами, положив голову на плечо мужа, который утром встанет и пойдет на работу, чтобы обеспечить семью всем необходимым. Может, я чересчур идеализирую, все замужние женщины жалуются на свою жизнь, но я, как обычно, ничего не могу сказать, ибо не знаю, что такое прожить всю жизнь с мужчиной. Так и умру, ничего не узнав о жизни."
Конец грустен – герой (Берто) пишет письмо, которое не будет отправлено, к брату, вторгнувшемуся в его жизнь и оторвавшего его от учебы, и бросившего его и не проявляющего к нему никакого интереса, потому что тот беден. Он беден, но он счастлив, и кто знает, может гораздо счастливее. Вот это итог исканий Пуига, что же есть счастье.
Согласитесь, это роман не может не заставить нас размышлять.
January 18, 2023
Tenía mucho interés en leer esta novela por la leyenda de disputa que arrastra. Quería ver si estaba a la altura de su leyenda. Retrocedemos al año 1965, final del premio Biblioteca Breve, finalistas nada menos que Manuel Puig con La traición de Rita Hayworth y Juan Marsé con Últimas Tardes con Teresa (hoy dos monstruos, entonces anónimos y la oportunidad de hacerse con un nombre en las letras a nivel internacional). Jurado, entre otros Mario Vargas Llosa y la discusión de fondo en un jurado completamente dividido sobre cual de las obras era mejor, Marsé con un estilo propio absolutamente personal, o Puig con una variedad de registros y una facilidad en la escritura hasta entonces desconocido. El peso de Vargas Llosa se acabó imponiendo en el primer grupo y se otorgó el premio a UTT. Lo que opine aquí un "mortal" pierde fuerza ya con ese debate. Ya hice una reseña sobre UTT (top de la literatura en castellano), y sobre LTRH creo que es una obra compleja, dificil y brillante, pero creo que está un peldaño por debajo. Tal vez otra interpretación sería que UTT es la obra cumbre de Marsé, y tras LTRH Puig tuvo al menos dos obras más sobresalientes.
August 10, 2017
His first book is an abstract painting: crazed, inspired and meaningful/meaningless in a playful/infuriating way. Schizo—but forgivable (Just read “Kiss of the Spider Woman” & “Heartbreak Tango” and you’ll know why Argentina’s premiere writer is amazing and utterly excusable).
It starts off good, but, I must say it: paragraph-long chapters (no breaks, run ons…) are VERY demanding. So please, don’t make this your first delve into Puig’s universe. And to extend the abstract painting analogy: it is impressionistic and oh so avant-garde, like a picture where the focal point is the cut out image of some type of emptiness. I don’t know though. The halo, what surrounds the “missing piece” is what Betrayed wishes to portray. (A thesis on poetics, sort of like Woolf’s?) Leif motifs begin to emerge—Puig is to literature as Almodovar is to cinema. This is a heavy overstatement I don’t care I must overhighlight. The hauntingly beautiful Vallejos, a city in Argentina where siestas and menial jobs are commonplace & each sprinkle of minutiae is meaningful. With so little, Puig does so so much.
And yet—those chapters! Each one is told in Faulkner style, that is, runonstreamofconsciousness supreme. It is problematic indeed—although there is amazing character democracy thoughout, there are times when the reader has no idea what character is being taken on. Thoughts are crazed and there are too too many inhabitants being portrayed. This becomes a labyrinthine chore after a bit… but I forgive him that. Totally. Plus, it’s a slim 222 pages.
It starts off good, but, I must say it: paragraph-long chapters (no breaks, run ons…) are VERY demanding. So please, don’t make this your first delve into Puig’s universe. And to extend the abstract painting analogy: it is impressionistic and oh so avant-garde, like a picture where the focal point is the cut out image of some type of emptiness. I don’t know though. The halo, what surrounds the “missing piece” is what Betrayed wishes to portray. (A thesis on poetics, sort of like Woolf’s?) Leif motifs begin to emerge—Puig is to literature as Almodovar is to cinema. This is a heavy overstatement I don’t care I must overhighlight. The hauntingly beautiful Vallejos, a city in Argentina where siestas and menial jobs are commonplace & each sprinkle of minutiae is meaningful. With so little, Puig does so so much.
And yet—those chapters! Each one is told in Faulkner style, that is, runonstreamofconsciousness supreme. It is problematic indeed—although there is amazing character democracy thoughout, there are times when the reader has no idea what character is being taken on. Thoughts are crazed and there are too too many inhabitants being portrayed. This becomes a labyrinthine chore after a bit… but I forgive him that. Totally. Plus, it’s a slim 222 pages.
February 17, 2019
A Gentle Experimental Critique
This 222 page novel (Manuel Puig's first) is a subtle exercise in stylistic experimentation, as well as a gentle critique of the effect of European and American cultural imperialism on a small town in Argentina.
Three of the first four chapters (out of a total of sixteen) use unattributed dialogue to portray the concerns of a small group of people, including Toto. The remaining chapters are more or less monologues, some letters, some diary entries, one a literary essay for a competition.
Puig’s use of unattributed dialogue preceded William Gaddis' “J. R.” by almost seven years, though I don't recall when the style was first used as extensively as in either novel.
Cliques and Multitudes
Puig refers later in the novel to cliques and multitudes of people. In the unattributed dialogue passages, they all have their say, although it's difficult to tell who is speaking, even if sometimes you can tell who is not speaking, because they address one of the other characters by name.
You have to wonder whether the ambiguity with respect to the speaker's identity means that their individual identity is less apparent or important in an age of mass culture. Only in the monologues do we get a better impression of a character as a subject.
Society in Transition
Both sections of the novel capture a society in transition. Its culture and entertainment moves from religion to playing checkers and dominoes to reading novels to playing football/soccer to listening to radio to playing jazz records to going to the opera to watching Hollywood films.
Bit by bit, the populace starts to model itself, for better or worse, on what the audience has learned from Hollywood. Good and bad behaviour and values are increasingly determined by film producers and actors, rather than police and priests.
The significance of the title isn't expressly explained, although we can infer that the false, commercialised values of Hollywood are a betrayal of the family and community values that preceded Hollywood (even if some of them were dictated by the institutions of religion, such as church, convent and school).
Apart from the parents, most of the characters are adolescents who are preoccupied with forming relationships with the other sex, including losing (or preserving) their virginity. Their methodology derives from the films they have seen at the cinema.
Criticising the Middle Classes
Most of the characters are relatively poor working class people. Towards the end of the novel, Herminia observes Toto (once a boy) start to develop a political consciousness (“I think of him criticising the middle classes...I really hate him when he criticises people who only think about eating, sleeping and buying a car. It revolts him that nobody reads, when he reads almost a book a day, and also that nobody listens to music...But he also criticises me because I like romantic music.”). However, the immediate cause of his politicisation is less about working conditions than it is about their ability to afford a lot of meat and fruit, “which are the most expensive items.”
Toto appears to have turned away from God, arguing “God is a sadistic power that enjoys the contemplation of suffering.”
The social and cultural changes also reflect a transition from simplicity to complexity. Even at a personal level, Herminia argues with Toto that simplicity is a virtue:
“For the first time I dared to tell him I would have gladly married someone like that, since that very simplicity is the foundation of happiness, and there's nothing better than to live alongside of somebody happy.
“I would have liked to have a quiet husband, it seems to me such a man must have a definite spiritual wealth. What an adventure for a woman to marry a man and gradually decipher his soul!”
There's a premonition that modernity or post-modernity is too complex for this version of the public. Post-post-modernity seems to necessitate a return to simplicity or, at least, the simplistic.
SOUNDTRACK:
The White Stripes - "Take, Take, Take"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FgQz...
"I guess you couldn't call me greedy
Then I was shocked to look up
And see Rita Hayworth there in a place so seedy
She walked into the bar with her long, red, curly hair
And that was all that I needed."
This 222 page novel (Manuel Puig's first) is a subtle exercise in stylistic experimentation, as well as a gentle critique of the effect of European and American cultural imperialism on a small town in Argentina.
Three of the first four chapters (out of a total of sixteen) use unattributed dialogue to portray the concerns of a small group of people, including Toto. The remaining chapters are more or less monologues, some letters, some diary entries, one a literary essay for a competition.
Puig’s use of unattributed dialogue preceded William Gaddis' “J. R.” by almost seven years, though I don't recall when the style was first used as extensively as in either novel.
Cliques and Multitudes
Puig refers later in the novel to cliques and multitudes of people. In the unattributed dialogue passages, they all have their say, although it's difficult to tell who is speaking, even if sometimes you can tell who is not speaking, because they address one of the other characters by name.
You have to wonder whether the ambiguity with respect to the speaker's identity means that their individual identity is less apparent or important in an age of mass culture. Only in the monologues do we get a better impression of a character as a subject.
Society in Transition
Both sections of the novel capture a society in transition. Its culture and entertainment moves from religion to playing checkers and dominoes to reading novels to playing football/soccer to listening to radio to playing jazz records to going to the opera to watching Hollywood films.
Bit by bit, the populace starts to model itself, for better or worse, on what the audience has learned from Hollywood. Good and bad behaviour and values are increasingly determined by film producers and actors, rather than police and priests.
The significance of the title isn't expressly explained, although we can infer that the false, commercialised values of Hollywood are a betrayal of the family and community values that preceded Hollywood (even if some of them were dictated by the institutions of religion, such as church, convent and school).
Apart from the parents, most of the characters are adolescents who are preoccupied with forming relationships with the other sex, including losing (or preserving) their virginity. Their methodology derives from the films they have seen at the cinema.
Criticising the Middle Classes
Most of the characters are relatively poor working class people. Towards the end of the novel, Herminia observes Toto (once a boy) start to develop a political consciousness (“I think of him criticising the middle classes...I really hate him when he criticises people who only think about eating, sleeping and buying a car. It revolts him that nobody reads, when he reads almost a book a day, and also that nobody listens to music...But he also criticises me because I like romantic music.”). However, the immediate cause of his politicisation is less about working conditions than it is about their ability to afford a lot of meat and fruit, “which are the most expensive items.”
Toto appears to have turned away from God, arguing “God is a sadistic power that enjoys the contemplation of suffering.”
The social and cultural changes also reflect a transition from simplicity to complexity. Even at a personal level, Herminia argues with Toto that simplicity is a virtue:
“For the first time I dared to tell him I would have gladly married someone like that, since that very simplicity is the foundation of happiness, and there's nothing better than to live alongside of somebody happy.
“I would have liked to have a quiet husband, it seems to me such a man must have a definite spiritual wealth. What an adventure for a woman to marry a man and gradually decipher his soul!”
There's a premonition that modernity or post-modernity is too complex for this version of the public. Post-post-modernity seems to necessitate a return to simplicity or, at least, the simplistic.
SOUNDTRACK:
The White Stripes - "Take, Take, Take"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FgQz...
"I guess you couldn't call me greedy
Then I was shocked to look up
And see Rita Hayworth there in a place so seedy
She walked into the bar with her long, red, curly hair
And that was all that I needed."
October 9, 2025
"The miracle of love has ended...that's the way it is, you are either madly in love or not at all, and on that dock dimly lit by torches of tallow, he realizes that he never succeeded in making her fall madly in love with him".
"What a fate, but how come, without knowing the meaning, I rejected the word?"
Years ago, I fell in love with the work of the great master, Manuel Puig. Like him, I fancy myself as an avid moviegoer- and I am adept and an expert on classic cinema, as well as current films.
“Betrayed by Rita Hayworth" centers around a series of towns within close vicinity to Buenos Aires. I read this book ten years ago and did not remember a thing about it- so ten years later, I decided to give it a go again.
The novel is a series of vignettes that center around Toto, a precocious young boy: imaginative, out of the closet and quite the snob, perceived by friends, relatives and enemies who fear both his bold and eccentric, flamboyant personality; and fear him because of their own homophobia.
Toto is a connoisseur of books and film. He is brash, and opinionated and looks down on those who do not read and want to leave behind their mundane provincial lives.
Toto loves the film "Hold Back the Dawn" starring Charles Boyer and Olivia de Havilland; the actresses Norma Shearer and Luise Rainer; and of course, Rita Hayworth.
This is a perversely tragicomic coming of age book about finding oneself early, and trying to process the pangs of adolescence and also trying to fit in, as quite a few of the novel's characters attempt to do.
Though the title of the novel is an allusion to the film Ms. Hayworth starred in with Tyrone Power called "Blood and Sand", in my own area of expertise- Ms. Hayworth, being of Spanish descent, hid this part of her during her Hollywood career, betraying an ethnic and cultural side to her that suggests she wanted to truly pass for white American. I read this from the great novel "The People of Paper" by Salvadore Plascencia a few years back.
This is Mr. Puig's first novel, and its technicolor images of movie stars and Hollywood, juxtaposed with drab black and white or sepia imagery shows themes that are to come in his more mature works; such as "Blood of Requited Love" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman" which include escape from the provincial life, boredom, unrequited love, extreme and brute sexuality, toxic masculinity and the flamboyant world of the movies.
I was especially tickled when Puig summarizes his love for the film "Hold Back the Dawn". It is my favorite movie starring Olivia de Havilland, and one of the lesser known gems written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder before he because a legend with "Sunset Blvd", "The Apartment" and "Some Like it Hot".
"What a fate, but how come, without knowing the meaning, I rejected the word?"
Years ago, I fell in love with the work of the great master, Manuel Puig. Like him, I fancy myself as an avid moviegoer- and I am adept and an expert on classic cinema, as well as current films.
“Betrayed by Rita Hayworth" centers around a series of towns within close vicinity to Buenos Aires. I read this book ten years ago and did not remember a thing about it- so ten years later, I decided to give it a go again.
The novel is a series of vignettes that center around Toto, a precocious young boy: imaginative, out of the closet and quite the snob, perceived by friends, relatives and enemies who fear both his bold and eccentric, flamboyant personality; and fear him because of their own homophobia.
Toto is a connoisseur of books and film. He is brash, and opinionated and looks down on those who do not read and want to leave behind their mundane provincial lives.
Toto loves the film "Hold Back the Dawn" starring Charles Boyer and Olivia de Havilland; the actresses Norma Shearer and Luise Rainer; and of course, Rita Hayworth.
This is a perversely tragicomic coming of age book about finding oneself early, and trying to process the pangs of adolescence and also trying to fit in, as quite a few of the novel's characters attempt to do.
Though the title of the novel is an allusion to the film Ms. Hayworth starred in with Tyrone Power called "Blood and Sand", in my own area of expertise- Ms. Hayworth, being of Spanish descent, hid this part of her during her Hollywood career, betraying an ethnic and cultural side to her that suggests she wanted to truly pass for white American. I read this from the great novel "The People of Paper" by Salvadore Plascencia a few years back.
This is Mr. Puig's first novel, and its technicolor images of movie stars and Hollywood, juxtaposed with drab black and white or sepia imagery shows themes that are to come in his more mature works; such as "Blood of Requited Love" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman" which include escape from the provincial life, boredom, unrequited love, extreme and brute sexuality, toxic masculinity and the flamboyant world of the movies.
I was especially tickled when Puig summarizes his love for the film "Hold Back the Dawn". It is my favorite movie starring Olivia de Havilland, and one of the lesser known gems written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder before he because a legend with "Sunset Blvd", "The Apartment" and "Some Like it Hot".
April 24, 2020
It is certainly not so that I did not appreciate the interesting experimental nature of this novel, but it could not hold my attention for pages on end. I’ll re-read it another time when I feel less distracted.
June 6, 2020
Finalmente ho rotto il ghiaccio con questo scrittore che corteggio da anni.
May 3, 2018
Ti racconto un film
Degli otto romanzi di Manuel Puig, autore che ho molto apprezzato negli anni ’80, ne avevo tralasciato uno; dopo 30 anni dal mio “periodo Puig” (e a 50 dalla pubblicazione di questo libro) l’impatto con “Il tradimento di Rita Hayworth” si è rivelato complicato, al punto che giunto al quarto capitolo ho dovuto fermarmi e ripartire da pagina 1, fatto per me inusuale.
Mi ero disabituato allo stile così particolare dell’autore argentino, con alcuni capitoli interamente composti da dialoghi privi di indicazione di chi sta parlando, situazione che si fa complessa quando a pronunciare le battute sono 4-5 personaggi diversi, come le donne che dalla prima riga del primo capitolo intrecciano pettegolezzi, osservazioni domestiche e culinarie, ricordi e racconti, mentre sono intente a ricamare.
L’effetto che ne risulta è straordinariamente efficace e realistico nel presentare l’insieme di questo gruppo femminile che immaginiamo frutto affiatato di parentele e conoscenze di antica data, ma d’altra parte comporta al lettore acrobazie mentali per seguire il filo del discorso, individuare i rapporti fra le dialoganti, cogliere alcuni accenni, allusioni e nomi che potranno rivelarsi (e spesso lo sono) determinanti per comprendere lo svolgimento successivo della storia.
A capitoli come questo se ne alternano altri (la maggior parte) interamente occupati dal flusso di coscienza di un personaggio, talora del medesimo personaggio nella cui mente entriamo in due diversi periodi della sua vita e, come ha già osservato qualcuno, la rappresentazione del flusso di coscienza di un bambino è un esercizio affascinante ma non privo di momenti estenuanti per il lettore…!
Il risultato di questi virtuosismi, cui si aggiungono altri materiali come le pagine di un diario, un compito scolastico o una lettera anonima, è una scommessa per l’assimilabilità del racconto che richiede un notevole impegno: si ha l’impressione che in quest’opera, primo lavoro di Puig, l’autore non abbia ancora messo a punto la tecnica di assemblaggio degli elementi che compongono il quadro narrativo fino a rendere l’insieme un’opera coerente.
A parte le invadenti peculiarità dello stile, il testo di Puig è dominato anche in questo romanzo dal Cinema (donde il titolo…), filtrato dalla sensibilità dei personaggi (il piccolo Toto soprattutto) che ne raccontano, riproducono ed emulano in continuazione le trame; si tratta di un cinema degli anni ’40, di genere soprattutto melodrammatico, hollywoodiano o locale, pervaso dalla natura del Mito in tutte le sue forme, nel divismo dei personaggi o degli interpreti, via di fuga rispetto all’esistenza grama, frustrata, irrisolta che sembra accomunare, pur con accenti, pulsioni e rancori diversi, tutti i personaggi.
Degli otto romanzi di Manuel Puig, autore che ho molto apprezzato negli anni ’80, ne avevo tralasciato uno; dopo 30 anni dal mio “periodo Puig” (e a 50 dalla pubblicazione di questo libro) l’impatto con “Il tradimento di Rita Hayworth” si è rivelato complicato, al punto che giunto al quarto capitolo ho dovuto fermarmi e ripartire da pagina 1, fatto per me inusuale.
Mi ero disabituato allo stile così particolare dell’autore argentino, con alcuni capitoli interamente composti da dialoghi privi di indicazione di chi sta parlando, situazione che si fa complessa quando a pronunciare le battute sono 4-5 personaggi diversi, come le donne che dalla prima riga del primo capitolo intrecciano pettegolezzi, osservazioni domestiche e culinarie, ricordi e racconti, mentre sono intente a ricamare.
L’effetto che ne risulta è straordinariamente efficace e realistico nel presentare l’insieme di questo gruppo femminile che immaginiamo frutto affiatato di parentele e conoscenze di antica data, ma d’altra parte comporta al lettore acrobazie mentali per seguire il filo del discorso, individuare i rapporti fra le dialoganti, cogliere alcuni accenni, allusioni e nomi che potranno rivelarsi (e spesso lo sono) determinanti per comprendere lo svolgimento successivo della storia.
A capitoli come questo se ne alternano altri (la maggior parte) interamente occupati dal flusso di coscienza di un personaggio, talora del medesimo personaggio nella cui mente entriamo in due diversi periodi della sua vita e, come ha già osservato qualcuno, la rappresentazione del flusso di coscienza di un bambino è un esercizio affascinante ma non privo di momenti estenuanti per il lettore…!
Il risultato di questi virtuosismi, cui si aggiungono altri materiali come le pagine di un diario, un compito scolastico o una lettera anonima, è una scommessa per l’assimilabilità del racconto che richiede un notevole impegno: si ha l’impressione che in quest’opera, primo lavoro di Puig, l’autore non abbia ancora messo a punto la tecnica di assemblaggio degli elementi che compongono il quadro narrativo fino a rendere l’insieme un’opera coerente.
A parte le invadenti peculiarità dello stile, il testo di Puig è dominato anche in questo romanzo dal Cinema (donde il titolo…), filtrato dalla sensibilità dei personaggi (il piccolo Toto soprattutto) che ne raccontano, riproducono ed emulano in continuazione le trame; si tratta di un cinema degli anni ’40, di genere soprattutto melodrammatico, hollywoodiano o locale, pervaso dalla natura del Mito in tutte le sue forme, nel divismo dei personaggi o degli interpreti, via di fuga rispetto all’esistenza grama, frustrata, irrisolta che sembra accomunare, pur con accenti, pulsioni e rancori diversi, tutti i personaggi.
April 18, 2017
If John Waters was Argentinian, but wrote like Faulkner, maybe he’d write something like this.
At first i was gleefully amazed at how anyone could capture so flawlessly how a bright infant might pick up words and ideas overheard or misrepresented, and with the magical thinking and billion neuron connection of a baby brain, twist them into connections - hilarious, absurd and totally logical in that context. Toto (Jose Casals) is a delight to watch for at least half the book. Each chapter we are gifted sight into a day or days or series of thoughts of an inhabitant of a dusty town, Vallejos, from 1933 to 1948. Often Toto is our focus.
Perhaps a small town doesn’t give rise to more options, or maybe the wicked differences in wealth create meanness on both sides, but the amount of time, thought and energy given over to plotting, envy, and imagined differences between people, seems sad and empty and maybe they’re supposed to.
i felt the most optimism reading Esther - “a student of humble background” is recognized as the finest student and thus wins a scholarship to the rich kids’ school. Her family - dedicated Peronists, attending meetings, sacrificing (no radio til 10) so Esther can study. We share her lapse, first from studying, then envying the lifestyle of the rich (and the boys they hang out with) from her values. A crisis then an inspiration bring her home to her descamisados.
This was, for me necessary balance. After two misogynist montages - first of the inside of Hector’s (Toto’s cousin) head, then the misanthropic and violently misogynist (torture, rape, kill) Cobito’s - i was ready to apply to join another species, or at least put the book down. Salvaged by some sweetness, or at least bittersweetness in others to follow - even if based in fantasy. I especially appreciated learning a little about the moody, sleepy, movie star looking, controlling Berto, eventually.
A bold insane undertaking; not my favorite Puig, but worth reading after several others.
At first i was gleefully amazed at how anyone could capture so flawlessly how a bright infant might pick up words and ideas overheard or misrepresented, and with the magical thinking and billion neuron connection of a baby brain, twist them into connections - hilarious, absurd and totally logical in that context. Toto (Jose Casals) is a delight to watch for at least half the book. Each chapter we are gifted sight into a day or days or series of thoughts of an inhabitant of a dusty town, Vallejos, from 1933 to 1948. Often Toto is our focus.
Perhaps a small town doesn’t give rise to more options, or maybe the wicked differences in wealth create meanness on both sides, but the amount of time, thought and energy given over to plotting, envy, and imagined differences between people, seems sad and empty and maybe they’re supposed to.
i felt the most optimism reading Esther - “a student of humble background” is recognized as the finest student and thus wins a scholarship to the rich kids’ school. Her family - dedicated Peronists, attending meetings, sacrificing (no radio til 10) so Esther can study. We share her lapse, first from studying, then envying the lifestyle of the rich (and the boys they hang out with) from her values. A crisis then an inspiration bring her home to her descamisados.
This was, for me necessary balance. After two misogynist montages - first of the inside of Hector’s (Toto’s cousin) head, then the misanthropic and violently misogynist (torture, rape, kill) Cobito’s - i was ready to apply to join another species, or at least put the book down. Salvaged by some sweetness, or at least bittersweetness in others to follow - even if based in fantasy. I especially appreciated learning a little about the moody, sleepy, movie star looking, controlling Berto, eventually.
A bold insane undertaking; not my favorite Puig, but worth reading after several others.
June 4, 2021
no entendí una mierda pero lo que entendí me gustó
September 23, 2025
«La tesis final de Toto fue que Dios ha hecho posible la existencia del mal, y ha creado seres imperfectos, por lo tanto no puede ser perfecto, y más aún, tal vez Dios sea una fuerza sádica que se regocija en contemplar el sufrimiento. Por tanto él prefiere no pensar que existe un Dios, porque si fuera imperfecto resultaría el peligro público número uno».
Hay un videíto que encuentran en YouTube donde Alan Pauls dice que este libro es para él la mejor primera novela de la narrativa contemporánea, un debut donde el autor parece saber lo que quiere decir, cómo quiere decirlo y que tiene una idea de lo que es la literatura que nadie había tenido nunca antes. Hay que leerlo para entenderlo, pero es tal cual. Caben mundos en estas páginas. El estilo de escritura es único y es la primera vez que leo un libro con tantos puntos de vista sin confundirlos. Tuve que empezarlo varias veces porque me perdía, pero es así, es un libro para leer estando medio perdido, pero atento. Ya quiero releerlo. Me sentí muy identificado con Toto por razones excesivas y un poco me agarraron cosquilleos de egocentrismo por pretender escribir algo parecido. Ser el maricón del pueblo y tener una mamá farmacéutica son pieles que habité. Después de haber leído esto lo siento a Puig más cercano que nunca, para colmo los dos somos capricornianos.
Hay un videíto que encuentran en YouTube donde Alan Pauls dice que este libro es para él la mejor primera novela de la narrativa contemporánea, un debut donde el autor parece saber lo que quiere decir, cómo quiere decirlo y que tiene una idea de lo que es la literatura que nadie había tenido nunca antes. Hay que leerlo para entenderlo, pero es tal cual. Caben mundos en estas páginas. El estilo de escritura es único y es la primera vez que leo un libro con tantos puntos de vista sin confundirlos. Tuve que empezarlo varias veces porque me perdía, pero es así, es un libro para leer estando medio perdido, pero atento. Ya quiero releerlo. Me sentí muy identificado con Toto por razones excesivas y un poco me agarraron cosquilleos de egocentrismo por pretender escribir algo parecido. Ser el maricón del pueblo y tener una mamá farmacéutica son pieles que habité. Después de haber leído esto lo siento a Puig más cercano que nunca, para colmo los dos somos capricornianos.
October 21, 2020
No soy muy objetivo con Puig. Ya sé que me va a gustar antes de leerlo. Y en este caso me gustó cómo retrata las diferencias en cuanto al despertar sexual de mujeres y varones. La represión y vergüenza en los personajes femeninos y la cultura de violación de los machitos.
No es lineal y al principio es un poco caótica pero se disfruta.
No es lineal y al principio es un poco caótica pero se disfruta.
September 21, 2021
Es porque lo leí a destiempo: han pasado cincuenta años y mucha agua ha corrido. Algunas voces cansan, no en el buen sentido y la estructura no "emerge" de pronto (ni el sentido) como sí sucede en otras novelas parecidas (posteriores, mejor logradas). Pero hay también un par de voces que híjole, qué maldita maravilla.
June 12, 2019
Amo a Manuel Puig, pero no pude con este libro. Su estructura no me ayudó, los diálogos me confundieron, sin duda, requiere una segunda lectura.
May 21, 2011
Impresionante. Avasalladora novela. Puig redefinió lo que es la literatura argentina. Hoy en día hay cosas que leemos como normales o incluso "arriesgadas" que él introdujo. ¿Quién hablaba de películas de Hollywood en los libros? ¡Por Dios, todavía existía Victoria Ocampo y la revista Sur! Más de un seudo-moderno de hoy en día debería pegarle una buena releída a este excelso escritor...
July 3, 2020
La puntuación sería 2.5
Como estrategia de lectura es muy interesante el estilo que usa Puig en esta novela. Una novela polif��nica plagada de personajes y voces.
En sí la historia es el típico chusmerio de pueblo ( pueblo chico infierno grande) donde se ve reflejado a Manuel Puig en el personaje de Toto, más allá de eso la novela se volvía muy pesada por momentos.
Como estrategia de lectura es muy interesante el estilo que usa Puig en esta novela. Una novela polif��nica plagada de personajes y voces.
En sí la historia es el típico chusmerio de pueblo ( pueblo chico infierno grande) donde se ve reflejado a Manuel Puig en el personaje de Toto, más allá de eso la novela se volvía muy pesada por momentos.
September 18, 2010
this was one of about 20-30 stories on a list provided to me (and others in the class) by padgett powell...'85-'87 or so. a reading list. before we were all wired so it was welcome. i read it, had this copy in paperback, and can't for the life of me remember much about it.
like some of the other stories on the list, seems it could be that it made it there for the manner of the telling...as more than a few had a unique, or if not quite unique, a different approach to the art of story-telling. i should give this another go...reading the story description.
update, 9 jul 13
betrayed by rita hayworth, 1968? that right? reading this one again. 9 jul 13, tuesday evening, 6:12 p.m. e.s.t.
translated by suzanne jill levine...from what? the spanish? argentina...must be spanish. what is it, brazil portuguese? i think that's how it shakes out.
chapter headings/narration
i. mita's parents' place, la plata, 1933 unattributed dialogue
ii. at berto's, vallejos, 1933 more
iii. toto, 1939 6-yr-old boy eye-narration/stream
iv. choli's conversation with mita, 1941 monologue/choli...as if we're hearing one side of a telephone conversation
v. toto, 1942 the boy again, 3 years older
vi. tete, winter, 1942 tete, a 12-yr-old girl, eye-narration/stream
vii. delia, summer, 1943 eye-narration/stream, but from an older female...one concerned w/marriage, men
viii. mita, winter, 1943 eye-narration/stream, from mita, mother of toto, wife of berto, sister/daughter of
ix. hector, summer, 1944 hector is barely 17...eye-narration/stream, concerns of a young male this age
x. paquita, winter, 1945 paquita, "paqui" is 15, next year 16, and more of eye-narration/stream
xi. cobito, spring, 1946 cobito is a puzzle...not sure how he ties into this...other than being from the same area...i believe he is a freshman/college...freshman for sure, and the things he is concerned w/suggest college age...away from home, this too is eye-narration, stream-of-consciousness
xii. esther's diary, 1947
xiii. annual literary essay competition
free subject: "the movie i liked best"
by jose l. casals, sophomore, section b
xiv. anonymous note sent to the dean of students of george washington high school, 1947
xv. herminia's commonplace book, 1948
xvi. berto's letter, 1933
story begins
mita's parents' place, la plata, 1933
and so on and so forth...onward and upward.
time place scene settings
*la plata, 1933
*vallejos, where mita is located
*at berto's, vallejos, 1933
*toto, 1939
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
characters
*mom, an embroiderer
*clara, a person who works in an office
*mita, married to berto, and they live in vallejos, 1933. mita works in a hospital, in charge of a laboratory. berto looks like carlos palau, an argentine actor
*the baby
*violeta
*totie, toto, mita & berto's baby boy, 1933
*violeta's father, who fixes shoes, although he does not have them ready if he says tuesday and you go in for them.
*sofia cabalus (accent marks are missing. dunno how to make them. sue me.) classmate of mita's at u...a professor's daughter
*adela...she wears glasses...works in an office, she is mita's sister
*lito is berto's brother
*amparo, vallejos...i think the baby's nurse is named amparo...for totie/toto, mita/berto
*the maid of mita/berto, a 12-yr-old
*granpa
*grandma
*clara's child
*clara's mother was there, too
*fuzzy is the sister of
*ines is the daughter of big sister who's single
*a priest
*roldau girl
*felisa
*mora ortega's father
*mora oretega's nanny
*more ortega's fiance
*a baker
*hector...son of jaime who is in midrid, brother of berto, the mother of hector passes
*jose l. casals...known as "casals" throughout...a student, along with others, hector, toto, various female characters...hector/toto are his cousins
*raul garcia
*paqui...paquita...student-age
*luisito castro
*doctor garofalo
*turk
*antunez girl
*laurita
*estella
*esther castagno
*cobito umansky
*noziglia...[the rapist]
*doggie, beanhead, blackie
*baldy lopez
*moreno, labruna, loustau (soccer)
*colombo
*paraguayan wagger
*the monitor
*the fat washerwoman
*father joseph
*various sisters
*dardito...nephew
*graciela
*laurita...before?
*
movies & actors
*carlos palau's latest movies
*romeo & juliet
*ginger rogers & fred astaire
*snow white
*the great ziegfeld
*shirley temple
*the constant nymph
*robert taylor, luise rainer, myrna loy
*weekend in havana
*rita hayworth
*blood and sand
*tyrone power
*her cardboard lover
*gone with the wind
*spellbound
*the magic mountain
*
*
*
*
*
*lust
a note on the narration
uummm, um goua, our rpoc needs a showa.
1933...la plata...people conversing...about mita and her husband who looks like the actor carlos palau...about mita who works in a hospital as something...maybe a pharmacist, dispensing medicine...carlos's steers are dead we learn in 1933, vallejos, where more people are conversing, the baby's nurse and the maid...about totie...toto, carlos and mita's baby boy...conversing, about others as well...all those names listed above.
not one line of dialogue attributed to anyone. no breaks between dialogue, no suggestion of action other than what comes in dialogue. a sense that people come and go as the conversation indicates such...a line of dialogue from someone, directly below another line of dialogue, suggesting the person who uttered the line above has left the room. and so on and so forth. and scooby doobie doobie.
and then, iii toto, 1939...3rd chapter, starts thus:
update, 12 jul 13, friday afternoon, 3:20 p.m. e.s.t.
okay then...and then after that chapter 3, life from the eyes of a very young boy, toto, age 6 thereabouts...chapter 4 is another style...somewhat like the 1st two chapters...thus:
almost like we're overhearing a telephone conversation, hey? only one part we hear...the other indicated thus: --
i'm trying hard to follow this. i think it can be done. others have. why shouldn't i be able to, as well? nothing up my sleeve!
another note on the narration, update, 14 jul 13, sunday afternoon, 1:02 p.m. e.s.t.
not hard to follow, not really...just that 1st chapter, the one following was easier, and the middle chapters easier yet.
as noted above, most of the chapters are "eye"-narrated, first-person stream-of-consciousness...black-wall from side to side...though dialogue is included in this stream, attributed...longish sentences...and the stream varies by character.
that first, initial chapter, wherein the dialogue is unattributed...there, there are several people conversing, and a...careful reading is helpful. is it necessary to know exactly who is speaking in that chapter...or the one following? maybe not. the various names appear...make a note of them...some/many follow. it might be more helpful to make a character list chapter by chapter, as there are new characters/names introduced with each stream...a few names repeated throughout...save for this last chapter i read, cobito...whose name is a first here in this chapter...and the place names he uses are new to the story, as well...save for buenos aires.
update, finished, 4:50 p.m. e.s.t. 14 jul 13, sunday evening
complete. a good read. the story moves along through the years as noted above in the chapter headings/dates...plot? is there a plot? do we need a plot? life is plot. simply because one does not know the names of the constellations does not mean one cannot enjoy the stars. yes...that opening is a bit hard to follow...which says what? that we want to be involved, that we like to know the names of the lights? i dunno...
but it is curious, the manner in which the telling became easier...those many chapters of eye-narration, stream-of-consciousness writing from the various individuals. the reader has to go w/the flow...there are times when what is streaming is not immediately apparent, although as the telling progresses, the reader eventually realizes that things are focusing...the characters are real people...the story moves along...life is revealed
as i'm reading a few sections...mainly to do w/the male characters...all those hormones raging...remember that? but as i'm reading...various forms of...rape...that's the word for it, never used, but that is what happens all too often...and not only male on female...but male on male...w/the telling the way it is...some of that seemed brash...out-of-focus...as in...this is a fourteen-year-old...or...this is a freshman?
all-in-all...the various streams...those chapters, all-in-all, things jived...one chapter, not stream, but the diary chapter, that at times seemed odd, out-of-focus, too...but by chapter end, whatever minor irritation resulted from the willing suspension getting a kick in the pants faded away.
another story i...almost...mark as a favorite. too...thinking back, i expected a bit more play on the movie angle...that did exist, but whoever wrote the blurbs/description had a different take on the story than I did. i was hoping for something that wasn't as apparent...although this story is one i will "shelf" as time-passages for the way characters use their imaginations...and that does relate to the story description.
like some of the other stories on the list, seems it could be that it made it there for the manner of the telling...as more than a few had a unique, or if not quite unique, a different approach to the art of story-telling. i should give this another go...reading the story description.
update, 9 jul 13
betrayed by rita hayworth, 1968? that right? reading this one again. 9 jul 13, tuesday evening, 6:12 p.m. e.s.t.
translated by suzanne jill levine...from what? the spanish? argentina...must be spanish. what is it, brazil portuguese? i think that's how it shakes out.
chapter headings/narration
i. mita's parents' place, la plata, 1933 unattributed dialogue
ii. at berto's, vallejos, 1933 more
iii. toto, 1939 6-yr-old boy eye-narration/stream
iv. choli's conversation with mita, 1941 monologue/choli...as if we're hearing one side of a telephone conversation
v. toto, 1942 the boy again, 3 years older
vi. tete, winter, 1942 tete, a 12-yr-old girl, eye-narration/stream
vii. delia, summer, 1943 eye-narration/stream, but from an older female...one concerned w/marriage, men
viii. mita, winter, 1943 eye-narration/stream, from mita, mother of toto, wife of berto, sister/daughter of
ix. hector, summer, 1944 hector is barely 17...eye-narration/stream, concerns of a young male this age
x. paquita, winter, 1945 paquita, "paqui" is 15, next year 16, and more of eye-narration/stream
xi. cobito, spring, 1946 cobito is a puzzle...not sure how he ties into this...other than being from the same area...i believe he is a freshman/college...freshman for sure, and the things he is concerned w/suggest college age...away from home, this too is eye-narration, stream-of-consciousness
xii. esther's diary, 1947
xiii. annual literary essay competition
free subject: "the movie i liked best"
by jose l. casals, sophomore, section b
xiv. anonymous note sent to the dean of students of george washington high school, 1947
xv. herminia's commonplace book, 1948
xvi. berto's letter, 1933
story begins
mita's parents' place, la plata, 1933
--a brown cross-stitch over beige linen, that's why your tablecloth turned out so well.
--this tablecloth alone gave me more trouble than the whole set of doilies, a full eight pairs...if they paid more for needlework, i could hire a sleep-in maid and spend more time on embroidery, once i get my customers, don't you think?
--embroidery doesn't seem tiring, but after a few hours your back begins to ache.
--but mita wants me to make her a bedspread for the baby's crib, with bright colors since the bedrooms get so little light. three rooms one after the other leading into a hallway with big windows, all covered with canvas curtains that your can pull open.
--if i have more time, i'd make myself a bedspread. you know what's really tiring? typewriting on a high desk like the one i have in the office.
and so on and so forth...onward and upward.
time place scene settings
*la plata, 1933
*vallejos, where mita is located
*at berto's, vallejos, 1933
*toto, 1939
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
characters
*mom, an embroiderer
*clara, a person who works in an office
*mita, married to berto, and they live in vallejos, 1933. mita works in a hospital, in charge of a laboratory. berto looks like carlos palau, an argentine actor
*the baby
*violeta
*totie, toto, mita & berto's baby boy, 1933
*violeta's father, who fixes shoes, although he does not have them ready if he says tuesday and you go in for them.
*sofia cabalus (accent marks are missing. dunno how to make them. sue me.) classmate of mita's at u...a professor's daughter
*adela...she wears glasses...works in an office, she is mita's sister
*lito is berto's brother
*amparo, vallejos...i think the baby's nurse is named amparo...for totie/toto, mita/berto
*the maid of mita/berto, a 12-yr-old
*granpa
*grandma
*clara's child
*clara's mother was there, too
*fuzzy is the sister of
*ines is the daughter of big sister who's single
*a priest
*roldau girl
*felisa
*mora ortega's father
*mora oretega's nanny
*more ortega's fiance
*a baker
*hector...son of jaime who is in midrid, brother of berto, the mother of hector passes
*jose l. casals...known as "casals" throughout...a student, along with others, hector, toto, various female characters...hector/toto are his cousins
*raul garcia
*paqui...paquita...student-age
*luisito castro
*doctor garofalo
*turk
*antunez girl
*laurita
*estella
*esther castagno
*cobito umansky
*noziglia...[the rapist]
*doggie, beanhead, blackie
*baldy lopez
*moreno, labruna, loustau (soccer)
*colombo
*paraguayan wagger
*the monitor
*the fat washerwoman
*father joseph
*various sisters
*dardito...nephew
*graciela
*laurita...before?
*
movies & actors
*carlos palau's latest movies
*romeo & juliet
*ginger rogers & fred astaire
*snow white
*the great ziegfeld
*shirley temple
*the constant nymph
*robert taylor, luise rainer, myrna loy
*weekend in havana
*rita hayworth
*blood and sand
*tyrone power
*her cardboard lover
*gone with the wind
*spellbound
*the magic mountain
*
*
*
*
*
*lust
a note on the narration
uummm, um goua, our rpoc needs a showa.
1933...la plata...people conversing...about mita and her husband who looks like the actor carlos palau...about mita who works in a hospital as something...maybe a pharmacist, dispensing medicine...carlos's steers are dead we learn in 1933, vallejos, where more people are conversing, the baby's nurse and the maid...about totie...toto, carlos and mita's baby boy...conversing, about others as well...all those names listed above.
not one line of dialogue attributed to anyone. no breaks between dialogue, no suggestion of action other than what comes in dialogue. a sense that people come and go as the conversation indicates such...a line of dialogue from someone, directly below another line of dialogue, suggesting the person who uttered the line above has left the room. and so on and so forth. and scooby doobie doobie.
and then, iii toto, 1939...3rd chapter, starts thus:
there are three little boy dolls, and the queen of france, her hair is done in an upsweep and her skirt is as full as can be, the three little boy dolls in white stockings all the way up to their bloomers, the girl dolls in silk costumes and the boy dolls in silk costumes too, mommy, and the men in white dickey's same as you, tiny lacing, white wigs, they're porcelain and stand on a shelf, of the mother of the boy next door, and they're hard, you can't eat them, dressed the same as the silly face dolls, they are kind and look at the girl doll sitting in a hammock, painted on the cover of your box of spools, in the drawer next to the tablecloth and napkins, the box that had candy before.
update, 12 jul 13, friday afternoon, 3:20 p.m. e.s.t.
okay then...and then after that chapter 3, life from the eyes of a very young boy, toto, age 6 thereabouts...chapter 4 is another style...somewhat like the 1st two chapters...thus:
iv choli's conversation with mita, 1941
--mita, you should be happy with this child of yours. he couldn't be sweeter.
--
--no, that's not true, believe me. i was sure he would have lost his looks by now, i figured his features would have become coarser, like a man's.
--
--i was afraid too! he could go on being so handsome...
almost like we're overhearing a telephone conversation, hey? only one part we hear...the other indicated thus: --
i'm trying hard to follow this. i think it can be done. others have. why shouldn't i be able to, as well? nothing up my sleeve!
another note on the narration, update, 14 jul 13, sunday afternoon, 1:02 p.m. e.s.t.
not hard to follow, not really...just that 1st chapter, the one following was easier, and the middle chapters easier yet.
as noted above, most of the chapters are "eye"-narrated, first-person stream-of-consciousness...black-wall from side to side...though dialogue is included in this stream, attributed...longish sentences...and the stream varies by character.
that first, initial chapter, wherein the dialogue is unattributed...there, there are several people conversing, and a...careful reading is helpful. is it necessary to know exactly who is speaking in that chapter...or the one following? maybe not. the various names appear...make a note of them...some/many follow. it might be more helpful to make a character list chapter by chapter, as there are new characters/names introduced with each stream...a few names repeated throughout...save for this last chapter i read, cobito...whose name is a first here in this chapter...and the place names he uses are new to the story, as well...save for buenos aires.
update, finished, 4:50 p.m. e.s.t. 14 jul 13, sunday evening
complete. a good read. the story moves along through the years as noted above in the chapter headings/dates...plot? is there a plot? do we need a plot? life is plot. simply because one does not know the names of the constellations does not mean one cannot enjoy the stars. yes...that opening is a bit hard to follow...which says what? that we want to be involved, that we like to know the names of the lights? i dunno...
but it is curious, the manner in which the telling became easier...those many chapters of eye-narration, stream-of-consciousness writing from the various individuals. the reader has to go w/the flow...there are times when what is streaming is not immediately apparent, although as the telling progresses, the reader eventually realizes that things are focusing...the characters are real people...the story moves along...life is revealed
as i'm reading a few sections...mainly to do w/the male characters...all those hormones raging...remember that? but as i'm reading...various forms of...rape...that's the word for it, never used, but that is what happens all too often...and not only male on female...but male on male...w/the telling the way it is...some of that seemed brash...out-of-focus...as in...this is a fourteen-year-old...or...this is a freshman?
all-in-all...the various streams...those chapters, all-in-all, things jived...one chapter, not stream, but the diary chapter, that at times seemed odd, out-of-focus, too...but by chapter end, whatever minor irritation resulted from the willing suspension getting a kick in the pants faded away.
another story i...almost...mark as a favorite. too...thinking back, i expected a bit more play on the movie angle...that did exist, but whoever wrote the blurbs/description had a different take on the story than I did. i was hoping for something that wasn't as apparent...although this story is one i will "shelf" as time-passages for the way characters use their imaginations...and that does relate to the story description.
November 9, 2023
I have no idea what the point of this was. There’s barely any connecting threads. The chapters are all experimental, which isn’t bad necessarily, but made for a tough reading experience. I just don’t get it. Rare miss from McNally Editions. :/
December 31, 2023
Generalmente se dice de Manuel Puig que su literatura está fuertemente influenciada por el mundo del cine, que no le debe nada al mundo literario o que las páginas de sus libros están hechas de celuloide, pero creo que quizá se ignora en esta descripción la atención a la voz de los personajes, a la claridad de las imágenes, a la elegencia de las palabras. Por supuesto que parece una película, pero es en verdad literatura de primera. Desde el mismo título, todo el libro está impregnado en una musicalidad, porque creo que más que un libro para leer es un libro para escuchar. Hay también en este libro en específico una atemporalidad, porque claramente es un libro situado en y sobre la Argentina. Definitivamente mi nuevo libro favorito. Me obsesioné mucho con Puig y me vi todas las entrevistas que encontré, y en una decía que no entendía porqué, cuando era chico, sentía que el único lugar donde podía respirar era en el cine. Yo creo que sí entendí.
January 31, 2025
"-¿Es tan feo Coronel Vallejos como dice Mita?"
"(...) el sol que está bajando la línea del horizonte, que es lo único que me gusta de Vallejos."
Una novela coral con personajes adolescentes y adultos que transitan distintas facetas desde la inocencia, el sufrimiento, el anhelo, la envidia y la bajeza en un espacio caracterizado como un pueblo gris perdido en el medio de la Pampa al que aplica la máxima de "pueblo chico, infierno grande". Esto parece anteceder la atmósfera opresiva y los tipos de conflictos (en especial los temas de género y sexualidad) que se desarrollan en "Boquitas Pintadas".
A su vez, el autor despliega su escrito en un caleidoscopio de géneros, registros y tonos como hará luego en "El beso de la mujer araña". Destacándose la introducción y el desarrollo de elementos de la cultura y el arte pop que conviven sin tensión con los de la cultura elitista.
De fondo está la época dorada de Hollywood, el tango, el jazz, el River de La Máquina y Labruna y el surgimiento del peronismo.
Al que le pone menos de cuatro estrellas, pum! Pum! Bang, Bang.
"(...) el sol que está bajando la línea del horizonte, que es lo único que me gusta de Vallejos."
Una novela coral con personajes adolescentes y adultos que transitan distintas facetas desde la inocencia, el sufrimiento, el anhelo, la envidia y la bajeza en un espacio caracterizado como un pueblo gris perdido en el medio de la Pampa al que aplica la máxima de "pueblo chico, infierno grande". Esto parece anteceder la atmósfera opresiva y los tipos de conflictos (en especial los temas de género y sexualidad) que se desarrollan en "Boquitas Pintadas".
A su vez, el autor despliega su escrito en un caleidoscopio de géneros, registros y tonos como hará luego en "El beso de la mujer araña". Destacándose la introducción y el desarrollo de elementos de la cultura y el arte pop que conviven sin tensión con los de la cultura elitista.
De fondo está la época dorada de Hollywood, el tango, el jazz, el River de La Máquina y Labruna y el surgimiento del peronismo.
Al que le pone menos de cuatro estrellas, pum! Pum! Bang, Bang.
January 15, 2023
I don’t even know what to rate this book. I loved the writing and storytelling. I loved the stream of consciousness style. I loved the character it was centered around, Toto. Toto’s uniqueness and sensitivity in the time and place was a very intriguing contrast to what was considered the ideal or normal. I could relate to his outsider positioning. There were many different character perspectives, I found them all endearing excepting the obvious villains. And there lies my problem. I wish that the former were the only ones included in the book. Unfortunately one of the characters was an absolute monster and I had no need nor anything gained from reading the perspective of such a vile and deeply disturbed mind. The other was a part related to Toto that was one of the most traumatizing things I have ever read. I am now going to be vigilant about researching trigger warnings in future books. Seriously one of the most disgusting things I have ever read and now will not be able to expel from my brain. Why, just why? Also the thoughts and behavior towards women were simply appalling, the male mindsets were all unfeeling predators, only displaying feigned tenderness so they could f*** them and then discard them. I cannot in good conscience recommend this book to anyone and unfortunately I wish I hadn’t picked it up. So a one star rating for that, if those parts were not included it would have been a great read.
January 4, 2021
3.5 stars
I’m really conflicted about this one. First, the style of writing is difficult to get into and there isn’t just one style; we open with a conversation where we don’t know who is talking, there is a one sided phone conversation and chapters with minimal punctuation and no paragraph breaks. The latter actually works really well for me once I get into it and is really effective for stream of consciousness narration.
This feels more like a collection of interlinked short stories which is fine if you were expecting that but anticipating a novel I expected there to be more narrative flow. Often it is unclear who the characters who narrate each chapter are- and they change every time- and how they relate to one another, I’m sure they were probably mentioned but keeping track isn’t easy. The other negative is that some of the content from the male narrators is disturbing, talk of abuse of women, rape of children by children particularly in Cobito’s chapter. This takes away from the really effecting chapters like Mita’s and the endearing obsession with movies of Toto’s where the title comes from.
Manuel Puig is effective at making these multiple voices sound different from one another and the individual stories that the characters are telling of life in Argentina in 1940’s are interesting and emotional, there is some great writing and and sense of place but there are also difficult things about the reading experience that stop this from being a four or five star read. That this was Puig’s debut is pretty impressive though and I would be interested in trying more of his work some day.
I’m really conflicted about this one. First, the style of writing is difficult to get into and there isn’t just one style; we open with a conversation where we don’t know who is talking, there is a one sided phone conversation and chapters with minimal punctuation and no paragraph breaks. The latter actually works really well for me once I get into it and is really effective for stream of consciousness narration.
This feels more like a collection of interlinked short stories which is fine if you were expecting that but anticipating a novel I expected there to be more narrative flow. Often it is unclear who the characters who narrate each chapter are- and they change every time- and how they relate to one another, I’m sure they were probably mentioned but keeping track isn’t easy. The other negative is that some of the content from the male narrators is disturbing, talk of abuse of women, rape of children by children particularly in Cobito’s chapter. This takes away from the really effecting chapters like Mita’s and the endearing obsession with movies of Toto’s where the title comes from.
Manuel Puig is effective at making these multiple voices sound different from one another and the individual stories that the characters are telling of life in Argentina in 1940’s are interesting and emotional, there is some great writing and and sense of place but there are also difficult things about the reading experience that stop this from being a four or five star read. That this was Puig’s debut is pretty impressive though and I would be interested in trying more of his work some day.
May 10, 2022
No. Este libro realmente no fue para mi. No importa lo poco que me guste una historia, normalmente siempre termino una novela, pero en este caso lo dejé en la mitad. Siento que ‘La traición de Rita Hayworth’ fue escrito para un público muy limitado al cual no me cuento.
La forma en la cual escribe Manuel Puig es experimental, única, nunca he leído algo similar. La idea de cambiar todo el tiempo de perspectivas, de escribir todo un capítulo como si fuera un niño, frases que nunca acaban, sin punto, fue totalmente confuso para mi. Leí la mitad del libro y no tengo ni idea de que se trata.
Hace mucho que quise leer algo de Manuel Puig, sobre todo después de haber escuchado de su forma particular de escribir. Quizá debería haber comenzado con otra de sus obras. Igual no sé realmente qué opinar de esta lectura. Lo dejaré aquí y tal vez un día lo intentaré leer de nuevo. No por ahora.
La forma en la cual escribe Manuel Puig es experimental, única, nunca he leído algo similar. La idea de cambiar todo el tiempo de perspectivas, de escribir todo un capítulo como si fuera un niño, frases que nunca acaban, sin punto, fue totalmente confuso para mi. Leí la mitad del libro y no tengo ni idea de que se trata.
Hace mucho que quise leer algo de Manuel Puig, sobre todo después de haber escuchado de su forma particular de escribir. Quizá debería haber comenzado con otra de sus obras. Igual no sé realmente qué opinar de esta lectura. Lo dejaré aquí y tal vez un día lo intentaré leer de nuevo. No por ahora.
May 7, 2021
No sé dónde leí una crítica a Puig -seguramente en Wikipedia y seguramente de Vargas Llosa- que decía algo así como: "sé cómo hablan los personajes de Puig pero no sé cómo escribe él". Y LO DECÍA COMO ALGO NEGATIVO. Tiene una oralidad tremenda y muy precisa con cada uno de los personajes, que van reflexionando para sí mismos en momentos temporales diferentes; lo que va a ser futuro en un capítulo pasa a ser algo conseguido en el siguiente y así te vas armando tú solo la historia y el contexto. El protagonista existe por lo que otros dicen de él, pero Toto es quien menos habla, lo conocemos por nuestras figuraciones sobre actos descritos por otras perspectivas. Es maravilloso.
January 13, 2015
Tengo una especie de mini tradición, cuando llega el verano: 1 Puig, 1 Vonnegut, 1 Auster, 1 clásico. Este Puig muy bueno, me encantó, sobre todo las partes de las mujeres y de Toto, el nene que pinta para gay. No así las de los adolescentes + machos, que me parecieron más esquemáticas y clichés.
Me hizo acordar a El ruido y la furia, tengo que retomarlo.
Me hizo acordar a El ruido y la furia, tengo que retomarlo.
August 30, 2017
Rey de los registros, ya lo dije. Todos los dijeron y no es novedad, pero sí lo comprobé aun más.
Distintos niveles de dificultad de lectura. Disfrutable. Recomendable, por lo tanto.
Distintos niveles de dificultad de lectura. Disfrutable. Recomendable, por lo tanto.
December 9, 2021
La idea era buena, pero en la práctica se me hizo muy difícil de leer. Tal vez influya que el léxico y la manera de hablar sean argentinas (soy española).
April 6, 2019
This was a very complicated book and i lost my interest in it along the way. The story of Toto, practically his coming-of-age, followed from the perspective of different persons.
The style of the novel is very challenging but i have to say Puig is a master in writing. Ok, it doesn't have the profoundness of Faulkner, but the phrases are longer. The different voices (men or women, adolescent males, married women) are very well represented through the phraseology, and this is the genius of Puig.
However, apart from style and writing, the novel doesn't say much and it is actually boring.
It is a challenge for anyone who would dare to translate it. on the last page of the book it says that the translator wanted to be anonymous, because of the multiple modifications the editor made to his text. Sexually, Puig's novel is very strong, i am wondering if it is in fact a lot more perverted and it was only censored.
The style of the novel is very challenging but i have to say Puig is a master in writing. Ok, it doesn't have the profoundness of Faulkner, but the phrases are longer. The different voices (men or women, adolescent males, married women) are very well represented through the phraseology, and this is the genius of Puig.
However, apart from style and writing, the novel doesn't say much and it is actually boring.
It is a challenge for anyone who would dare to translate it. on the last page of the book it says that the translator wanted to be anonymous, because of the multiple modifications the editor made to his text. Sexually, Puig's novel is very strong, i am wondering if it is in fact a lot more perverted and it was only censored.
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