Jorge Borges is a writer that is able to illustrate a puzzle with the power of words. He needn’t use pictures because then our minds would not have as much creative leisure. Though each of his three short stories contains depictions of murder, he creates a worthwhile journey and a shocking surprise at the end. The plots are so well-rendered that it seems to not matter when death occurs: it’s almost as good as an addicting romance novel. (Did I just say that?)
In the short Emma Zunz, Emma is in a battle against herself. Her goal is to feel victimized by another even though she victimized herself. How does one contain feelings that only others have felt? Borges decides that it is actually possible for 3 and 3 to make 5, but you must subtract 1 first. Truth can be truth, but evidence must change sometimes. This is what is so fantastic about magical realism. I enjoy the fact that Borges’ characters can explore and discover, yet misinterpret and reinvent. Who ever heard of a person that tricked herself into thinking that she’d been raped? Why would a person even desire to feel such a horrid thing? Then again, the theme of revenge appears on the horizon and we understand.
The Garden of Forking Paths again illustrates the desperate journey one man will make so that he can communicate an important clue. In the end, it seems death will always make an appearance, perhaps because it is the most obvious method of getting one’s point across. Death even occurs when quite unnecessary. Borges’ character states, “It seemed incredible to me that day without premonition or symbols should be one of my inexorable death.” Is it bravery or stupidity that Yu Tsun knowingly fabricated his own death sentence? Let us say both: it makes for a more exciting story.
Baltasar Espinosa has replaced Jesus in a more modern tale of The Crucifixion: The Gospel According to Mark. Borges creates a plan for Espinosa to follow just as Jesus did. He demonstrates the battle of good versus evil, the thirst to learn and understand versus ignorance. The Bible teaches that Jesus died in order to save all people from their sins and to express the most ultimate form of love. He felt the most excruciating physical pain and died willingly though he did not have to do so. Unfortunately, Espinosa’s relatives were ignorant and misinterpreted the story for their own benefit. An individual in their right mind would lead by Jesus’ example instead of Pilate’s example; however, mankind has one more sin under its belt.
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