An important book in Latin American literature.

Whenever prominent figures in Latin American literature are mentioned, people often recall the quartet of writers who emerged in the 1960s and 1970s and left a truly distinctive mark.

They are Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia), Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru), Carlos Fuentes (Mexico) and Julio Cortázar (Argentina).

These writers were heavily influenced by the previous generation – the pioneers of the magical realism style that would later become a distinct characteristic, but which was then met with skepticism due to the dominance of realism. Two notable examples are J.L. Borges and Roberto Arlt.

But while Borges achieved the fame and influence he deserved, Arlt only received the same after his untimely death.

The imprint of reality

Seven Madmen is the first part of a duo released almost consecutively and is considered the most important work of this author, contributing to introducing a new style of writing at the time.

The work was published by Tao Dan and the Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House, translated by Tran Tien Cao Dang.

It is celebrated as the cornerstone of modern Argentine literature and accurately predicted the country's fate just years later with the rise of fascism and dictatorship.

The story revolves around Erdosain and the consequences of his despair when his theft of 600 pesos and 7 cents from the sugar company where he works is suddenly discovered. While he is anxiously awaiting the prospect of imprisonment if he doesn't return what he stole, his wife, Elsa, decides to leave him for someone else after months of unhappiness.

On his aimless wanderings through Buenos Aires, unsure of his future, he encountered a group of "madmen"—from the pharmacist Ergueta, the prostitute Hipólita, the pimp Haffner, to a man often called the Astrologer—who wanted to build a new Argentina based on industry and prostitution.

Written during a pivotal period between two literary movements, the novel's realism is clearly evident in many of its characters, especially when they face despair and failure. It depicts a time when human value became cheapened amidst scarcity and poverty.

In a satirical way, Arlt successfully portrays this reality through the almost impossible choices that the characters consider to be their salvation. For example, Hippolyta, born into the poverty of a servant, and having heard that a woman must be free to succeed, offers herself to brothels in the hope of changing her fate.

That was also Ergueta, who, due to a lack of faith, blindly followed the events described in the Bible in a rigid, formulaic way, only to realize that her life was going nowhere…

It's not difficult to see that despair permeates Arlt's writings, leading to the existential question, "What shall we do with our lives?" Arlt's characters search endlessly for an answer, only to realize that no explanation is perfect if they remain inactive and let life drift by. Their tragedy stems from causes, which could be the trauma of childhood violence or the very feeling of uncertainty in a life that seems almost at a standstill.

In that very complex state, they began to fall into the astrologer's scheme to build a nation through a nearly impossible revolution.

The mystical side of humanity

Realism is always intertwined with humanism. That is the ultimate goal of literature, and Arlt is no exception. We see this clearly in the empathetic perspective he gives to his characters.

Author Roberto Arlt

For example, Erdosain constantly questioned himself from beginning to end about whether he should "start" that revolution. We also see beauty in his eyes, from the blue sky, the slanted sunlight, to the red pomegranates… in the very place where destruction is being conceived. This is also evident in the detail that he helps the impoverished Espilas family with his invention of copper plating roses, even though that future holds no promise…

However, reality could not be changed; the aforementioned plan still had to be carried out, and because humanity still remained, they found themselves in a dilemma. Arlt delved deeply into this torment, and it was at the border of the fantastical that he succeeded in doing so.

Specifically, in the detailed description of the Astrologer the night before the decisive moment, he constructed two parallel timelines – one of nature and one linked to the character's frame of reference – to reveal his conflicting emotions and inner struggle.

Erdosain himself experienced similar feelings, because when describing this character's despair, Arlt used many fantastical images, from surreal dreams to the deconstructing of the human body, thereby reflecting a very human struggle.

In the early 1930s, when this book was published, the fantasy element was still underestimated. At that time, many critics considered Arlt to be a mediocre writer because he lacked the ability to realistically portray the characters' feelings and had to resort to the fantastical.

But today, when we experience it, we see that this fantastical quality as an accurate way to recreate the complex inner world of the characters, thereby pioneering an incredibly brilliant period for this continent.

Roberto Arlt (1900–1942) was Argentina's most prominent writer and journalist of the 20th century. Born in Buenos Aires, he grew up in difficult and impoverished circumstances, which profoundly influenced his writing. He died in 1942 after a stroke. He authored numerous acclaimed novels, short stories, and plays, and contributed articles to many of his home newspapers.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bay-ke-khung-dien-cuon-sach-quan-trong-cua-van-chuong-my-latinh-185250218094058788.htm