Mexico in Literature
"Solitude is the profoundest fact of the human condition. Man is the only being who knows he is alone, and the only one who seeks out another. Man is nostalgia and a search for communion. Therefore, when he is aware of himself he is aware of his lack of another, that is, of his solitude."
- Octavio Paz ("The Labyrinth of Solitude", 1950)
There's more to Mexico's Independence Day than learning the full version of the Shout of Dolores. Octavio Paz, poet and diplomat, summed it up in "The Labyrinth of Solitude", his book essay on Mexican identity.
On September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla ordered the church bells to be rung and encouraged the people (in front of the church) to revolt. It would be considered a mythical moment, which scholars believe is the reason why Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16. Hidalgo, along with his brother Mauricio, Ignacio Allende, the captain of the Spanish Army who sympathized with the Mexican Independence movement, and Mariano Abasolo, a revolutionist, have no idea that the rebellion would last a little over a decade.
According to Paz, solitude is responsible for the Mexican's perspective on death and fiesta. The abandon and fun may mean togetherness, but Paz's essays reveal the other way around. There's a self-denial, indigenous or Spanish, which outsiders may find it hard to understand. No need to buy plane tickets and travel to Mexico, as you can learn more about it through fiction. There are many books set in Mexico, by Mexican and non-Mexican authors alike. Here are some notable titles:
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1927) by B. Traven. Three down-and-out Americans set out to the remote Sierra Madre mountains in search of gold. It's a perilous journey, as bandits are terrorizing the countryside. Ret Marut, Traven's real name, muses the value of gold (and how it brings out the worst out of anyone) and one's responsibilities to one's companions. Set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and its aftermath, this tale turns into a legend of sort.
Under the Volcano (1947) by Malcolm Lowry. This classic is about the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos), Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, two volcanoes overshadowing Quauhnahuac, a small town where the novel is mostly set, and being under the influence, with symbolisms to keep readers pausing and wondering. It not just about Mexico, which is the reason why this book deserves a second reading.
Like Water for Chocolate (1989) by Laura Esquivel. It's about love unfulfilled. It's also about tradition. It's a lyrical depiction of Mexican cuisine by Esquivel, a newbie back then. One won't be a lonely number.
All the Pretty Horses (1992) by Cormac McCarthy. Coahuila, a region near the American-Mexican border, is an untamed terrain that readers will like to visit (after they finish the book). One can feel the isolation, which in this case, is caused by cultural displacement. But McCarthy, winner of the National Book Award, found it romantic.
No Country for Old Men (2005) by Cormac McCarthy. An illegal drug deal near the border goes awry, which is the beginning of this strange story. Only McCarthy knows how it will end.
Now it's your turn to tell us your favorite novel (set in Mexico). Put on your fake mustache too.
