Marks of Identity Book

Juan Goytisolo died today (04 June 2017)

Muere el escritor Juan Goytisolo a los 86 años en Marrakech


Recently a friend gave me "La sombra del viento" (Shadow of the Wind) in Spanish to read. I heard good things about this book so I began in earnest to read it. I was enjoying it and reached the half way point when I was heading south for a vacation. On the plane I felt the somber tone wasn't my idea of holiday reading so I picked up "Señas de identidad" and couldn't put the book down.

Strangely these two books have something in common. Both are set in Barcelona during the 1930s to the 1950-60s. This period involves the Spanish Civil War (pre World War 2) to the time under Franco. Communism, Republicanism and Falangism were polemics to all concerned and key fodder for these two writers. Each one takes a vastly different approach.

Writing in 1966 and with Spain firmly entrenched under the rule of Franco, Goytisolo chose rebellion. Like many writers of this period, if you disagreed with Franco, exile was the only option. First Paris, then publishing this book in Mexico, Goytisolo wrote a magnificent reflection of the times.

While reading "Señas de identidad", I remembered reading Juan Marse's "Úlitimas tardes con Teresa" which is also set in Barcelona during the 1960s. I have no idea why I seem to gravitate to this time period but the writing style in Spanish is a pure delight to read and captures the time brilliantly.

Goytisolo writes in a provocative, arty style like in "Rayuela" by Cortázar. The text is sexual, political and evokes the moment of each event-incident. I savored every word, technique and sentence structure that he threw at me. Sometimes it felt like watching an 8 mm film - short, choppy, out of focus that added to the taste of his style (perhaps influenced by one of the main characters who makes movies). The story line is an abstraction of vignettes and yet the outline moves along. For some this can be a challenge.

The story is simple. Álvaro Mendiola, a kid who has it all gets involved with left-leaning professors at university and leaves because of political issues. Exiled to France he gets more involved with the left and ends up in Cuba to see the revolution and returns to Europe. Things happen.

Typical to writers of the time, Goytisolo paints disturbing images of the poor, illiterate folk who become "whipping people" for the development of Spain. One of the more challenging themes is his reflection on the development of the tourism industry in the 1950s to help move Spain out of poverty. Goytisolo is very critical of this and I wonder how he feels today, with tourism even more rampant in Spain and so many other countries? There is lots to chew on here and it lives up to his title - what are one's signs of identity? Does he reach this conclusion? Like a good art book there is a good degree of ambiguity although his political views are not.

And yes its part of a trilogy.

This was simply a delight to read. Read in Spanish (French and Catalan as well).

Shadow of the Wind review to follow.