Matthew Morris LITR 2357 Literary Analysis
Matthew Morris
LITR 2357
Dr. Virginia Hampton
6 December 2014
Literary Analysis
Is the dream a reality or the reality a dream in The Circular Ruins?
"The Circular Ruins" (Las Ruinas Circulares) is a fantasy short story by Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges. Published in the literary journal Sur in December 1940, it was included in the 1941 collection The Garden of Forking Paths (El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan) and the 1944 collection Ficciones. This story is arguably the most allegorical in Borges ' collection. It is a touching tale of the process of creation; not only does it treat matter of identity, but it also is a memorable foray into the realm of dreams. Are dreams the reality that we are actually within or is reality a dream in which we need to escape. This paper shall seek to explore this question and delve into the various concepts that arise from such an inquisition.
The story 's epigraph is taken from Chapter 4 of Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: "And if he left off dreaming about you...” It comes from the passage in which Tweedledee points out the sleeping Red King to Alice, and claims she is simply a character in his dream. Immediately we are given a quote that seeks to direct us to the existential nature of the rest of the story that will unfold in front of us.. The story begins with a wounded foreigner from the south of Persia fleeing to ancient circular ruins in the north. Upon resting there, he finds that his wounds magically heal -- nor is he surprised to see this. The temple ruins appear to have one been colored like fire, but to now be colored ash, destroyed by fire. Crowning the ruins is a statue of what might be either a horse or tiger, made of stone. The man feels an obligation to sleep, and finds offerings by him when he awakes, which he takes to mean that the locals either "sought his favor, or feared his magic" (96). He then begins to work towards his goal of dreaming a man into reality. He does this by
LITR 2357
Dr. Virginia Hampton
6 December 2014
Literary Analysis
Is the dream a reality or the reality a dream in The Circular Ruins?
"The Circular Ruins" (Las Ruinas Circulares) is a fantasy short story by Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borges. Published in the literary journal Sur in December 1940, it was included in the 1941 collection The Garden of Forking Paths (El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan) and the 1944 collection Ficciones. This story is arguably the most allegorical in Borges ' collection. It is a touching tale of the process of creation; not only does it treat matter of identity, but it also is a memorable foray into the realm of dreams. Are dreams the reality that we are actually within or is reality a dream in which we need to escape. This paper shall seek to explore this question and delve into the various concepts that arise from such an inquisition.
The story 's epigraph is taken from Chapter 4 of Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll: "And if he left off dreaming about you...” It comes from the passage in which Tweedledee points out the sleeping Red King to Alice, and claims she is simply a character in his dream. Immediately we are given a quote that seeks to direct us to the existential nature of the rest of the story that will unfold in front of us.. The story begins with a wounded foreigner from the south of Persia fleeing to ancient circular ruins in the north. Upon resting there, he finds that his wounds magically heal -- nor is he surprised to see this. The temple ruins appear to have one been colored like fire, but to now be colored ash, destroyed by fire. Crowning the ruins is a statue of what might be either a horse or tiger, made of stone. The man feels an obligation to sleep, and finds offerings by him when he awakes, which he takes to mean that the locals either "sought his favor, or feared his magic" (96). He then begins to work towards his goal of dreaming a man into reality. He does this by
Cited: Atewogbade, Adewale. Summary of the Circular Ruins by Jorge Luis Borges. 16 March 2009. 30 November 2014 <http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/summary-of-the-circular-ruins-by-jorge-luis-borges-45079/>. Bunting, Joe. What Is Liminality And Why Does Your Story Need It? 2013. 30 November 2014 <http://thewritepractice.com/liminality-story/>. Evans, G.S. What is irrealism. 2008. 30 November 2014 <http://cafeirreal.alicewhittenburg.com/what_is_irr.htm>. Moritz, Francois. A critical analysis of Jorge Luis Borges’ fictionalnarrative ‘The Circular Ruins’ with relation to‘Simulacra and Simulation’ by Jean Baudrillard. 3 May 2012. 30 November 2014 <http://www.academia.edu/2104099/A_critical_analysis_of_Jorge_Luis_Borges_fictional_narrative_The_Circular_Ruins_with_relation_to_Simulacra_and_Simulation_by_Jean_Baudrillard>. The Circular Ruins Summary. 5 January 2008. 30 Novemeber 2014 <http://www.enotes.com/topics/circular-ruins>.