Memory, Oblivion and Transition in Juan Eduardo Zúñiga´s Short Story “Ruinas, El Trayecto: Guerda Taro”
Main Article Content
Abstract
In the short story by Juan Eduardo Zúñiga “Ruinas, el trayecto: Guerda Taro” the main character, Miguel, a young demobilized soldier, encounters the capital city of Madrid destroyed by the Spanish Civil War. The city is being seized by Franco´s army and the nationalist troops are about to get hold of it. The short story depicts a moment of tension, an interim of expectation for those who are about to be defeated and, if they want to survive, they need to forget their most recent past. This intense existential situation is the foundation of the inner conflict of the main character who —upon strolling down the streets of downtown Madrid— is on the move not only physically and topographically but also takes a walk down his personal memory lane, that of the recollections related to the German photographer Guerda Taro and to her participation in the fight on the republican side. Through Miguel´s eyes we are able to observe a whole variety of ethic and political attitudes of his fellow citizens which are simultane- ously contrasted with his personal considerations. The narrative tension of this literary text and its dialogic aspect are actually based on this specific contrast. In short, the story deals with the issues of personal, social and historical transition.