College - Author 1
College of Liberal Arts
Department - Author 1
World Languages and Cultures Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BA in Modern Languages and Literatures
Date
6-2018
Primary Advisor
Karen Muñoz Christian
Abstract/Summary
This project is an English translation of the 1962 novel Aura, written by the Mexican novelist, Carlos Fuentes. Using many literary elements characteristic of magical realism and fantasy literature, Fuentes recounts the story of Felipe Montero, a young historian who accepts a very abnormal job while living in Mexico City during the 1960s. At the request of his new employer, the mysterious Señora Consuelo Llorente, Felipe is tasked (as a live-in assistant) to review, edit, and have published the memoirs of Consuelo’s late husband, General Llorente. While living in the Llorente household, Felipe meets Consuelo’s nice, Aura, and upon their encounter, he immediately develops a strong desire to be with her. However, as the story progresses, Felipe learns more and more about the Llorente family, and he realizes that there exists a stronger bond between Aura and Consuelo, and that his initial perceptions about the family were completely wrong.
In this project, I attempted to translate Aura into English in order to bring a new perspective to this classical piece of Mexican literature. My goal was to ultimately create a more modern reading experience which flowed naturally in English, while preserving the amazing and intricate atmosphere that Fuentes meticulously constructed. Aura is greatly driven by strong, vivid, supernatural imagery, and it is this type of imagery that I wanted to pay homage to. This translation does not aim to replace or ameliorate the original work. It serves as a counterpart to the Spanish text, breathing new life into the original, and allowing more people to immerse themselves in the literary world created by Fuentes.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/mllsp/40