What Does Axolotl Mean

Cortázar's short story, Axolotl, is about a man who becomes obsessed with axolotls, observes them, and becomes one of them. This story explores the ideas of change and transformation, consciousness, time, and passiveness. The protagonist makes observations that reflect the way he feels in his life, outside of the zoo. After a few days of observing the axolotls, the man expresses “that something infinitely lost and distant, kept pulling [them] together”(12). The man feels a connection with the axolotls that he cannot get with anyone surrounding him. He begins a one sided relationship with the axolotls because he feels as though the axolotls understand him; the situation is actually that he understands the axolotls and can relate to their way of living. …show more content…
The words he uses to describe them express his deep interest, and fascination of them. The axolotls are allowing him to view life from a different perspective. One that many people in his society might not be able to, due to their lack of apprehension. There is a point where the man questions his observations for a brief period. He states that “it would seem easy, almost obvious, to fall into mythology”(13). People in his society, like many, fall for ideas and beliefs presented to them by others. It is easy to believe in something that many people believe in when a person does not think for themselves or have an alternate idea to trust. The man is conscious enough to have ideas and beliefs of his own, that he has created himself by reading and observing. Even though these ideas are his own, he still has the capacity to question his own thoughts. The man makes a comment about the axolotls not being comfortable in the space they are provided, and they deserved to be in a different space. He is in the same situation in his life, he is not comfortable being in his society and cannot seem to move around freely and let his mind