Jorge Ramos

“The Aleph” and “The Zahir", both by Jorge Luis Borges, are short stories that contrast each other. “The Aleph” is about an object called named the Aleph that shows everything in the universe. The viewer would see everything without distortion and at every possible angle. “The Zahir” is about an object named the Zahir, which can alter the mind of an individual so he or she think of the Zahir after glancing at it. The individual would slowly go crazy with only the Zahir in mind, and lose all…

Poetry has typically defied the confines of the period it was written in and ushers in a new era in terms of ideas, politics, art, music, and everyday life. In the Victorian Period, many poets would write about ideas, the current attitudes toward women, and the resisting temptation, from a new viewpoint, which lead to changing thoughts and morals among the masses (Khanna and Landow). Although the word ‘Victorian’ brings to mind conformity, the Victorian Era of poetry is anything but typical…

In a world where technological and scientific advances are realized daily, communication with people around the world is a common occurrence, and knowledge is becoming increasingly accessible, a wider window has opened for the individual to explore, discover, and/or create their ideal self. We see ourselves passing the times of idle wonder and theory of our past philosophers and intellects. The consequence, however, is that knowing yourself, as well as projecting and thereby sharing this self…

increased pressure from the United States and the country’s concern regarding the rising popularity of pro-nazism primarily amongst its German residents, Argentina broke its ties with Germany and pledged its loyalty to the Allies. Argentinian writer, Jorge Luis Borges, had a ripe adoration of German literature, and this passion is what compelled him to attack the Nazi police state in various essays throughout World War II. This contrast between his love of German culture and his criticism of…

In accordance with Virginia’s Woolf’s essay titled “Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown,” the idea that human relations changed circa December 1910 is explored. In Woolf’s words “in or about December 1910 human character changed” (Woolf 2). This change, which she asserts was “not sudden and definite,” (Woolf 2) leads the reader to believe it was gradual. The Victorian and Georgian Era are stark in contrast regarding the everyday individual (and said individual’s relationships). Where the Georgian lived a…

Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges was removed from the origin of The Bhagavad-Gita by thousands of years and miles, yet his works bear remarkable similarities to The Gita’s teachings. Specifically, Borges’ short stories, “The Immortal” and “The Library of Babel,” reflect and parallel the teachings of the sacred Hindu text, The Bhagavad-Gita, namely, its assertion that desire creates suffering and inhibits the pursuit of knowledge, and its perspective that divinity and spirituality can be found…

Both of the narratives “Borges and I” Jorge Luis Borges and “Hole in the Wall” by Etgar Keret employ the device of multiple worlds in their narrative. Borges introduces a multiple world in “Borges and I” through the use of an embedded narrative. According to Abbot, an embedded narrative allows for “another world to open up with its own story and central character” (Abbot 167). An embedded narrative typically unfolds organically from the thoughts of the main character or the voice of the narrator…

In The Library of Babel by Jorge Borges as well as S. by Doug Dorst, people and books are weaved together in inseparable ways. While The Library of Babel deals with more of a big picture version of people’s relationships with books and each other, S. provides in-depth characterizations as well as powerful relationships. Despite a major difference in how characters interact with each other and the rest of the world in these two texts, each story focuses on how people are deeply affected by books…

The Shape of the Sword by Borges is a good insight into man’s realization of his flaws and how they can stay with the person to haunt them. The themes of identity and betrayal in the story are explored with someone we see as an everyday hero, a soldier who fought in a war. This was cleverly used as even if the story was made in the 1940’s it is still very common to see soldiers fighting for their country even in 2016. This work in particular is able to connect a common sin of man and with the…

Within the delicate brushstrokes of the artist lies an image of vitality and beauty, comprising the portrait of one young and misguided individual. Driven by his desire to fulfill his lustful temptations, he evolves, the man in the frame, into an individual so vile one cannot stand near without inhaling his moral corruption. Physically, the man of the portrait, Dorian Gray, as having sold his soul to retain his current health and beauty, remains ageless and pristine as he continues in the…