Hello
Gentle Reader
Juan
Goytisolo, died this past Sunday, June 4th, in Marrakesh, Morocco,
at the age of 86 years old. It is unknown at this time what is the cause of his
death; but it has been reported that he had suffered from some health issues
for some time, including a fractured hip which had forced the writer into a
wheel chair. During his life and illustrious career, Juan Goytisolo was
considered one of the most renowned, respected and revered writers, working in
the Spanish language and hailing from Spain. At the tender age of seven, Goytisolo
would lose his mother to an air raid by the former Spanish far-right (fascist)
dictator General Francis Franco. On poetic accounts, this would be the beginning
of a long and spiteful relationship between the two men. Goytilsolo would spend
four months in prison for flirting with the communist party during the late
nineteen-fifties—not for any real ideological similarities, but rather how they
aggressively inspired protests against Franco and his regime. Later on, Goytisolo
would leave Franco’s Spain, in complete disagreement, over Franco, his
authoritarian rule and his censorship.
Despite
attending law school and completing his legal studies, Juan Goytisolo would
embark on one of the most respected literary careers of the post-war Spanish
period. He began writing at the age of eleven, and was encouraged by family to
continue his literary pursuits. Just after he completed his legal studies, he
published his debut novels, which already began to showcase a writer maturing,
and someone who had discovered their literary preoccupations and themes, as
well as his well known complex style, where he eschewed a main character, in
favour of multiple points of views. His work is well regarded for exploring the
complexities of life, through its multifaceted narratives, from birth, life to
death. Despite his respect, critical acclaim and popularity in Spain, Juan
Goytisolo, would not achieve international recognition. Though he would find consolation
in being awarded the Cervantes Prize in two-thousand and fourteen; often
considered the Spanish language Nobel. In being awarded the Cervantes Prize,
Goytisolo would be inducted into a Spanish language Parthenon of writers which
included: Dulce Maria Loynaz, Octavio Paz, Mario Vargas Llosa, Camilo Jose
Cela, and Jorge Luis Borges.
Juan
Goytisolo was a adamant opponent of best-seller novels, mindless entertainment,
and any novel or book which lack depth, political engagement, philosophical discussion
or formal experimentation. He viewed these popular novels, which panhandled to
the populist tastes, as a decline on grander literature. He believed
literature, should provoke readers to engage and transform their relationship
with the world and their perspective of it; they should inspire social thought,
political critiques, and help encourage individual opinions and thoughts. But
in a world now more thoroughly engaged with the television, the telephone and
the computer—it is difficult to see these grand novels or great pieces of
literature, regaining their foothold on society and the reading public any time
soon; if ever again.
Rest
in Peace, Juan Goytisolo; you nomadic writer of dissidence and political
engagement.
Thank-you
For Reading Gentle Reader
Take
Care
And
As Always
Stay
Well Read
M.
Mary
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