Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Sub-Department

College of Arts and Sciences

First Advisor

Mercedes Lopez-Rodriguez

Abstract

The focus of this thesis is to analyze and explain the relationship between the concepts of authorship and evil, and how they connect with one another in Roberto Bolaño’s Estrella distante. Through the research I have collected, I propose a dialogue linking the aforementioned themes with each other utilizing the theoretical framework of Adriana Cavarero and Roland Barthes among others. With Roland Barthes, I intend to examine the role of what he designates as “Author-Scriptor” and how this particular function manifests itself within the paratext of Estrella distante via the role of the reader. The paratext of this particular novel serves as the reference point from which my thesis develops.

The second chapter looks closely at the notion of evil in Estrella in addition to Bolaño’s exclusion of his definition of evil. I suggest that he does so intentionally so that the reader take on an active prominent role in the reading and resolution of his work. By constructing my theoretical framework in addition to completing a close reading of Estrella distante, I hope to arrive at a clear and defined connection between both the themes of authorship and evil with Bolaño’s novel.

Rights

© 2015, Andres Felipe Arroyave

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