The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes Essay

The Death of Artemio Cruz by Carlos Fuentes - Essay Example However, there is "una fuga de luces negras y circulos azules" (Fuentes 9) beyond his closed eyelids that forces him to open one eye and see, in turn, the fragmented reflection of his own face through the uneven sequins on his daughter Teresa's purse. "Trato de recordarlo en el reflejo; era un rostro roto en vidrios sin simetria, con el ojo muy cerca de la oreja y muy lejos de su par, con la nueca distribuida en tres espejos circulantes" (Fuentes 10). This encounter with his fragmented reflection is symbolic of his lived experience, which informs the reader's experience, throughout the novel; it is a startling encounter with the various fragments of the self, in addition to the fear, panic and ultimately, the truth that such an experience entails. Thus, it is not difficult to deduce that the three voices signify the fragmentation of the narrator. However, the reader is still left to wonder how the psyche has divided, what each voice means, and how the three are related. In some ways, the situation can be compared to the aftermath of the Civil War in the United States, where for decades Americans tried to see their fraternal conflict in perspectives of cause and consequence.