It is apparent that this marriage from the beginning is ill-suited. The young fanciful bride Alicia obviously loves her husband, although she is not encouraged to show any kind of passion towards him. Her husband never lets his love for her be shown and doing this he shuts her down. Everything surrounding Alicia is not conducive to love and passion. Her husband’s brusque manner towards her, and the “the glacial brilliance of stucco” where she lives makes Alicia wilt and cower. She succumbs and relinquishes her personal dreams of having a loving relationship.
Over time Alicia falls ill and no amount of care can rehabilitate her to her former self. Day by day her life force is vanishing. A monster is finally found in her pillowcase and her demise is blamed on this atrocious being sucking the blood out of Alicia’s body. Like her marriage this hairy bestial creature has eaten at her being. Her husband’s lack of passion and detachment destroyed her emotional side meanwhile the creature devoured her physical side. Alicia stood no chance. Without emotional strength she had no chance of surviving a physical attack. This monster could be an actual monster or a metaphorical monster.
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1 comment:
I very much like the comparison of the monster to the husband and their effects on her. I am not sure though that even with a different husband, if she would have been able to withstand the onslaught of the monster's attacks.
I would also say that the seeming improbability of this death is probably a reflection of Quiroga's life events.
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