Jaime Brenes Reyes

Research

How can one explain the aura that arises when reading good literature? An analysis of literature as an epileptic episode may have the answer. Based on my research on Latin American literature and literary theory (as well as my own experience of living with seizures), I aim to explore whether the act of reading Julio Cortázar’s fiction can be understood as epileptical. My research may have important implications for the understanding of Cortázar’s oeuvre and the contextualization of neurological malfunctions from the viewpoint of literature.

Keywords: Cortázar, Latin American, literature, fiction, Deleuze, schizo-analysis, literary theory, epilepsy, neurology, disability studies

"Sí, pero quién nos curará del fuego sordo, del fuego sin color que corre al anochecer por la rue de la Huchette..."
Julio Cortázar, Rayuela