The Censors By Luisa Valenzuela

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· 101 ratings · 12 reviews

Outset your review of The Censors: A Bilingual Selection of Stories

Apr 24, 2016 Glenn Russell rated it information technology was astonishing

Having read and loved Luisa Valenzuela's Blackness Novel with Argentines some years ago, I was thrilled to come up across this collection of short stories. I enjoyed every single piece merely the championship story peculiarly resonates with me and I wanted to give this story its ain write-up equally per beneath. Spoiler warning: my review covers the entire story, beginning to end.

THE CENSORS
Poor Juan: All he did was write an innocent alphabetic character, "the letter of the alphabet that now keeps his listen off his chore during the 24-hour interval and won't let h

Having read and loved Luisa Valenzuela's Black Novel with Argentines some years agone, I was thrilled to run into this collection of short stories. I enjoyed every single piece only the championship story particularly resonates with me and I wanted to give this story its own write-upward as per below. Spoiler warning: my review covers the entire story, first to end.

THE CENSORS
Poor Juan: All he did was write an innocent alphabetic character, "the letter that at present keeps his heed off his task during the day and won't let him sleep at dark." In a police state the fifth horseman is fear, spinning unfortunate citizens downward into pits of imagined excruciating future pains of torture chambers, cramped prison cells, interrogation rooms and work camps - paranoia every bit a diabolical spinning peak wearing people downwards into obedience and total submission, to the bespeak where they fifty-fifty begin to say 'thank you' to their persecutors.

No Stone Unturned: Juan realizes words themselves volition not be the issue; rather, "he knows that they examine, sniff, feel, and read betwixt the lines of each and every letter, and cheque its tiniest comma, and well-nigh adventitious stain." The ultimate totalitarian atomic number 26 fist - condemning men and women not for what they say, only the style they say it; not for their activeness, but just thinking most acting (of course, the secret police and their ilk claim to know what their citizens are thinking); not only who they are, say an artist, musician, dancer or writer, but just the way they look or walk or sip their coffee.

Land Justice: "He knows that all letters laissez passer from hand to hand and become through all sorts of tests in the huge censorship offices and that in the cease, very few go along on their way." In so many words, guilty until proven innocent; or, even if innocent, not permitting the letter to be delivered since, who knows what will happen one time the letter is received by the subversive (and all citizens past undercover constabulary standards are subversive on some level or in one way or another).

Customs Torture: "Unremarkably it takes months, even years, if there aren't any snags all this time the freedom, perchance even the life, of both sender and receiver is in jeopardy." Another evil play a joke on totalitarian governments ruthlessly piece of work to their ain reward: not punishing the perpetrator but the perpetrator's friends and loved ones. A citizen might take chances to deed against the state if only their own skin is at stake, just knowing the welfare of others would be in jeopardy really stops the would-be agitator like a very tall, very broad brick wall.

Team Player, One: "Well, you've got to vanquish them to the dial, practise what everyone tries to do: sabotage the machinery, throw sand in its gears, become to the bottom of the trouble and so every bit to stop it." Juan applies to become a censor and is hired on the spot. And for good reason: with all the letters citizens pen, more and more censors are always needed. The agency knows very well new employee are on the picket for their own letter and will therefore work that much harder in snapping up the letters of others. Every bit Nietzsche said, no 1 makes a harsher slave commuter than a former slave.

Squad Role player, 2: Juan feels at peace working in a department where explosives tin get off in your face at any moment. "It's truthful that on the third day, a fellow worker had his right hand blown off by a letter of the alphabet, simply the division chief claimed information technology was sheer negligence on the victim's part. Juan and the other employees were allowed to get back to their work, though feeling less secure." Ha! "Immune to go back to piece of work" as if working under such highly dangerous conditions is a privilege. And besides and so predictable: the injury was the victim's own fault. The ironclad truth pronounced past any police state: the victim is e'er at fault; by definition, all state action is the right activity, absolutely, at all times and in all places.

Squad Player, Iii: So after hours one of the men in that section tried to organize a strike. Juan didn't join in; rather, Juan reports the guy and receives a promotion. Juan feels a sense of pride as he climbs a rung on the ladder of success. Ah, success! This speak volumes to Juan'due south shift of cocky-identity: Juan the Censor. Merely what the country wants, another shinny, efficient cog for its sinister land mechanism.

Team Player, Iv: More promotions and Juan'southward work equally a censor becomes all consuming; he's shocked at the fashion letter writers attempt to pass on subversive anti-authorities messages in ways most subtle and conniving. On some occasions Juan takes to peering through a magnifying glass and at other times an electric microscope to examine the letters' microprint. His dear old female parent urges Juan to go out for some fun entertainment simply Juan ever declines, judging such fun activities, and then called, every bit frivolous distractions from his job.

Ultimate Dehumanization: Luis Valenzuela, imaginative artist that she is, puts yet another devastating spin on her nighttime, cautionary tale, catastrophe with the lines, "He was about to congratulate himself for having finally discovered his true mission, when his letter to Mariana reached his hands. Naturally, he censored it without regret. And just as naturally, he couldn't end them from executing him the post-obit morning, another victim of his devotion to his work."

Reading the fiction of Argentine republic's Luisa Valenzuela is to take a walk on the night side. A globe-class author with such a penetrating understanding of man nature and civilisation.

I feel especially connected with the writer's finely rendered tale since I spent many years as a fellow working in an insurance office. A world not exactly of government censors but, as the saying goes, close enough for authorities work. And then shut, I wrote my own cautionary tale I'd like to share:

OVERTIME
For many years Neal Merman commuted back and forth to his place of work like the others. It was to an insurance office, a room with blank walls, linoleum flooring and twoscore desks under naked florescent lights. Coming in with regularity, Neal performed the job of an everyday clerk.

This mechanical routine shifted abruptly, however, when Neal became office of his desk. First, the desk-bound absorbed just two fingers, but by the terminate of that afternoon, his entire left hand was sucked upwardly by the metal. And the following morn Neal's left leg from the knee down also became office of his desk. So it connected for a week until the but Neal to be seen was a correct arm positioned beside a head and neck on the desk tiptop.

When the other clerks arrived in the morning time, all of them could see what was left of Neal, head down and pencil in hand, reviewing a file with utmost care. To aid his review, Neal would punch figures into his calculator fluently and with the dexterity of someone who knows he is full command of his skill. Such acumen brought a wry grin to Neal's face.

One twenty-four hours, Big Bart, the department boss, came by to check on Neal's files. "Your work, clerk, is better and ameliorate, although y'all are at present more desk-bound than flesh and bones."

"What files do you want me to review today?" Neal asked, still scrutinizing some figures.

"Not as well many files, clerk, but enough to keep you." Big Bart withdrew and Neal followed him with his eyes until his boss could no longer exist seen.

Later that same mean solar day Neal's right arm faded into the metallic. Then, similar a periscope beingness lowered from the surface of the sea, his cervix, jaw and olfactory organ sank downwards, leaving his optics slightly above the gray slab. Neal looked forward and saw his pencil straight on – a long gleaming yellow cylinder with shiny eraser band at the end. Over the pencil, his telephone swelled like some giant mountain. Hearing the phone band, Neal instinctively reached for the receiver, but this was just a mental gesture. Neal felt his forehead sinking and closed his eyes.

...more

Of class I was gonna love this. Creepy, wry stories that slide in and out of time, which allows them to play with my conceptions of when a story should start and finish, kinda political, virtually-mythical touches to continue things rolling along. Leaves me with a prickly feeling whose precise source I can't quite place but very much appreciated. If merely I could speak Castilian!

It's a shame this author has been cached and so deep. These stories are wonderful. Shoutout to Aubrey and 500 Swell Books By Women f

Of class I was gonna beloved this. Creepy, wry stories that slide in and out of time, which allows them to play with my conceptions of when a story should start and cease, kinda political, nigh-mythical touches to continue things rolling along. Leaves me with a prickly feeling whose precise source I can't quite identify but very much appreciated. If only I could speak Castilian!

Information technology's a shame this author has been cached so deep. These stories are wonderful. Shoutout to Aubrey and 500 Great Books By Women for making me enlightened of this!

...more

Mar 15, 2020 Alex rated information technology really liked it

For fans of Kafka, Cortazar, Borges

I am a teacher. Here in Michigan, schools are closed for the next three weeks to slow the spread of coronavirus. The eerie feeling elicited in the following section of the terminal story resonated with me, though it goes without saying that fugitive disease through self-imposed social distancing is not at all the aforementioned every bit avoiding violence under a totalitarian government.

Our life is tranquillity enough. Every one time in awhile a friend disappears, or a neighbor is killed, or on

For fans of Kafka, Cortazar, Borges

I am a teacher. Here in Michigan, schools are closed for the next 3 weeks to dull the spread of coronavirus. The eerie feeling elicited in the following section of the concluding story resonated with me, though it goes without saying that fugitive illness through cocky-imposed social distancing is not at all the same as avoiding violence under a totalitarian regime.

Our life is quiet enough. Every one time in awhile a friend disappears, or a neighbor is killed, or one of our children's schoolmates - or even our ain children - falls into a trap, but that isn't equally apocalyptic as it seems; on the reverse, information technology's rhythmic and organic. The escalation of violence - one dead every 20-iv hours, every xx-one, every xviii, every xv, every twelve - ought not to worry us. More people die in other parts of the world, every bit that deputy said moments before he was shot.

Information technology would be insensitive to belabor the illustration. We are not suffering nether a human being-fabricated atrocity (though perhaps the current catastrophe might have been meliorate contained if not for ostrich-headed individuals and institutions). Just the dread of being closed-in upon is visceral. And if certain administrations under certain orange-glow leadership have adopted the attitude appearing in the last sentence of the above excerpt, nosotros can at least take solace in its final clause. Stay healthy, anybody.

...more than

Excellent! Wonderful stories in a number of styles. I particularly enjoyed how Curbstone Printing made the edition bilingual: every left folio has the original Spanish and every correct page has the English language translation. I wasn't always on board with particular word choices, but this is the merely mode I would ever have been able to discover the subtle nuances they masked. A very handy way to improve your Castilian! Fantabulous! Wonderful stories in a number of styles. I particularly enjoyed how Curbstone Press made the edition bilingual: every left page has the original Spanish and every correct page has the English translation. I wasn't always on board with particular give-and-take choices, but this is the only mode I would e'er accept been able to discover the subtle nuances they masked. A very handy way to improve your Spanish! ...more

Nov 30, 2012 Kenneth Benka rated it information technology was amazing

"The Censors" has got to be my favorite short story of all fourth dimension. Short, and sugariness with a dangerous message about the destructive ability of conformity. "The Censors" has got to exist my favorite brusk story of all fourth dimension. Short, and sweet with a dangerous message nearly the subversive ability of conformity. ...more than

Jun 07, 2020 Matt Miles rated it it was amazing

The stories that bargain more apparently with The Muddied War are particularly hard to read now, specially since the atrocities recorded are not as far from well-nigh The states readers (then or now) equally we would similar to think. For that, and also for the unmistakable touches of humanity Valenzuela spreads in every story, no matter how nighttime, I believe we need stories like hers now more than ever.

This was a corking story collection. The stories reminded me a scrap of Borges or Ray Bradbury, very well crafted and engaging, with some fun twists. I also had fun practicing my Spanish by reading the Castilian side of each page out loud to my cats while following forth in the English language. I'chiliad non sure how much I learned, but my Castilian pronunciation is a bit better after so much practice. :) This was a not bad story collection. The stories reminded me a bit of Borges or Ray Bradbury, very well crafted and engaging, with some fun twists. I also had fun practicing my Castilian by reading the Spanish side of each page out loud to my cats while following forth in the English language. I'm not sure how much I learned, but my Spanish pronunciation is a bit better afterwards and then much practice. :) ...more than

Sep 18, 2019 Rebecca Annie rated it really liked it

I've merely read "The Cencors" just this is a vaugely creepy but mainly hilariously ironic story that left me laughing. Keep in mind I read this for school when I was bored out of my listen so my perception might be a scrap screwed. I've only read "The Cencors" but this is a vaugely creepy but mainly hilariously ironic story that left me laughing. Proceed in mind I read this for school when I was bored out of my listen so my perception might be a bit screwed. ...more

February 01, 2022 annaspratt rated it really liked it

simple simply symbolic. i really liked it. only complaint is how juvenile some of the linguistic communication is, but apart from that it was a low-cal easy read.

This review is entirely dedicated to how much I dearest The Censors for it being the shortest homework assignment I had in tenth grade English.

interesting and eclectic collection of short stories. valenzuela is argentinian and writes about a authorities that terrorizes the people. peculiarly relevant as i simply spoke with someone from argentine republic prior to the '08 election and was briefed on the lack of choice in that particularly country. one of the reasons the family fled. interesting and eclectic collection of brusque stories. valenzuela is argentinian and writes almost a regime that terrorizes the people. particularly relevant as i simply spoke with someone from argentine republic prior to the '08 election and was briefed on the lack of choice in that peculiarly country. 1 of the reasons the family fled. ...more

Luisa Valenzuela is a mail service-'Boom' novelist and brusk story writer. Her writing is characterized by an experimental, avant-garde fashion which questions hierarchical social structures from a feminist perspective. She is all-time known for her work written in response to the dictatorship of the 1970s in Argentina. Works such as Como en la guerra (1977), Cambio de armas (1982) and Cola de lagartija (1983) Luisa Valenzuela is a post-'Boom' novelist and brusque story author. Her writing is characterized by an experimental, avant-garde way which questions hierarchical social structures from a feminist perspective. She is best known for her work written in response to the dictatorship of the 1970s in Argentine republic. Works such as Como en la guerra (1977), Cambio de armas (1982) and Cola de lagartija (1983) combine a powerful critique of dictatorship with an test of patriarchal forms of social organization and the ability structures which inhere in human sexuality and gender relationships. ...more

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