Borges and Myself

Name: Borges and Myself
Author: Jorge Luis Borges

The narrative revolves around the protagonist's encounter with a mysterious figure who claims to be the author of his life story. The protagonist is forced to confront the idea that his existence has been predetermined and that he is merely a character in someone else's creation. This existential crisis leads him to question the nature of reality, free will, and the relationship between the creator and the created.

By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1979 · Genre: Metafiction, Philosophical Fiction, Literary Fiction · 409 words

First lines

It's to the other man, to Borges, that things happen. I walk along the streets of Buenos Aires, stopping now and then- perhaps out of habit-to look at the arch of an old entranceway or a grillwork gate; of Borges I get news through the mail and glimpse his name among a committee of professors or in a dictionary of biography. I have a taste for hourglasses, maps, eighteenth-century typography, the roots of words, the smell of coffee, and Stevenson's prose; the other man shares these likes, but in a showy way that turns them into stagy mannerisms. It would be an exaggeration to say that we are on bad terms; I live, I let myself live, so that Borges can weave his tales and poems, and those tales and poems are my justification. It is not hard for me to admit that he has managed to write a few worthwhile pages, but these pages cannot save me, perhaps because what is good no longer belongs to anyone-not even the other man-but rather to speech or tradition. In any case, I am fated to become lost once and for all, and only some moment of myself will survive in the other man. Little by little, I have been surrendering everything to him, even though I have evidence of his stubborn habit of falsification and exaggerating. Spinoza held that all things try to keep on being themselves; a stone wants to be a stone and the tiger, a tiger. I shall remain in Borges, not in myself (if it is so that I am someone), but I recognize myself less in his books than in those of others or than in the laborious tuning of a guitar. Years ago, I tried ridding myself of him and I went from myths of the outlying slums of the city to games with time and infinity, but those games are now part of Borges and I will have to turn to other things. And so, my life is a running away, and I lose everything and everything is left to oblivion or to the other man.

What this Textopian page supports

Borges and Myself is listed on Textopian as an essay by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1979 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Essay
Author: Jorge Luis Borges
Date: 1979 CE
Language: English
Genres: Metafiction, Philosophical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Autobiographical Fiction, Short Story
Length: 409 words
Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Borges and Myself by Jorge Luis Borges
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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How does this essay by Jorge Luis Borges fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Metafiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Metafiction — The narrative blurs the line between the author and his persona, exploring the nature of identity and authorship.
Philosophical Fiction — The text delves into existential themes, questioning the nature of self and reality.
Literary Fiction — The writing style is sophisticated and introspective, focusing on character and thematic depth.
Autobiographical Fiction — The narrative reflects personal elements of the author's life, blending fact with fiction.