I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors
The story "I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors" by Jorge Luis Borges is a surrealist tale about a man who becomes obsessed with his own reflection. The narrator, a writer named Juan Dahlmann, is haunted by the image of himself that he sees in mirrors and other reflective surfaces. He eventually discovers that his doppelganger has been living a parallel life to his own, and that they are both destined to meet their end in a violent confrontation. The story explores themes of identity, mortality, and the nature of reality itself.
By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1972 · Genre: Philosophical Fiction, Metafiction, Literary Fiction · 8,035 words
First lines
Indiana University, April 1980
I always stood in fear of mirrors. When I was a little boy, there was something awful at my house. In my room we had three full - length mirrors. Then also the furniture was of mahogany, and that made a kind of dark mirror, like the mirror to be found in Saint Paul's epistle. I stood in fear of them, but being a child I did not dare say anything.
What this Textopian page supports
I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors is listed on Textopian as a novella by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1972 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Jorge Luis Borges
- Date: 1972 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Philosophical Fiction, Metafiction, Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Psychological Fiction
- Length: 8,035 words
- Structure: 1 section, 219 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors 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
- What should a reader notice first when entering I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors?
- How does this novella by Jorge Luis Borges fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Philosophical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- But I Prefer Dreaming by Jorge Luis Borges
- When I Wake Up by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Nightmare That Tiger Of The Dream by Jorge Luis Borges
- It Came Like A Slow Summer Twilight by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Nightmare by G. K. Chesterton
- I Stand Simply For The Thing I Am by Jorge Luis Borges
Genres
- Philosophical Fiction — The text explores deep philosophical themes, including idealism, solipsism, and the nature of reality, through dialogues and reflections.
- Metafiction — The narrative blurs the lines between fiction and reality, incorporating self-referential elements and discussions about the nature of storytelling.
- Literary Fiction — The work is characterized by its complex narrative style, rich language, and exploration of existential themes, typical of literary fiction.
- Fantasy — The text includes fantastical elements such as the fear of mirrors and the concept of a world as a dream, which are common in fantasy literature.
Tags
fear · mirrors · identity · self-reflection · existentialism · philosophy · illusion · reality · doppelgänger · psychology · perception · literature