I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors

Name: I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors
Author: Jorge Luis Borges

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.

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I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors is listed on Textopian as a novella by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1972 CE.

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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: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Work identity for I Always Stood in Fear of Mirrors by Jorge Luis Borges
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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.