A Test of Time:

A novel analysis on AURA by Carlos Fuentes

This is certainly not your typical horror story.

Slow-paced yet still maintains its themes of horror and mystery. Aura by Carlos Fuentes presents
its readers with an unconventional style of writing and story telling that is manifested through its
character, elements, scenes and the plot, as a whole. The novel is relatively short and the does not
contain that many scenes which broadly describe the characters and their respective stories. Rather,
it retains the feeling of mystery and vagueness that can leave the readers pondering on what each
scene tries to communicate, even until the end of the novel. This style somehow makes the readers
curious to know the deeper picture of every scene and vaguely predict what could possibly happen
next.

Few of the writing styles distinct and noticeable in the novel is the authors use of the second
person perspective. This style is somehow difficult to read and uncommonly used since the novels
that I read usually employ the first or the third person perspective. But I think the use of the second
person perspective was a good approach and is apparently effective in delivering the story given
the genre of the novel. With this kind of perspective, the readers may be able to experience the
development of the story more since they are put in the perspective or in the eyes of Felipe
Montero himself. Another style I noticed in the novel is its use of the present tense. This could
mean that the author intended not to express the story as an anecdote or a narrative but rather as a
present event that the characters are currently encountering. I honestly appreciated this style while
I was reading the novel as it was like the author telling or narrating to me what to do or experience
as the protagonist in the story. With this, I was able to better imagine the scenes and connect the
story as each chapter progressed.

The story itself has a dark, uncanny and gloomy impression. From its main setting, which is a
poorly lit house in a somehow deserted place of Donceles Street, one can almost imagine that
sunlight had never reached this part of the city. By the time Felipe entered Senora Consuelos
house, it was as if they are expecting him to arrive at that exact moment, lured by the hypnotic
advertisement from the newspaper. And finally, when he met the Senora her room, the elements
in the scene such as the Senoras peculiar request and her accompanying animals suggest that
something strange is going on in that house.

Another element that adds to the mysteriousness of the novel is the authors liberal use of
incomplete dialogues. Some conversations of the characters are inadvertently or maybe
intentionally cut off by either an exchange by another character or was just simply left hanging. I
believe that this was actually a good way to put suspense in the story since the readers are left with
their own interpretation to what the continuation may be or even draw a deeper meaning to their
unfinished statements.

The novel is apparently not easy to digest. Given that it is only a short novel, the plot is not that
elaborative in explaining each event but is excessively descriptive on the elements in each scene.
Although the setting is dim and dark, the author manages to describe every movement, object,
sound in that shady house just to make the readers experience the mysteriousness of Senora
Consuelos home. Reading through the novel gave me the curiosity over noticeable parts such as
why was Felipes room described the only brightly lit room as opposed to the dark setting of the
rest of the house or how were the cats which Felipe saw from his room of any significant to the
story itself. Truly, these small details may be somehow incidental but I do think they hold a deeper
meaning that might help explain or even complement Senora Consuelos strange backstory.

The story renders an overlap between the past and the present. At the beginning of the novel, the
readers were introduced to the three main characters: Felipe, Aura and Consuelo; however, the
latter part revealed that Aura and Consuelo are of the same character but from different time
dimensions. Senora Consuelo was a person in the past while Aura was the present persona of her.
On the other hand, Felipe was the witness to this overlap of past and present. Though he was
revealed as having the present persona of the Senoras husband, he was somehow the missing
puzzle piece that fills this link of past and present the one which Senora Consuelo was looking
for through the memoirs of his dead husband.

Another way to decipher the meaning of the novel is that Senora Consuelo may have had an
unfinished story in the past involving her husband, General Llorente. It could be that their love
story was left unfinished because of some tragedy or that there were promises and expectations
that were not fulfilled such as Consuelo's infertility, her fantasy of having a child, and her
obsession with youth, which made the Senora feel empty and incomplete for many decades.
Through the person of Felipe, their unfinished story may be made complete with Felipes work in
the memoirs. Also through the person of Aura, the couples love story was continued when the
Felipe fell in love with Aura while working inside the house, which could also have reflected their
own love story in the past.

What would have made this perspective sensible is if the authors intention was to express the idea
of reincarnation. Senora Consuelo and General Llorente was reincarnated into the characters of
Felipe and Aura; hence, their love story continued from the past until the present.

It is still hard to conclude whether Aura really existed as the Senoras niece or merely her
paranormal alter ego in the present time. Aura may have been the reincarnated self of Senora
Consuelo; however, the description of her in the story suggests otherwise. Aura was noticed by
Felipe as doing the exact same action as the Senora as if she was a mirror image of her. And there
were also the instances when Auras age and face seem to change from time to time from being
a young lady to a middle aged and old woman. It is not certain in the novel whether Aura was
really a reincarnation of Senora Consuelo or was merely summoned by the Senora using some sort
of dark magic and incantation. Even the existence of Senora Consuelo is questionable since she
could have already been dead many years ago and its only her unrested soul that haunted the house
at Donceles Street.

There is surely not one interpretation from the readers on the storys peculiar events. While reading
the novel, I also thought of the possibility that the story was entirely a projection of Senora
Consuelos fantasy or a dream she had in her sleep. She had longed for the intimacy from her
husband for a long time and this was only fulfilled through Felipe and Aura who fell in love with
each other. And when they laid in bed at the end of the book, their faces shifted into the image of
Senora Consuelo and General Llorente which somehow shows that not even death can keep them
apart.

I am very curious about why Carlos Fuentes chose Aura to be the title of this enigmatic novel.
From the dictionary, aura is defined as a distinctive and pervasive quality or character. Another
definition is that it is an energy field that is held to emanate from a living being. Maybe Aura
the niece is in a way, Senora Consuelos aura who defines her character in the present time. She
is the projection of her that wants to relive the moments she had with her husband, General
Llorente.

On another note, I am also curious why Carlos Fuentes chose to write this story with its central
theme, writing style, arrangement of events and the underlying message he wants to impart to its
readers. Indeed, as previously mentioned, the story is difficult to understand. Its scenes and
elements can be interpreted in many ways and its superficial interpretation which is the
continuation of a love story from the past to the present by way of a peculiar concept is somehow
unusual. It could be that what Carlos Fuentes wants to show is how complex love is. That love
cannot be defined in absolute terms and limited by several words in a dictionary. Love may be
relative that it can only be understood and described by the persons themselves. Love is such a
strong force that it can overcome death and even the test of time.

The novel Aura is apparently not a horrific story, as I initially though. Yes, it is very mysterious
and has the right amount of creeps to it. But as a matter of fact, it can also be described as a happy
story at least by the ending of the story. Senora Consuelo was reunited with her husband although
it was through the images of Aura and Felipe. Their decades old of love and longing for each other
was fulfilled where they laid in bed together in the end.

Overall, the novel is rather complicated and twisted. Reading once will give you the basic storyline
but as one reads it twice or more, a deeper meaning of the story or even the small details can be
unfolded since there is absolutely more to its plot than being dark and mysterious. Maybe other
readers have different interpretations of this novel. But for the time being, I firmly believe that its
hidden meaning is longingness and love. Senora Consuelos love for General Llorente was eternal
and they proved that time and death are not obstacles to make their forever unreal and
nonexistent.

Indeed, this is certainly not your typical love story.