A myth is created both by events and the people who lived through them. Everything that happens in this book has the potential for reality, there are no exaggerations in the telling. Those occur within the reactions of the characters and their manner of retelling situations. Allende has given us a lesson in the process of myth-making.
The offstage voice provides us with the reality that serves as the basis for the embellishments and exaggerations that have gone into the creation of Zorro the character beyond the confines of this book. We get the real explanations for where he came from and how he became the figure we recognise so immediately today.
This book can be read as a wonderful story full of adventure, fun and romance. But if you choose, it can also read it as an allegory of how we all create myths about ourselves. Like Diego many of us create alter egos for a variety of situations; work, public, and private. Usually not as extreme as in the case of Zorro, they all serve the same basic purpose of allowing us to carry out a task behind the protection of a mask.
Allende shows us that while what’s behind the mask may not be as thrilling, it is a lot more interesting then imagined. Maybe we should all try letting our masks down a little more often. Who knows what we will find.
Mother Jones has a nice interview with Isabel Allende where I found some of the biographical detail. The quote was taken from an interview in Metroactive Arts.
REF: Bryan McKay Edited: PC
Article comments
1 - DrPat
How about Zorro, the Gay Blade? I always thought that poked a lot fun at the romantic hero, and the self-righteous heroine...
I mean, as an ASIN, of course.
2 - gypsyman
Pat:
You know I thought about it, but I've never seen it, which could be said for half my choices but they were based on trying to show a historical range of work, and a personal aversion to George Hamiltion was a strong factor.
Something about the title bothered me, I couldn't remember if this movie had been camp in a positive or negative way, and to me that's important. I don't like negative sterotypes for any group.
Yeah I know really p.c. but so am I sometimes.
cheers gypsyman
3 - Ernesto
Nice limn, good points, especially the discussion of identity and myth-making. Seems there's always a double-edged sword to wearing a mask -- it protects but isolates the wearer ... I'd been wanting to pick this up but was a bit nervous; I loved House of the Spirits when I read it back in college but my memory of the book tells me I'd like it less if I read it now. (Sort of like Tom Robbins' books ...) Your review makes it sound, however, as though this would be worth the risk!