The narrative and structural significance of animals in the short stories of Julio Cortazar

Julio Cortazar is perhaps most well-known for his innovative novel Rayuela. However, his nine collections of short stories, spaced fairly evenly throughout his career, offer themselves as a justifiable medium for exploring Cortazar's literary prowess. Although some stories have received considerable critical attention, others remain relatively unnoticed. One aspect which links all the stories, and which bears further investigation, is the presence of animals.;At least one animal appears in each of Cortazar's stories, a fact which suggests that they hold some special significance for the author. In fact, he often assigns animals a wide variety of functions. Most critics who recognize the importance of animals tend to assign them primarily symbolic roles. Undoubtedly, the animals "represent" something, but they are rarely endowed with a precise, fixed significance. On the contrary, they may become momentarily associated with one object in a vague, yet highly suggestive way, and yet, at any point, this link may disintegrate only to be replaced by another. Thus, rather than being symbolic, they frequently subvert traditional symbolism.;Furthermore, animals often fulfill a variety of other narrative functions. In several stories they serve as foreshadowing devices or contribute to characterization in a metaphorical manner. At other times they become foils for an examination of human nature. This type of juxtaposition between protagonists and animals often comments on the incomprehensible or unpredictable nature of reality and, subsequently, on the lack of communication among living beings.;Animals often help to shape a story's narrative structure. Some stories are built entirely around one central animal, like "Axolotl," "Carta a una senorita en Paris," and "Verano." Others may contain repeated references to one animal that are less obvious, as is the case with "Las babas del diablo." In many instances, several animals simultaneously contribute to narrative structure, which is true of "Bestiario." In each case, the animals' structural functions differ with the circumstances. Nevertheless, the use of animals as narrative building blocks is a relatively underappreciated aspect of Cortazar's fiction. This study will consider the aforementioned stories with regard to both the narrative and structural contributions of animals.