Edoardo Balletta

Enrarecer el pasado

Introduction

Enrarecer el pasado . Explora la obra de R. Larraquy: nexo ciencia-poder y revisión irónica de la historia nacional. Analiza "La telepatía nacional", sus anacronismos y el impacto de la hegemonía cultural.

Abstract

La obra de R. Larraquy hasta la fecha puede leerse como una trilogía cuyo común denominador sería el nudo inextricable entre ciencia y poder. Sin ser nunca didascálicas las narraciones de Larraquy transitan el espacio de “lo raro” para insertar el lector en mundos siniestros cuya finalidad, quizás, sea producir extrañamiento entramando elementos aparentemente disímiles que, gracias a ciertos anacronismos, permiten revisar la “historia nacional” de forma inusual, irónica, despiadada, sin quedarse atrapado, en tanto autor, en la obviedad de la re-escritura. En La telepatía nacional, quizás su novela más panorámica, se relata la historia del intento fallido de construcción de un parque temático de corte etnográfico y sus consecuencias: la Argentina blanca (representada por el señor Amado Dam) se roza con una comunidad de indígenas ‘incomunicados’ gracias a un contacto telepático que, en vez de producir cambios efectivos y profundos en las relaciones entre los dos mundos, termina fortaleciendo la epistemología hegemónica y canibalizando la cultura ‘otra’.

Review

This paper, "Enrarecer el pasado," offers a compelling and insightful analysis of R. Larraquy's literary oeuvre, positioning his work to date as a coherent trilogy united by the complex interplay between science and power. The author effectively argues that Larraquy's narratives, far from being didactic, skillfully employ elements of "the strange" to immerse readers in unsettling worlds. This approach is not merely stylistic; it serves a deeper purpose, aiming to produce a profound sense of estrangement that enables an unusual, ironic, and unsparing revision of "national history," critically engaging with its foundational myths without resorting to simplistic re-writing. The review effectively highlights Larraquy's unique methodology, which involves interweaving seemingly disparate elements and strategically deploying anachronisms to achieve his critical objectives. A key strength of the paper lies in its detailed examination of *La telepatía nacional*, presented as a pivotal example of Larraquy's broader project. The analysis elucidates how this novel, centered on the ill-fated attempt to establish an ethnographic theme park, explores the fraught encounter between a "white Argentina" and an indigenous community. Crucially, the paper demonstrates that the telepathic contact, rather than fostering genuine understanding or transformative change, ultimately reinforces hegemonic epistemologies and results in the symbolic cannibalization of the 'other' culture, a powerful commentary on colonial legacies and power structures. Overall, "Enrarecer el pasado" makes a significant contribution to Larraquy scholarship and to the broader field of Latin American literary criticism. Its ability to synthesize Larraquy's diverse works into a cohesive interpretive framework, centered on the science-power nexus and the deliberate "rarification" of the past, is particularly commendable. The paper's nuanced understanding of how Larraquy utilizes "lo raro" and anachronism to expose the ironies and cruelties embedded in national narratives offers fresh perspectives. This insightful analysis not only deepens our appreciation for Larraquy's unique voice but also provides a valuable model for examining how contemporary literature can deconstruct and critically engage with official histories.

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