by Andrew Horn

Created on: August 20, 2007   Last Updated: August 21, 2007

Llosa, Mario Vargas. The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta. New York: The Noonday Press,
1984.

In The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta, Mario Vargas Llosa brings to light the life of an obscure Latin American revolutionary. By detailing the life of Alejandro Mayta, Llosa focuses not only on one leftist revolutionary's experiences, but also on the whole political turmoil that griped Peru during the 1950's. Llosa also uses his story of Mayto to illustrate the relationship between fiction and reality. Through the work of the story's narrator, and other main character, Llosa shows the complexities and inherent problems in researching and recounting recent history, especially when that history has, and could continue to have, political implications. Llosa has the narrator struggles to understand the life of his old friend, Mayta, but in the process he educates the reader on the intricacies of the leftist movement, the problems associated with separating truth from fiction, and nature of idealists who become enraptured in the cause for which they are fighting.

Llosa touches on a number of historical themes throughout the book. He does this as a way to stay connected to the context in which he is writing. It is one of the ways that he separates the truth from the fiction. By providing real life historical context, Llosa allows the reader to remain connected to the story and able to distinguish those aspects of the story that may be more embellishment that fact. Some of the historical themes that Llosa discuses include: the nature of the revolutionary fervor in Peru during that time, the development and relationships of the various leftist organizations, and the involvement between local and international revolutionary movements.
One of the important issues that Llosa discusses in The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta is the nature of the revolutionary fervor in Peru. Throughout the book, Llosa describes the various characteristics of Peru during this time of social unrest. As he describes Mayta's life, he incorporates Mayta's surroundings into the story to give it context and to help explain Mayta's desire for political change. The narrator of the book makes this theme clear from the very beginning of the book. He says, "Once, during our communion classes. He made Father Luis jump by asking him point-blank, Why are there rich and poor people, Father? Aren't we all God's children?'" The poverty found in Peru, the enormous inequity in society, the crime, the rampant disease, and what

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