The very broad theme of 'The Censors' is that government censorship and authoritarianism can cause profound psychological changes in an individual. What is the tone of the story The Censors by Luisa Valenzuela
Luisa Valenzuela
Luisa Valenzuela is a post-'Boom' novelist and short story writer. Her writing is characterized by an experimental style which questions hierarchical social structures from a feminist perspective. She is best known for her work written in response to the dictatorship of the 1970s in Argentina. Works such as Como en la guerra, Cambio de armas and Cola de lagartija combine a powerful critique of dictators…
What is the theme of the censors by Luisa Valenzuela?
Luisa Valenzuela's 'The Censors' explores real-world parallels between the fictional life of the young Juan in authoritarian-ruled Argentina and her own experiences. Analyze a summary of the story and identify the themes, use of satire, and Valenzuela's personal writing style.
What is the theme of the censorship bureau?
Theme: Power that is not shared by many corrupts the few who possess it. Juan's hasty decision of joining the Censorship Bureau was caused by his fear of being being caught by the censors. His new job made him extremely devoted and loyal to the Bureau, which later caused him to censor his own letter, resulting in Juan being executed.
What is the summary of the story the censors?
' The Censors ' is the story of a young man named Juan who gets a job censoring letters for an authoritarian government. He's great at it - so great that he censors his own letter and gets himself executed.
What is satire in the censors?
Satire: Making Small Things Big. 'The Censors' approaches the issue of government censorship through the lens of satire, a genre of literature that uses humor to poke fun at the absurd parts of serious issues.
What theme does Valenzuela Express in The Censors?
"The Censors" Themes The theme of the impact of government censorship is apparent in Juan's race to intercept the letter he wrote. This mission becomes his entire life's purpose and eventually costs him his life.
What is the tone of the story The Censors?
Tone. The tone of the Censors is mocking and ironic. Censorship is when you analyze something and make sure nothing is unacceptable.
Why does Juan become a censor?
9. Juan decides to get a job at the censorship office so that he can find his letter and hide it from the government.
What is the setting in The Censors?
Setting. The Censors takes place in Argentina, around the 1970s when government censorship was prevalent throughout the country.
How does the censors relate to freedom?
Censors seek to limit freedom of thought and expression by restricting spoken words, printed matter, symbolic messages, freedom of association, books, art, music, movies, television programs, and Internet sites. When the government engages in censorship, First Amendment freedoms are implicated.
What is satire in the censors?
A piece of literary device that ridicules governments or. people's customs to improve society.
What happens to Juan at the end of the story?
What happens to Juan at the end of "The Censors"? He censors his own letter, getting himself in trouble, and is executed. "The Censors" takes place in a country ruled by a dictator.
Why was Juan hired immediately?
Juan was hired immediately as there was a great demand for censors and no one “bothered to check on his references” (Valenzuela 966). He was content to be working; all he could do to retrieve his letter was being done.
How did Juan change over the course of the story?
He experiences a dramatic change as he continues as a censor, becoming increasingly devoted to the job. He is eventually so blindsighted by his responsibilities and power that he condemns his own letter, leading to his death.
Who is the antagonist in The Censors?
The protagonist in "The Censors" is Juan and the antagonist is the Censorship Division. Juan was chosen as the main character because he easily related to by the reader.
What is an understatement in The Censors?
understatement. The opposite of hyperbole. Deliberate minimizing of the seriousness of an idea. EX: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." Mark Twain.
How did Juan get his promotion?
Answer: In "The Censors," how does Juan get his first promotion after taking the job as a censor? ... He censors his own letter, getting himself in trouble, and is executed. "The Censors" takes place in a country ruled by a dictator.
What happens to Juan at the end of the story?
What happens to Juan at the end of "The Censors"? He censors his own letter, getting himself in trouble, and is executed. "The Censors" takes place in a country ruled by a dictator.
What is a hyperbole in the censors?
hyperbole. A deliberate exaggeration or overstatement, emphasizing emotion to create a comic effect. Ex: calling the discovery of a missing sock a "joyous reunion"
Why was Juan hired immediately?
Juan was hired immediately as there was a great demand for censors and no one “bothered to check on his references” (Valenzuela 966). He was content to be working; all he could do to retrieve his letter was being done.
Why did Luisa Valenzuela write the censors?
s the political situation in her home- land grew increasingly violent, Luisa Valenzuela turned to writing to cope. One of the most recognized Latin American writers in the United States, Valenzuela writes novels and short stories that expose the injus- tices of society through satire and wit.
What is the irony of "The Censors?"
The irony of "The Censors" is that Juan took the job initially to steal back the letter he wrote. He knew the letter was harmless, but worried that...
What is the conflict in "The Censors" by Luisa Valenzuela?
The conflict in "The Censors" is that Juan struggles with his own goal of stealing his letter back and his new found dedication to his job as a cen...
What happens at the end of "The Censors?"
At the end of "The Censors" Juan finds his own letter and censors it. At this point, he is programmed by the ideology of the government. He ruthles...
How does Juan change in "The Censors?"
Juan changes in the censors when he gets captivated by his job as a government censor. He forgets his original plan and begins to accept the govern...
What point of view is "The Censors" in?
"The Censors" is in third-person omniscient point of view where the reader knows what Juan's thoughts and actions are throughout the story.
Why does Juan take a job as a censor?
Juan takes the job as a censor to steal back the letter he wrote to Mariana. He is worried the government will find issue with it as they often do....
What is the theme of the Censors?from study.com
The very broad theme of 'The Censors' is that government censorship and authoritarianism can cause profound psychological changes in an individual. In the story, government censorship gets in the way of Juan's love for Mariana - even before he becomes a censor he's overly careful about what he tells her in their letters.
Why did Valenzuela leave the Censors?from study.com
They formed an authoritarian regime and censored things they disagreed with - Valenzuela left to avoid the fate that befalls Juan in 'The Censors.' She didn't want to self-censor her work to please the regime, and she didn't want them to do it for her.
What is Valenzuela's style of narrator?from study.com
Valenzuela uses an omniscient narrator, a narrator who knows and sees everything that goes on in the story. She knows the whole plot before it even starts.
What was the Directorate of Censorship aware of?from genius.com
The Directorate of Censorship was aware of the secret motive behind the desire of more than one to work in the bureau, but they were in no condition to be too strict and anyway -- What for? They knew how difficult it would be for those poor innocents to find the letter they were looking for, and even if they did, what importance does a letter or two that slips though the barrier cracks compared to the others that the new censor would shoot down. That's how our Juan was able to join the Censorship Bureau of the Ministry of Communications.
What is the theme of Juan's work?from study.com
There's also a theme in the story of work taking the place of love and other things in life. Juan devotes himself entirely to his work in the censorship division, to the point where his mother worries about him. The theme of a character who's consumed by his work in a negative way is common in fiction, though it doesn't always go as far as a character literally causing his own death at his job.
What is the first thing we hear in The Censors?from study.com
The first thing we hear in 'The Censors' is 'Poor Juan, ' which heightens the satire. The narrator's omniscience, combined with the sillier tone, makes it feel less like just a silly story and more like we're being told a story by a narrator who's in on the joke.
Where is Juan from the censors?from study.com
Summary of 'The Censors'. Juan is a young man living in Argentina under the control of an authoritarian government (think Big Brother in Orwell's 1984 ). At the beginning of the story, he writes and mails a letter to a woman he loves named Mariana. However, he quickly begins worrying about what the censors will think about the contents ...
Who wrote the censors?from bartleby.com
The story “The Censors” written by Luisa Valenzuela is about a man named Juan climbing up the ladder of his career as a censor to find the letter he sent. However, as the story progresses, Juan became devoted to his work and forgot his original purpose of becoming a censor.
Why Does Juan Take the Job as a Censor?from study.com
Juan takes a job as a censor to intercept and discard of a letter that he wrote to Mariana, his lover in Paris. He notes that others have gotten jobs at the Censorship Division for this same purpose, but the government benefitted from the volume of censors and was not concerned with any hidden agendas. Later, he loses focus of this original intention and becomes enthralled with censoring letters with a red pen and pointing out where people have secretly tried to smuggle messages about the state of affairs to outsiders. This ultimately leads to Juan censoring his own letter and ultimately, his death.
Why did Valenzuela leave the Censors?from study.com
They formed an authoritarian regime and censored things they disagreed with - Valenzuela left to avoid the fate that befalls Juan in 'The Censors.' She didn't want to self-censor her work to please the regime, and she didn't want them to do it for her.
What is Valenzuela's style of narrator?from study.com
Valenzuela uses an omniscient narrator, a narrator who knows and sees everything that goes on in the story. She knows the whole plot before it even starts.
What was the Directorate of Censorship aware of?from genius.com
The Directorate of Censorship was aware of the secret motive behind the desire of more than one to work in the bureau, but they were in no condition to be too strict and anyway -- What for? They knew how difficult it would be for those poor innocents to find the letter they were looking for, and even if they did, what importance does a letter or two that slips though the barrier cracks compared to the others that the new censor would shoot down. That's how our Juan was able to join the Censorship Bureau of the Ministry of Communications.
What happened to Juan in The Censors?from bartleby.com
actions. In "The Censors," Juan knowingly risked being caught by becoming a censor, in hopes of getting his letter through to his loved one. Although he knew what would happen if he was caught smuggling his letter in, he was more then willing to take the risk. Juan's boss acknowledged his hard work, "soon he was moved to section E where he was now reading and analyzing letter contents, his work became so absorbing that his original purpose for being a censor was blurred (Valenzuela, 653). While he
Where is Juan from the censors?from study.com
Summary of 'The Censors'. Juan is a young man living in Argentina under the control of an authoritarian government (think Big Brother in Orwell's 1984 ). At the beginning of the story, he writes and mails a letter to a woman he loves named Mariana. However, he quickly begins worrying about what the censors will think about the contents ...
