Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter
Encyclopedia
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter is the fifth novel by Mario Vargas Llosa
. It was published by Editorial Seix Barral, S.A., Spain, in 1977
. Set in Peru
during the 1950s, it is the story of an 18 year old student who falls for a 32 year old divorcee. The novel is based on the author's real life experience.
The plot concerns Mario, an aspiring writer, who works at a radio station that broadcasts, live each day, up to a half-dozen novela
s (short-run soap opera
s). At the same time that the author meets his "Aunt Julia", the radio station, which had been buying scripts by weight from Cuba
, hires a Bolivia
n scriptwriter named Pedro Camacho to write the serials. The novel chronicles the scriptwriter's rise and fall in tandem with the protagonist's affair and includes descriptions of the serials that the station broadcasts. As the novel progresses, the scripts begin to "fall apart" - the scriptwriter begins to lose track of the names of the characters, the details of his plots, etc., to the point where they become "hopelessly jumbled."
It is based in part on the author's first marriage, to Julia Urquidi. Urquidi later wrote a memoir, Lo que Varguitas no dijo (What little Vargas didn't say), in which she provided her own version of their relationship.
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter combines a fictional account of a period in Vargas' own life with a picture of Lima
in the 1950s, a satirical look at Peruvian radio soap operas, and an examination of both the practical and creative aspects of writing.
Vargas Llosa's novel was later adapted as a Hollywood feature film, Tune in Tomorrow
, in which the setting was moved from Lima, to New Orleans
. The film was released as Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter in many countries.
Mario Vargas Llosa
Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquis of Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation...
. It was published by Editorial Seix Barral, S.A., Spain, in 1977
1977 in literature
The year 1977 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Douglas Adams begins writing for BBC radio.*V. S. Naipaul declines the offer of a CBE....
. Set in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
during the 1950s, it is the story of an 18 year old student who falls for a 32 year old divorcee. The novel is based on the author's real life experience.
The plot concerns Mario, an aspiring writer, who works at a radio station that broadcasts, live each day, up to a half-dozen novela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
s (short-run soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s). At the same time that the author meets his "Aunt Julia", the radio station, which had been buying scripts by weight from Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, hires a Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n scriptwriter named Pedro Camacho to write the serials. The novel chronicles the scriptwriter's rise and fall in tandem with the protagonist's affair and includes descriptions of the serials that the station broadcasts. As the novel progresses, the scripts begin to "fall apart" - the scriptwriter begins to lose track of the names of the characters, the details of his plots, etc., to the point where they become "hopelessly jumbled."
It is based in part on the author's first marriage, to Julia Urquidi. Urquidi later wrote a memoir, Lo que Varguitas no dijo (What little Vargas didn't say), in which she provided her own version of their relationship.
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter combines a fictional account of a period in Vargas' own life with a picture of Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
in the 1950s, a satirical look at Peruvian radio soap operas, and an examination of both the practical and creative aspects of writing.
Vargas Llosa's novel was later adapted as a Hollywood feature film, Tune in Tomorrow
Tune in Tomorrow
Tune In Tomorrow is a 1990 film comedy directed by John Amiel.It is based on the Mario Vargas Llosa novel Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, and was released under that name in many countries...
, in which the setting was moved from Lima, to New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. The film was released as Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter in many countries.
External links
- Mario Vargas Llosa discusses Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter on the BBC World Book ClubWorld Book ClubWorld Book Club is a radio programme on the BBC World Service. Each edition of the programme, which is broadcast on the first Saturday of the month with repeats into the following Monday, features a famous author discussing one of his or her books, often the most well-known one, with the public...