Sara Gallardo
Encyclopedia
Sara Gallardo was an influential Argentine
author, noted, among other things, for her magical realism
.
to an upper class
family with extensive agricultural
property. She became an astute observer and critic of the Argentine aristocracy
, much along the lines of Charlotte Brontë
.
She was married twice, first to Luis Pico Estrada and then to Hector A. Murena. Gallardo began publishing in 1958. In addition to her numerous newspaper columns and essays, she published five novel
s, a collection of short stories
, several children’s books, and a number of travelogue
s. She contributed to the magazines Primera Plana, Panorama and Confirmado among others. She is quoted as often saying, "Writing is an absurd and heroic activity." She was widowed in 1975.
, the product of her being rape
d.
El País del Humo ("Country of the Smoke")(1977) was a collection of her short stories, and literary sketches that showed more of her fantastical
side that had formerly appeared more in her children’s books. Some of them have been considered outright science fiction
..
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
author, noted, among other things, for her magical realism
Magic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
.
Early life
Gallardo was born in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
to an upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
family with extensive agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
property. She became an astute observer and critic of the Argentine aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
, much along the lines of Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood, whose novels are English literature standards...
.
She was married twice, first to Luis Pico Estrada and then to Hector A. Murena. Gallardo began publishing in 1958. In addition to her numerous newspaper columns and essays, she published five novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s, a collection of short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, several children’s books, and a number of travelogue
Travel literature
Travel literature is travel writing of literary value. Travel literature typically records the experiences of an author touring a place for the pleasure of travel. An individual work is sometimes called a travelogue or itinerary. Travel literature may be cross-cultural or transnational in focus, or...
s. She contributed to the magazines Primera Plana, Panorama and Confirmado among others. She is quoted as often saying, "Writing is an absurd and heroic activity." She was widowed in 1975.
Selected works
Enero ("January ")(1958) was her first novel and details the intensely private world of an adolescent farmworker. It is written in a deliberately ambiguous way to reflect the confusions that face the heroine as she deals with her unwanted pregnancyPregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
, the product of her being rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d.
El País del Humo ("Country of the Smoke")(1977) was a collection of her short stories, and literary sketches that showed more of her fantastical
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
side that had formerly appeared more in her children’s books. Some of them have been considered outright science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
..
External links
- "Narrativa Breve Completa de Sara Gallardo" La Basica Online ("Short Narrative on the Complete Works of Sara Gallardo") in Spanish
- "Sara Gallardo" El Broli Argentino in Spanish
- Brizuela, Leopoldo (27 September 2005) "Sara Gallardo en el país del humo" La Nación in Spanish