Self-consciousness, Defense Mechanisms, and Negation of Personal and Physical Privacy in "La noche de los feos" by Mario Benedetti
Subject Area
Spanish American Studies
Abstract
La noche de los feos is a story narrated from the point of view of a male character, who displays several passionate negative feelings which fluctuates from anger to scorn, sarcasm, lack of sympathy, and frustration. He was not given a name, which can be inferred that he is representing not just a person, but a whole category. This inference is also based on the fact that in his thoughts, he expresses not only his feelings, but also the feelings of a female counterpart as well as of others that like them represents “the otherness”. He defines himself and a lady he is interested in, who also has an acquired facial disfiguration, as extremely ugly individuals. They first saw each other while they were in a line to get a ticket for a movie. After the movie, he approaches and invites her to a coffee shop. Upon entering in the coffee shop, the narrator expresses how they feel about people’s curiosity and reaction upon seeing them. In this presentation, I will discuss issues such as the mechanism of defense and the impossibility of personal privacy for those who have a facial disfiguration. In conclusion, it is observed that La noche de los feos exposes the struggles of people with acquired facial disfigurations. They tend to develop an intensified awareness of, and sensitivity to, what are or what may be construed as signs of discomfort, embarrassment, or rejection by the non-disfigured individuals.
Brief Bio Note
Dr. Primo-McKinley has completed a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Science from the Federal University of Pernambuco (1990) in Brazil as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Education from Buffalo State College in 2003. She also earned a Master’s of Arts and a PhD in Spanish Literature from the University at Buffalo in 2006 and 2008 respectively. Dr. Primo’s research focuses on Brazilian Literature, Culture, and Civilization as well as Peninsular and Latin American Literature and Culture, Post-colonial and Post-structuralist theories,Gender Studies, Globalization and Migration.
Keywords
disfiguration, sensitivity, embarrassment
Location
Room 212
Presentation Year
2018
Start Date
4-5-2018 11:05 AM
Embargo
11-5-2017
Recommended Citation
Primo-Vincent, Adriana Dr., "Self-consciousness, Defense Mechanisms, and Negation of Personal and Physical Privacy in "La noche de los feos" by Mario Benedetti" (2018). South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL). 14.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/seccll/2018/2018/14
Self-consciousness, Defense Mechanisms, and Negation of Personal and Physical Privacy in "La noche de los feos" by Mario Benedetti
Room 212
La noche de los feos is a story narrated from the point of view of a male character, who displays several passionate negative feelings which fluctuates from anger to scorn, sarcasm, lack of sympathy, and frustration. He was not given a name, which can be inferred that he is representing not just a person, but a whole category. This inference is also based on the fact that in his thoughts, he expresses not only his feelings, but also the feelings of a female counterpart as well as of others that like them represents “the otherness”. He defines himself and a lady he is interested in, who also has an acquired facial disfiguration, as extremely ugly individuals. They first saw each other while they were in a line to get a ticket for a movie. After the movie, he approaches and invites her to a coffee shop. Upon entering in the coffee shop, the narrator expresses how they feel about people’s curiosity and reaction upon seeing them. In this presentation, I will discuss issues such as the mechanism of defense and the impossibility of personal privacy for those who have a facial disfiguration. In conclusion, it is observed that La noche de los feos exposes the struggles of people with acquired facial disfigurations. They tend to develop an intensified awareness of, and sensitivity to, what are or what may be construed as signs of discomfort, embarrassment, or rejection by the non-disfigured individuals.
