JORGE LUIS BORGES, "THE LIBRARY OF BABEL" (1941)
Quote
The universe (which others call the Library) is composed of an indefinite and perhaps an infinite number of hexagonal galleries, with vast air shafts between, surrounded by very low railings. From any of the hexagons, one can see, interminably, the upper and lower floors. The distribution of the galleries is invariable. Twenty shelves, five long shelves per side, cover all the sides except two; their height, which is the distance from the floor to ceiling, scarcely exceeds that of a normal bookcase. One of the free sides leads to a narrow hallway that opens onto another gallery, identical to the first and to all the rest. To the left and right of the hallway, there are two very small closets. In the first, one may sleep standing up; in the other, satisfy one's fecal necessities. Also through here passes a spiral stairway, which sinks abysmally and soars upwards to remote distances. In the hallway, there is a mirror that faithfully duplicates all appearances.
Basic set-up:
The narrator of Borges's story reveals the true nature of the universe: it's a library.
Thematic Analysis
Borges was influenced by the Surrealist movement that developed in Europe in the 1920s, and this passage is evidence of that influence. One thing you'll often find in Surrealist art is the juxtaposition of two things that are unconnected. Here, the narrator's telling us that the universe is actually a library. O rly? That's forcing us, readers, to make a connection that is pretty extreme.
It's not just the overall idea of this passage that's surreal: there are also some very specific surreal details. What's up with those two small closets, for example? Apparently, you can sleep standing up in one, and another one is a straight-up toilet. We don't know about you, but most libraries we know don't even have closets, let alone closets you sleep in and do your business in. We can picture it, sort of, but we've never actually seen it. Sounds pretty, um, surreal, right?
Stylistic Analysis
The narrator is bombarding us with visual detail here. This universe/library "is composed of […] hexagonal galleries." "The distribution of the galleries is invariable. Twenty shelves, five long shelves per side, cover all the sides except two." The spiral stairway "sinks abysmally and soars upwards to remote distances."
This use of visual detail is significant because Surrealism started out as a movement in the visual arts. And the narrator's description of the library here might as well be a painting, it's so detailed in its visual presentation of the library/universe. On top of that, though, all that visual detail makes this place seem eerily real. The details may be wacky, but we can totally picture them.
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