Axolotl
by Julio Cortazar
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At a glance:
- Author: Julio Cortazar
- First Published: 1956
- Type of Plot: Fantasy
- Time of Work: Spring during the 1950’s
- Setting: Paris, France
- Characters: The narrator, Axolotl
- Genres: Short fiction, Fantasy
- Subjects: Nature, Self, Paris, Human race, Fantasy, Captivity, Animals, Anatomy, Eye
- Locales: France, Europe, Paris, France
The Story
An unnamed man living in Paris becomes fascinated by an axolotl, a creature that he observes in the aquarium of the Jardin des Plantes. (A salamander noted for its permanent retention of larval features, such as external gills, the axolotl, or axolote, is found in lakes near Mexico City, where it is considered edible.) Despite its association with the everyday, the creature gradually assumes a mysterious quality as the narrator’s fascination with the animal intensifies. He visits the exhibit every day and feels a growing affinity between himself and the creature. His...
(The entire page is 1138 words.)
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