Kiss of the Spider Woman

by Manuel Puig

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Last Updated September 3, 2024.

  • Puig is a notable Latin American writer from the twentieth century. Discover more about another Latin American author, such as Jorge Louis Borges, Pablo Neruda, or Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Which Latin American country is this author from? What are some of their key works? What central themes and stylistic features are present in their writing?
  • Explore the history of Argentina, Puig's homeland, including the pre-colonial period, Spanish colonization, or the era of national independence. What were the significant political conflicts, transformations, and events in Argentina during these times? Alternatively, delve into the current political and social challenges and conditions in Argentina today.
  • Puig's fiction, influenced by his childhood love for Hollywood cinema, often references popular culture, especially American films. Can you write a short story, essay, or autobiographical memoir about the impact of a specific movie on yourself, someone you know, or a fictional character? How can you weave movie references into a written work? What kind of influence can movies, or a particular movie, have on an individual’s life?
  • Puig's novel Kiss of the Spider Woman is composed almost entirely of dialogue, resembling a stage play or screenplay. Can you create a short piece written exclusively in dialogue? How can you convey significant action and character development solely through dialogue?
  • The 1985 film adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman is equally well-known and critically acclaimed as the novel. How do the movie and the book compare? How did the filmmaker use cinematic techniques to convey action and characterization that were originally written? How does the film version enhance your understanding of the novel? What aspects of the novel are "lost" or omitted in the film? What changes were made to the characters of Valentin and Molina in the adaptation from book to screen?

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