"The Street of Crocodiles" is a literary exploration of the complexities of modern existence, where reality and illusion blur into one another. The narrative does not revolve around a conventional hero or a specific place, but rather delves into the themes of corruption, decay, and the superficiality of urban life. Through vivid metaphors, the story examines the erosion of authenticity in the face of rampant commercialism and loss of values.

The Elusive Protagonist

The challenge of pinpointing a central protagonist in "The Street of Crocodiles" is evident from the very first sentence: “My father kept in the lower drawer of his large desk an old and beautiful map of our city.” Despite this seemingly clear beginning, the story unfolds into a realm shrouded in ambiguity reminiscent of Franz Kafka’s works. It neither focuses on the father nor the narrator, nor does it firmly establish the town as the hero, though the town inevitably plays a crucial role. Instead, the narrative becomes a commentary on the disintegration of modern life, a reflection on the triumph of superficial values and commercial interests. The city, possibly non-existent, is portrayed through the lens of an intricate map, painstakingly detailed by an engraver, depicting “streets and alleyways, the sharp lines of cornices, architraves, archivolts, and pilasters.”

A Metaphor for Modern Decay

The city, with its invisible name and location, stands as a metaphor for twentieth-century life's decay. The narrative juxtaposes the old town with the new, where "pseudo-Americanism" pervades, characterized by "shops with the stigma of some wild Klondike." Here, everything is superficial, from the vegetation to the goods in the outfitters’ shops, all steeped in a palpable sense of grayness and barrenness. This drab environment reflects a pervasive lack of individuality, where even the young salesperson’s “cheap sales talk” exemplifies the hollow nature of this world.

Beneath the Surface

Deceptive facades mask the deeper corruption within the city. The seemingly innocuous outfitters’ shops are, in reality, fronts for antiquarian bookstores filled with "collections of highly questionable books and private editions." Underneath this veneer lies a world ripe with corrupt and erotic interactions among the sales staff. The narrator, a silent observer, seizes the opportunity during these distractions to escape onto the street, seeking to witness the broader tapestry of the city’s new district.

A World of Illusions

Stepping outside, the narrator perceives a world stretched thin like paper, where reality itself feels illusory. This sham existence manifests in the daily hustle of street life—cabdrivers frolic aimlessly with passengers, trollies appear as fragile constructs of papier-mâché, and trains inexplicably halt mid-street, morphing the area into a cavernous railway station. In this realm, certainty is elusive, even in something as mundane as purchasing a train ticket. Amid this chaotic backdrop, women weave through the streets, blurring the lines between ordinary citizens and those entangled in the shadows of vice.

Contemplating Impermanence

The narrator questions whether this endemic corruption and illusory reality are merely figments of imagination. As it reaches a crescendo, this facade of reality withdraws like a receding wave, leaving in its wake the realization that corruption, much like virtue, is ephemeral. Nothing in this world, even vice itself, holds permanence. "The Street of Crocodiles" emerges as a phantasmagoric creation, crafted from the same fragile material—papier-mâché—that dissolves when confronted by the harshness of true reality. Yet, the story leaves open the question of what constitutes this true reality. It suggests a world spawned from imagination, transient and fleeting, much like the papier-mâché it invokes.