THE AVATAR IN PANAMA - Theses - Flinders University

2.1 The North American Double The Avatar in PanamaOne of the most postmodern concepts alluded to in “Testigo” isthe idea of the mirror as a palimpsest with a long memory, yet even thisconcept has roots in Freud’s mystic writing pad. 25 This is coupled withthe notion of the mirror itself being timeless:Es como si a través del tiempo se fuerancongelando los rostros en mi superficie,plasmándose en imágenes indivisiblementesuperpuestas que van multiplicando la edad enlos ojos de las que se buscan […] las jóvenes,las que en mí han comprobado en otras épocasla suavidad del cutis […] las que sólo meconsultan para asegurarse de que el tiempopermanece inmóvil en aquella primera mirada(130)Ageing as a fear of death, and as a form of doubling andtransformation, are two traditionally modern themes found in “Testigo”.This is evidenced by the woman’s alarm associated with viewing herreflection. The initially unidentified storyteller is revealed as thepersonified mirror whose point of view is penned in the first person,while the secondary character whom the mirror describes is clearly itsfemale owner. The theme of ageing appears in the first paragraph andimplies the passage of time and its resulting toll: “se detiene frente a mídeseando una transformación imposible […] la lenta descompostura delas facciones” (130). 26 In psychoanalytic terms, one may wonderwhether decomposition in Robert Rogers’ sense is tantamount to theduplication of the reflected features. 27 As a single unit the mirrornarratornot only fragments but suddenly becomes many piecesreflecting whole images: “Estoy reflejándola fragmentada, múltiple,tirada sobre la poltrona. […] repeticiones de ojos, bocas entreabiertas”.This is ambiguous, however, as the mirror might be referring to theactual person or her reflection. 28 In any case, it considers itself a testigoand, in a narcissistic avowal, as an architect of fates, in this instance as25This is discussed further in 2.3 Dobles and Duplos, see footnote 113, 217.26 Just as in Grabes’ classification, the mirror reflects the way things are. See Grabes163.27 Rogers states that the psychoanalytic term decomposition signifies dual or multiplefragmentation of personality (14).28 One of the qualities particular to a mirrored surface is that its shattered fragmentscan still deliver whole images. This phenomenon was exploited to illustrate thedoctrine of transubstantiation; just as fragments each furnish a complete image of theobject, Christ is wholly present in each fragment of holy bread (host). Grabes 107.82