Analysis power point of the novel "springtime in a broken miroor" by Mario Bennedetti

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Presentation by Jory Johnson, Pierce College, WA

2. Springtime
in a Broken
Mirror
Written by Mario Bennedetti

3. Historical Context
❏ Takes place during the 1970’s During
the Military Coup in Argentina and
Uruguay
❏ Many who were even suspected to
have opposed were beaten,
imprisoned, tortured, etc.

4. Political context
● Uruguay had its Military coup in 1973, Performed and signed by Juan
Bordaberry, in order to “reform democracy”
● Guerrilla warfare between rebels and the government
● Dissolved the government of senators and representatives
● Would not disclose why these decisions were made, the citizens were kept in
the dark.

5. Mario Bennedetti
● Born into a prosperous italian immigrant family
● Born on september 14th, 1920 in Paso de los Toro
● At 4 years old, moved to Montevideo, Uruguay.
● Privately schooled, and fell in love with poetry at a young age.
● His work was some of the best sellers in Uruguay.
● In 1973, his work became political, when Uruguay had its coup

6. Protaganists
● Santiago, the focal point of the story, whom is imprisoned in Montevideo
● Graciela, Wife to Santiago
● Beatriz, Santiago’s 9-year old daughter
● Rolando, Best friend of Santiago, Graciela’s eventual lover
● Don Rafael, Santiago’s Father

7. Point of view
● Told completely in Third Person ● Through the perspective of a
different individual each chapter
to give insight into the individual
lives

8. Mood
● Dependant on the
chapter, the mood
changes
● Generally dark, as if
the reader knows of
what's about to occur

9. Plot
● A Protagonist by the name of Santiago is being held as a political prisoner in
Montevideo, Uruguay
● His family have fled to Buenos Aires to escape the military coup that's taking
place in Uruguay.
● Santiago Keeps himself and his mind in check solely by writing letter to his
family
● Beatriz questions whether her father is a bad man to her mother.
● Graciela Struggles to

10. Interpretation
This novel depicts the other side effects a coup can have on its people, by imprisoning somebody for
opposing the political reform, you not only rob them of their freedom, you rob their family of them as well.
While the coup had forced Santiago’s family into exile, while he remained in Uruguay, it tore his family from
him, his wife fell in love with his best friend. Providing the reader with the thought that the coup goes
deeper than imprisoning individuals, it tore families apart, which was what Mario was all about spreading
the message for, since he was in disagreement for the coup. Uruguay’s politics were the focus of Mario’s
work, and became the focal point of the novel.

11. Citations
Echevarría, Roberto González. “Mario Benedetti.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 13 May 2019,
www.britannica.com/biography/Mario-Benedetti.
Quintana, Marilìn. “La Dictadura En Uruguay.” La Dictadura En Uruguay - Monografias.com,
www.monografias.com/trabajos29/dictadura-uruguay/dictadura-uruguay.shtml.
Estudos Ibero-Americanos, revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/iberoamericana/ojs/index.php/iberoamericana?s=A gestação do golpe no
Uruguai.
Sbctc, sbctc-
piercecollege.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=doaj_soai_doaj_org_article_8249e1d5ff0c4b7892dd4f8a792c7d67
&context=PC&vid=01STATEWA_PIERCE:PIERCE&lang=en&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Primo
Central&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,Uruguay coup 1973&offset=0.