Augusto Roa Bastos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Augusto Roa Bastos
Born	(1917-06-13)13 June 1917 Asunción, Paraguay
Died	26 April 2005(2005-04-26) (aged 87) Asunción, Paraguay
Occupation	Writer journalist professor
Genre	Dictator novel
Literary movement	Latin American Boom
Notable works	Hijo de hombre Yo el Supremo
Notable awards	Miguel de Cervantes Prize (1989) National Prize for Literature (1995) Legion d'Honneur (1997)

Augusto Roa Bastos (born June 13, 1917 – died April 26, 2005) was a famous writer from Paraguay. He wrote novels and short stories. When he was a teenager, he fought in the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia. Later, he worked as a journalist, wrote movie scripts, and was a professor.

He is best known for his amazing novel Yo el Supremo (which means I the Supreme). He also won the Premio Miguel de Cervantes in 1989. This is the most important award for Spanish literature. Yo el Supremo is about José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia. He was a very strict dictator who ruled Paraguay from 1814 to 1840.

Roa Bastos's life and writing were greatly shaped by living under strict military governments. In 1947, he had to leave Paraguay and live in Argentina. In 1976, he had to leave Buenos Aires and move to France because of similar political problems. He wrote most of his books while living away from home. But this did not stop him from writing about important social and historical issues in Paraguay.

He wrote in Spanish, but often added words from the Guarani language. This is a main language of the native people in Paraguay. Roa Bastos used Paraguayan myths and symbols in his writing style. This style is called magical realism, where magical things happen in a real world. He is seen as a key writer in the Latin American Boom, a time when many great Latin American books were written. His important books include Hijo de hombre (1960; Son of Man) and El fiscal (1993; The Prosecutor). He also wrote many other novels, short stories, poems, and movie scripts.

About Augusto Roa Bastos

His Early Life (1917–1932)

Augusto Roa Bastos was born in Asunción, Paraguay, on June 13, 1917. He grew up in Iturbe, a small town where his father managed a sugar farm. Iturbe was about 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of Asunción. There, Roa Bastos learned to speak both Spanish and Guaraní. Guaraní is the language of Paraguay's native people.

When he was ten, he moved to Asunción for school. He lived with his uncle, Hermenegildo Roa, who was a bishop. His uncle had a huge library. This is where young Roa Bastos first read classic Spanish books. These books influenced his early poems. His uncle also taught him about the deeper meanings in literature. This helped shape Roa Bastos's later writing.

His childhood experiences taught him about the Guaraní culture and language. This, along with his Spanish education, created a mix of cultures and languages in his mind. This mix showed up in much of his writing. Living in the countryside also showed him how native and poor people in Paraguay were treated unfairly. This became a big topic in his books.

War and Becoming a Writer (1932–1947)

In 1932, the Chaco War started between Paraguay and Bolivia. It lasted until 1935. At some point, maybe in 1934, Roa Bastos joined the Paraguayan army. He worked as a medical helper. The war deeply affected him. He had hoped for glory, but instead saw "maimed bodies" and "destruction." This made him wonder why two neighboring countries were fighting. Because of this, Roa Bastos became a pacifist, meaning he believed in peace.

After the war, he worked as a bank clerk and then as a journalist. During this time, he started writing plays and poems. In 1941, he won a prize for his book Fulgencia Miranda, but it was never published. In the early 1940s, he spent a lot of time on yerba mate farms in northern Paraguay. He later used these experiences in his first published novel, Hijo de hombre (1960; Son of Man). In 1942, he became an editor for the Asunción newspaper El País.

In 1944, the British Council gave Roa Bastos a scholarship for journalism in London. For nine months, he traveled a lot in Britain, France, and Africa. He saw the damage of World War II firsthand. He worked as a war reporter for El País. He even interviewed General Charles de Gaulle when he returned to Paris in 1945. Roa Bastos also broadcast radio shows about Latin America for the BBC.

During this busy time, Roa Bastos kept writing. He was seen as a modern poet in Paraguay. In 1942, he published a book of poems called El Ruiseñor De La Aurora (The Dawn Nightingale). He later said he didn't like this work. His plays were also performed successfully in the 1940s, but they were not published. Only one of his many poems from the late 1940s, "El naranjal ardiente" (1960; "The Burning Orange Grove"), was published.

Living in Argentina (1947–1976)

In 1947, during the Paraguayan Civil War, Roa Bastos had to escape to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He had spoken out against the president, Higinio Moríñigo. About 500,000 other Paraguayans also moved to Argentina at that time. Roa Bastos stayed in Argentina until 1976, when a military government took power there. He did not return to Paraguay permanently until 1989.

He found living in exile difficult, but he wrote a lot during his time in Buenos Aires. He said that exile made him dislike violence and appreciate humanity more. It also helped him understand his own country better from an outsider's view.

In 1953, his collection of 17 short stories, El trueno entre las hojas (Thunder Among the Leaves), was published. It became known internationally. But it was his novel Hijo de hombre (Son of Man), published in 1960, that brought him great success. This novel tells the story of Paraguay's difficult history. It covers the rule of Dr. Jose Gaspar de Francia in the early 1800s up to the Chaco War in the 1930s. The book uses many different viewpoints and explores history and politics. These ideas also appeared in his most famous work, Yo, el Supremo, written more than ten years later. Roa Bastos also helped turn Hijo de hombre into a successful film in the same year it was published.

Roa Bastos also became known for writing movie scripts. He wrote Shunko (1960), a film based on a country school teacher's memories. In 1961, he worked on Alias Gardelito (1961), a film about small-time criminals. This movie became important in the "new cinema" movement. In 1974, Roa Bastos published his masterpiece, Yo, el Supremo. He had worked on it for seven years. However, when Jorge Rafael Videla's military government took power in Argentina in 1976, the book was banned. Roa Bastos was forced to leave again, this time to Toulouse, France.

Life in France (1976–1989)

In Toulouse, France, Roa Bastos taught Guaraní and Spanish literature at the University of Toulouse. He had been allowed to visit Paraguay since 1970 to work with new Paraguayan writers. But in 1982, he was banned from entering Paraguay again. This was because he was supposedly involved in rebellious activities. However, there is little proof that he was involved in any political groups.

In France, Roa Bastos faced his second forced move. But he also gained new readers for his work. Helen Lane's English translation of Yo el Supremo (I the Supreme), published in 1986, was highly praised in English-speaking countries. In France, Roa Bastos focused mostly on academic writing. He did not write as many literary works as he did in Argentina. In 1985, Roa Bastos retired from the University of Toulouse. After the strict government of Alfredo Stroessner fell in 1989, Roa Bastos returned to Paraguay. He was invited back by the new leader, Andrés Rodríguez.

Return to Paraguay and Awards (1989–2005)

After the Stroessner government was overthrown, Roa Bastos won the Premio Cervantes (Cervantes Prize). The Spanish Royal Academy and the Spanish government give this award. It honors great contributions to Spanish-language literature. It is the most important prize in Spanish literature. After winning, Roa Bastos often traveled between Paraguay and France.

In 1991, representing Paraguay, Roa Bastos signed The Morelia Declaration. This document asked for an end to the environmental damage on Earth. Around this time, Roa Bastos started writing novels and movie scripts actively again.

In 1991, Roa Bastos adapted Yo, el Supremo for a film. His first novel since Yo, el Supremo was Vigilia del almirante (Vigil of the Admiral), published in 1992. El fiscal (The Prosecutor) followed in 1993. Even though these later novels did not have the same impact as his earlier work, El fiscal is still considered an important book. Augusto Roa Bastos died on April 26, 2005, in Asunción, from a heart attack. He left behind his three children, his third wife, Iris Giménez, and a reputation as one of Latin America's best writers.

His Important Books

Hijo de hombre (Son of Man)

Hijo de hombre (1960; Son of Man) was Roa Bastos's first published novel. It won awards and marked his move away from writing poetry. It is seen as a more developed version of his earlier short stories, like El trueno entre las hojas (1953). These stories also dealt with political problems and social struggles in Paraguay.

This novel shows the conflict between the ruling class and the poor people in Paraguay. It covers the period from 1912 until just after the Chaco War ended in 1936. Like his later book Yo, el Supremo, Hijo de hombre uses Paraguayan legends and stories. These stories go back to the start of Dr. Francia's rule in 1814.

Hijo de hombre uses Christian ideas as part of Magic Realism. This style helps to explore the pain of being Paraguayan. The novel compares two characters: Miguel Vera and Cristóbal Jara. Vera tells some of the chapters. He is a rich, educated person who supports revolution. But he cannot truly act on his beliefs and ends up betraying them. Jara, on the other hand, is an uneducated "son of man." He becomes a Christ-like leader for the Paraguayan people through his actions and strong character. Even though the book was a huge success, Roa Bastos was not fully happy with it. It took him fourteen years to publish another novel.

Yo el Supremo (I the Supreme)

Roa Bastos wrote about the 19th-century Paraguayan dictator José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia in his novel Yo, el Supremo.

Yo el Supremo (I the Supreme) is a fictional story about José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia. He was a dictator in Paraguay in the 1800s. People also called him "Dr. Francia." The book's title comes from the fact that Francia called himself "El Supremo," or "The Supreme." He was the first in a long line of dictators. The Supreme was a harsh and calculating ruler. He ruled completely from 1814 until he died in 1840. He is a unique figure in Latin American history.

His goal was similar to the Jesuits who ruled Paraguay before him. He wanted to keep the Paraguayan people and their customs pure. He did this by protecting them from outside influences. In Yo, el Supremo, Roa Bastos also explores the power (and weakness) of writing itself. The story is about the dictator trying to find out who is faking his signature on protest notes found around the capital. It also shows his relationship with his secretary, Patiño. The dictator dictates his thoughts and orders to Patiño, but never fully trusts him.

The novel itself was "an amazing cultural event." Some say it was praised "more immediately and widely than any novel since One Hundred Years of Solitude." Its historical importance might even be greater. Yo, el Supremo has influenced many different types of writing. It belongs to the genre of novelas de dictadores (dictator novels). It is also part of the Latin American Boom, a literary movement from the 1960s and 1970s. Yo, el Supremo is also a key book in the development of historical novels. The book mixes many styles: history, novel, social essay, philosophy, biography, revolutionary pamphlet, documentary, poetic writing, personal confession, and ideas about language.

El Fiscal (The Prosecutor)

El Fiscal (1993; The Prosecutor) is the third novel in a series by Augusto Roa Bastos. These three books explore what the author called "the single power of rulers." The Prosecutor looks at the terrible things that happened during the Alfredo Stroessner dictatorship in Paraguay. This rule lasted from 1954 to 1989.

The novel connects the main character to Paraguay's past. He tries to find meaning in his life by planning to kill the dictator. He hopes this will free the Paraguayan people. The novel mixes autobiography, detective story, historical novel, and philosophy. It asks if one person has the right to judge another.

How Roa Bastos Wrote

His Style of Writing

Roa Bastos used a style called Neobaroque. This style made Latin American literature famous around the world in the mid-1900s. Other writers, like the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, also used this style. Neobaroque uses complex comparisons and ideas. These are often linked to the land, plants, and culture of the writer's home. This is especially true for Roa Bastos.

Magic realism is a Neobaroque idea. It adds magical elements to real-world settings. Yo, el Supremo is a great example of this. Many Paraguayan writers in exile used the Neobaroque style from 1947 to the 1980s. A main idea in their work was political freedom and freeing their homeland.

Roa Bastos started by writing poetry in the old Spanish styles. Later, he developed a "new way of feeling" inspired by poets like Valle-Inclán and García Lorca. However, Roa Bastos became famous for his novels and many short stories. His novels mix the present and past. They create scenes with myths from ancient times and Christian legends. This creates a special kind of Magic Realism. But his main novels also have different writing styles.

Themes in His Work

Paraguay's Shared Memory

Most of Roa Bastos's work was written while he was in exile. This was because of the harsh political situation in his country. At that time, Paraguay was one of the least developed countries in Latin America. So, much of Roa Bastos's important writing tries to "capture the sad truth" and the "inner strength of his country's people."

His work shows a strong interest in both modern Paraguay and its history. He looked back to the early 1800s and the rule of Dr. Gaspar de Francia. Francia's life is the main focus of Yo, el Supremo. Roa Bastos was interested in key historical figures and events. But he mostly focused on how these historical roots affected "the ordinary people." This was the main theme of his writing.

His writing uses symbols and many different stories. These build on the shared memories of the Paraguayan people. For example, Hijo de hombre creates an "alternative history of popular movements." It uses people's memories and symbols. The novel Yo, el Supremo is a great example of this technique. In El Fiscal (1993), his third novel about political power abuse, Roa Bastos again offers a different view of events in Paraguay. He questions how history is understood. To do this, he adds fantasy and self-referential elements to his stories.

The Writer's Role in Society

Roa Bastos believed that writers should directly explain current and historical events. He thought writers should not just report facts. Instead, they should morally engage with the social problems they write about. According to Roa Bastos, writing means facing your destiny. It means joining the real life of a community, its moral values, and its social structure. It means understanding the complex parts of today's world. This means connecting to the universal world of humans. So, a major theme in Roa Bastos's writing is a deep and universal focus on humanity, especially on suffering.

Roa Bastos's own experiences certainly played a big part in his focus on human suffering. As a young man, he fought in the Chaco War. He wrote about this event in Hijo de hombre. Later, he saw the destruction of World War II in Europe. He also saw the violence in Paraguay in 1947 and the rise of the Argentine military government in 1976.

His short story collection El Trueno entre las Hojas (1953) showed dark pictures of political struggle and oppression. This set the stage for Hijo de hombre and Yo, el Supremo. Two decades later, Yo, el Supremo was published. It is a prime example of Roa Bastos's idea of the "engaged writer." It gave an honest, fictional account of the last thoughts of Paraguay's first dictator. This was at a time when Paraguay was under a strict government that used similar oppressive policies. Roa Bastos was not alone in using literature to comment on current events during the Latin American Boom. In the 1960s and 1970s, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and others used the same approach. Together, these writers created the Dictator novel genre.

Speaking Two Languages

Most Paraguayans from farming or working-class families learn to speak both Spanish and Guaraní from birth. Both Spanish and Guaraní are official languages in Paraguay. Guaraní is mostly a spoken language. While Guaraní is the "popular" language spoken at home and on the street, Spanish is used for official business and power.

It is rare in Latin America for a native language to be widely used after centuries of European immigration. Guaraní remains a symbol of Paraguayan identity. It is an "important way to understand the country's reality." This is because the Jesuits, who ruled Paraguay in the 1700s, used Guaraní (instead of Spanish or Latin) to spread Christianity.

Roa Bastos wrote mainly in Spanish. But the way these two languages interact is a key part of his style. His ability to speak two languages gave him a much wider range of words to use. But it also created tension between an internationally known language and one that is unique to Paraguay. Roa Bastos said that the relationship between the two languages was "an almost split personality." This was true not only in spoken language but also in written language.

Awards and Honors

Throughout his career, Roa Bastos received many awards and honors. In 1941, he won the Ateneo Paraguayo Prize for his novel Fulgencio Miranda (which was not published). After this, he received a British Council scholarship for journalism. This allowed him to travel to Europe during World War II. In 1959, Roa Bastos won the Losada prize for his first published novel, Hijo de hombre. The film adaptation of this novel, for which he wrote the script, won best Spanish-language film the next year.

His most important awards include two John Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships, given in 1970 and 1979. He also won the Cervantes Prize in 1989. This award is given by the Spanish government for a writer's lifetime achievements. It is the most important prize in Spanish literature. Roa Bastos gave most of his prize money to help people in Paraguay get easier access to books. In 1995, he received Paraguay's National Prize for Literature. In 1997, France honored him as a Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur.

His Legacy

Roa Bastos's writing covered four countries, six decades, and many different types of stories. During his life, he made important contributions to the Latin American Boom. He also contributed to the Dictator Novel genre and the Nuevo Cine film movement through scripts like Alias Gardelito (1961).

Roa Bastos influenced many writers who came after the Latin American Boom. These include Mempo Giardinelli, Isabel Allende, Eraclio Zepeda, Antonio Skármeta, Saul Ibargoyen, and Luisa Valenzuela. He is the most important author from Paraguay. He continues to influence a new generation of Paraguayan writers. Roa Bastos's connection with his country remained strong, even after more than 40 years of exile. This connection was so important that in 1989, Paraguay's new president, Andrés Rodríguez, invited him back after the Stroessner government fell.

Even before Yo, el Supremo, some critics already considered Roa Bastos one of the "great writers" because of Hijo de hombre. However, it was Yo, el Supremo that secured his place as a major literary figure. According to Juan Manuel Marcos, Yo, el Supremo "predicted many of the writing techniques" used after the Boom. These include making historical stories more playful and using different texts. The great Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes called Yo, el Supremo one of the most important books in Latin American literature. While his fame comes from his novels, Roa Bastos's work in film, creative writing, and journalism also adds to his lasting impact.

Published Works

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  Augusto Roa Bastos

See also

In Spanish: Augusto Roa Bastos para niños