Journey Back to the Source by Alejo Carpentier
"Journey Back to the Source" by Alejo Carpentier is a unique narrative that explores the life of Don Marcial in reverse chronological order, beginning with his death and tracing his life back to his conception. The story is structured into twelve segments, each marked by Roman numerals, which detail different stages of Marcial's existence, from his funeral to his time as a fetus. The narrative introduces various characters that shape Marcial’s life at different ages, portraying him as a vibrant, lustful man whose experiences reflect a relatively ordinary life filled with significant rites of passage. This backward journey not only highlights key moments of his life but also engages with themes of memory, identity, and the cyclical nature of existence. As the story concludes, it metaphorically returns Marcial and his surroundings to their origins, suggesting a return to a state of purity and potential. Carpentier's work invites readers to reflect on the interconnectedness of life events and the essence of human experience, making it a compelling exploration of personal history and existentialism.
On this Page
Journey Back to the Source by Alejo Carpentier
First published: "Viaje a la semilla," 1958 (English translation, 1970)
Type of plot: Fantasy
Time of work: Unspecified
Locale: A Latin American or Caribbean country
Principal Character:
Don Marcial, Marques de Capellanias , a nobleman
The Story
This story traces the life of Don Marcial from his death back to his birth. It begins with the impending destruction of his house some time after his death. In twelve more sections, noted by roman numerals, the reader is escorted backward through the stages in Marcial's life. Each section provides details that typify these stages.
Marcial has already died when an old manservant literally opens the door into the house and the time frame moves to Marcial's funeral. Continuing to move backward in time, the story tells about his life as an old man, a middle-aged man, married man, young man, teenager, young adolescent, young child, toddler, crawling baby, an infant and, finally, a fetus.
At each stage, several essential characters are introduced who either are appropriate to that stage or serve to indicate the kind of man that Marcial is. For example, at his deathbed is Father Anastasio, his priest and confessor. As a young adult, Marcial makes bold love to Señora de Campoflorido. As a toddler, he plays with his father's African groom, Melchor.
The totality of the information creates an image of a lusty man who has led a relatively uneventful life. Each rite of passage is celebrated, such as the party given when he becomes an adult. Because the story is told in reverse order, the party is disbanded as he achieves nonadult status or minority.
In the last section, Marcial enters his mother's womb to become a fetus, and everything surrounding Don Marcial undoes itself into its original form. For example, wool blankets unravel and once more become sheep fleece. Even the grounds where the house once stood return to their original desert state or—as the title indicates—go back to the source.