Essay Questions

How is death as a theme brought out in Roberto Bolano’s Distant Star?

Distant Star explores the theme of death in tangible terms. For instance, during the coup d’état, some students from the university are said to have lost their lives. On the other hand, the Garmendia sisters also pass on as revealed by Marta to Bibiano. Juan Stein also passes on after being murdered in a riot. On trying to trace his family, Bibiano realizes that his mother had passed away three years before Juan’s death. In this way, death becomes a central event portrayed in the work.

Explore betrayal as brought out in Roberto Bolano’s Distant Star

Betrayal as a theme in this work is intricately fabricated between a layer of biblical symbolism. As the story comes to a climax, we learn of the narrator’s fascination with a character, Abel Romero, a renowned police officer. The betrayal is brought to the reader’s attention in the way that these two characters collaborate to betray Carlos Weider. The narrator receives three hundred thousand pesetas from Abel Romera for the betrayal of Weider after which he retires to Paris.

Explore the character of Ruiz-Tagle as brought out in Roberto Bolano’s Distant Star.

Ruiz-Tagle’s character is well exploited in the Distant Star. The first character trait that is implied in the work is his creativity which is brought out through the poetic works that the character writes. On the other hand, because he is utterly disinterested in having any relationships with other people who are also wannabes in the creation of poetical works, the character can be argued as impartial. Perhaps he is also afraid of being found out, an aspect that would paint him out as fearsome.