The Circular Ruins

Borges wrote “The Circular Ruins” shortly after the death of his father. In what ways can you see this personal experience reflected in the text?

How did the rise of peronism affect Jorge Luis Borges? Can you trace this political movement through his poems and short stories?

Many people experience Borges in their native language, but most of his work was originally written in Spanish. Borges is known for carefully choosing his words to elicit their maximum impact. How does translation affect how we perceive his messages?

Compare and contrast the dreamer’s “son” with golems, creatures from traditional Jewish folklore.

Borges often utilized labyrinths as symbols in his writing, as inspired by the tale of the Minotaur in Greek mythology. How could you apply this motif to “The Circular Ruins”?

Provide arguments for why “The Circular Ruins” can or cannot be defined as metafiction.

Provide arguments for why the text does or does not exemplify the literary style of magical realism.

What is the paradox implied in “The Circular Ruins”? Discuss.