#AP Spanish Literature Study Guide: "La noche boca arriba" 🏍️➡️ 🪦

Welcome! Let's break down "La noche boca arriba" by Julio Cortázar. This guide is designed to make sure you're feeling confident and ready for the AP exam. We'll cover everything from plot to literary devices, and even some practice questions. Let's get started!

#1. Plot Summary: A Journey Between Worlds 🌃 ➡️ 🌿

• Initial Setting: A man leaves a hotel on his motorcycle at 8:50 AM and rides through a city. He enters a lavish neighborhood and gets into an accident with an old woman. He's seriously injured and taken to a hospital.

  Caption: The accident that sets the stage for the story's dual realities.

• Hospital and Dreams: As he falls asleep, he has vivid dreams of being chased by Aztecs in a jungle. He experiences this dream multiple times, each time waking up in the hospital, only to fall back into the dream.

• Dream Intensifies: The dream sequences become more intense. He is captured, then finds himself on a sacrificial stone. He is terrified and tries to wake up, but the dream pulls him back.

• The Twist: In the final moments, he realizes that the 'modern' city and the motorcycle were the dream, and he was actually living in the time of the Aztecs, about to be sacrificed. 🤯

#2. Key Themes: Reality vs. Illusion 🎭

• #El tiempo y el espacio (Time and Space)

  • The story plays with the concept of time and space. The man's experiences in the hospital and the jungle seem to happen simultaneously, with a few hours in the hospital mirroring a few hours in the jungle.
  • The time of the day changes from morning to night in the hospital, but in the dream, it is always night.

• #La construcción de realidad (The Construction of Reality)

  • The story challenges our perception of reality. What we initially perceive as the 'real' world is revealed to be a dream, and vice versa. This highlights the fluidity of reality and the power of the mind. 💡

  • Cortázar demonstrates how the human mind moves between dream and reality, blurring the lines between the two.

  Caption: The feeling of disorientation and fear is central to the story's themes.

  Understanding the themes of time, space, and the construction of reality is crucial for essay questions. Be prepared to discuss how Cortázar uses these elements to create the story's impact.

#3. Comparative Works: Connecting to "Chac Mool" 🗿

• #Similarities

  • Both stories feature a plot twist that challenges the reader's perception of reality.

  • Both stories explore the idea that what seems impossible might actually be real.

  • In "Chac Mool," the statue comes to life, while in "La noche boca arriba," the dream is the reality.

  Caption: The statue of Chac Mool, a symbol of the blurring lines between reality and illusion.

• #Differences

  • "Chac Mool" uses a diary entry as its alternate setting, while "La noche boca arriba" uses flashbacks.
  • The diary entry in "Chac Mool" is told once, whereas the flashbacks in "La noche boca arriba" occur multiple times and simultaneously with the main setting.

#4. Literary Terms: Tools of the Trade 🛠️

• #Ambiguëdad/Ambiguity

  • The story is ambiguous because both the modern and primitive times are described so vividly that it is difficult to tell which is the dream and which is reality. This ambiguity keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

• #Desdoblamiento/Splitting

  • The protagonist is divided into two personalities that live in two realities. His personality in the modern world is amicable, while in the Aztec world, he is violent and afraid. 🎭

• #Flashback

  • The man experiences flashbacks to the other reality, which at first seems to be the chase in the jungle but then turns out to be the modern world.

• #Ambiente

  • The environment is created through vibrant imagery and the use of the different senses. The jungle has a distinct smell, and the city has sunlight filtering through tall buildings. 🌇

• #Atmósfera/Atmosphere

  • The atmosphere in the hospital is relaxed, while in the jungle, it is one of alertness and fear. This contrast enhances the tension in the story.

• #Sinestesia/Synesthesia

  • Cortázar uses phrases like "una fragancia compuesta y oscura como la noche," which describes a smell in terms of darkness, using the sense of sight to describe the sense of smell. 👃

• #Suspenso/Suspense

  • The author creates suspense by describing the man's emotions, using foreshadowing, sudden changes, and exaggerated language. The phrase "del final inevitable" foreshadows the end of the story.

#5. Final Exam Focus: Key Points and Strategies 🎯

• #Highest Priority Topics

  • Themes: Reality vs. illusion, time and space, the power of the mind.
  • Literary Devices: Ambiguity, splitting, flashbacks, atmosphere, suspense, synesthesia.
  • Comparative Analysis: Be ready to compare and contrast "La noche boca arriba" with "Chac Mool".

• #Common Question Types

  • Multiple-choice questions focusing on literary devices and themes.
  • Short answer questions requiring analysis of specific passages.
  • Free-response questions asking for comparative analysis and thematic interpretation.

• #Last-Minute Tips

  • Time Management: Quickly identify the main idea of each question and allocate time accordingly. Don't get stuck on one question.
  • Common Pitfalls: Avoid summarizing the plot; focus on analyzing the literary techniques and themes. Don't forget to use specific examples from the text to support your claims.
  • Strategies: Read the questions carefully before reading the text. Underline key words and phrases. Organize your thoughts before you start writing.

#6. Practice Questions 📝

You've got this! Remember to stay calm, focus on the details, and trust your preparation. You're ready to ace the AP Spanish Literature exam! 💪