‘Dialogue with the Mirror’ is a compelling 1949 short story by the renowned Colombian author
Gabriel García Márquez. Written when Márquez was only twenty-two years old, this story reflects the nascent stages of his literary style as he navigates the path to his later, mature voice. The story centers on a man’s seemingly mundane morning routine and the thoughts that occupy his mind as he shaves in front of a mirror. The narrative, while largely
plotless, delves deeply into the inner workings of the protagonist's mind, revealing both psychological and metaphysical insights.
Summary
In the story, we observe a man in front of a
mirror, preparing for the day ahead. His morning ritual includes shaving, bathing, and having breakfast before he leaves for work. Each activity is allotted a precise number of minutes, a reflection of the man’s structured approach to his routine.
- The man struggles to remember the name of a local shop, which sells a variety of items including provisions and hardware. He recalls it’s owned by Mabel and that the shop's name begins with the letter "P".
- As he peers into the mirror, he briefly envisions his deceased twin brother, a poignant moment connecting the realms of life and death.
- He fills the basin with hot water, and when the steam dissipates, he sees his reflection, mimicking his actions as he sticks out his tongue. Noticing a yellowish tint, he speculates that he has an upset stomach.
- The act of shaving brings him a childlike delight, but he soon realizes he is running late. The aroma of food from the kitchen further distracts him.
- He catches sight of his elbow in the mirror, prompting a bizarre thought that someone may be attempting to hang his (dead) brother. Hurrying, he accidentally cuts himself.
- Oddly, he can see the cut only in the mirror, unable to locate it by touch on his actual face. He begins to imagine that he is a few seconds ahead of his reflection, that it failed to anticipate the stroke that caused the cut.
- After washing and drying his face, he finally remembers the name of Mabel’s shop: Pandora. This recollection brings him immense satisfaction, likened to the warm sensation of a dog wagging its tail inside his soul.
Analysis
‘Dialogue with the Mirror’ is narrated in the third person, a technique Márquez uses to allow readers to observe the protagonist's thoughts without risking overt
narcissism or self-indulgence. This approach maintains a distance between the character and the reader, allowing us to experience the
uncanny feeling of the man seeing himself both as he is and as something “other” in the mirror. The mirror becomes a medium for introspection and self-alienation, tapping into the psychoanalytic concept of the
double or “uncanny”, a theme explored by Freud.
- For Márquez, the mirror serves as a symbol of self-division. The protagonist’s glimpse of his deceased twin through his own reflection forges a bridge between the living and the dead, hinting at the fleeting nature of existence and the passage of time.
- The moment he cuts himself reflects a literal and symbolic division between him and his reflection – a figure that seems both autonomous and dependent on his actions.
The Epiphany
In a traditional story, an
epiphany often comes as a profound or life-altering revelation. Here, however, Márquez uses the man’s memory of the name
Pandora as the story’s climactic realization. This trivial recollection contrasts starkly with the existential themes explored earlier in the story, lending an
absurdist quality to the conclusion. This seemingly insignificant detail becomes meaningful within the protagonist’s intricate world, where the small satisfaction of remembering a name brings him immense joy.
Final Thoughts
Throughout the story, Márquez’s use of
mathematical language adds a unique dimension to the man’s daily routine. Terms like geometry, theorem, and velocity convey a sense of precision and scientific detachment in an act as mundane as shaving. This mathematical precision reflects the protagonist's
internal conflict between order and spontaneity, where shaving becomes a meticulous art form juxtaposed with his aesthetic impulse.
- This almost comedic application of mathematics to an ordinary activity draws readers’ attention to the peculiar lens through which the protagonist views his world, a hallmark of modernist fiction.
- The mirror serves as a metaphor for introspection and the division between reality and illusion, life and death.
- The story captures the complexities of self-perception and identity, rendered through Márquez’s unique blend of realism and absurdity.
