Time and destination in Appearances of Federico Gamboa

Abstract

In these lines I am going to work on Apariencias (Semblances) (1892) by Federico Gamboa (1864-1932). Through the analysis of this story I will develop my conception of the "Mexican nineteenth century novel as a novel of incest," a subject I have addressed on previous occasions.
Although Gamboa is not a forgotten author, until today critics has been focused their attention on Santa. Hundreds of pages have been dedicated to her in Mexico and abroad, as well as several theses and the book by Olea Franco in which a good number of Mexican intellectuals participated. Santa has also inspired two film versions, the work of Agustin Lara, and even a comic book focused on the figure of Hippolytus. The rest of Gamboa’s work has gained less attention of the critics. There is little about his short novels and much less about Apariencias to which, in general terms, critics studies as a naturalist novel, and always in Santa’s shadow. Federico Gamboa is not, therefore, a forgotten author, but his Apariencias have not been examined with the thoroughness of his Santa, a situation which I intend to begin to remedy today.