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The Aleph Allegory

Decent Essays

People typically do not believe in things that are solely expressed through words, unless there are actions associated with them. In the short story, The Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges, an allegory is incorporated to make a connection between the story's character, Carlos Argentino Daneri, and Muhammad, the last prophet in the religion of Islam. In addition, symbolism is a relevant and primary characteristic throughout The Aleph as well. A general theme of determination is evident throughout the story in more ways than one. An allegory is presented in The Aleph to exemplify determination within the characters. The story begins as Borges, explains how Daneri’s house had been burned in which Beatriz, the girl with whom Borges had unrequited love, …show more content…

When Daneri talks to Borges about being able to see the modern man, he says, "I view him...supplied with telephones, telegraphs, phonographs, wireless sets, motion-picture screens, slide projectors." Borges is amused by Daneri's vision, and thinks that his ideas are foolish, while also relating Daneri's way of thinking to the story of the Prophet Muhammad and the mountain. In this fable, Muhammad claims that the mountains will come to him and he will pray on them. In addition, Muhammad also states that if the mountains do not come to him, he will go to them instead. This shows that Muhammad was not ashamed of what he had claimed but rather found another way to get the job done. In the Critical Essay by Daniel Moran, a connection of Daneri's psychotic theories of modern man is made with Bill Gates' idea of 'eliminating distance'. In the Critical Essay on ‘The Aleph, Daniel Moran states, "Gates later argues that the speed of computer networks using fiber optics will deliver 'steams of information at very high speeds'...Thus video will be as easy to send across networks as the human voice is currently sent along telephone lines". Moran concludes that Gates being able to create the technology compares with the referenced story of Muhammad in that both men will end up with a rewarding result, if determined to get to that …show more content…

Borges is still in love with Beatriz, who died years ago. He declares, “I knew that at times my fruitless devotion had annoyed her; now that she was dead, I could devote myself to her memory...once again I would study the details of her many photographs". Thus, he visits her house annually even after she had been past the stage of death; this shows the depth of his love for her. Borges makes the effort to continuously study her photographs, and everything that provides him a memory of her, while this symbolizes the sincere affection he has towards her. In The Aleph, Daneri tells the Borges that in order to finish his poem, he would need the house since it was demolished. Daneri explained further by stating that below the house was a cellar that contained an Aleph. He says, “One day when no one was home I started down in secret, but I stumbled and fell. When I opened my eyes, I saw the Aleph...one of the points in space that contains all other points." The Aleph symbolizes the completion of Daneri’s poem. Even though he was warned not to go down in the cellar, he had still gone because he was

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