World over world: Andean otherness and migrant bodies in Liliana Bodoc’s writing

Abstract

In her book, “Elisa, la rosa inesperada,” Liliana Bodoc, one of

the renowned Argentine authors, aims to present a compelling narrative

that combines a poetic exploration of the journey with an analysis and

critique of the violence prevalent in the northern border of Argentina. This

novel-itinerary expresses the connection between travel, displacement, and

the various borders, both geographical and ideological, that are willingly

crossed as well as those that result from forced and traumatic migrations

that individuals in our country often experience. In this work, society and its

issues, including human trafficking, gender violence, and crime, are vividly

portrayed and criticized within a narrative structure that is both captivating

and visually appealing. It is not limited to narrate a story of borders and

subjects that cross them, but the work itself is also a border space.

The protagonist, who is named after the novel, is a migrant and subject

of borders. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery and identity

formation as she traverses different types of borders - social, cultural,

geographical, generational, and more. These borders, in turn, also

challenge and question her. After enduring the various challenges of the

journey and crossing multiple borders, “returning to the place of origin

reveals the undeniable impact of experiencing different lives and carrying

their memories” (Noriega, 1997).