Antonio Tabucchi’s Pereira Declares is another
unconventional novel that has many postmodernist features throughout. Pereira Declares takes place in fascist
Portugal and is the story of a melancholy, overweight journalist for the
culture section of a start-up evening newspaper. The novel reflects on the
power of literature and conformity, using ironic characters and historical
events to show the consequences of freedom. Tabucchi also questions “the truth”
in a novel that begins and ends with the same problem, death. It is a fictional
account of historical events. In other words it is a meta-fictional novel,
fiction that speaks to reality.
A major theme in the story is the
concept of “the truth.” According to postmodernists, there is no central truth
to anything, due to the infinite amount of perceptions that are made associated
with the object. Early in the book, Pereira recalls a quote from his uncle. He
says, “Philosophy appears to concern
itself only with the truth, but perhaps expresses only fantasies, while
literature appears to concern itself only with fantasies, but perhaps it
expresses the truth” (Tabucchi 17).
Immediately there is irony in this
statement. According to Webster’s
Dictionary the definition of philosophy is, “the rational investigation of
the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.” The definition of literature is, “writings in
which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest,
are characteristic or essential features as poetry, novels, etc.” The use of
logic and reason to investigate “the truth” are useless. Instead, one must investigate
using ideas, form, and art. According to Pereira’s uncle, the search for truth
only ends up in becoming lost in fantasies. However, while in the realm of
fantasy, one is able to find the truth.
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