8/18/2019 Substantial Authenticityxxx

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Substantial authenticity, (post/)modernity and transformation ofotherness: the second trip of Camilo Jose Cela to the Alcarria

A review of literature on authenticity argues in favour of what is called here substantialauthenticity, against obective, constructed and e!istential notions, argued as nonmutuallye!clusive" Several themes in substantial authenticity are found in #uevo viae a la Alcarria

(#ew Journey to the Alcarria), a boo$ by the #obel %ri&e winner for 'iterature Camilo JoseCela: nostalgia/hostility to modern society social integration autonomy from societyopposition to capitalism/commodication and opposition to pose/style/fashion" *esides thecharacteristically modern stance implied by some of such engagements with authenticity,Cela+s wor$ also presents postmodern traits (such as disregard for $nowledge and ambiguityas to its own (non)ctional status), prompting a discussion on the limits of the nonctionalte!t" -he discussion is especially relevant because the authority of Cela as a famous writer(which he reinforces by concealing sources and suggesting mystical access to .therness)enables him to apparently change the very social and cultural landscape in which he travels"

 -his ta$es place both in the longrun (the region already contains mar$ers of his rst trip,which are li$ely to be reinforced by the second) and in the shortrun (immediatetransformative eects in the interaction between the author and local people)"