Reversals of Fire: The Philosophy of Heraclitus as Thematic Subtext of Julio Cortázar's 'All Fires the Fire'

Abstract

Cortazar collected translations of Heraclitus and made numerous references to his fragments. Critics have neglected the influence of this pre-Socratic philosopher on Cortazar. This paper studies 'Todos los fuegos el fuego' and aims to show that, in writing this story, Cortazar found inspiration in Heraclitus's theory that Fire and the Logos (Word–Reason) are the ruling principles of the universe. Heraclitus is mostly known through his river fragments as the philosopher of the everlasting flux (panta rhei), but his philosophy of time emphasized unity and structure over change. The idea of the unity of opposites and its paradoxical, poetical expression by Heraclitus influenced the structure of this short story and Cortazar's use of certain metaphors. The transformation of the elements through Fire, and the metaphorical structure of the universe mark its figures of speech and sequences, switching between an ancient and a modern story, both ending in a final conflagration.Cortazar coleccionaba traducciones de...